Breaking Research News from sources other than Breastcancer.org
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Higher concentrations of IGF-1 are a probable cause of breast cancer
A growth hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is likely to play a role in the development of breast cancer, according to new research published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1] today (Wednesday).
IGF-1 is already known to encourage the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. Now, two analyses of information from several hundred thousand women enrolled in the UK Biobank study have shown that not only is there an association between higher levels of IGF-1 circulating in the blood and the development of breast cancer, but also, for the first time, that IGF-1 is likely to be a cause of the disease...
Dr Anika Knüppel, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, said: "The association between IGF-1 and breast cancer was first investigated in the 1980s and our findings are in line with various studies since then. But clarifying the direction of the association using Mendelian randomisation in our study leads the way for research into how the IGF-1 pathway can be harnessed in breast cancer prevention."
It may be possible to modify IGF-1 concentrations in the blood through changes to the amount and types of protein in a person's diet. In addition, drugs that target the IGF-1 system have been developed. There may be other, as yet unknown factors that can affect IGF-1 concentrations too.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/esfm-hco030920.php
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That new imaging discovery is exciting stuff. Cancer is so friggin' sneaky.
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These 30 drugs are in short supply in the US right now
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has revealed the vulnerability of the supply chain of drugs that originate in China, which is the main supply source of raw ingredients for penicillin, ibuprofen, and aspirin.
However, drugs are frequently announced to be in short supply. In fact, the FDA has a running list of drug shortages due to anything from increasing demand to regulatory factors as well as supply disruptions.
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of drugs in short supply from information provided by the Food and Drug Administration.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/10/fd...
{I didn't see any cancer therapeutics on the list.}
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Coronavirus hospital ward staffed by robots opens in Wuhan to protect medics
A coronavirus hospital ward staffed by robots to protect medics from the deadly bug has opened in Wuhan.
The program, ...will see the 5G-powered bots carry out tasks including taking patients' temperatures, delivering meals and disinfecting the facility.
It will also enable doctors to read patients' vitals remotely, reducing their exposure to the virus.
https://nypost.com/2020/03/10/coronavirus-hospital...
{That's one way to address a staffing shortage. Not very technical but since it relates to patient care, I thought others might be interested in this topic.}
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Public Health and Law Experts Issue Guidelines for U.S. Response to Coronavirus Transmission
Monday, March 2, 2020
Widespread transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus within the United States is "inevitable" and a successful response to the epidemic must protect the health and human rights of everyone in the country, over 800 public health, human rights, and legal experts and organizations warned today in an open letter to ... government officials.
Announcement/article here:
https://law.yale.edu/yls-today/news/public-health-...
Complete letter (mostly signatures):
https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/area/cent...
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3 COVID-19 Cases as Described by Doctors in Wuhan
— True stories of what really happened
by Dr. Bernard March 11, 2020
{This is a somewhat technical description of the pathophysiology of what can happen with covid 19 patients. It will be *way too much* detail for many readers - but interesting for healthcare wonks. Proceed at your own risk! There is a video (13 minutes) and a transcription. Also a link to this doc's YouTube channel if you want even more.}
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/cov...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKOvOaJv4GK-oDqx-...
{Site may require users to register but in the past has not charged.}
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Egads Lumpie! That’s frightening but thanks.
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Statins starve cancer cells to death [not bc-specific]
Devreotes and his team began the new study with an unbiased screen of about 2,500 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to see which ones had the best kill rate of cells genetically engineered to have a mutation in a cancer gene called PTEN. The gene codes for an enzyme that suppresses tumor growth. Among the thousands of drugs, statins and in particular pitavastatin, emerged as a top contender in cancer-killing ability. Most of the other drugs had no effect or killed normal and engineered cells at the same rate. Equal concentrations of pitavastatin caused cell death in nearly all of the engineered cells, but very in few normal cells...
Devreotes and his team then looked at the molecular pathways that statins were likely to affect. It's well known, for example, that statins block a liver enzyme that makes cholesterol, but the drug also blocks the creation of a small molecule called geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, or GGPP, which is responsible for connecting cellular proteins to cellular membranes...
Devreotes says, the scientists then measured the statin-treated cells' intake by adding a fluorescent tag to proteins in the cells' environment.
