Research News: Gene mutations, stem cells

Same Mutations in 12 Different Cancers

An article titled

Mutational landscape and significance across 12 major cancer types

appeared in the journal Nature. Researchers at the Washington University in St Louis analyzed data from the The Cancer Genome Project. They  looked at over 3200 tumors in 12 different cancers. They were looking at mutations and insertions/deletions in "breast adenocarcinoma (BRCA), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), colon and rectal carcinoma (COAD, READ), bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), ovarian serous carcinoma (OV) and acute myeloid leukaemia (LAML; conventionally called AML)  "

In those cancers they noted 127 significantly mutated genes(SMGs) . They found that that TP53 mutation played a roll in serous ovarian cancer , breast and head and neck cancers and feel that a common treatments strategies could be used for these cancers.

Source: Nature
WSJ article  

Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells in Mice

The Cornell Daily Sun recently published the article


Cornell Researchers Find Possible Origin of Ovarian Cancer


about the research of Dr. Alexander Nikitin, professor of pathology. In his research, Dr Nikitin found stem cells in the hilum of mice. "Many other cancers, such as stomach and cervical cancer, are known to originate in junctions between the layers of tissue that cover the organ, according to Nikitin" The hilum is an area found between the epithelial cells on the surface of the ovary and the mesothelium cells found inside layers of the ovary. He took these stem cells along with differentiated ovarian cells and inactivated the tumor suppressor genes. He then injected the cells into  health mice.  The stem cells grew aggressive tumors while the ovarian cells grew tumors infrequently. Dr Nikitin is now looking for stem cells in the same region of the ovaries in humans.

Source: The Cornell Daily Sun 

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Genome Study and a Greater Understanding of Ovarian Cancer

I have wondered many times over the past 5+ years:

What makes my ovarian cancer tumor different than other women's tumors?

What about my tumor has allowed chemotherapy drugs to work effectively so that I would go in to remission, more than once? One possible answer might be the Selenium trial I was on.

Why do some women's tumors , even if they have the same subtype of OC, the same estrogen , progesterin analysis, still continue grow when exposed to the same chemotherapy?

Well, some of these questions have the potential for being answered. More than 500 ovarian serious adenocarcinoma tumors were examined as part of The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network Study (TCGA). This was reported in the June 30th issue of Nature by the NCI.

What are some things they learn? Mutations in the gene TP53 which would normally prevent cancer from forming was found in 96% of the samples tested. The study found 68 genes that could be targeted for treatment by current FDA approved or experimental compounds. The study identified subtypes of the disease based on patterns in RNA transription from DNA. They also found that when the small molecule ( methyl compound) is added to the DNA the gene activity is affected.

I urge you to read this NCI press release and the summary in Nature for more information on what will definitely affect future areas of Ovarian Cancer Research.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!