The said UF-patented compound, called largazole was made from cyanobacteria that grow on coral reefs.

Researchers, who described results from early studies today (Aug. 7) at an international natural products scientific meeting in Athens, Greece, say it is one of the most promising they’ve found since the college’s marine natural products laboratory was established three years ago.

Largazole, discovered and named by Luesch for its Florida location and structural features, seeks out a family of enzymes called histone deacetylase, or HDAC. Overactivity of certain HDACs has been associated with several cancers such as prostate and colon tumors, and inhibiting HDACs can activate tumor-suppressor genes that have been silenced in these cancers.

Read more about this exciting potential anti-cancer compound and the studybeing conducted behind it at University of Florida.

Post from: Blisstree

Marine Bacteria: Potential Anti-Cancer

Such were the results reported by the NIH study at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS):

The NIH researchers, however, tested the idea that ascorbate, when injected at high doses, may have prooxidant instead of antioxidant activity. Prooxidants would generate free radicals and the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which, the scientists hypothesized, might kill tumor cells.

In their laboratory experiments on 43 cancer and 5 normal cell lines, the researchers discovered that high concentrations of ascorbate had anticancer effects in 75 percent of cancer cell lines tested, while sparing normal cells. In their paper, the researchers also showed that these high ascorbate concentrations could be achieved in people.

The team then tested ascorbate injections in immune-deficient mice with rapidly spreading ovarian, pancreatic, and glioblastoma (brain) tumors. The ascorbate injections reduced tumor growth and weight by 41 to 53 percent. In 30 percent of glioblastoma controls, the cancer had spread to other organs, but the ascorbate-treated animals had no signs of disseminated cancer. “

Th potential of Vitamin C as cancer therapy has been ‘dropped’ years ago when high dose oral administration did not seem to work. Now with this ascorbate injection form…potentially yes, in this mice study. A lot more work is needed before experts can say that this will work in humans as well. We’ll see…

Read from from NIH News.

Post from: Blisstree

NIH Study: Injection of High-Dose Vitamin C Slows Tumor Growth

The cytokine used in this study was melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/interleukin-24, known as mda-7/IL-24.

The dietary agent, perillyl alcohol (POH), was combined with mda-7/IL-24, which is already used in other cancer treatments. POH is found in a variety of plants, including citrus plants, and has been well-tolerated by patients who have received it in clinical studies.

Published in the July issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, their results indicated that the CGT approach not only prevented pancreatic cancer growth and progression, but it also effectively killed established tumors — thus demonstrating strong chemopreventive and therapeutic activity.

The researchers are hopeful they can one day move to human clinical trials.

Read the full report from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Post from: Blisstree

New Chemoprevention Gene Therapy (CGT) Combo Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Methadone, developed in Germany in the 1930s, is a low cost agent that acts on opioid receptors, and thus is used as an opioid substitute to treat addiction. Scientists have found that opioid receptors also exist on the surface of some cancer cells for reasons that are not understood. One research group tested the agent in human lung cancer cell lines and found that it can induce cell death.

Thus suggesting that methadone has the potential as a new therapy for leukemia, more specifically in patients whose cancer no longer responds to chemotherapy and radiation.

The said laboratory study finding was published in the August 1 issue of Cancer Research.

Read more details from Science Daily.

Post from: Blisstree

Methadone Can Kill Treatment-Resistant Forms of Leukemia

Earlier this month, the old actor has been spotted being pushed on a wheelchair — making the ‘lung cancer rumors’ resurface.

Paul Newman was photographed in a wheelchair during a recent outing in New York following reports that the legendary actor has cancer.

The photos, taken on July 7, show a woman pushing Newman in a wheelchair.

Well…maybe he is sick. Due to lung cancer or just plain old age, who knows? Let us just wish him good health and peace.

Post from: Blisstree

So Maybe Paul Newman Has Lung Cancer?

The test analyzes a tumor’s gene expression pattern to help pinpoint the source of hard-to-identify tumors and is the first test of its kind to receive FDA clearance.

Up to an estimated 200,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients annually in the U.S. may have a tumor for which the site of origin is uncertain after the initial diagnostic workup.

