Cancer Treatment

The use of mouse models is an essential part of the drug development process. Much has been learned about the human cancer condition, and many drugs have been developed to treat cancer through testing with mice. However, the results of mouse studies should be treated with caution, and conclusions not drawn ...

constituents. Cancer stimulates autoantibody production due to the presence of unusual proteins or excessive quantities of normal proteins. Due to the great sensitivity of the immune response, researchers are actively engaged in the discovery of autoantibodies as detection tools for cancers.

Cancer is largely a disease of older people. As a person ages, molecular, cellular, and physiological changes in the body influence the development of cancer. These factors also influence responses to treatment. Sociological factors also influence decisions to treat the older patient.

The regrowth of cancer cells following radiation or chemotherapy is a major cause of treatment failure. Treatments based on modifying the dose or schedule of treatment as well as the use of cytostatic molecular-targeting agent hold promise to overcome this process.

Tumors are notable for having a vascular system that has physical abnormalities as well as being highly active compared with a normal vascular system. Researchers are taking advantages of these differences to develop drugs that disrupt the functioning of the tumor vascular system leading to starvation and death of the tumor. ...

Indirubin is the active ingredient in a Chinese herbal medicine used to treat chronic myelocytic leukemia. Researchers have determined how this compound and its derivatives exert their effects against various cancers.

Cancer stem cells constitute only a very small portion of tumors yet play a key role in the proliferation of cancer. Cancer stem cells may be inherently resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. Cancers that result from chronic tissue injury may be due to excessive activation of stem cells.

Screening tests for colorectal cancer seek to detect the cancer while it is at a stage where it is still very treatable. New procedures have been developed that are highly accurate but less invasive than procedures presently in use.

Helicobacter pylori infection in the stomach is a primary cause of ulcers and has been implicated in the development of gastric cancer. Conversely, new studies indicate that eradication of the bacterium may increase the risk for esophageal cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptors are found in the cell membranes. When activated, these receptors initiate a signaling process that regulates cell growth. Since many cancers have excessive activation of these receptors, drugs have been developed to inhibit their functioning.