Single blood test may detect eight types of cancer
Scientists have developed a single blood test that can help in the early diagnoses of eight common cancer types and helps identify the location of the disease. The test, called CancerSEEK, is a unique noninvasive, multianalyte test that simultaneously evaluates levels of eight cancer proteins and the presence of cancer gene mutations from circulating DNA in the blood.
The test is aimed at screening for eight common cancer types that account for more than 60 per cent of cancer deaths in the US, researchers said.
Five of the cancers covered by the test currently have no screening test.
“The use of a combination of selected biomarkers for early detection has the potential to change the way we screen for cancer, and it is based on the same rationale for using combinations of drugs to treat cancers,” said Nickolas Papadopoulos, professor of oncology and pathology at Johns Hopkins University in the US.
According to the study published in the journal Science, CancerSEEK is noninvasive and can, in principle, be administered by primary care providers at the time of other routine blood work.
The investigators initially explored several hundred genes and 40 protein markers, whittling the number down to segments of 16 genes and eight proteins.
They point out that this molecular test is solely aimed at cancer screening and, therefore, is different from other molecular tests, which rely on analysing large numbers of cancer-driving genes to identify therapeutically actionable targets.
In this study, the test had greater than 99 per cent specificity for cancer.
The test was used on 812 healthy controls and produced only seven false-positive results.
It was evaluated on 1,005 patients with nonmetastatic, stages I to III cancers of the ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas, esophagus, colorectum, lung or breast. The median overall sensitivity, or the ability to find cancer, was 70 per cent and ranged from a high of 98 percent for ovarian cancer to a low of 33 per cent for breast cancer.
For the five cancers that have no screening tests -ovarian, liver, stomach, pancreatic and esophageal cancers -sensitivity ranged from 69 per cent to 98 per cent.
“Many of the most promising cancer treatments we have today only benefit a small minority of cancer patients, and we consider them major breakthroughs,” said Bert Vogelstein, professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins University.
“This test represents the next step in changing the focus of cancer research from late-stage disease to early disease, which I believe will be critical to reducing cancer deaths in the long term,” said Vogelstein.
Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/single-blood-test-may-detect-eight-types-of-cancer-study-5031269/
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New robotic implant in infants can help treat rare birth defect of food pipe
Scientists have created a robot which can be implanted into a baby’s body to treat a rare birth defect that affects the food pipe.
The prototype robotic implant, developed by the researchers at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital in the US, encourages tissue growth in babies.
The robot is a small device which is attached to the oesophagus by two rings. An incorporated motor then stimulates the cells by gently pulling the tissue.
Using two types of sensors – one to measure the tension in the tissue and another to measure tissue displacement – the robot monitors and applies tissue traction depending on the tissue properties.
The robot’s function is inspired by the Foker technique of correcting the oesophageal atresia which involves manually pulling the tissue slowly using sutures over a period of time.
“Doctors have been performing the Foker procedure as they realised that tissue lengthening can be achieved by pulling on the tissue,” said Dana Damian, from University of Sheffield.
However, it is unknown how much force should be applied to produce tissue lengthening.
Although the technique is one of the best standards, sometimes the sutures surgeons attach to the oesophagus can tear which can result in repetitive surgeries or scar tissue can form that can cause problems for the patient in the future.
“The robot we developed addresses this issue because it measures the force being applied and can be adapted at anytime throughout the treatment,” said Damian.
“With it being implanted in the patient, it means they have – in effect – a doctor by their side all the time, monitoring them and changing their treatment when needed,” she said.
Oesophageal atresia is a rare genetic disease which affects about one in 4,000 babies born in the US and Europe.
It occurs when the upper and lower parts of the oesophagus do not connect, which means food can not reach the stomach.
Some of these cases are characterised by a gap between three and 10 cm between the oesophageal stubs, called long gap oesophageal atresia.
The treatment of these cases using Foker technique can start as early as three months old and can take months.
Usually, the patient is sedated during the treatment to ensure the sutures in place do not tear.
The study suggests that with this robot, babies would be free to move around and be allowed to interact with their parents while undergoing treatment, taking away some of the stress from both parties.
