Tag: Cancer Research UK

Categories
Health Alert News on Health & Science

Smoking ‘Triggers Deadly Changes’

Lung cancerImage via Wikipedia

[amazon_link asins=’0615482155,B00546DSFO’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’74f8f274-06ec-11e7-9e69-df1673dece48′]

[amazon_link asins=’B003JP8YAG,B01MZF23UB’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8eaf4887-06ec-11e7-ac7a-cbccc015f5ed’]

A key mechanism by which smoking triggers genetic changes that cause lung cancer has been unravelled.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Researchers have shown exposure to cigarette smoke slows production of a protein called FANCD2 in lung cells.

This protein plays a key role in repairing damage to DNA, and causing faulty cells to commit suicide before they go on to become cancerous.

The study, led by Oregon Health and Science University, appears in the British Journal of Cancer.

It raises hopes of improved treatments for the disease.

Lead researcher Dr Laura Hays said: “These findings show the important role FANCD2 plays in protecting lung cells against cigarette smoke and may explain why cigarette smoke is so toxic to these cells.”

The researchers suspect other proteins also play a role in fixing DNA and weeding out defective cells.

However, their work showed that cells with very high levels of FANCD2 were resistant to the toxic effects of smoke – suggesting this protein is key.

LUNG CANCER:
*Most common cancer in the world with 1.3 million people diagnosed every year
*Second most common form of cancer in the UK after breast cancer
*Over 38,300 new cases, and more than 33,000 deaths in the UK each year
*Smoking responsible for 90% of cases in the UK

Artificial windpipe

The researchers created an artificial windpipe in the lab to replicate the environment of a smoker’s lung.

They then studied the effects of cigarette smoke on different proteins in cells and found that FANCD2 levels were low enough to allow DNA damage.

FANCD2 is part of a family of proteins involved in an inherited condition called Fanconi anaemia.

People with the condition are more likely to develop cancers at a young age and have low levels of these proteins.

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “This interesting piece of science adds to our understanding of why smoking is so deadly.

“Smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer and causes nine out of ten cases of lung cancer.

“But the good news is that quitting works – after five years without smoking your risk of a heart attack will have fallen to half that of a smoker.

“And after ten years your risk of lung cancer will have halved too.”

You may also click to see:->
Genetic link to smoking addiction
Lung cancer ‘risk’ for ex-smokers
Lung cancer ‘link to lack of sun’
Lung Cancer

Sources: BBC NEWS:MAY 14,’08

Related articles
Categories
Healthy Tips News on Health & Science

Black Cohosh Stops Breast Cancer Growth

A new laboratory study, published in Phytomedicine, suggests that extracts from black cohosh, an herb most commonly used to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, may stop breast cancer cells in their tracks. This adds more evidence to a small but growing body of research suggesting that black cohosh could have a use in breast cancer prevention.

CLICK & SEE

Black cohosh (Cimicifugae racemosae rhizome), is a perennial plant native to North America, is a member of the buttercup family. It has long been a popular alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in many countries. In the UK, 9 million days’ worth of black cohosh supplements were purchased in 2004.

The inhibition of the growth of breast cancer cells was related to an induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis).

“These results corroborate the results of our previous studies indicating that the growth inhibitory effect of actein or an extract of black cohosh is associated with activation of specific stress response pathways and apoptosis,” wrote the researchers, referring to their studies published earlier this year in Anticancer Research and the International Journal of Cancer.

Although the results are promising, further research is needed to determine whether the herb can be effectively used as a breast cancer chemopreventive agent.

Sources:
FoodAndDrinkEurope.com November 13, 2007
Phytomedicine October 31, 2007 [Epub Ahead of Print]
Anticancer Research March-April, 2007;27(2):697-712
International Journal of Cancer November 1, 2007;121(9):2073-83

Related articles
Categories
News on Health & Science

Dogs as Disease Detectors

 

There is no question that dogs can provide companionship, protection, and other services. But could there be another use for our canine friends? Some anecdotal evidence and a sprinkling of scientific studies suggest that dogs can detect seizures and cancers (like skin melanoma and prostate cancer). Though the research is still in its infancy, preliminary results have already provided insight on developing new medical technologies…………..CLICK & SEE

Detecting Seizures
Though many anecdotal stories suggest dogs can alert their owners before a seizure, there has been little research on how dogs might detect seizures before they happen. Some theorize that the dogs may smell a chemical or other scent that is released just prior to a seizure. Others believe the dog‘s attachment to his or her owner helps in detecting subtle scent and behavioral changes before a seizure. Only a very small percentage of these service dogs are currently able to reliably warn their owners before a seizure. Some researchers have studied whether these skills could be taught………….click & see

Researchers in the UK reported in the January 1999 and January 2001 issues of Seizure on dogs they had trained that could detect seizures 15  to 45 minutes prior to the episodes beginning. In addition, the researchers found that the people using these dogs actually reported fewer seizures. Though these results are promising, in most cases it still seems that this skill is inherent in a dog’s personality, rather than something that can be taught. Future research may reveal what these dogs are detecting and how this information can be applied in the hospital setting.

