UVA Study Shows Early Success In Treating Deadly Brain Tumors
New research from the University of Virginia Health System shows that, when combined, two emerging medical technologies hold significant promise for treating the most deadly and... devastating form of brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
According to Jason Sheehan, M.D., a neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurosurgery at the UVA School of Medicine, the use of controlled-released nanoparticles containing chemotherapeutic drugs and non-invasive ultrasound successfully helps to treat GBM tumors in mice.
Sheehan discussed the findings on May 4 during the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). The association selected Sheehan for its 2009 Young Investigator Award in recognition of his outstanding potential as a researcher in the field of neuro-oncology.
During the study, Sheehan and his colleagues placed a cancer-killing drug inside nanoparticles affixed to microbubbles (which are the size of red blood cells) and injected the compound into the veins of immunocompromised mice. Carried by the bloodstream, the treatment travelled to the GBM tumor site. There, a 1 MHz dose of energy from the ultrasound equipment caused the microbubbles to burst and release the drug directly onto the cancer cells. Results show the treatment reduced tumor cell viability in a significant fashion and compared favorably with an anti-cancer drug, administered to the study's positive control group. The UVA study also showed ultrasound induced damage to the microvessels feeding the tumor.
"Many drugs that kill GBM cells in vitro prove ineffective in living organisms because they are not able to penetrate the blood brain barrier," noted Sheehan. "These new technologies are allowing us to overcome this challenging problem and deliver a highly targeted and sustained release of chemotherapy drugs. Although more research is needed, our findings indicate the technologies hold significant promise for patients with high grade gliomas and other malignant brain tumors."
Sheehan's research is on-going and is being performed in collaboration with his study co-authors, Caitlin Burke, BS, a graduate student in the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science and Richard Price, PhD., a biomedical engineer in the UVA School of Medicine. Their research is funded by multi-year grants from the Hartwell Foundation.
"I'm honored to receive the 2009 AANS Young Investigator Award," Sheehan says.
Sponsored by the American Brain Tumor Association, the award is presented annually by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons to a young faculty member in neurosurgery.
Sheehan received his B.S., M.S., PhD, and M.D. from the University of Virginia. His B.S. is in Chemical Engineering with the highest honors awarded from the School of Engineering. He performed fellowships at Auckland University and the University of Pittsburgh. Sheehan won the University of Virginia Clinical Excellence Award in 2006.
Widely-published, Sheehan is author of more than 100 peer-reviewed papers as well as numerous invited manuscripts and a book. He reviews manuscripts for several medical journals and serves on a variety of professional committees. Sheehan's memberships include the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the American College of Surgeons, Leksell Gamma Knife Society, Neurosurgical Society of the Virginias, AANS/CNS Tumor Section, and the American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgeons.
Sheehan's laboratory team also pursues translational and basic science research in brain tumors.
Source: University of Virginia Health System
Read More..
According to Jason Sheehan, M.D., a neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurosurgery at the UVA School of Medicine, the use of controlled-released nanoparticles containing chemotherapeutic drugs and non-invasive ultrasound successfully helps to treat GBM tumors in mice.
Sheehan discussed the findings on May 4 during the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). The association selected Sheehan for its 2009 Young Investigator Award in recognition of his outstanding potential as a researcher in the field of neuro-oncology.
During the study, Sheehan and his colleagues placed a cancer-killing drug inside nanoparticles affixed to microbubbles (which are the size of red blood cells) and injected the compound into the veins of immunocompromised mice. Carried by the bloodstream, the treatment travelled to the GBM tumor site. There, a 1 MHz dose of energy from the ultrasound equipment caused the microbubbles to burst and release the drug directly onto the cancer cells. Results show the treatment reduced tumor cell viability in a significant fashion and compared favorably with an anti-cancer drug, administered to the study's positive control group. The UVA study also showed ultrasound induced damage to the microvessels feeding the tumor.
"Many drugs that kill GBM cells in vitro prove ineffective in living organisms because they are not able to penetrate the blood brain barrier," noted Sheehan. "These new technologies are allowing us to overcome this challenging problem and deliver a highly targeted and sustained release of chemotherapy drugs. Although more research is needed, our findings indicate the technologies hold significant promise for patients with high grade gliomas and other malignant brain tumors."
