Leukemia News and Research

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Leukemia (Leukaemia) is a cancer of the blood cells. It is the most common type of blood cancer and affects 10 times as many adults as children. Most people diagnosed with leukemia are over 50 years old. No one knows why some people develop leukemia and others do not. However, scientists have identified some risk factors for the disease. Most people who have known risk factors do not get leukemia, while many who do get the disease have none of these risk factors. During the early stages of leukemia, there may be no symptoms. Many of the symptoms of leukemia don't become apparent until a large number of normal blood cells are crowded out by leukemia cells.

Researchers find new way to increase number of blood-forming stem cells when grown outside the body

One of the major challenges in stem cell transplants is how to obtain sufficient numbers of these remarkably rare cells to put into patients. To help overcome this issue, research from the Centenary Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney has found a way to increase the number of blood-forming stem cells when growing them outside of the body.

4 Oct 2010

PDGFR gene rearrangements lead to aggressive form of glioblastoma: Study

4 Oct 2010

Activating rearrangements in receptor genes are more common than previously thought

A multi-institutional team led by investigators from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has published a study that provides new insight into genetic changes that make some forms of glioblastoma, the most common type of primary brain cancer, more aggressive than others and explains why they may not respond to certain therapies. The research was led by senior author Eric C. Holland, MD, PhD,--an MSKCC surgeon, researcher and the Director of the Brain Tumor Center--and was published in the October 1 issue of the journal Genes & Development.

1 Oct 2010

Researchers discover key leukemia defense mechanism

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researcher Steven Grant, M.D., and a team of VCU Massey researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which leukemia cells trigger a protective response when exposed to a class of cancer-killing agents known as histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs).

1 Oct 2010

Avila commences AVL-292 Phase 1 clinical study for B cell cancers and autoimmune diseases

Avila Therapeutics™, Inc., a biotechnology company developing targeted covalent drugs, announced today that it has initiated a phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of AVL-292, a novel, orally available, covalent drug that targets Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). AVL-292 is the first product candidate to enter clinical evaluation from Avila's proprietary covalent drug platform, Avilomics™.

30 Sep 2010

Researchers find genetic variants that cause arthritis in breast cancer patients taking aromatase inhibitors

Mayo Clinic researchers and their international colleagues have discovered genetic variants that lead to severe arthritis for a subset of women when taking aromatase inhibitors to treat their breast cancer. This serious side effect is so painful that many women halt their lifesaving medication. The findings appear today in the online issue of Journal of Clinical Oncology.

28 Sep 2010

Researchers synthesize molecule to block abnormal protein in cancer cells

In the quest to arrest the growth and spread of tumors, there have been many attempts to get cancer genes to ignore their internal instruction manual. In a new study, a team led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists has created the first molecule able to prevent cancer genes from "hearing" those instructions, stifling the cancer process at its root.

27 Sep 2010

Six Chicago high school students win CAP's 2010 'Path to a Future in Medicine' award

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) awarded six Chicago high school students the College's 2010 "Path to a Future in Medicine" award.

24 Sep 2010

Researchers discover new signaling pathway for cell development

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered a new cell signaling pathway that controls cell growth and development, a pathway that, when defective, helps promote the formation of several major forms of human cancer, including lymphoma and leukemia.

24 Sep 2010

Comic books to educate young men about testicular cancer

Comic books may help to educate young men and their partners about testicular cancer and its early symptoms and encourage them to do more self-screening, according to Ryerson University School of Fashion professor and comic book artist David Brame.

24 Sep 2010

U.S. House of Representatives declares September 2010 as 'Blood Cancer Awareness Month'

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed House Resolution 1433, declaring September 2010 as 'Blood Cancer Awareness Month.' The resolution helps raise awareness and support for issues affecting blood cancer patients within the halls of the Capitol.

24 Sep 2010

Asuragen announces results of study evaluating RNA-based assay for detection of common NPM1 mutations

Asuragen, Inc. announced today the results of a collaborative study with scientists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine evaluating a RNA-based assay for the rapid, sensitive and multiplex detection of common NPM1 mutations. The study results were published in the September issue of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

23 Sep 2010

Novartis applauds declaration of CML Awareness Day in Canada

Today is a meaningful milestone for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients and their families.

23 Sep 2010

Masonic Cancer Center receives five-year program project research grants from NCI

Two of the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center's leading physician-scientists on research and treatment of cancers of the blood and bone marrow Philip McGlave, M.D., and Jeffrey Miller, M.D., have received renewed five-year program project research grants totaling almost $26 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

23 Sep 2010

FDA grants orphan drug designation for MultiStem stem cell therapy

Athersys, Inc. announced today that MultiStem, Athersys' multipotent adult progenitor stem cell therapy, has been granted orphan drug designation by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of graft vs. host disease (GvHD).

21 Sep 2010

Pollution increases risk for sudden cardiac arrest

The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study conducted by a team from Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center and The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

21 Sep 2010

Researchers identify protein essential for dendritic cell development

A protein called PU.1 is essential for the development of dendritic cells, the sentinels of the immune system, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers in Melbourne, Australia, have shown.

20 Sep 2010

Micromet initiates MT103 phase 2 trial in adult ALL patients

Micromet, Inc. today announced the initiation of a phase 2 trial of the Company's lead product candidate blinatumomab (MT103) in adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called BiTE antibodies, designed to harness the body's T cells to kill cancer cells.

20 Sep 2010

Cord Blood America acquires controlling interest of Biocordcell Argentina

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells, a biological insurance policy, to families nationwide and internationally, today announced that it has purchased controlling interest, 50.1 percent, of Biocordcell Argentina S.A. (BioCells, Inc.).

20 Sep 2010

Immunotherapy accepted for coverage in MEDLINE®

Future Medicine Ltd announced today that its journal Immunotherapy (ISSN 1750-743X) has been selected for coverage in MEDLINE®. Maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE® (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) is a premier bibliographic database containing approximately 13 million references to journal articles in life sciences.

19 Sep 2010

Leukemia News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers find new way to increase number of blood-forming stem cells when grown outside the body

PDGFR gene rearrangements lead to aggressive form of glioblastoma: Study

Activating rearrangements in receptor genes are more common than previously thought

Researchers discover key leukemia defense mechanism

Avila commences AVL-292 Phase 1 clinical study for B cell cancers and autoimmune diseases

Researchers find genetic variants that cause arthritis in breast cancer patients taking aromatase inhibitors

Researchers synthesize molecule to block abnormal protein in cancer cells

Six Chicago high school students win CAP's 2010 'Path to a Future in Medicine' award

Researchers discover new signaling pathway for cell development

Comic books to educate young men about testicular cancer

U.S. House of Representatives declares September 2010 as 'Blood Cancer Awareness Month'

Asuragen announces results of study evaluating RNA-based assay for detection of common NPM1 mutations

Novartis applauds declaration of CML Awareness Day in Canada

Masonic Cancer Center receives five-year program project research grants from NCI

FDA grants orphan drug designation for MultiStem stem cell therapy

Pollution increases risk for sudden cardiac arrest

Researchers identify protein essential for dendritic cell development

Micromet initiates MT103 phase 2 trial in adult ALL patients

Cord Blood America acquires controlling interest of Biocordcell Argentina

Immunotherapy accepted for coverage in MEDLINE®

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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