There is no doubt that trained seizure alert dogs can alert help, help prevent injury and watch over someone when they are having a seizure. However, the Epilepsy Foundation cautions people against rushing into spending thousands of dollars for a dog said to have skills of prior seizure detection, at least until the research supports a specific training regimen.

Detecting Cancer
There has also been anecdotal evidence of dogs being able to sniff out cancer and warn their owners. A brief report in a 1989 issue of the Lancet describes how one dog discovered a cancerous skin tumor on her owner’s leg. Researchers have been able to teach bomb-sniffing dogs how to detect cancer using similar training techniques. Other research supports the theory that dogs have the ability to smell cancer. But the real promise may be in learning how dogs can do this and possibly developing medical technology to do the same..…click & see

The Future of Dogs as Doctors….click & see
Dogs may never be used in the physician’s office. However, studying how animals can detect disease conditions in humans could lead to future advancements in medicine and medical technology. For instance, by learning about the ways dogs  smell   a seizure or cancer cells, we can develop technologies to detect those same molecules. Medical   sniffing machines  have already been developed and are providing insight into the smells of disease for disease detection.
RESOURCES:

The Epilepsy Foundation
http://www.efa.org

The National Cancer Institute
http://www.nci.nih.gov

Related articles
Categories
News on Health & Science

Animals and Your Health: Dogs as Disease Detectors

[amazon_link asins=’B01N4IP614,B06XDR5T7R’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’562678cd-0ec4-11e7-ab7e-6587da06d3a5′]

There is no question that dogs can provide companionship, protection, and other services. But could there be another use for our canine friends? Some anecdotal evidence and a sprinkling of scientific studies suggest that dogs can detect seizures and cancers (like skin melanoma and prostate cancer). Though the research is still in its infancy, preliminary results have already provided insight on developing new medical technologies.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
Detecting Seizures
Though many anecdotal stories suggest dogs can alert their owners before a seizure, there has been little research on how dogs might detect seizures before they happen. Some theorize that the dogs may smell a chemical or other scent that is released just prior to a seizure. Others believe the dog’s attachment to his or her owner helps in detecting subtle scent and behavioral changes before a seizure. Only a very small percentage of these service dogs are currently able to reliably warn their owners before a seizure. Some researchers have studied whether these skills could be taught.

Researchers in the UK reported in the January 1999 and January 2001 issues of Seizure on dogs they had trained that could detect seizures 1545 minutes prior to the episode’s beginning. In addition, the researchers found that the people using these dogs actually reported fewer seizures. Though these results are promising, in most cases it still seems that this skill is inherent in a dog’s personality, rather than something that can be taught. Future research may reveal what these dogs are detecting and how this information can be applied in the hospital setting.

There is no doubt that trained seizure alert dogs can alert help, help prevent injury and watch over someone when they are having a seizure. However, the Epilepsy Foundation cautions people against rushing into spending thousands of dollars for a dog said to have skills of prior seizure detection, at least until the research supports a specific training regimen.

Detecting Cancer
There has also been anecdotal evidence of dogs being able to sniff out cancer and warn their owners. A brief report in a 1989 issue of the Lancet describes how one dog discovered a cancerous skin tumor on her owner’s leg. Researchers have been able to teach bomb-sniffing dogs how to detect cancer using similar training techniques. Other research supports the theory that dogs have the ability to smell cancer. But the real promise may be in learning how dogs can do this and possibly developing medical technology to do the same.

The Future of Dogs as Doctors
Dogs may never be used in the physicians office. However, studying how animals can detect disease conditions in humans could lead to future advancements in medicine and medical technology. For instance, by learning about the ways dogs “smell” a seizure or cancer cells, we can develop technologies to detect those same molecules. Medical “sniffing machines” have already been developed and are providing insight into the smells of disease for disease detection.

Written by :Skye Schulte, MS, MPH.

Resources:The Epilepsy Foundation and The National Cancer Institute

Related articles
css.php