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MIT look at how cells make life-or-death decisions

The biological processes underlying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer are fundamentally linked, and should be linked in how they are treated with drugs, a series of MIT studies indicates.

6 Apr 2006

Panitumumab shows promise for patients with colorectal cancer

Results from a Phase III study of a new drug show promise for patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, according to a study presented during the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

4 Apr 2006

Moderate alcohol intake stimulates tumor angiogenesis and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in a mouse model

University of Mississippi researchers say they have created the first-ever mammalian model of how alcohol consumption spurs tumor growth, showing that even moderate drinking resulted in larger and more robust tumors.

4 Apr 2006

Mayo Clinic discover cellular secret that may explain how certain cancers move and spread

If the mechanism that drives cancer movement - also called metastasis - can be understood well enough to manipulate it, new and better treatments can be developed for patients with metastatic cancers.

4 Apr 2006

Trial of paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab as first-line therapy for locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer

Results from a large, randomised clinical trial for patients with breast cancer show that those who received bevacizumab (Avastin.) in combination with paclitaxel (Taxol.) survived without the disease getting worse for almost twice as long as patients who received paclitaxel alone.

23 Mar 2006

Creative new therapies for atherosclerotic disease

Patients with a build-up of plaque in arteries in the heart, brain and leg face a high risk of major cardiovascular complications.

14 Mar 2006

Australian researchers find key 'go-betweeen' in heart disease

Medical researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) - Australia, have shed light on a little-known mechanism involved in the thickening of arteries, a process associated with heart disease.

13 Mar 2006

Scientists exploit novel route to reverse enlarged hearts in obese mice

Working on genetically engineered obese mice with seriously thickened hearts, a condition call cardiac hypertrophy, scientists at Johns Hopkins have used a nerve protection and growth factor on the heart to mimic the activity of the brain hormone leptin, dramatically reducing the size of the heart muscle.

13 Mar 2006

Smk-1 is the first known gene that regulates longevity without disrupting life-sustaining function

Within a hormone-triggered cascade of molecular signals that plays a crucial for a wide range of physiological functions, researchers for the very first time have identified a protein that functions specifically to extend lifespan and youthfulness - without disrupting fertility

13 Mar 2006

Using a growth factor to stimulate production of circulating endothelial progenitor cells improves cell production and mobility in arterial disease

Using a growth factor to stimulate production of circulating endothelial progenitor cells increases the numbers of these vascular regenerative cells, improves mobility, and potentially could improve blood vessel function in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

13 Mar 2006

Study may lead to ways to reduce heart attacks in diabetes patients

For people with type 2 diabetes, the death rate from a first heart attack is two to three times the death rate of patients without the disease. Similarly, patients with diabetes and ischemic (reduced blood flow) heart disease have a much higher mortality rate than the general population.

7 Mar 2006

Interferon-producing killer dendritic cell speeds up immune reactions and fights cancer

A mouse immune cell that plays dual roles as both assassin and messenger, normally the job of two separate cells, has been discovered by an international team of researchers from the United States and France.

7 Mar 2006

FDA gives greenlight for new treatment of head and neck cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved colon cancer drug Erbitux to treat head and neck cancer after results of a large clinical trial showed the drug prolonged survival by 20 months.

5 Mar 2006

Fibulins inhibit both tumor growth and blood-vessel formation

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center report in the March issue of Cancer Research that a pair of promising proteins, known as fibulins 3 and 5, slow the growth of cancer tumors in mice by preventing blood vessels from sprouting. The proteins are promising candidates for use in cancer therapy.

1 Mar 2006

Bone marrow stem cells do not improve cardiac function in heart attack patients

There has been increasing evidence that stem cells contribute to regeneration of cardiac tissue and the development of new blood vessels following a heart attack, thus opening up new prospects for stem-cell based therapies.

1 Mar 2006

Study provides new evidence of the importance of reward pathways in the brain

Deleting a specific gene in the brain has the same effect that antidepressants do in mice that have been conditioned to be depressed, report researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

24 Feb 2006

Avastin trial for pancreatic tumors

"Our findings from the previous study suggest that the combination of chemotherapy and radiation is a safe and effective treatment method to reduce the local extent of pancreatic tumors," said Dr. Talamonti.

23 Feb 2006

Using neural growth factor could allow researchers to mass produce stem cells for treatment of disease

Human embryonic stem cells (hES) offer great hope for the treatment of some devastating diseases, but finding a way to keep enough of these cells usable and healthy for transplantation in patients has been an ongoing problem.

21 Feb 2006

Monoclonal antibody targets key tumor growth factor

Monoclonal antibody targets key tumor growth factor; Successfully causes brain tumor regression and improves animal survival

19 Feb 2006

New way to culture adult stem cells from bone marrow

In a significant advance for regenerative medicine, researchers at Rice University have discovered a new way to culture adult stem cells from bone marrow such that the cells themselves produce a growth matrix that is rich in important biochemical growth factors.

16 Feb 2006