| Substance In Tree Bark Could Lead To New Lung-Cancer Treatment
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have determined how a substance derived from the bark of the South American lapacho tree kills certain kinds of cancer cells, findings that also suggest a novel treatment for the most common type of lung cancer.
The compound, called beta-lapachone, has shown promising anti-cancer properties and is currently being used in a clinical trial to examine its effectiveness against pancreatic cancer in humans. Until now, however, researchers didn't know the mechanism of how the compound killed cancer cells.
Dr. David Boothman, a professor in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and senior author of a study appearing online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has been researching the compound and how it causes cell death in cancerous cells for 15 years.
Standards of prostate cancer treatment
As someone who has lived for more than 12 years with prostate cancer, I welcome the publicity generated by Messrs Robson and Kelly (pictured) in today's issue. Awareness of the disease must continue to be raised and men given choice in their treatment so long as it is likely to benefit the fight against this male cancer. Each of us goes to a consultant to get the best advice, and in most cases that is what we get. The article makes it clear that the treatment is available in Scotland and consultants in the North of Scotland are aware of that. So, what's going on here? I understand that brachytherapy is not suitable for all cases and am aware that the oncologists who deliver the service have to take account of an individual's dianostic tests to determine eligibility.
Unlocking cancer's secrets
PREDICT is the B.C. Cancer Agency's new research project at its Vancouver Island centre. An acronym for Personalized Response Determinants in Cancer Therapy, the program could just as easily have been tagged SMART -- simple, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
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