Cancer Breast Cancer Treatment Hiv Aids

CAT Scan Detects Early Breast Cancer

2005-12-03T04:52:00.000-08:00

Computed tomography, also called CAT scan, may be better for early breast cancer detection than mammography at detecting breast lesions.

A CAT scan uses special X-ray equipment to obtain image data from different angles around the body and then uses computer processing of the information to show a cross-section of body tissues and organs. It is much more comfortable for women, according to Karen Lindfors of the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine and Medical Center.

"In this initial evaluation, breast CAT images were subjectively found to be equivalent to and potentially better than standard mammography for the detection and evaluation of breast cancer," said Lindfors.
The findings were reported Friday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

New Gene Silencing Therapy For Cervical Cancer

2005-11-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

New Gene Silencing Therapy For Cervical Cancer
Researchers at The University of Queensland's (UQ) Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research (CICR), based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, have pioneered a new approach for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Lead researcher Dr Nigel McMillan said the finding was based on the method of "gene silencing", a novel technique to target and turn off single genes in a cell.
"Our research shows not only can we stop cervical cancer cells from growing in the test tube, but we can also completely eliminate the formation of cancer tumours in animal models," Dr McMillan said.
Professor Ian Frazer, Director of the CICR and developer of a vaccine for cervical cancer, said the research represented a significant step towards developing gene therapy for cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women aged 25-50 worldwide and causes around 300 deaths per year in Australia.
Cervical cancer is caused by infection with the human papillomavirus and is the result of the over-production of two viral cancer-causing genes called E6 and E7.
The research team was able to turn off the production of these genes in cancer cells, resulting in the death of the cancer.
"Because these viral genes are foreign we can treat normal cells and they remain unaffected by our treatment," Dr McMillan said.
"Development of treatments for humans would be an advance over the current treatments, radiation and chemotherapy, which kill not only cancer cells but also normal cells that leads to hair loss and nausea.
"We envisage such treatment will be used for all forms of cervical cancer including the premalignant lesions picked up by the pap smear and especially for advanced cervical cancers where the cancer has moved to other sites such as the lung or liver."
Dr McMillan said the research also showed gene silencing enhanced the effect of chemotherapy by up to four times.
He said the findings suggest a cancer-specific treatment for advanced cervical cancers will be possible either alone or in combination with current treatments.
He said the next stage of research will focus on the development of materials for human trials to allow proper delivery of the drug to patients and to investigate whether other cancer types can be treated this way. A treatment using this technique is at least three years away. http://breast-cancer-treatment-hiv-aids.blogspot.com/

Treating The Cancer By Scientific Yoga

2005-11-27T03:51:00.000-08:00

With modern medicine unable to find a cure for cancer, victims of the dreaded disease are looking for alternative avenues. Most cancer specialists agree Yoga is the most effective alternative treatment available. Cancer is a condition where the human cells divide uncontrollably and form a tumour which affects the functioning of the normal cells. Allopathy tries to destroy the tumour and arrest its further growth through surgery, medication and radiation. Yoga experts explain uncontrolled cell multiplication as human energy (prana shakti) gone haywire due to internal disturbances.According to them, the only way to set things right is to iron out the disturbances with the power of the mind. And what is prescribed is 'Yoga nidra', a particular Yoga exercise, which is effective in training the subconscious to fight cancer. K S Madhavan of the A M Charitable Trust, which promotes complementary cancer therapies, believes that more than cancer, it is the fear of cancer that kills the victim. "It is like even before the battle has begun, the patient has lost the war," Madhavan says. In Yoga nidra, the cancer patient starts off with 'shavasana' where he/she lies supine with feet slightly apart and hands on both sides of the body with palms up. Later, he is instructed to relax all parts of the body while keeping the subconscious active. The patient is then asked to visualise cancer cells as irregularly shaped cells affecting the normal functioning of smooth normal body cells. Then, the patient visualises again about white blood cells, the immune system of the body, fighting the cancer cells and finally winning the battle. He is asked to imagine the cancer-affected body part as one fresh and glowing with new bio-energy. Supporters of Yoga argue that allopathic medicine may silence the tumour temporarily but the body reacts by lying dormant for a while and then striking back, as manifested by secondary tumours springing up in other body parts. AM Trust organises Yoga sessions for cancer patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy in many hospitals. Relaxation techniques reduce toxic effects of drugs used in chemotherapy. Though Yoga is not prescribed as an alternative, senior oncologist at the Regional Cancer Centre (M N J Institute of Oncology) and the Apollo Cancer Centre believe that Yoga has a beneficial effect on cancer patients