The implant is powered by a control unit which remains outside of the body, attached to a vest. This means that doctors can monitor the patient without impacting on the baby’s routine.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-new-robotic-implant-in-infants-can-help-treat-rare-birth-defect-of-food-pipe-2576510
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Indian scholar helps break ground on research for breast cancer vaccine
Over 11, 500 kilometers away from her hometown in Kerala, PhD student Juby Mathew is seen neck-deep in work at the laboratory of Ferrier Research Institute in Wellington, New Zealand.
Juby is the only Indian in Professor Gavin Painter’s research group that is works on discovering vaccines to life-threatening illnesses. Juby in particular is involved with the development of a breast cancer vaccine candidate.
The research on breast cancer vaccine has been underway since 2013, and recently the institute was able to conduct the vaccine trials on animals. Over $5,00,000 are being invested on vaccine research.
“Professor Gavin Painter’s group has done leading-edge research in the field of cancer vaccines. To be part of such a highly experienced team is invaluable. I am also part of a wider ecosystem of people, which includes interactions with immunologists at the Malaghan Institute and lots of different high-tech start-ups that are situated on the Callaghan Innovation site. I hope to make a world where no one dies of cancer,”Juby told dna.
Worldwide, more than 500,000 women died of breast cancer in 2011, and incidence rates are increasing in most countries including India. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates that there were 1.5 lakh new cases of breast cancer in India in 2016. Some 70,000 indian women estimatedly died due to breast cancer in 2012 and that number will increase to 76,000 by 2020.
The institute says that before conducting the trials on humans, they ought to be absolutely convinced about it’s potential safety and efficacy and hence more research is required before trials on humans are undertaken.
The vaccine has been trialled on several animals and how it works is well understood within these animal models. It has triggered significant reduction in tumour size over an extended period of time. It has also been used in vitro (outside of the human body) with human blood and has shown promising results. Patients with malignant breast cancer who have not undergone any recent treatment that may influence the results of the trials. Current treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are harsh on patients.
“The vaccine has been successful in several different animal species and the next step is clinical trials on humans. To be given permission for human clinical trials is a big step; it means that there is a high likelihood that the treatment will be effective for humans because permission is only given in cases which show significant potential and an expected high probability of success. Although all the cell types are the same in humans as in these animal trials, cell distribution and prevalence is different and therefore, more research must be done to collect more evidence that the vaccine would have the same efficacy in humans as in other animal species,”said a spokesperson from the institute.
The vaccine will trigger activation of natural killer T-cells that directly destroy the tumour cells, according to the team’s hypothesis.
“The vaccine is based on ‘Immunotherapy,’approach, which works by helping the body’s immune system recognise cancer cells and to fight them. Immunotherapy vaccines introduce chemicals to the body which activate the immune response, allowing the body to effectively fight off the cancer by itself,”the spokesperson further said.
Casualties
70,000
Indian women died of the cancer in 2012
76,000
Number of women estimated to fall victim to it by 2020
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-indian-scholar-helps-break-ground-on-research-for-breast-cancer-vaccine-2577035
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Testosterone therapy may help older men live longer
Restoring testosterone in older men to normal level through gels, patches, or injections may lower their risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from any cause, says a large study co-authored by an Indian-origin researcher.
The study also found that men who were treated but did not attain normal levels did not see the same benefits as those whose levels did reach normal.
“It is the first study to demonstrate that significant benefit is observed only if the dose is adequate to normalise the total testosterone levels,” said corresponding author of the study Rajat Barua, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Kansas in the US.
“Patients who failed to achieve the therapeutic range after testosterone replacement therapy did not see a reduction in (heart attack) or stroke and had significantly less benefit on mortality,” Barua noted.
The findings may sway the ongoing debate over testosterone therapy’s benefits and risks, especially for the heart.
So far, the medical community lacks results from any definitive clinical trial that might provide clear guidance.
Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance earlier in 2015 advising clinicians about the over-use of testosterone therapy, and pointing to a possible increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The new study looked at data on more than 83,000 men with documented low testosterone, all age 50 or above, who received care between 1999 and 2014.
