Breast Cancer Meets Star Wars

Some of the latest scientific innovations seem like they should be on the pages of a Star Wars or Matrix script. Fortunately, for us, these breakthroughs are real and are pushing our knowledge and abilities in the breast cancer arena into new areas of exploration.

University of California at Irvine researchers have received a $1,000,000+ grant from NIH (National Institutes of Health) to develop a microscopic probe. This probe would "tour" a patient's internal organs, sepcifically the esophagus to the stomach to the colon to see if tumors were growing in the intestines. It would be remote-controlled by the doctor. This is similiar, but more highly refined, than the current endoscope. This probe would allow earlier detection of grastrointestinal tumors, which are now only detectable by visual inspection, which necessitates a biopsy of the tissue. Tests will begin in pigs, with human volunteers to follow to validate effectiveness and safety. If this works, the potential is there to allow this type of probe to scout out other tumors elsewhere in the body. If you think back to the movies, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Fantastic Voyage, you realize that things that seemed so far-fetched in these films ar becoming reality today. Please remember that research and development hold the key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding breast cancer and other diseases. Continue to support their efforts and make sure they have the funding needed.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...

A team of researchers from Georgetown and Duke Universities have developed a new technique to profile genes. This technique can take a large group of genes and define the varied patterns of gene activities within tumors. Researchers have been refining their knowledge of genes and the interaction with cancer-causing pathways in the past decade. The more information scientists gather and the more understanding of each type of gene and its relationship to other genes in the body, and the relationship between them all, the better for all of us. The oncogenes, or cancer-causing genes, may undergo many mutations. These mutations lead to changes in a lot of other genes. This new genetic research may help scientists in their quest for new diagnostic and treatment protocols.

http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.t...

Modrenal, generic name Trilostane, enters the hormonal arena as a new drug for metastatic breast cancer. It affects only hormone-sensitive tumors, in post-menopausal women. In a clinical trial, involving 700 women who no longer responded to conventional hormone treatments, 35% had a positive reaction to Modrenal.

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