Monday, August 31, 2009

“NIH study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer - Genetic Engineering News” plus 4 more

Sponsored Links

“NIH study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer - Genetic Engineering News” plus 4 more

NIH study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer - Genetic Engineering News

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 10:39 AM PDT

Aug 31 2009, 1:20 PM EST

NIH study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer

EUREKALERT

Contact: Geoffrey Spencer
spencerg@mail.nih.gov
301-402-0911
NIH/National Human Genome Research Institute

Sequencing work points to new target for melanoma treatment

Drawing on the power of DNA sequencing, National Institutes of Health researchers have identified a new group of genetic mutations involved in the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma. This discovery is particularly encouraging because some of the mutations, which were found in nearly one-fifth of melanoma cases, reside in a gene already targeted by a drug approved for certain types of breast cancer.

In the United States and many other nations, melanoma is becoming increasingly more common. A major cause of melanoma is thought to be sun exposure; the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can damage DNA and lead to cancer-causing genetic changes within skin cells.

In work published in the September issue of Nature Genetics, a team led by Yardena Samuels, Ph.D., of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) sequenced the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) gene family in tumor and blood samples from people with metastatic melanoma. The samples were collected by the study's coauthor Steven Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., a leading expert on melanoma and chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The PTK family includes many genes that, when mutated, promote various types of cancer. However, relatively little had been known about roles played by PTK genes in human melanoma. The NIH study was among the first to use large-scale DNA sequencing to systematically analyze all 86 members of the PTK gene family in melanoma samples.

The team's initial survey, which involved samples from 29 melanoma patients, identified mutations in functionally important regions of 19 PTK genes, only three of which had been previously implicated in melanoma. The researchers then conducted more detailed analyses of those 19 genes in samples from a total of 79 melanoma patients.

One of the newly implicated genes stood out from the rest. Researchers detected mutations in the ERBB4 gene (also known as HER4) in 19 percent of patients' tumors, making it by far the most frequently mutated PTK gene in melanoma. In addition, researchers found that many ERBB4 mutations were located in functionally important areas similar to those seen in other PTK oncogenes involved in lung cancer, brain cancer and gastric cancer.

Next, the researchers moved on to laboratory studies of melanoma cells with ERBB4 mutations. They found that these melanoma cells were dependent on the presence of mutant ERBB4 for their growth. What's more, the melanoma cells grew much more slowly when they were exposed to a chemotherapeutic drug known to inhibit ERBB4. The drug, called lapatinib (Tykerb), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007 for combination use in breast cancer patients already taking the drug capecitabine (Xeloda).

Encouraged by their study results, the researchers are planning a clinical trial using lapatinib in patients with metastatic melanoma harboring ERBB4 mutations. The clinical trial will be conducted under the direction of Dr. Rosenberg at the NIH Clinical Center. "This collaborative study represents an ideal example of how sophisticated genetic analyses can be translated to the benefit of cancer patients," said Dr. Rosenberg.

"We have found what appears to be an Achilles' heel of a sizable share of melanomas," said Dr. Samuels, who is an investigator in the Cancer Genetics Branch of the NHGRI's Division of Intramural Research. "Though additional work is needed to gain a more complete understanding of these genetic mutations and their roles in cancer biology, our findings open the door to pursuing specific therapies that may prove useful for the treatment of melanoma with ERBB4 mutations."

In addition to ERBB4, the researchers identified two additional PTK genes, FLT1 and PTK2B, with a relatively high rate of mutations in melanoma. Each of these genes was mutated in about 10 percent of the tumor samples studied.

NHGRI Scientific Director Eric D. Green, M.D., Ph.D., pointed out how such research is helping to lay the groundwork for the era of personalized medicine. "We envision a day when each cancer patient will have therapies tailored to the specific genetic profile of his or her tumor. Ultimately, this should lead to more effective and less toxic approaches to cancer care," said Dr. Green, who directs the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, which generated the DNA sequence data for the melanoma study.

In addition to NIH scientists, the team included a researcher from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore.

In May 2009, Dr. Samuel's group reported in Nature Genetics another large-scale DNA sequencing study of a different group of genes involved in melanoma, the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) gene family. This earlier study found that one gene, MMP-8, thought to spur cancerous growth actually served to inhibit it. Those findings are now helping to shape melanoma treatment strategies aimed at MMP genes.

