"Track" My Progress

I have been a lousy swimmer right from the start – my DNA almost drowned in its gene pool.

[ucresearch]

What does a cancer cell look like? 

[sixpenceee]

Kinesin is a protein that moves things around the cell. That filament is a protein strand that gives the cell structure. That vesicle is a big blob full of cellular product that the cell wants to transport somewhere else. It is driven by ATP hydrolysis. (Source) (Video)

[inevitablyfruity]

MITOSIS

[trkgene]

Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver (CO, USA) and elsewhere are matching drugs to a long overlooked oncogene termed TRK, as discussed in a recent article published in Cancer Discovery.

The use of high-throughput, next-generation sequencing techniques in multiple tumor types has identified NTRK1, NTRK2 and NTRK3 gene rearrangements that encode novel oncogenic fusions in many different tumor types. These recent developments have led researchers to revisit the TRKfamily of genes, which was first identified in 1982. This means that targeted treatment options can be offered for cancers that harbor these abnormalities.

"We didn't initially discover the gene. But now technology lets us find the gene in actual patient samples and drugs are available to target these gene rearrangements, making it possible to treatTRK cancers in clinical trials in ways we only dreamed of 32 years ago," commented Robert C Doebele, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

The TRK family of genes are involved in the developing nervous system and are essential for the growth and survival of new neurons in the womb. Following birth, these genes are no longer needed and so become dormant. However, when improperly fused with other nearby genes, the TRK family of genes can cause cells to grow and become immortal, which can lead to cancer in adult tissues.

"What we're finding is that while TRK fusions may not be the major cause in any single, major cancer, it's the cause of small percentages of many cancer types," Doebele continued. Recent research suggests that NTRK fusions are present in 3.3% of lung cancers, 1.5% of colorectal cancer, 12.3% of thyroid cancers and approximately 2% of glioblastomas and 7.1% of pediatric gliomas.

Ten years ago, TRK fusions and other similar gene rearrangements were undruggable. However, since then, tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed to target these types of genetic abnormalities. Examples of investigational anticancer agents that target TRK fusions are RXDX-101, TSR-011, LOXO-101 and PLX-7486.

"A lot of doctors in academia or community hospitals are ordering next-generation sequencing panels for their patients. If it turns out that patients' tumors have TRK alterations, I want their doctors to know that there are treatment options available via clinical trials," Doebele concluded.

[tyrannowhoreus]

Today in biology the teacher asked “why do chromosomes have to stick together?” And I whispered “because they’re bromosomes” and the guy next to me just about died laughing

[trkgene]

WATCH: 12-Year-Old Cancer Patient Makes Awesome Makeup Tutorials

Talia Joy Castellano is an exceptional 12-year-old girl, with articulateness, wit and serious makeup skills beyond her years. She's also suffering from not one but two forms of aggressive cancer.But against those odds, Talia is one of the most bu...

[trkgene]

Neuroblastoma of the abdomen.

[trkgene]

Cancer-causing mutation discovered in 1982 finally target of clinical trials

A recent article in the journal Cancer Discovery describes clinical trials at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and elsewhere that match drugs to long-overlooked oncogene, TRK, offering targeted treatment options for cancers that harbor these gene abnormalities.

[trkgene]

Seattle Children’s Begins Recruiting Patients for Immunotherapy Research Trial for Neuroblastoma, One of the Deadliest Forms of Childhood Cancer | Seattle Children's Hospital

Seattle Children’s Begins Recruiting Patients for Immunotherapy Research Trial for Neuroblastoma, One of the Deadliest Forms of Childhood Cancer

[trkgene]

Treatments for neuroblastoma

Treatment

Survival rates for neuroblastoma have gotten better as doctors have found ways to improve on current treatments.

Chemotherapy

Doctors continue to search for the best combinations of chemotherapy drugs to treat neuroblastoma.

Several chemotherapy drugs that are already used to treat other cancers, such as topotecan, irinotecan, and temozolomide, are now being studied for use against neuroblastoma.

Other studies are looking to see if children with low or intermediate risk neuroblastoma can be treated with less (or even no) chemotherapy. The goal is to still have the same good results, but with fewer side effects from treatment.

Stem cell transplants

Doctors are also trying to improve the success rate with high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplants, using different combinations of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, retinoids, and other treatments. Some clinical trials are studying the use of more than one stem cell transplant in the same patient (known as a tandem transplant). Others are looking to see if using stem cells donated from another person (an allogeneic stem cell transplant) might help some children with hard-to-treat tumors.

Retinoids

Retinoids such as 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) have reduced the risk of recurrence after treatment in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Newer, potentially more effective retinoids, such as fenretinide, are now being studied in clinical trials.

Targeted drugs

Knowledge about what makes neuroblastoma cells different from normal cells may lead to new approaches to treating this disease. Newer drugs that target neuroblastoma cells more specifically than standard chemo drugs are now being studied in clinical trials. For example, doctors are now studying medicines that target the pathways inside neuroblastoma cells that help them grow, such as crizotinib (Xalkori) for the ALK pathway and alisertib (MLN8237) for the aurora A pathway.

Crizotinib is a drug that targets cells with changes in the ALK gene. Up to 15% of neuroblastomas have changes in this gene. In an early study, crizotinib was found to cause some neuroblastomas to shrink, although it’s not clear how long this might last.

Some other drugs that work differently from standard chemo drugs are being studied against neuroblastoma as well. Examples include bortezomib, vorinostat, lenalidomide, temsirolimus, sorafenib, nifurtimox, and lestaurtinib.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is the use of medicines to help a patient’s own immune system fight cancer.

The monoclonal antibody dinutuximab (Unituxin), which targets GD2 on neuroblastoma cells, is now used routinely for children with high-risk neuroblastoma, to help immune system cells find and destroy the cancer cells. Clinical trials are now testing the effectiveness of several other antibodies that target GD2. One example is hu14.18-IL2, an antibody that is linked to interleukin-2 (an immune-boosting cytokine). Early results have found that this antibody/cytokine combination may help some children in whom other treatments are no longer working.

Several cancer vaccines are also being studied for use against neuroblastoma. For these vaccines, modified neuroblastoma cells or other substances are injected into the body to try to get the child’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. These treatments are still in the early stages of clinical trials.

[medschoolapplicant-deactivated2]

The sunlight reflected on this wall looks like chromosomes preparing for mitosis.

[mycgene]

OMG! Check this out!

[trkgene]

Scientists begin testing drugs for gene mutation linked to multiple cancers

Scientists have begun clinical trials for the treatment of a gene mutation linked to multiple cancers, reveals a study published Tuesday in the journal Cancer Discovery.

[mycgene]

Check out this video over the types of oncogenes!

[trkgene]

Hum Genet. 2000 Jan;106(1):116-24. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

[trkgene]

 The children's hospital of Philadelphia is known for its in the fight against neuroblastoma. 

[trkgene]

What is a neuroblastoma? a malignant tumor composed of neuroblasts, most commonly in the adrenal gland.

[adenomatouspolyposiscoli]

CANCERS ACCORDING TO YOUR SIGN

Aries: Colon Taurus: Throat Gemini: Brain Cancer: Mouth Leo: Lung Virgo: Ovarian Libra: Breast Scorpio: Pancreatic Sagittarius: Skin Capricorn: Bone Aquarius: Blood Pisces: Eye