Mesothelioma Help Cancer News
Stopping Mesothelioma Tumors From Reaching Blood Supply May Improve Survival
Mesothelioma is a signature cancer of asbestos, affecting the lining of the lungs or abdomen. The cancer is extremely aggressive, and the cancer cells continue to grow and multiply as additional blood vessels develop bringing more food and oxygen to them. Now, researchers believe they have found the key to the way mesothelioma tumors tap into blood vessels opening the door for “treatments to prolong life” for patients.
Researchers from the Flinders University of Adelaide, Australia report they have found that mesothelioma tumors do not wait for blood vessels to form, rather the cancer cells actually “transform into blood vessels” fueling their own growth. According to a Nov. 14 article from ABC Australia, the discovery will better help scientists understand how to treat the insidious asbestos-caused cancer.
“Instead of waiting for the outside of the tissue to grow blood vessels in, the tumour cells themselves branch out, growing blood vessels that reach out into surrounding tissues, tapping into the native vasculature,” said lead researcher Associate Professor Sonja Klebe.
There are cancer treatments available that are designed to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels to tumors, slowing the growth and spread of the tumors. Avastin, sometimes used in mesothelioma treatment, was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration – approved biological therapy designed to inhibit blood vessel formation.
According to Klebe, however, these treatments target the blood vessels that grow into the cancer as opposed to the other way around. She believes treatments need to look at both approaches to ultimately starve the tumors of blood.
“I think a cure for mesothelioma is not on the horizon in the immediate future, largely because we don’t detect the tumours early enough,” Klebe said.”But I think we are closer to finding treatments that will prolong life, with less impacts on quality of life.”
Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year and nearly the same number die from the cancer. According to the article, twelve Australians die each week from mesothelioma and the country has one of the highest rates of the disease in the world. Currently, there is no cure for the cancer. Finding an effective way to stop tumor growth is needed to improve survival and quality of life in mesothelioma patients.
Mesothelioma Nurse is Thankful for Patients and Researchers for Continuing the Fight
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect upon what we are thankful for in our lives. Everyone has their own personal list. For some the list is very simple, others more complex. For patients and families with mesothelioma this can be a tough time. Living with mesothelioma can be difficult and scary, but as researchers and patients gain knowledge of this disease, we are learning what works.
At a conference last week that I attended regarding mesothelioma, toward the end of the conference a gentleman spoke about his fight with mesothelioma. He had surgery two years ago and looked great. He was happy as he talked about his current life, he spoke with no evidence of shortness of breath. He continues to work, enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, goes on vacations, and even plays golf. His presentation was only five minutes, but it had a huge impact on the audience.
The audience was made up of doctors, scientists, nurses, and pharmaceutical companies that are involved with mesothelioma clinical trials. For many it was moving to see someone who has benefitted from research. For them, seeing the connection between their work and the impact on someone’s life is what motivates them to keep trying. The takeaway from this conference was one of optimism and appreciation.
As a representative of the medical community, I can say we are thankful to the patients and researchers and the entire mesothelioma community for continuing their battle against mesothelioma. We are thankful for the progress that continues to be made and the dedication that is required to keep moving forward towards a cure.
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Wishing the Mesothelioma Community A Happy Thanksgiving
Although today can be a challenging day for anyone in the mesothelioma community who is dealing with health issues, try to take some time today to give thanks for the blessings in your life.
If you are in a mesothelioma treatment program, take advantage of the support services and counseling services offered to help you cope with the holidays. They can give you a healthy perspective on your feelings.
At their best, the holidays can be a time of reflection, thanksgiving and spiritual growth. You may reflect on the support you’ve received from loved ones, the compassion of caregivers and the blessings of family during the holidays.
Expert Insight
Meister Eckhart, German Philosopher
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Mesothelioma Help.