The researchers divided the men into three clinical groups: those who were treated to the point where their total testosterone levels returned to normal, those who were treated but without reaching normal, and those who were untreated and remained at low levels.
The average follow-up across the groups ranged from 4.6 to 6.2 years. The sharpest contrast emerged between those who were treated and attained normal levels and those whose low testosterone went untreated.
The treated men were 56 percent less likely to die during the follow-up period, 24 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack, and 36 per cent less likely to have a stroke.
The exact reasons for testosterone’s apparent benefits for the heart and overall survival are not known. Possible explanations, the researchers said, could involve body fat, insulin sensitivity, lipids, blood platelets, inflammation, or other biological pathways.
The study was published online in the European Heart Journal.
Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/health/story/testosterone-therapy-may-help-older-men-live-longer-287975-2015-08-12
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New smart pillows may prevent flat head syndrome in babies
Scientists have developed a smart baby pillow that can prevent and even correct mild cases of flat head syndrome, caused when infants repeatedly lie on their backs to sleep.
Babies are born with highly malleable skulls, and therefore receiving constant pressure on a particular part of their head may lead to some positional flattening or molding of the head.
Although this does not harm brain development nor cause any lasting appearance problems, simple practices, like placing them in different positions over the course of each day, can easily prevent a baby from developing an asymmetrical skull shape.
“We came up with the idea to help new parents who are in drastic need of sleep. We wanted to help them relax and rest at least when their babies are asleep,” said scientists from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea, who developed the device.
The smart baby pillow is designed to help induce the correct sleeping posture, thereby preventing babies from developing flat head syndrome.
It features an embedded air volume control system, as well as the image-based soft tactile sensor.
“A soft tactile sensor has been applied to monitor the position of a newborn’s head in real time,” said Tae Hun Chung from UNIST.
“We have also added a system that automatically controls the volume of air in the pillow for a perfectly symmetrical skull. This saves the trouble of attempting to change a newborn’s head in different positions every 1 to 2 hours,” said Chung.
The team plans to commercialize the product and later expand into the medical device market.
“The device itself would certainly be a great help for those stressed-out parents,” said HyeWon Cho from UNIST.
“By allowing mothers to have some relaxation time, it can also help prevent or treat symtoms of postnatal depression and anxiety,” Cho said.
Source: http://zeenews.india.com/health/new-smart-pillows-may-prevent-flat-head-syndrome-in-babies-2075858
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FDA clears radioactive drug for cancer that killed Steve Jobs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a radioactive drug to treat the ultra-rare type of digestive tract cancer that killed Steve Jobs in 2011.
The approval for Advanced Accelerator Applications SA’s (AAAP.O) Lutathera comes just days after Swiss giant Novartis AG NOVS.S closed its $3.9 billion acquisition of the French company.
Lutathera is unusual in that it harnesses the same molecule that is used to diagnose cancer to also deliver the treatment.
The radiopharmaceutical injection works by hitting cancer cells with high energy electrons, just like radiotherapy, but targets gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) that over-express a certain protein.
Advanced Accelerator said Lutathera’s list price is about $47,500 per dose, with the usual treatment period including four doses. This price is not necessarily what patients actually pay, as out-of-pocket costs vary based on a patient’s insurance plan and rebates offered by drugmakers.
The treatment reduced the risk of the disease progressing by 79 percent in a late-stage clinical trial, on the basis of which it was approved, Accelerator Applications said.
In general, patients with well-and-moderately differentiated tumours, compared with healthy cells, have a roughly 35 percent probability of surviving for five years, the company estimates.
This is the first U.S. approval for this kind of treatment, known as peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. The European Medicines Agency approved Lutathera in September and Novartis offered to buy Advanced Accelerator a month later.
The FDA estimates that each year, one out of 27,000 people are diagnosed with GEP-NETs, a disease that killed Apple (AAPL.O) co-founder Jobs in 2011.
It has been a long journey for Lutathera. The FDA rejected the drug in 2016, asking for more study data. The company resubmitted its marketing application in July last year.
Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar and Savio D’Souza
Source: https://in.reuters.com/article/advanced-accelerator-fda/fda-clears-radioactive-drug-for-cancer-that-killed-steve-jobs-idINKBN1FF2RA
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