Normal human cells glowed brightly with the fluorescent tag, suggesting that these cells ingested protein from their surroundings regardless of whether the scientists added statins to the mix of nutrients and cells. However, human cancer cells with PTEN mutations took in almost no glowing proteins after the scientists added statins. The inability of the statin-treated cancer cells to make the protrusions needed take up proteins leads to their starvation.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-statins-starve-cancer-cells-death.html
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How Gilead's blood cancer med Zydelig might also address triple-negative breast cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is hard to treat, because it lacks three common markers for drugs to target. Now, instead of going after the tumors directly, a research team led by the University of Sussex in the U.K. has found a target in their surrounding environment and identified an existing blood cancer med as a possible treatment.
The researchers found that using Gilead Sciences' FDA-approved Zydelig to target the PI3K pathway in the healthy tissues that surround cancerous cells could slow TNBC growth and reduce tumor metastasis in mice. They reported the findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation...
To verify the effects of PIK3C-delta, the team tested Zydelig in two mouse models of TNBC. They observed a significant reduction in tumor growth following the treatment. Compared with control mice, animals that got Zydelig also saw significant decreases in the number of lung metastasis nodules...
"Our results suggest that repurposing already available drugs which act as inhibitors for [PIK3C-delta] could stop the progression of [TNBC]," Georgios Giamas, the study's senior author, said in a statement. "As the drugs are already available and FDA approved, clinical trials could begin immediately to further investigate the use of these inhibitors for triple negative breast cancer treatment."
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Cancer Cells Go Down in Flames When Spark Returns to Gasdermin E
Gasdermin E appears to encode a protein that suppresses tumors. The problem, however, is that the gene is often mutated or silenced in many cancers. With hopes of rekindling gasdermin E's antitumor activity, scientists based at Boston Children's Hospital induced ectopic expression of gasdermin E in mouse models of cancer. The scientists not only demonstrated that this intervention could inhibit tumor growth, they also learned that gasdermin E suppresses tumors by converting apoptosis, a relatively subdued form of cell death, to fiery pyroptosis.
Detailed findings appeared March 11 in the journal Nature, in an article titled, "Gasdermin E suppresses tumor growth by activating anti-tumor immunity." According to this article, GSDME in tumors suppresses tumor growth by increasing the number and antitumor functions of tumor-infiltrating natural-killer (NK) and CD8+ T killer lymphocytes. It also enhances the phagocytosis of tumor cells by tumor-associated macrophages...
The scientists, led by Judy Lieberman, MD, PhD, chair, cellular and molecular medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and professor, pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, showed that in live mice, pyroptosis sounds a potent immune alarm that recruits killer T cells to suppress the tumor. When they reintroduced gasdermin E to mouse models where gasdermin E had been lacking, they were able to trigger pyroptosis and suppress growth of a variety of tumors (triple-negative breast tumors, colorectal tumors, and melanoma)...
"We have shown here that many cancer-related GSDME mutations reduce pyroptosis, and that mutations of D270, the shared GzmB/caspase 3 cleavage site and a prominent cancer mutation, have enabled tumors to evade tumor suppression by GSDME," the authors of the Nature article concluded. "Therapeutic strategies to induce GSDME—such as use of the DNA methylation inhibitor decitabine, an approved leukemia and myelodysplasia drug—are worth exploring."
https://www.genengnews.com/news/cancer-cells-go-down-in-flames-when-spark-returns-to-gasdermin-e/
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Younger Cancer Survivors Far More Likely to Experience Food and Financial Insecurity than their Cancer-Free Peers, According to Researchers from American Cancer Society
- Online Publication Date: Mar 2020
Conclusions: Younger cancer survivors experience greater financial worry and food insecurity. In addition to coping with medical costs, cancer survivors with low income and multiple comorbidities struggle to pay for daily living needs, such as food, housing, and monthly bills.
https://www.nccn.org/about/news/newsinfo.aspx?News...
https://jnccn.org/view/journals/jnccn/18/3/article...
- DOI:
- https://doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2019.7359
- Complimentary access is available until June 10, 2020.
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Genes may predict cancer patients at highest risk of chemo brain after BMT
In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have identified genetic factors associated with cognitive impairment related to blood and bone marrow transplants. That information can better pinpoint patients at the highest risk for cognitive issues compared to using demographic or clinical characteristics alone. These findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on Feb. 21{, 2020}.