For high resolution micrographs of metastatic melanoma, go to http://www.genome.gov/pressDisplay.cfm?photoID=20152 and http://www.genome.gov/pressDisplay.cfm?photoID=20153.

NHGRI is one of the 27 institutes and centers at the NIH, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The NHGRI Division of Intramural Research develops and implements technology to understand, diagnose and treat genomic and genetic diseases. Additional information about NHGRI can be found at its Web site, www.genome.gov.

NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

The National Institutes of Health "The Nation's Medical Research Agency" includes 27 institutes and centers, and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more, visit www.nih.gov.



image

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Genetic Clues May Lead to New Skin Cancer Therapies - Yahoo News

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:51 AM PDT

Mistys buzzed up: AP IMPACT: Tainted cocaine kills 3, sickens dozens

26 seconds ago 2009-08-31T13:03:03-07:00



image

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego Recognized for Excellence - PR Inside

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:22 AM PDT

2009-08-31 20:09:00 - Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego receivies prominent accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Care Centers.

SAN DIEGO – Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego, a division of Oncology Associates of San Diego (OASD), has been granted a three-year full accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.

As the first program in California to receive this prestigious accreditation, Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego underwent

a rigorous evaluation process and on-site review of its performance and compliance with national standards.

"Receiving this accreditation ensures that a patient will have the most comprehensive care, state-of-the-art services, a multidisciplinary team to coordinate the best treatment options and the most current information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatments," says Dr. Julie Barone, D.O. and Director of Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego.

The American Cancer Society estimated that 184,450 patients would be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2008. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women will deal with benign breast disease this year and will require medical evaluation for treatment options.

"When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer or any breast disease, she wants the comfort and security of knowing she's put her life in the hands of people she can trust," says Dr. Barone. "The NAPBC accreditation should help make any patient feel very confident about seeking treatment here."

Recognizing the importance of providing all services "under one roof," Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego and OASD offer a full range of multidisciplinary services, including medical and surgical specialists onsight, breast ultrasound, ultrasound guided biopsies, a medical oncology infusion center, a laboratory for rapid turnaround of treatment related lab work and on-site registration. State of the art radiology, radiation oncology and outpatient surgical services are available in the building as is ancillary help for cancer patients and their families. A unique aspect of the Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego team is their ability to work with other specialists at several institutions throughout San Diego county.

Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego is comprised of Dr. Julie Barone, and surgical oncologists, Doctors Robert Barone and Paul Goldfarb. Each has extensive experience and ongoing advanced training in breast cancer and overall breast health:

Julie L. Barone, D.O., director of Comprehensive Breast Care of San Diego and clinical investigator, Sharp Clinical Oncology Research, specializes in breast surgery including breast conservation and oncoplastic procedures and ductoscopy. She completed a fellowship at both St. Luke's Roosevelt/Beth Israel Medical Centers, New York and the European Institute of Oncology. An active proponent of breast health, she's a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology, American Society of Breast Surgeons, American Society of Breast Disease, American Cancer Society, San Diego Leadership Committee and serves on the Scripps Cancer Center - Breast Quality Task Force.

Robert M. Barone, M.D., director of surgical oncology, Sharp Healthcare and clinical investigator, Sharp Clinical Oncology Research, completed a Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Illinois as well the American Cancer Society Fellowship and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute Fellowship. He is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology, American Society of Breast Surgeons, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Paul M. Goldfarb, M.D., clinical professor, Department of Surgery, U.C. San Diego and clinical investigator, Sharp Clinical Oncology Research, completed a surgical fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, England. Dr. Goldfarb has also been honored by the California Division of the American Cancer Society where he was President from 1989 to 1990.

Together, the team's approach to providing the best treatment options for each individual patient establishes them as the premier program in California for breast health.

About Oncology Associates of San Diego (OASD)
OASD offers a complete range of oncology services in an atmosphere of professionalism, encouragement and understanding. OASD provides personalized care to patients and their families for the detection, diagnosis, treatment, support and follow-up for all types of cancers. For more information visit oncologysandiego.com/ or call (858) 637-7888.

###



image

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Bikers proudly wear pink to raise money, awareness: Second annual ride ... - Sauk Valley Daily Gazette

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:09 AM PDT

By SARAH OWEN sowen@svnmail.com 800-284-2224, ext. 225

ROCK FALLS – Much like it's hard to find a life not touched by cancer, it was hard on Saturday to find something not touched by the shade that represents breast cancer.

