A study published in the journal Cancer Research last month suggests that the principle treatment for advanced prostate cancer may actually encourage prostate cancer cells to metastasize [1]. Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine focused on a gene called Nestin, which encodes an intermediate filament protein. Intermediate filaments are cytoskeletal or scaffolding structures found in cells that, in addition to maintaining cell shape, control a variety of cellular processes including proliferation, migration and survival [2]. Nestin gene expression also distinguishes stem cells from differentiated cells and has been shown to be activated in pediatric brain tumors and rhabdomyosarcomas (cancers that develop from skeletal muscle), central nervous system tumors and gastrointestinal stromal tumors [3-6].
Smoking Duration vs. Intensity and the Impact on Lung Cancer Risk
We’ve discussed smoking and health a number of times recently:
- Smoking Cessation Timeline: What Happens When You Quit
- Irreversible Gene Expression Changes From Smoking
One of our readers asked a question I’m sure many have us have wondered about at one time or another:
Which is worse for the development of lung cancer — smoking heavily over a short period of time or smoking fewer cigarettes over many years?
Here’s what the research has to say:
Smoking Cessation Timeline: What Happens When You Quit
In the U.S., one-quarter of adults 18 years of age and older smoke cigarettes [1]. Smoking is truly a deadly habit. With about 4000 known chemicals in tobacco smoke, more than 50 of them are known to cause cancer. According to the World Health Organization, every six seconds someone in the world dies from tobacco use [2].
How’s this for bad odds: tobacco kills 50% of its regular users. One out of every two regular smokers will die from smoking [2].
In addition, an estimated 200,000 people die every year due to second-hand smoke exposure at work. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that second-hand smoke is responsible for approximately 3000 lung cancer deaths annually among non-smokers [2]. Additionally, new research has linked second-hand smoke exposure to psychological problems in children, including attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder.
The best time to quit smoking is RIGHT NOW. And while quitting is tough, you can start counting the benefits of not smoking in as little as 20 minutes. Here’s what happens to your body when you quit smoking [3-5]:
Neurofibromatosis and The Children’s Tumor Foundation
The annual Children’s Tumor Foundation NF Conference was held in Park City, Utah earlier this week (June 10 — 12). For three days, research and clinical investigators from around the world met to present their data and discuss the latest findings in neurofibromatosis (NF) research (pronounced noor-oh-fahy-broh-muh-toh-sis). This year the meeting focused on models, mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is dedicated to ending NF through research. The Foundation has sponsored research for over 25 years to understand the molecular basis of NF and to establish effective treatments and improve the lives of those living with the disease.
