Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Health
Related: About this forumChemo drug drives growth of some tumors
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/337844/title/Chemo_drug_drives_growth_of_some_tumors[font face=Times, Serif][font size=5]Chemo drug drives growth of some tumors[/font]
[font size=4]Ovarian cancer stem cells stimulated by common treatment[/font]
By Tina Hesman Saey
Web edition : Monday, January 23rd, 2012
[font size=3]Chemotherapy drugs designed to kill tumors may actually encourage ovarian cancer by stimulating the growth of cells that give rise to the malignancy, a new study finds.
It was quite a surprise, actually, that chemotherapy could stimulate growth, says Kenneth Nephew, a cancer biologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Bloomington, who was not involved in the new work. When clinicians see this paper it may raise a few eyebrows.
Researchers led by Patricia Donahoe and Xiaolong Wei of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that the common chemotherapy agent doxorubicin actually encourages the growth of ovarian cancer stem cells. The immature cells make up less than 1 percent of an ovarian cancer, but just a few left behind after surgery can reestablish a tumor.
But the study, published online the week of January 23 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also offers hope. The researchers found that a protein called Müllerian inhibiting substance, or MIS, halts growth of cancer stem cells. Made by male fetuses and boys until puberty, the protein reverses the growth of tissues that would otherwise develop into fallopian tubes.
[/font][/font]
[font size=4]Ovarian cancer stem cells stimulated by common treatment[/font]
By Tina Hesman Saey
Web edition : Monday, January 23rd, 2012
[font size=3]Chemotherapy drugs designed to kill tumors may actually encourage ovarian cancer by stimulating the growth of cells that give rise to the malignancy, a new study finds.
It was quite a surprise, actually, that chemotherapy could stimulate growth, says Kenneth Nephew, a cancer biologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Bloomington, who was not involved in the new work. When clinicians see this paper it may raise a few eyebrows.
Researchers led by Patricia Donahoe and Xiaolong Wei of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that the common chemotherapy agent doxorubicin actually encourages the growth of ovarian cancer stem cells. The immature cells make up less than 1 percent of an ovarian cancer, but just a few left behind after surgery can reestablish a tumor.
But the study, published online the week of January 23 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also offers hope. The researchers found that a protein called Müllerian inhibiting substance, or MIS, halts growth of cancer stem cells. Made by male fetuses and boys until puberty, the protein reverses the growth of tissues that would otherwise develop into fallopian tubes.
[/font][/font]
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 1505 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (2)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Chemo drug drives growth of some tumors (Original Post)
OKIsItJustMe
Jan 2012
OP
These stories always make me think of that cartoon, the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
bemildred
Jan 2012
#1
bemildred
(90,061 posts)1. These stories always make me think of that cartoon, the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
I am glad we are learning about these things, but a lot more humility is indicated. The mistake is thinking that we have a good understanding, or that we are capable of having a good understanding, which I doubt. To really understand biological systems, we are going to need computers, and that possibility, of having good computer models of how biological systems work in the large, is far away yet.
Warpy
(111,174 posts)2. Now they know why ovarian cancer is so tough to treat
and has such a poor prognosis unless it's caught extremely early, usually by accident.
I hope this gives rise to new treatments. Too many women are being killed by this one.
Celebration
(15,812 posts)3. “When clinicians see this paper it may raise a few eyebrows.”
Ya think?