Sending Thanks to All This Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for the opportunity to tell my family’s story. It has been a beautiful experience to be able to share our struggles and triumphs with you. Being able to express my thoughts through writing has been cathartic for me, and has helped me cope with the loss of my father.
Over the past several years, many people have reached out to me. I hope that I have been of some help and support to you. It is an honor that you considered me and have shared your journey as well; I am truly humbled by this entire experience.
One thing that I learned from my Dad was to always be happy with whatever you have. Whatever lot God has given you, delight in it. Even if you are going through a hard time, be glad that you have been given another day to fight. There is a quote that I read from a gentleman named Rick Warren that goes as follows:
“Happy moments, PRAISE GOD
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD
Painful moments, TRUST GOD
Every moment, THANK GOD”
What a true and beautiful sentiment this Thanksgiving. I pray that you all have a wonderful holiday with those you love, holding each moment close to your heart.
A New Approach to Blocking Cancer Growth May Lead to New Treatments for Mesothelioma
In the continual search for an effective way to stop lung cancer from spreading, or from developing in the first place, researchers report they may have found a unique approach to tackle the insidious cancer. By using monobodies, the scientists say they have found a new way to block the action of genetic mutations found in nearly one-third of all cancers, including mesothelioma.
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) report they are turning to monobodies, synthetic binding proteins, instead of antibodies, when looking at a key target of many cancers – the RAS family of proteins. They report that the NS1 monobody, that they developed, can block the activity of the RAS proteins that control cell division and can drive healthy cells to divide uncontrollably, according to a Nov. 7 press release from the UIC.
“We did not look for a drug or specifically for an inhibitor,” said John O’Bryan, associate professor of pharmacology in the UIC College of Medicine, and a member of the UIC Cancer Center and who holds an appointment at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. “We used monobody technology, a type of protein-engineering technology, to identify regions of RAS that are critical for its function.”
The RAS body of proteins, which includes K-RAS, H-RAS and N-RAS, are found in close to 90 percent of pancreatic cancers and in high levels in colon cancer, lung cancer and melanoma, according to the researchers. According to some reports, mutations of the KRAS gene (Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) are found in 20 to 25 percent of lung cancers. These cancers do not respond well to standard treatments and are extremely challenging to treat.
The team developed the NS1 monobody that binds to the RAS protein and acts as an inhibitor of the K-RAS and H-RAS proteins, but not the N-RAS. NS1 works by interfering with the proteins’ ability to form a molecular pair.
“These insights may help guide the development of new therapeutic approaches to treating cancer by interfering with mutant RAS function in cancer cells,” said the researchers.
Pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, is highly aggressive and is resistant to many current treatments. Care often follows the same protocol as lung cancer, leading the mesothelioma community to keep a close eye on this research.
A Stand Up 2 Cancer dream team was funded this year to focus on KRAS-positive lung cancer. The team, led by Jeffrey Engelman, MD, PhD, Director, Thoracic Oncology & Molecular Therapeutics, Massachusetts General Hospital-Cancer Center, is focused on using existing drugs targeting mutated KRAS pathways in combination with other anti-cancer drugs to develop therapies that can kill these lung cancer cells. Visit the StandUp2Cancer website to find out more about the Dream Team.
“Development of effective RAS inhibitors represents a ‘holy grail’ in cancer biology,” O’Bryan said. “We now have a powerful tool we can use to further probe RAS function. While future studies and trials are needed before these findings can be leveraged outside the lab, this study provides new insight into how we can potentially inhibit RAS to slow tumor growth.”
See the Nov. 7 issue of Nature Chemical Biology for the full report of the study conducted by the UIC team.
Sources:
- Nature Chemical Biology
http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nchembio.2231.html - (A Stand Up 2 Cancer) dream team
http://www.standup2cancer.org/dream_teams/view/su2c_acs_lung_cancer_dream_team - UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago)
https://news.uic.edu/uic-researchers-discover-way-to-inhibit-major-cancer-gene
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