TCGA discovers potential therapeutic targets for lung squamous cell carcinoma
September 10, 2012After sequencing the genomes of nearly 200 patients, researchers from The Cancer Genome Atlas initiative have identified potential therapeutic targets in lung squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of lung cancer. In the image above, squamous lung cancer subtypes are grouped into four columns. The horizontal rows depict genes identified by TCGA and how they differ by subtype.
The NCI-60: Assessing drug effectiveness
August 27, 2012For decades, lead compounds were tested principally in mice. The downsides were time, expense, and limited accuracy. Enter NCI’s In Vitro Cell Line Screening Project, better known as the NCI-60, a protocol that makes it possible to analyze the anti-cancer properties of a compound in human tumor samples from 60 different cell cultures, sometimes referred to as lines, representing several different types of cancer.
Burkitt Lymphoma — A paradigm for global cancer research and discovery?
August 15, 2012Contrary to frequent belief, Burkitt lymphoma (shown, at left, in a pathology slide) is not a disease confined to the African continent. First identified as a distinct form of lymphoma by Irish surgeon Dennis Burkitt in Uganda in 1958, there are well documented cases in the United States, Latin America, and other countries that point to the global aspects of this disease.
Sequencing techniques uncover mutations in genes that can increase cancer risk
August 15, 2012Now that the findings from the Human Genome Project are widely available, scientists are working to put that data to work to understand the genetic causes of many diseases, including cancer, by using the latest sequencing techniques.
Microbes within our bodies may cause or contribute to cancer
August 15, 2012Are microbes the likes of bacteria and viruses helpful or hurtful? Do microbes affect each of us differently? Because these questions are still unanswered in several areas of science, researchers are beginning to pay much more attention to these tiny, mostly microscopic, life forms.
Breast cancer patients with dense breasts do not have increased death risk
August 20, 2012High mammographic breast density, which is a marker of increased risk of developing breast cancer, does not seem to increase the risk of death among breast cancer patients, according to a study led by Gretchen L. Gierach, Ph.D., NCI.
- Potential targets for lung squamous cell carcinomaSeptember 10, 2012
- Gene sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapy drugsAugust 27, 2012
- Breast cancer patients with dense breasts do not have increased death riskAugust 20, 2012
- Burkitt lymphoma is molecularly distinct from other lymphomas August 13, 2012
NCI-designated Cancer Centers: dedicated to research
August 15, 2012Obtaining an NCI designation for a cancer center is usually a years-long process of building — facilities, faculty, and most importantly, a research portfolio — culminated by a rigorous review process. Selection provides recognition of research excellence
- Cell death mystery yields new suspect for cancer drug developmentSeptember 14, 2012
- Missing DNA pieces are a red flag for deadly skin cancerSeptember 14, 2012
- Smokers have 10 times more genetic damage than never smokersSeptember 14, 2012
- Fasting makes brain tumors more vulnerable to radiation therapySeptember 12, 2012