Sheehan's research is on-going and is being performed in collaboration with his study co-authors, Caitlin Burke, BS, a graduate student in the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science and Richard Price, PhD., a biomedical engineer in the UVA School of Medicine. Their research is funded by multi-year grants from the Hartwell Foundation.
"I'm honored to receive the 2009 AANS Young Investigator Award," Sheehan says.
Sponsored by the American Brain Tumor Association, the award is presented annually by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons to a young faculty member in neurosurgery.
Sheehan received his B.S., M.S., PhD, and M.D. from the University of Virginia. His B.S. is in Chemical Engineering with the highest honors awarded from the School of Engineering. He performed fellowships at Auckland University and the University of Pittsburgh. Sheehan won the University of Virginia Clinical Excellence Award in 2006.
Widely-published, Sheehan is author of more than 100 peer-reviewed papers as well as numerous invited manuscripts and a book. He reviews manuscripts for several medical journals and serves on a variety of professional committees. Sheehan's memberships include the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the American College of Surgeons, Leksell Gamma Knife Society, Neurosurgical Society of the Virginias, AANS/CNS Tumor Section, and the American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgeons.
Sheehan's laboratory team also pursues translational and basic science research in brain tumors.
Source: University of Virginia Health System
New Therapy Improves Chances Of Living Disease-free With Difficult-to-treat Childhood Cancer
A phase III study has shown that adding an antibody-based therapy that harnesses the body's immune system resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children living disease-free for... at least two years with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, a hard-to-treat cancer arising from nervous system cells, is responsible for 15 percent of cancer-related deaths in children. The researchers reported their findings - the first to show that immunotherapy could be effective against childhood cancer - online May 14, 2009 on the American Society of Clinical Oncology website in advance of presentation June 2.
"This establishes a new standard of care for a traditionally very difficult cancer in children," said lead author Alice Yu, MD, PhD, professor of pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. "High-risk neuroblastoma has always been a frustrating cancer to treat because, despite aggressive therapy, it has a high relapse rate."
The therapy targets a specific glycan (a complex sugar chain found on the surface of cells) on neuroblastoma cells called GD2, which inhibit the immune system from killing cancer cells. The antibody - ch14.18 - binds to this glycan, enabling various types of immune cells to attack the cancer.
Neuroblastoma - in which the cancer cells arise from nerve cells in the neck, chest, or abdomen - is the most common cancer diagnosed in the first year of life. Approximately 650 new cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed in this country every year, and about 40 percent of patients have high-risk neuroblastoma. These high-risk patients are usually treated with surgery, intensive chemotherapy with stem cell rescue (in which patients' adult stem cells, removed before treatment, are returned after chemotherapy to restore the blood and immune system), and radiation therapy. Still, only 30 percent of patients survive.
Yu and her colleagues compared both the percentage of patients who were still alive without experiencing a recurrence after two years as well as overall survival in two groups of 113 patients each. Patients began the trial when they were newly diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma. After conventional treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell rescue and radiotherapy, one group was given the standard treatment (retinoic acid) plus immunotherapy (the antibody plus immune-boosting substances), while 113 similar patients received the standard treatment alone.
After two years, 66 percent of individuals in the immunotherapy group were living free of cancer compared to 46 percent in the standard treatment group. Overall survival improved significantly as well. The trial patient randomization was halted early because of the benefit seen, and all patients enrolled in the trial will receive immunotherapy plus standard treatment.
Yu noted that the two-year mark is especially important because past trials have shown that those neuroblastoma patients who live without disease for two years after a stem cell transplant will most likely be cured.
"This is the first time in many years that we have been able to improve the 'cure rate' for neuroblastoma patients," she said. "This new therapy can help us improve care and perhaps offer new hope to many patients and families."
Yu and her team conducted the early phase I and phase II trials at the General Clinical Research Center at UC San Diego Medical Center.
Other co-authors include Andrew Gilman, Carolinas Medical Centre; M. Fevzi Ozkaynak, New York Medical College; Susan Cohn, University of Chicago; John Maris, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Paul Sondel, University of Wisconsin; W. B. London, University of Florida; S. Kreissman, Duke University; H.X. Chen, National Cancer Institute; and K.K. Matthay, UCSD. Local patients were seen in San Diego at Rady Children's Hospital.