Proven Methods to treat cancer

2005-11-27T03:47:00.000-08:00

To mainstream doctors, cancer is a localized disease, to be treated in a localized manner. By cutting out the tumor, irradiating it, or flooding the body with toxic (and often carcinogenic) drugs, the orthodox physician hopes to destroy the tumor and thus save the patient. But all too often, the cancer is still present and has metastasized (spread elsewhere). The allopathic, conventional approach, for all its high-tech trappings, is based on a primitive medical philosophy: aggressively attacking an "enemy" disease. Often, the patient is devastated in the process, while the cancer and its underlying causes remain.In contrast, the alternative healer regards cancer as a systemic disease, one that involves the whole body. In this view, the tumor is merely a symptom and the therapy aims to correct the root causes. Instead of aggressively attacking the tumor, many alternative therapies focus on rebuilding the body's natural immunity and strengthening its inherent ability to destroy cancer cells. A number of alternative therapies also include natural measures to directly attack and destroy the tumor, whether by herbs, enzymes, or other means.
The three "proven" methods of treating cancer—chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery—may actually shorten life in many instances. Each of these treatments is invasive, has devastating side effects, and treats only symptoms. Each can cause the spread or recurrence of cancer. While these immunity-damaging approaches may at times be necessary, their successes have mostly been limited to relatively rare forms of cancer or the early stages of the disease. For most adult cancers, the orthodox therapies are virtually noncurative, though they may buy some time. For many patients, the standard therapies shorten the life span: "Most cancer patients in this country die of chemotherapy," observes Dr. Alan Levin of the University of California Medical School. "Chemotherapy does not eliminate breast, colon, or lung cancers. The fact has been documented for over a decade.... Women with breast cancer are likely to die faster with chemotherapy than without it."Most cancers are treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or biological therapy. Treatment for cancer depends on the type of cancer; the size, location, and stage of the tumor; the person's general health; and other factors. The doctor develops a treatment plan to fit each person's situation. A team of specialists, which may include a surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, and others, often treat people with cancer.The doctors may decide to use one treatment method or a combination of methods. These are the standard treatments that are being used on cancer patients. But since the treatment of cancer is usually a traumatic and painstaking process, the patient needs other therapies alongside the conventional ones. Cancer needs to be treated and cured not only in body but also in spirit.

What is HIV AIDS- HOW IT IS SPREAD

2005-11-26T06:36:00.000-08:00

What is HIV?HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce.

What is AIDS?AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system.

When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are the immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper or CD4 cells.
As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the individual vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses, ranging from pneumonia to cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines someone as having a clinical diagnosis of AIDS if they have tested positive for HIV and meet one or both of these conditions:
They have experienced one or more AIDS-related infections or illnesses;
The number of CD4 cells has reached or fallen below 200 per cubic millimeter of blood (a measurement known as T-cell count).

In healthy individuals, the CD4 count normally ranges from 450 to 1200.
How quickly do people infected with HIV develop AIDS?In some people, the T-cell decline and opportunistic infections that signal AIDS develop soon after infection with HIV. Most people remain asymptomatic for 10 to 12 years, and a few for much longer. As with most diseases, early medical care can help prolong a person's life.
How many people are affected by HIV/AIDS?The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now over 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide. Most of them do not know they carry HIV and may be spreading the virus to others. Here in the U.S., nearly one million people have HIV infection or AIDS, or roughly one out of every 250 people. At least 40,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV each year, and it is estimated that half of all people with HIV in the U.S. have not been tested and do not know they are carrying the virus.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 30 million people worldwide, including more than 500,000 Americans. AIDS has replaced malaria and tuberculosis as the world's deadliest infectious disease among adults and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Over 13 million children have been orphaned by the epidemic.

How is HIV transmitted?A person who is HIV-infected carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break in the skin, such as a cut or sore. Usually, HIV is transmitted through:
Unprotected sexual intercourse (either vaginal or anal) with someone who is HIV infected.
Women are at greater risk of HIV infection through vaginal sex than men, although the virus can also be transmitted from women to men. Anal sex (whether male-male or male-female) poses a high risk mainly to the receptive partner, because the lining of the anus and rectum are extremely thin and filled with small blood vessels that can be easily injured during intercourse.

Unprotected oral sex with someone who is HIV infected.
There are far fewer cases of HIV transmission attributed to oral sex than to either vaginal or anal intercourse, but oral-genital contact poses a clear risk of HIV-infection, particularly when ejaculation occurs in the mouth. This risk is increased when either partner has cuts or sores, such as those caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), recent tooth-brushing, or canker sores, which can allow the virus to enter the bloodstream.
Sharing needles or syringes with someone who is HIV infected.

Laboratory studies show that infectious HIV can survive in used needles for a month or more. That is why people who inject drugs should never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment. This includes needles or syringes used to inject illegal drugs such as heroin, as well as steroids. Other types of needles, such as those used for body piercing and tattoos, can also carry HIV.

