RANKL, A Key Factor In Breast Cancer Metastasis.

When doctors discover high concentrations of regulatory T cells in the tumors of breast cancer patients, the prognosis is often grim, though why exactly has long been unclear.
Now new research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests these regulatory T cells, whose job is to help mediate the body’s immune response, produce a protein that appears to hasten and intensify the spread of breast cancer to distant organs and, in doing so, dramatically increase the risk of death.
The findings are reported in the Feb. 16 advance online edition of the journal Nature.
The researchers found that mice with breast cancer were more likely to develop metastatic lung cancer due to elevated levels of RANKL, an inflammatory protein normally involved in bone remodeling. Regulatory T cells were found to be the primary source of RANKL in these tumors. However, the same increase in metastasis was seen when synthetic RANKL was injected directly into tumors, suggesting that RANKL was the key to the ability of regulatory T cells to promote the spread of breast cancer. The scientists also determined that interfering with the ability of RANKL to interact with cancer cells seemed to block tumor progression, and may represent a potential target for drug therapy.

“What is exciting about this study is that now that we understand an increase in RANKL translates to an increase in metastasis, we can get to work on figuring out ways to stop or slow the production of RANKL in breast cancer patients,” said Michael Karin, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Pathology at UCSD's Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction and Moores Cancer Center.

RANKL is a well-known factor in a variety of degenerative bone diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and bone metastasis. In June 2010, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first RANKL-inhibiting drug for use in postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis.

“When we were able to control the RANKL production in the mice, we were able to slow or stop the spread of the cancer,” Karin said. “The next logical step is to turn to drugs that block RANKL production to see how they might affect the spread of breast cancer.”

Other breast cancer studies have linked RANKL to early stages in the development of synthetic progestin-driven breast tumors. According to the Women’s Health Initiative and the Million Women Study, hormone replacement therapy and contraceptives with progestin significantly increase the risk of developing breast cancer. The findings from these studies and the new UCSD research suggest that drugs that block RANKL may be effective in preventing both the early stages of breast cancer and the advanced progression of the disease.
Collaborators on the study are first authors Wei Tan and Weizhou Zhang, Amy Strasner and Sergei Grivennikov, UCSD Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction; Jin Q. Cheng, Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Fla.; and Robert M. Hoffman, AntiCancer Inc, San Diego.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.
The journal Nature.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Global Clinical Trials Review, Q1, 2011

This report provides in-depth information and data relating to the clinical trials on Coronary Artery Disease. It includes an overview of the trial numbers and their recruitment status as per the site of trial development throughout the world, focusing on the status of participation by the developing nations. It offers coverage of disease clinical trials by their phase, trial status, prominence of the sponsors and also provides information pertaining to the number of trials for the key drugs for treating Coronary Artery Disease).

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b90ca9/coronary_artery_di) has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Global Clinical Trials Review, Q1, 2011" to their offering. 

The clinical trial report, "Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Global Clinical Trials Review, Q1, 2011" provides data on the Coronary Artery Disease clinical trial scenario. This report provides in-depth information and data relating to the clinical trials on Coronary Artery Disease. It includes an overview of the trial numbers and their recruitment status as per the site of trial development throughout the world, focusing on the status of participation by the developing nations.

It offers coverage of disease clinical trials by their phase, trial status, prominence of the sponsors and also provides information pertaining to the number of trials for the key drugs for treating Coronary Artery Disease).

This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by Our team of industry experts.

Scope

* Data on the number of clinical trials conducted in North America, South And Central America, Europe, Middle-East and Africa and Asia-pacific and top five national contributions in each, along with the clinical trial scenario in BRIC nations

* Clinical trial (complete and in progress) data by phase, trial status and trial success rate
* Review of key discontinued trials (suspended, withdrawn and terminated)
* Overview of the enrollment pattern by phase for the past decade
* Number of clinical trials segmented by key drugs
* Clinical trial overview of top 20 companies, which include Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca PLC, Eli Lilly and Company, and so on.
* Clinical trial overview of top 20 Universities / Institutes / Hospitals including National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK, Cancer Research Institute , and others

Reasons to buy:

* Understand the dynamics of a particular indication as a whole
* Examine the performance of the trials in terms of their status, recruitment, success rates and others
* Obtain discontinued trial information for trials across the globe
* Understand the commercial landscape of the major Universities / Institutes / Hospitals or Companies

To view the reports full table of contents and for more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b90ca9/coronary_artery_di

In Their Own Words, Translating Clinical Care For Callers To Cancer Information Service :NCI

NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS), a resource which handles approximately 100,000 calls, e-mails, and live chat sessions annually, where more than 70 information specialists, who are trained and monitored by experienced oncology nurses, tackle these requests for help and information, often engaging in lengthy discussions about treatment options with someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, or with the spouse of a cancer patient who’s having a hard time taking care of their loved one and needs some help or guidance on what to do or where to turn.
“My background in oncology and as a bedside nurse really helps to bring some of the clinical aspects of cancer care to the information specialists, who often don’t have that intimate level of knowledge,” said Randy Jacobs, an oncology nurse educator with the CIS.

Read more at  NCI’s Cancer Information Service: Providing Information and Assistance Nationwide

February Fourth Is World Cancer Day!

On February 4, 2011, we are joining many many people and  organizations from around the world in supporting World Cancer Day to promote ways to reduce the burden of cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease; it kills more than half a million Americans every year.
Please To help fight the global cancer epidemic, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is urging individuals to take action and support the World Cancer Declaration - at www.worldcancerday.org/signdeclaration

 Millions of cancer cases are preventable - lifestyle factors key to saving lives

Latest cancer preventability data released to mark World Cancer Day


GENEVA, Switzerland, 04 February 2011 – On World Cancer Day, new independent evidence confirms that the increasing global trend of unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles is responsible for putting millions at an unnecessarily high risk of cancer.

New estimates released today by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) global network suggest that across a range of countries, making lifestyle changes including maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and taking regular physical activity can reduce the risk of common cancers by up to a third.i

These findings are further supported by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) new Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health.ii This landmark report reinforces that regular physical activity has the potential to prevent many diseases such as breast and colon cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The report addresses three age groups (5-17 years old, 18-64 years old, and 65 years old and above) and provides concrete recommendations for levels of physical activity needed for health;Error: Reference source not found these recommendations are especially helpful for low- and middle-income countries, where few national guidelines for physical activity exist.
"Physical activity is recommended for people of all ages as a means to reduce risks for certain types of cancers and other non-communicable diseases," says Dr Tim Armstrong, from WHO's Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. "In order to improve their health and prevent several diseases, adults should do at least 150 minutes moderate physical activity throughout the week. This can be achieved by simply walking 30 minutes five times per week or by cycling to work daily".
There is also consistent evidence that other healthy living initiatives are vital in reducing the risk of cancer including stopping tobacco use, avoiding exposure to passive smoke, avoiding excessive sun exposure and protecting against cancer-causing infections.  And to help fight the global cancer epidemic, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is urging individuals to take action and support the World Cancer Declaration - at www.worldcancerday.org/signdeclaration
Signing the Declaration will help UICC in its effort to motivate global leaders to set realistic and achievable directives for preventing cancer during the United Nations Summit for Non-Communicable Diseases in September 2011. There has only been one UN General Assembly special session focused on health since 1947; the announcement of the 2011 summit is an unprecedented step in the battle against cancer.

Dr Eduardo Cazap, President of UICC summarised, “Support World Cancer Day by signing the World Cancer Declaration and help us achieve the goal of one million supporters for a Cancer Free World.  With individuals, governments and policy makers of the world working together, we have the ability to ease the global burden of cancer now and for future generations.”
Background information

About cancer
Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world and its incidence continues to rise.  Each year 12.7 million people discover they have cancer and 7.6 million people die from the disease.
Evidence shows that 30-40% all cancers deaths can be prevented,i and one-third can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment.