Source:
Steve Benowitz
University of California - San Diego
Read More..
"This establishes a new standard of care for a traditionally very difficult cancer in children," said lead author Alice Yu, MD, PhD, professor of pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. "High-risk neuroblastoma has always been a frustrating cancer to treat because, despite aggressive therapy, it has a high relapse rate."
The therapy targets a specific glycan (a complex sugar chain found on the surface of cells) on neuroblastoma cells called GD2, which inhibit the immune system from killing cancer cells. The antibody - ch14.18 - binds to this glycan, enabling various types of immune cells to attack the cancer.
Neuroblastoma - in which the cancer cells arise from nerve cells in the neck, chest, or abdomen - is the most common cancer diagnosed in the first year of life. Approximately 650 new cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed in this country every year, and about 40 percent of patients have high-risk neuroblastoma. These high-risk patients are usually treated with surgery, intensive chemotherapy with stem cell rescue (in which patients' adult stem cells, removed before treatment, are returned after chemotherapy to restore the blood and immune system), and radiation therapy. Still, only 30 percent of patients survive.
Yu and her colleagues compared both the percentage of patients who were still alive without experiencing a recurrence after two years as well as overall survival in two groups of 113 patients each. Patients began the trial when they were newly diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma. After conventional treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell rescue and radiotherapy, one group was given the standard treatment (retinoic acid) plus immunotherapy (the antibody plus immune-boosting substances), while 113 similar patients received the standard treatment alone.
After two years, 66 percent of individuals in the immunotherapy group were living free of cancer compared to 46 percent in the standard treatment group. Overall survival improved significantly as well. The trial patient randomization was halted early because of the benefit seen, and all patients enrolled in the trial will receive immunotherapy plus standard treatment.
Yu noted that the two-year mark is especially important because past trials have shown that those neuroblastoma patients who live without disease for two years after a stem cell transplant will most likely be cured.
"This is the first time in many years that we have been able to improve the 'cure rate' for neuroblastoma patients," she said. "This new therapy can help us improve care and perhaps offer new hope to many patients and families."
Yu and her team conducted the early phase I and phase II trials at the General Clinical Research Center at UC San Diego Medical Center.
Other co-authors include Andrew Gilman, Carolinas Medical Centre; M. Fevzi Ozkaynak, New York Medical College; Susan Cohn, University of Chicago; John Maris, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Paul Sondel, University of Wisconsin; W. B. London, University of Florida; S. Kreissman, Duke University; H.X. Chen, National Cancer Institute; and K.K. Matthay, UCSD. Local patients were seen in San Diego at Rady Children's Hospital.
Source:
Steve Benowitz
University of California - San Diego
Physicians Offer Practical Tips On Preventing Strokes And Their Lasting Effects
It takes less than a minute for a stroke to change a person's life forever, but taking the time to make a few simple lifestyle adjustments and finding out how to recognize an attack when... it happens can save thousands of lives.
"It is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disabilities, but more than half of all strokes can be prevented," says Dr. Matthew Fink, chief of the Division of Stroke and Critical Care Neurology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
These few lifestyle changes can greatly reduce anyone's chances of having a stroke:
- Reduce salt intake. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of stroke. Cutting back on salt is one of the most significant steps to maintaining or lowering your blood pressure to a healthy level of 120/80 or below. Try flavoring your food with a variety of spices that may be healthier than salt.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy balance between your good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL) is the best way to prevent high cholesterol, heart disease and the increased risk of stroke. Your cholesterol level should remain at 200 mg/dl or below.
- Stop smoking. Smoking is not only bad for your lungs, it is bad for your brain, too. A smoker is at twice the risk of having a stroke because smoking damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure and speeds up the clogging of arteries.
- Exercise. If you are obese or overweight, your risk factors for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes increases and so does your risk for a stroke. Extra weight places an added strain on your entire circulatory system, but aerobic exercise can be a good way to lose those extra pounds and substantially improve your health.