The FDA’s clearance underscores the growing role that patients’ genomic information can play in helping physicians make better decisions.

Read the full press release from Pathwork Diagnostics, Inc. (pdf file)

Post from: Blisstree

The Pathwork® Tissue Of Origin Test: Received FDA Clearance

Earlier this week, a spot in his right cheek was removed as part of a routine check-up. Following biopsy results have showed that McCain is cancer-free.

Presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who has a history of dangerous melanomas, had a spot of skin removed from his face today, his campaign said.

The patch of skin was removed from McCain’s right cheek during a routine checkup in Arizona, the candidate said. In 2000, an invasive melanoma was removed from the senator’s left temple.

McCain denied there were any serious problems when he discussed the procedure at a campaign stop in Bakersfield.

Read more from the LA Times.

Post from: Blisstree

Melanoma Survivor John McCain, Remains Skin Cancer-Free

The move, which the F.D.A. announced on Wednesday, represents the first time the agency has invoked authority under a 2007 law that empowered it to order changes in a drug’s prescribing information. Previously, the F.D.A. could only negotiate with a drug’s manufacturer to change the label.

Sales of the drugs, Aranesp and Procrit, have already plummeted in the last year because of studies suggesting that their use to treat the anemia caused by chemotherapy could actually make cancer worse or shorten lives. Procrit is manufactured by Amgen but sold under license by Johnson & Johnson.

Read more from NY Times.

Post from: Blisstree

Amgen Is To Reword Label of Anemia Drugs

The grant, which will be given in $50,000 increments over five years, will help enhance the collection area and expand the capacity to help people in need of cord stem cell transplants – non-embryonic stem cells that are extracted from the umbilical cord and placenta following the birth of a child.

The J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank at the Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of two public cord blood banks in Michigan and the only center in the state with the National Marrow Donor program registry designation that requires compliance with the highest standards in cord blood banking.

Read more from MarketWatch.

Post from: Blisstree

Karmanos Cancer Institute, Received $250,000 From J.P. McCarthy Fund

Besides, before we all get rattled by the recent cancer scare on cellphone use and other stuff, really the prevention (or at least reducing our risk of developing any cancer later in life) all boils down to the dietary and lifetsyle changes each of us are willing to take, IMHO.

Anyways, here goes in bullets only:

1. Serve sauerkraut at your next picnic.
2. Eat your fill of broccoli, but steam it rather than microwaving it.
3. Toast some Brazil nuts and sprinkle over your salad.
4. Pop a calcium supplement with vitamin D.
5. Add garlic to everything you eat.
6. Sauté two cloves of crushed garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil,
7. Every week, buy a cantaloupe at the grocery store and cut it up after you put away your groceries.
8. Mix half a cup of blueberries into your morning cereal.
9. Learn to eat artichokes tonight.
10. Coat barbecue food with a thick sauce.
11. Every time you go to the bathroom, stop by the kitchen or water cooler for a glass of water.
12. Take up a tea habit.
13. Have a beer tonight.
14. Throw some salmon on the grill tonight.
15. Take a multivitamin every morning.
16. Get about 15 minutes of sunlight on your skin each day.
17. Carry a shot glass in your beach bag.
18. Cut a kiwifruit in half, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
19. Use a condom and stick to one partner.
20. Cut out high-fat animal protein.
21. Have your partner feed you grapes.
22. Sprinkle scallions over your salad.
23. Make a batch of fresh lemonade or limeade.
24. Take a 30-minute walk every evening after dinner.
25. Buy organic foods.
26. Learn to love dandelions.
27. Buy clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned.
28. Choose cucumbers over pickles, fresh salmon over lox.
29. Switch from french fries and potato chips to mashed potatoes and pretzels.
30. Go for a spray-on tan.
31. Call up your bowling pal and hit the lanes.

My kind of list exactly. Yours too. Read the full details from RD.

Added by me 3 hours later after publishing, last in this list but certainly not the least:

32.  Stop smoking!

What was I thinking not adding this earlier?! Thanks a lot to commenter Kat for the reminder.

Post from: Blisstree

From Reader’s Digest: 31 Simple Ways to Prevent Cancer