There are about 200 known types of cancer.ii  As with most illnesses cancer is multifactorial which means that there is no single cause for any one type of cancer. However, certain largely controllable or avoidable lifestyle and environmental factors are also known to be causes of cancer. For more information on health living initiatives please visit: www.worldcancerday.org/prevention

About UICC
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is the leading international non-governmental organisation dedicated to the global prevention and control of cancer. UICC’s mission is to eliminate cancer as a life-threatening disease for future generations. Founded in 1933, UICC unites 400 member organisations, specialised and engaged in cancer control, in more than 120 countries across the world. UICC is non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information please visit www.uicc.org or join our join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Cancer-Free-World/134386073255136 

About the World Cancer Declaration
The World Cancer Declaration is a tool to help bring the growing cancer crisis to the attention of government leaders and health policymakers in order to significantly reduce the global cancer burden by 2020. It represents a consensus between government officials, public health experts and cancer advocates from around the world who are committed to eliminate cancer as a life-threatening disease
for future generations.

The Declaration outlines 11 targets to be achieved by 2020 including: significant drops in global tobacco consumption, obesity and alcohol intake, universal vaccination programmes for hepatitis B and human papilloma virus (HPV) to prevent liver and cervical cancer, universal availability of effective pain medication and dispelling myths and misconceptions about cancer. As the custodian of the Declaration, UICC encourages priority actions to achieve the Declaration’s targets locally and nationally and promotes a comprehensive response across the globe. For more information please visit – www.uicc.org/declaration

About the UN high level meeting on non-communicable diseases
In May 2010, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), calling for a UN Summit on NCDs to be held on the 19-20 September 2011 in New York.  The Summit will address the prevention and control of cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes, which together account for 60% (35 million) of global deaths. The largest burden - 80% (28 million) - occurs in low- and middle- income countries, making NCDs a major risk to global development and economic growth. For more information on the NCD summit visit: www.ncdalliance.org

For more information, please contact:
UICC Press Relations
Leah Peyton
Email: leah.peyton@toniclc.com
Tel: 0044 207 798 9923 / 0044 7788 191 434

Quit Smoking, A Self-Help Intervention for African American Smokers

A self help and counseling guide on quit smoking guide from NCI, National Cancer Institute aimed at African American Smokers.
MEDDESKTOP: A Self-Help Intervention for African American Smokers

Novartis Acquires Genoptix For Cash And Gains Hematolgy and Oncology Diagnostic Service Enahancements To It's Healthcare Offerings.

Novartis, a privately held company, announced about its agreement to acquire Genoptix, Inc. (NASDAQ: GXDX) in all cash offer of  USD 25.00 per share for all outstanding shares of common stock of Genoptix, (Genoptix shares gained +5.10 dollars to a share value of $24.86 this morning, and as of this writing, it is still climbing.)The acquisition will enhanced Novartis's capability to improve health outcomes for patients by advancing the ability to define and monitor individualized treatment programs.as Genoptix laboratory service offerings provide strategic fit with the current portfolio of companion diagnostic programs within Novartis Molecular Diagnostics unit.

Press Release

Basel, January 24, 2011 - Novartis announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Genoptix, Inc. (NASDAQ: GXDX), a specialized laboratory providing personalized diagnostic services to community-based hematologists and oncologists. The acquisition will enhance Novartis's tools and services that aim to improve health outcomes for patients by advancing the ability to define and monitor individualized treatment programs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Novartis will commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Genoptix at USD 25.00 per share in cash. This represents a total equity value of USD 470 million and an enterprise value of USD 330 million. The Novartis offer represents a premium of 39% over Genoptix's unaffected share price of USD 17.98 on December 13, 2010. It also implies a 27% premium over the closing price of USD 19.76 on January 21, 2011.

"The acquisition of the Genoptix medical laboratory will serve as a strong foundation for our individualized treatment programs," said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. "Genoptix is an innovative company with a talented team of people who share our commitment to transforming the way medicine is practiced. By integrating Genoptix within Novartis, we can greatly enhance the value we add to patients, clinicians, payors and society."

Founded in 1999 and based in Carlsbad, California, Genoptix is a publicly traded, profitable laboratory that specializes in diagnosing cancers in bone marrow, blood and lymph nodes. In 2009, Genoptix had sales of USD 184 million, and for the first nine months of 2010, its reported revenue totaled USD 148 million.

Genoptix employs approximately 500 people and will become part of Novartis Molecular Diagnostics (MDx), a unit within the Novartis Pharmaceuticals Division. The acquisition will support and expedite the development of companion diagnostic programs, especially in oncology.