However, there are certain populations that are still at higher risk of having a stroke even after making the proper lifestyle changes. These include adults 55 years of age or older, African-Americans and Hispanics, those with a family history of stroke, and people who have already had an attack or a transient ischemic attack (mini stroke). In addition, women are more likely to die from a stroke than men, although attacks are more common in men.
"When someone does have a stroke they may experience either slight or extremely noticeable physical changes. The most effective way to prevent the permanent damage associated with stroke is to recognize the signs of an attack and to seek medical attention immediately," says Dr. Randolph Marshall, director of the Stroke Division at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
The most common signs of a stroke are:
- Numbness. A sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs -- specifically on one side of the body.
- Trouble Speaking. A feeling of confusion and slurred speech or trouble speaking.
- Loss of Balance. Dizziness and trouble walking.
- Poor Eyesight. A loss of vision in one or both of the eyes.
- Headache. A sudden headache that occurs for no apparent reason.
"Eighty percent of all strokes are caused by a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the brain. Today there are many new drugs and techniques that when applied during the early onset of an attack can prevent, and in some cases reverse, the damage caused by these blockages," says Dr. Philip Stieg, chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and neurosurgeon-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Some of the most popular techniques include:
- Revascularization. Tiny micro catheters such as the Merci Retriever and the Penumbra System are inserted into the artery and used to remove the blockages and reopen the artery.
- Clot-Dissolving Drugs. Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) is a commonly used clot-dissolving drug that is injected into the artery and dissolves the clot, restoring blood flow to the brain. This procedure is most effective when used immediately following an attack.
Source
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Read More..
"It is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disabilities, but more than half of all strokes can be prevented," says Dr. Matthew Fink, chief of the Division of Stroke and Critical Care Neurology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
These few lifestyle changes can greatly reduce anyone's chances of having a stroke:
- Reduce salt intake. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of stroke. Cutting back on salt is one of the most significant steps to maintaining or lowering your blood pressure to a healthy level of 120/80 or below. Try flavoring your food with a variety of spices that may be healthier than salt.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy balance between your good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL) is the best way to prevent high cholesterol, heart disease and the increased risk of stroke. Your cholesterol level should remain at 200 mg/dl or below.
- Stop smoking. Smoking is not only bad for your lungs, it is bad for your brain, too. A smoker is at twice the risk of having a stroke because smoking damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure and speeds up the clogging of arteries.
- Exercise. If you are obese or overweight, your risk factors for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes increases and so does your risk for a stroke. Extra weight places an added strain on your entire circulatory system, but aerobic exercise can be a good way to lose those extra pounds and substantially improve your health.
However, there are certain populations that are still at higher risk of having a stroke even after making the proper lifestyle changes. These include adults 55 years of age or older, African-Americans and Hispanics, those with a family history of stroke, and people who have already had an attack or a transient ischemic attack (mini stroke). In addition, women are more likely to die from a stroke than men, although attacks are more common in men.
"When someone does have a stroke they may experience either slight or extremely noticeable physical changes. The most effective way to prevent the permanent damage associated with stroke is to recognize the signs of an attack and to seek medical attention immediately," says Dr. Randolph Marshall, director of the Stroke Division at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
The most common signs of a stroke are:
- Numbness. A sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs -- specifically on one side of the body.
- Trouble Speaking. A feeling of confusion and slurred speech or trouble speaking.
- Loss of Balance. Dizziness and trouble walking.
- Poor Eyesight. A loss of vision in one or both of the eyes.
- Headache. A sudden headache that occurs for no apparent reason.
"Eighty percent of all strokes are caused by a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the brain. Today there are many new drugs and techniques that when applied during the early onset of an attack can prevent, and in some cases reverse, the damage caused by these blockages," says Dr. Philip Stieg, chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and neurosurgeon-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Some of the most popular techniques include:
- Revascularization. Tiny micro catheters such as the Merci Retriever and the Penumbra System are inserted into the artery and used to remove the blockages and reopen the artery.
- Clot-Dissolving Drugs. Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) is a commonly used clot-dissolving drug that is injected into the artery and dissolves the clot, restoring blood flow to the brain. This procedure is most effective when used immediately following an attack.
Source
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)