Primary cancer cells were able to fight, says new research. Article posted January 2005

January 5, 2005: Source: Internet

From America, thanks for that, we got an interesting article sent from the Boston Globe of December 27, 2004. This article, discusses in detail the fact that some researchers believe some forms of cancer may be contested only definitive approach to stem cell of the primary tumor. We have not had time for translation, but here's the article with English abstract of study which include wrodt referred to in this article on causes of breast cancer posted below.

StemCells are a key to growth of tumors?
By Gareth Cook, The Boston Globe Monday, December 27, 2004

BOSTON Stem cells have become famous for Their ability to heal, spurring hopes That They Might one day cure Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and a wide variety of ailments. But now a growing number of researchers are concluding That StemCells Also are the hidden force behind one of nature's must feared killers: cancer.

Within Each tumor, They believe, Lurks a small population of elusive, highly potent cells That drive the tumor's growth.

Under a microscope They Appear Identical to Other cancer cells, cancer stem cells hypothesis but hold the power to produce cancerous tumors in much the Same Way That normal stem cells are printable to regenerate the body's healthy tissues. They Also Appear to resist common cancer drugs, explaining why some patiënten Can Be seemingly cured of some cancers only to see the disease come back.

. In the Past two years, cancer stem cells have gone from a theory on the fringes of biology to an idea That is Attracting money and talent in cancer research. Last year, a scientist at the University of Michigan Announced the discovery of stem cells in breast tumors. In the Past few months, a form of leukemia and two types of brain cancer Were Both linked to cancer stem cells, and scientists familiar with unpublished studies said more cancers Were Likely to follow. The first testing in patients of a therapy targeting thesis StemCells is now getting under way.

. The discovery of cancer stem cells Provides a promising new direction in the war on cancer, and it could-Also forcing a profound change in cancer research, say the theory's growing number of advocates.

Most treatments today are judged by Their ability to shrink tumors, but the new results suggest the size of the tumor is all but irrelevant: If doctors can-kill the stem cells, the tumor is doomed, but if the stem cells survive, It Will Be back. "It is mind-blowing," said Robert Weinberg, a scientist at MIT who is one of the world's leading cancer biologist. "The Entire mindset of people must now be refocused StemCells prosthesis failure."

Scientists caution thats the path ahead Will Be challenging. Simply finding cancer stem cells is Difficult, or require laborious trial and error experiments in Which Biologist analyze similar-looking cancer cells for the chemical signatures of a stem cell. They then Attempt to sift out Those cells and see if They cause new cancers to grow. Researchers are massing forces to attack the problem. This year, the National Cancer Institute cancer StemCells HAS Identified As One of the must important new ideas in cancer research, and next year it plans to announce a stem cell initiative, said Allan Mufson, chief of the Cancer Immunology / Hematology Branch at the institute.

In part, the excitement surrounding 'The Idea Has Come From The growing Realization That there are deep connections Between the biology of cancer - Perhaps the top target of biomedical research over the last three decades - and the Rapidly expanding science of stem cells. Researchers say progress in understanding the origins of cancer May Also Give them tools to Unleash the potential of stem cells for healing.

Scientists have a Suspected Link Between stem cells and cancer cells for decades. StemCells, Which Appear in many tissues in the adult body - from the skin to the blood to the brain - are unique becauses They have the ability to create large numbers or Other cells. Scientists Also Sometimes referred to as stem cells "immortal" Their unique ability to renew for Their Own ranks, seemingly indefinitely. Cancer Cells Seem to share some or thesis Qualities, but They are riddled with genetic defects That Make Them Grow Writing dangerous, uncontrolled masses. A stem cell "has all the things That we ascribe to a very aggressive cancer," said John Dick, a professor at the University of Toronto.

In 1994, Dick Became the first scientist to Prove the Existence of a cancer stem cell, Which combines the profound genetic damage or a cancer cell with the self-renewal capacity of a renegade voice normal cell. In studying a common form of blood cancercalled acute myelogenous leukemia, he found That only a small proportioning of the leukemia cells Were Actually Capable of Causing the cancer. And theses cells, showed he had The Same chemical markers as the stem cells found in healthy blood.

But That idea remained an isolated finding Until last year, When Dr. Michael Clarke, a professor at the University of Michigan, Announced That he had found a stem cell in human breast tumors, StemCells Suddenly Suggesting That Could Be driving solid tumors as well. In August, a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine linked another form of leukemia to cancer stem cells, and last month, a paper in the journal Nature Prestigious That showed two common forms of brain tumors are driven by stem cells. . Oi the study abstract here spoken of in the above article by Dr. Michael Clark.
, Br> Cancer. 1 February 2003, 97 (3) :545-53.

Survival of Patients with meta-static breast carcinoma: Prognostic Importance of markers of the primary tumor.
Chang J, Clark GM, Allred DC, Mohsin S, Chamness G, Elledge RM. Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. jcchang@breastcancer.tmc.edu

BACKGROUND: Women with meta-static breast carcinoma have a highly variable clinical course and outcome. Intrinsic genetic heterogeneity of the primary breast tumor May play a role in this variability and May explain it in part. Therefore, the authors Tested the hypothesis thats the Characteristics of primary breast tumors are important determinants of prognosis and survival in patient with meta-static breast carcinoma.

METHODS: The Prognostic Significance of the biology of the tumor for primary outcome in patient with meta-static breast disease was assessed in 346 patients with lymph node positive breast carcinoma who Developed distant, recurrent disease. Traditional Prognostic indicators (age, tumor size, number of lymph nodes Involved, sites or Recurrence, disease free interval [DFI], adjuvant treatments, estrogen receptor expression [ER], [PgR] progesterone receptor expression, S-phase fraction [SPF], and DNA ploidy ), together with three newer biologic markers (c-erbB-2, p53, and bcl-2) Were assessed. Sites of Recurrence Were nonvisceral defined as (bone and locoregional lymph nodes) or visceral (lung, liver, brain, and Other Organs). RESULTS: The median duration of survival was 17.8 months (95% confidence interval, 15.2-21.5 months). That Univariate analysis showed age> 50 years, visceral disease, DFI Were Shorter and significantly associated with poor outcome (P <0.05). In Addition, the molecular phenotype of the primary breast tumor was significant, with primary tumors That showed ER negativity and PgR negativity, high SPF, aneuploidy, accumulation of p53 protein, and lower bcl-2 expression, together with c-erbB-2 overexpression , all associated with a poorer clinical outcome (P <0.05). In a multivariate analysis, older age, visceral disease, Shorter DFI, PgR negativity, high SPF, and lower bcl-2 expression Were significant predictors of worse survival (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: In Addition to traditional risk factors, bcl-2 negativity was significantly associated with a worse clinical outcome. Biologic features of primary tumors Were Independently correlated with outcome after first Recurrence in Patients with meta-static breast carcinoma and May Be Used as indicators of prognosis in the meta-static setting.
Copyright 2003 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.11083

PMID: 12548595 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]