CONCLUSION
Inclusion of candidate genetic variants enhanced the prediction of risk of post-BMT cognitive impairment beyond that offered by demographic/clinical characteristics and represents a step toward a personalized approach to managing patients at high risk for cognitive impairment after BMT.
https://www.uab.edu/news/research/item/11167-genes...
https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.19.01085
https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.19.01085
{This article pertains to bone marrow transplant for leukemia, but given the topic, chemo brain, I thought the research might be of interest to others here.}
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Blood biopsies offer early warning of cancer's return
Tests that look for hundreds of tumor mutations may detect residual disease in patients after treatment
Date: March 13, 2020
Personalized blood biopsies, which scan patient blood samples for genetic traces of cancer, could potentially provide an earlier warning of metastatic cancer before it is picked up through standard monitoring. Researchers in the Gerstner Center for Cancer Diagnostics at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have increased the sensitivity of blood biopsies, demonstrating that they can monitor up to hundreds of different cancer mutations in blood samples from individual patients, with the potential to detect cancer recurrence — and inform treatment decisions — years before traditional approaches could.
Conclusions: Tracking large numbers of individualized tumor mutations in cfDNA can improve MRD detection, but its sensitivity is driven by the number of tumor mutations available to track.
The study appears in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/03/per...
https://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/ear...
DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-3005
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Lumpie - thank you for posting the blood biopsies links. BC for the 3rd f*#$#* time, twice left, now on the right. My DR thinks each is a "new cancer" rather than recurrence, but when pressed, said there is no way of really knowing. No evidence of mestasis. I wonder if these tests would also help indicate if the drugs, surgery, radiation really got it or if there are still rougue cells roaming around.
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Blue girl: I'm so sorry! Have all of yours been the same type of cancer? (Hormone status, HER2, etc) Have your docs ordered genomic analysis on your specimens? (Foundation One is one such test.) That would tell them if it's the same cancer that keeps coming back or something different.
I think that the theory behind the blood biopsies described in the article is that it would tell whether there is cancer still lurking in your body and allow intervention before it "takes hold" and starts growing again. This technology is still in the research phase. Wonder if there is a way to get in a clinical trial? Even if there is, it may be too early in the development phase to benefit you, but what they learn could benefit others later.
This research is being done at the Broad Institute. Read about their premier project at MBCproject.org. https://www.mbcproject.org/
Those with MBC should be able to sign up to participate in the study if interested.
{I am in the MBC Project and another blood study at Johns Hopkins.}
Her is info about the study at Hopkins in case anyone is interested:
"The Breast Cancer Program Longitudinal Repository (BCPLR) is being established to fulfill the research mission of the Breast Cancer Program at Johns Hopkins and to serve investigators affiliated with it - to develop a repository of specimens with corresponding characteristics from patients seen in the breast care and cancer clinics."
Poster comment: This is a study rather that a clinical trial. In Baltimore Maryland. It is studying markers in blood and possible other tissue as well. They basically just want some blood and for you to fill out a questionnaire. The material notes that they may request medical records and even tissue samples. The program coordinator told me that they aren't requiring the tissue samples at present (@2018) so, while they could at some point in the future, do not allow that part to deter participation. They would like additional blood specimens if you change treatments or have a change in status. You do not have to be receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins to participate. If I can get us closer to a cure with a few vials of blood, I would do it every day of the week.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01937039
and here is the link:
Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Program Longitudinal Repository - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov
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It's interesting to read about earlier detection of MBC when my understanding is that doctors are often not in any rush to detect MBC before it is symptomatic with the tools they already have. I hope this bodes well.
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It is pretty crazy how modern imaging techniques let see what was not seen before: up to 20 % of BC patients with stage II to III diagnosis were re-staged to MBC when scanned with FDG-PET-CT. It pretty well coincides with later relapse rates after treating for early stages. Means MBC de novo might be not 6 but >25 %. Very scary actually. Saulius
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I’m pretty sure I fall into that fatality. I had metastatic disease within 6 months of finishing treatment, I think it was always there, they just didn’t know it. ill never know
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I was told that Pet-CT was not standard for my DX but, I asked if they could make the attempt and see if my Healthcare Provider would cover it. I was lucky they covered most of it and the Pet-CT was clear.
Although, I have heard that Pet-CT will only catch something if its over a certain size so i guess there's still a possibility that something was too minor to see and even with getting chemo it might not get anything that went wandering.
Just have to hope that everything was caught early during my routine Mammo.
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Cancer, heart surgeries delayed as coronavirus alters care
By MARILYNN MARCHIONEyesterday
https://apnews.com/c161afff751e36d0cac4b59760288eb...