Novartis plans to maintain the existing operations and continue delivering Genoptix's portfolio of personalized diagnostics services to community-based hematologists/oncologists across the US.

The Genoptix Board of Directors has unanimously approved the transaction and agreed to recommend that Genoptix stockholders tender their shares. The transaction is conditional upon the tender of at least a majority of the shares of Genoptix in the tender offer, receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close within the first half of 2011.

Genetic Diversity In Leukemic Cells Advancing Cancer Discovered

Cancer scientists led by Dr. John Dick at the Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) and collaborators at St Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis) have found that defective genes and the individual leukemia cells that carry them are organized in a more complex way than previously thought.

The findings, published today in Nature (DOI:10.1038/nature09733), challenge the conventional scientific view that cancer progresses as a linear series of genetic events and that all the cells in a tumour share the same genetic abnormalities and the same growth properties.

"Our results show this is not the case and open the way to discover how genetic abnormalities transform normal cells into leukemic cells and the steps that have to happen to make the leukemic cells increasingly abnormal and aggressive, how leukemic cells at different steps of genetic evolution (or progression) respond to therapy, or contribute to relapse,"? says Dr. Dick, Senior Scientist at OCI's Campbell Family Institute for Cancer Research, the research arm of Princess Margaret Hospital, and the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine at University Health Network. Dr. Dick is also a Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, and Director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.

The research team found that the leukemia cells taken from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are actually composed of multiple families of genetically distinct leukemia cells. They looked at how these families developed and retraced the ALL "family tree" back to its origins. They discovered that the so-called black sheep "“ the cells that propagate the disease and potentially survive therapy "“ persist through generations, and even branch off and evolve to form genetically distinct cancer families. Some of these genetic families dominate, making it appear that the leukemia cells only have one set of genetic abnormalities while other families are very rare, explaining why they had never been seen before.

The study results provide data linking genetic events in ALL taken from patients when first diagnosed to their future clinical survival. In the lab, the researchers reproduced human ALL in mice transplanted with patient leukemia samples. Sometimes the dominant genetic family would grow in the mice while in other mice the rarer families would grow.

"By looking at the genetic signatures of the leukemia cells in the different mice we were able to figure out their genetic ancestry and the evolutionary trajectory that that particular leukemia took. We found that if a particular gene family was mutated, the tumours were aggressive when grown in the mice. The patients with the corresponding tumours had poorer survival showing that the human-mouse transplant system could be very useful in predicting patient outcome."

This insight into genetic diversity has positive implications for cancer treatment, says Dr. Dick. "Understanding the complexity of cellular relationships and the existence of distinct genetic families of leukemia cells will shed light on why some cells of the cancer are not killed by the therapy and eventually regrow resulting in disease relapse, and help accelerate the development of tailored therapies to wipe out all the unwanted branches in the genetic tree."

Research collaborator Dr. Charles Mullighan, a hematologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, adds: "Overall, the study proved that many leukemias comprise multiple sub populations with different genetic alterations, and that these genetic alterations may evolve over time. The main clinical implication is that we now need to extend this work to identify genetic changes at low levels at diagnosis that confer a high risk of treatment failure and relapse and find ways of targeting them."

The current research builds from earlier findings published in 2007 when the Dick team developed a method to convert normal human blood cells into "human" leukemia stem cells. The converted cells, when transplanted into special mice that permit the growth of human cells, can replicate the entire disease process from the very moment it begins.

In 1994, Dr. Dick identified the first cancer stem cell in leukemia, following on the original discovery in 1961 of the blood stem cell by renowned OCI scientists, Drs. Ernest McCulloch and James Till -- a discovery that formed the basis of all current stem cell research. Dr. Dick, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology, has published other findings showing that colon cancer arises from stem cells specific to the tumour.

The research published today was financially supported by grants and fellowships from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Pew Charitable Trusts, The Stem Cell Network of Canadian National Centres of Excellence, the Canadian Cancer Society, Genome Canada through the Ontario Genomics Institute, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a Canada Research Chair, the American and Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
Campbell Family Institute