Grizzled pink goatees, pink feather boas, glittery wigs, bandanas and T-shirts whipped by on motorcycles at the second annual "Proud to Wear Pink" bike ride.

Related Story: Leno sends his regrets to Rock Falls

The event benefits the CGH Health Foundation and the KSB Breast Cancer Prevention Project. Its organizers, Sandi Ivey and Tammy Campos, formed Team Underwires to raise money for and to educate uninsured and underinsured women.

Ivey, a breast cancer survivor who is in her first healthy year, was surprised by how many people – more than 500 – participated in last year's inaugural ride, and by how much money – about $63,000 – they raised.

"We had no idea we could get all those men in pink," she said.

Her hope for this year was to raise $75,000, and based on participation, the prospects are good.

More than 730 bikers on more than 570 bikes – from as far as Pennsylvania and Florida – made the 91-mile trek through Morrison, Erie, and Prophetstown, and ended at Deer Valley Golf Club. Ivey estimated that between 1,000 and 1,200 people attended the festivities at Deer Valley.

"[But] it's not a matter of numbers, or how many people we can get in here," she said. "It's educating people."

Randy and Holly Rhodes of Rock Falls rode in both last year's and this year's event. Holly's sister is a breast cancer survivor of 7 years.

"We are so lucky in our community to have this," Holly said. "The people that put their love and devotion into this – this is just a big shout-out thank you to all of them."

To learn more

For more information on Team Underwires, go to www.teamunderwires.com or call Sandi Ivey at 815-441-4458, or Tammy Campos at 815-499-4111.

Comments

Add Comments

Click here to read the rules for posting comments

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

A 'BRAdway Show' in Crookston - Crookston Daily Times

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:08 AM PDT

Crookston, Minn. -

Shirley Reitmeier just doesn't quit. No sooner had this year's West Polk County Relay for Life ended when the breast cancer survivor with the "Shirley's Angels" team began planning for the next one. A side project she started at Relay, collecting "Bras for a Cause" to create a wall hanging, is also gathering momentum. Now, she's combining the two for a special event on Sept. 25, "Shirley's BRAdway Show."

"I wanted to do something fun that also raises awareness and funds for cancer," she said. "Some friends and I came up with the idea, a play on words, and ran with it."

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. at the Northland Inn with social hour. Hors d'oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available. Reneé Wall Rongen will serve as the program emcee, with a comedy show, "Big Divas, Big Laughs, Big Fun" at 8:30 p.m. The show features three Twin Cities stand-up comedians, Jodie Maruska, Rox Tarrant and Brenda Elsagher. Elsagher, a colon cancer survivor, will have copies of her books "If the Battle is Over, Why am I Still in Uniform?" "I'd Like to Buy a Bowel Please" and "Bedpan Banter" on hand and autograph them. Pat Erickson from Fertile will also be taking photographs of those who wish to purchase them.

Tickets for the event are $25 per person and will be for sale starting Tuesday, Sept. 1. A limited number are available, so it's best to get them early. They can be purchased at RiverView Gift Shop, Eagle Drug, Montague's Flower Shop or by calling Lori Ingeman at (218) 281-7907.

"I'd like to make a second annual show, but we'll see how this goes, first," said Reitmeier.

The money raised at the BRAdway Show will go into her team's Relay fund-raising pot for next year, she said. Team members are also selling pink and black drink huggers from the American Cancer Society that slightly resemble a woman's torso and say "Big or Small Let's Save Them All!" The huggers are available for $8, with proceeds also going to Relay.

"This means the funds raised will go to help all cancer patients in our area, not just those with breast cancer," Reitmeier said.

Those who bring in a bra donation for the wall hanging along with their ticket to the show will be entered into a drawing, she added.

Shirley's Angels started collecting bras at the Relay in June and currently has about 350 of them in various sizes, colors, patterns and styles, said Reitmeier. She hopes to have from 500 to 800 by the time they hook them together to form streamers to hang down the side of the Eagle Drug building in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month for two weeks starting in mid-October.

RiverView Health is one of the sponsors for the display and show, with the theme "Real Men Wear Pink," she said.

"Men do get breast cancer, too, though not as often as women," said Reitmeier. "Men need to be aware that they're at risk, too. A male friend who's a breast cancer survivor is scheduled to speak at the show."

Those wishing to donate a bra or two, or 10, can do so at drop-off boxes f at Eagles Drug and Rejuv Hair Salon in Crookston, or by calling Reitmeier at (218) 289-5608.



image

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)