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Sorry, forgot to paste the article: https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/104/24/1879/920222. Saulius
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i just asked my MO about that yesterday. I'm doing neoadjuvant treatment for my Breast Cancer and, should get scheduled for surgery (BMX) 4 weeks (or so) after my last chemo treatment currently on track for 5/20.
He said my surgery wouldn't be postponed because it's not elective and, they should be able to get it scheduled.
I'm a little worried about delaying the surgery since HER+ is a more aggressive cancer and, can spread. We also need the final pathology to determine my next course of treatment (finishing a year of H/P or switching to Kadcyla - Herceptin combined with taegrted chemo for 14 cycles).
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Interesting about the elective surgery; I believe surgeries dedicated to tumor removal (benign or malignant) are technically defined as elective - that was one of my first thoughts when they talked about postponing/canceling elective surgeries and the people who need mastectomies and the like. The Surgeon General addressed this a bit; his wife just went through treatment for recurrent skin cancer a year or two ago. He addresses the whole 'elective surgery' thing here saying that cancer surgeries are elective, but it's not something you could put off for 6 months...
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thanks for the link.
Hoping I don't get delayed if I do it won't be beyond a couple of weeks.
I have an appointment with my BS at the end of April and will address it with him. I will also ask if doing a lumpectomy in the short term would be less likely to be delayed (if its possible to do) and then getting a BMX later.
Not sure if its better than waiting guess it depends on how long I might have to wait and what the cons are for waiting
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Hoping it doesn't impact you and you can get surgery without any delay!
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Statins may reduce HF hospitalization after chemotherapy for breast cancer
Among women undergoing chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer, statin exposure reduced risk for hospitalization due to HF by up to 66%, according to a retrospective population-based cohort study presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
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The bacteria-trapping protein that may provide a new target for tracking and treating breast cancer
Scientists at the Pennsylvania State University and Henan University in China have found a new protein marker that they say could potentially predict the progression of breast cancer or be targeted by drugs designed to treat the disease.
The protein, called PAD4, is key in the immune response against bacteria. The researchers found that its expression in cancer cells can also promote breast cancer metastasis in mice, according to a new study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Research.
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/research/how-a-bacteria-trapping-protein-may-aggravate-breast-cancer
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Lower breast cancer risk in RA unexplained by hormonal risk factors
"We found a decreased risk of breast cancer in patients with RA, and a similar decrease in risk of RA in patients with a history of breast cancer," Wadström and colleagues wrote. "We did not find evidence to support that the decreased risk of breast cancer was due to known risk determinants. Thus, we were ultimately unable to explain the origins of this association. Antihormonal therapy as used in secondary breast cancer pharmacoprevention does not seem to increase RA risk."
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BC videos
NBCC is releasing a series of past webinars that give basic information about breast cancer, vaccines and other treatments. To launch this series, they have provided you with a link to a webinar featuring Dr. Keith Knutson, Mayo Clinic, presenting on the state of vaccines for breast cancer in 2019.
Vaccines For Breast Cancer – Where are we in 2019?
Link - https://vimeo.com/401115980/2a5f88254d
After the presentation, you can test your knowledge by taking a brief quiz on key concepts presented in the video.
{I've been taking a bit of a hiatus during the recent unpleasantness but will try to post compelling new finds as I come across them. Stay well, all!}
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Just posting here because I got an email last evening from the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project, in which I am a participant (meaning I gave them samples and access to my medical records.) They are not exactly a clinical trial, but a data aggregator and interpreter.
In part the email said this:
We are continuing to process and analyze data, obtain clinical data from medical records, and prepare datasets for public release. We continue to engage with the scientific community to make sure the project data that are currently publicly available can help drive their research forward. We are also hard at work behind the scenes upgrading our infrastructure, designing new surveys and websites, and developing pilot projects to explore new ways for the MBCproject to collect and analyze data.
While these efforts remain underway, our laboratory operations at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard are on hold. As a result, saliva and blood kits will not be sent to patients until normal operations resume. If you have recently sent one in, we will be able to process kits that are already in transit. We will provide updates on kit delivery when we are back to being fully operational. The Broad Institute has paused these and other operations to convert a CLIA-certified testing center into a laboratory that can process COVID-19 patient samples.
So, sadly, it seems, Covid 19 is interfering with MBC research.
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