Infection during pregnancy, childbirth, or breast-feeding (mother-to-infant transmission).
Any woman who is pregnant or considering becoming pregnant and thinks she may have been exposed to HIV even if the exposure occurred years ago should seek testing and counseling. Mother-to-infant transmission has been reduced to just a few cases each year in the U.S., where pregnant women are tested for HIV, and those who test positive are provided with drugs to prevent transmission and counseled not to breast-feed.

How is HIV not transmitted?HIV is not an easy virus to pass from one person to another. It is not transmitted through food or air (for instance, by coughing or sneezing). There has never been a case where a person was infected by a household member, relative, co-worker, or friend through casual or everyday contact such as sharing eating utensils and bathroom facilities, or hugging and kissing. (Most scientists agree that while HIV transmission through deep or prolonged "French" kissing may be possible, it would be extremely unlikely).

Here in the U.S., screening the blood supply for HIV has virtually eliminated the risk of infection through blood transfusions. (And you cannot get HIV from giving blood at a blood bank or other established blood collection center.) Sweat, tears, vomit, feces, and urine do contain HIV, but have not been reported to transmit the disease (apart from two cases involving transmission from feces via cut skin). Mosquitos, fleas, and other insects do not transmit HIV.

Innovative Research Set To Push Boundaries Of Cancer Care

2005-11-25T00:16:00.000-08:00

Innovative Research Push Boundaries for Cancer Care
Innovative Research Set To Push Boundaries Of Cancer Care
Cancer researchers wielding opportunistic bacteria, vaccines, electric pulses, nano buckeyballs, and designer agents that enter the brain were recently featured in a "Novel Approaches" press conference at the Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics International Conference. The November 14-18 meeting was sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). A press conference feature research designed to expand the medical kit now used to treat cancer. Investigators have found that: Soil-based bacteria that naturally attack cancer cells in order to protect itself could be used as an agent to fight tumors. Use of electric pulses to force a gene into melanoma tumor cells that then stimulates an immune system attack. An experimental agent that, for the first time, seems to cross the blood-brain barrier to treat the most dangerous brain tumors, representing a potential treatment for tumors that originate in the brain or metastasize there. A novel vaccine designed to boost the immune system of pancreatic cancer patients, when used before and after traditional chemotherapy and radiation.
A small soccerball-shaped nanoparticle may sop up dangerous oxygen radicals produced as a result of radiation and chemotherapy treatment, thus protecting normal tissue and reducing side effects. Bacterial Protein Azurin as a Novel Anticancer Agent (Abstract 3335) For more than 100 years, scientists have reported that bacterial infections can sometimes elicit remission in certain forms of cancer. Much effort, therefore, has been spent over the years in developing wild-type or modified bacterial and viral strains to treat the disease. But the results have been mixed, due to the significant toxicity associated with giving patients live microbes, which often induces an immune response. In fact, the only widely used bacterial treatment to date is bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) for superficial bladder cancer.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, however, have found that an opportunistic bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that grows in the soil and marshes but is often found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, may offer a new route to cancer therapy. A series of studies they have developed has shown that this bacterium produces a protein, azurin, which it uses as a weapon, possibly to defend itself against cancer cells that might end up harming the microbe. Based on this novel and surprising discovery, a team of researchers has shown that P. aeruginosa preferentially enters human melanoma and breast cancer cells, triggering apoptotic cell death. They further discovered that azurin sets off this death sequence by forming a complex with the well-known tumor suppressor protein p53, stabilizing it, and activating caspases that induces apoptosis in cancer cells. P53 normally stops cells that are damaged from reproducing and encourages them to commit apoptosis, but a majority of cancer cells have damaged or missing p53.
To test the therapeutic power of azurin to damage cancer cells, the researchers have used it in mouse models of melanoma and breast cancer and found it led to significant regression of these cancers, says Tohru Yamada, Ph.D., a visiting research assistant professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology. Now, they demonstrate that a smaller, 28 amino-acid fragment of azurin also enters cancer cells selectively, but not in any of the normal cells tested. This small molecule could potentially be used as a vehicle for cancer-targeted chemotherapy, Yamada says.

The researchers are continuing to reduce the size of azurin to make the protein easier to enter cancer cells without losing its cancer-killing activity.
First Human Phase I Trial of Plasmid IL-12 Electro Gene Therapy in Patients with Malignant Melanoma (Abstract 3701)In a bid to turn the human immune system against cancer, researchers have tried a number of different strategies to deliver the powerful immune system stimulant interleukin 12 (IL-12) to tumor cells. But an optimal anti-tumor effect has not been achieved. When injected as a recombinant protein, IL-12 produced toxic side effects, and varied attempts at gene therapy have show only limited success.
Now, however, researchers at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and the University of South Florida are almost mid-way through a human clinical trial that uses pulses of electricity to deliver a plasmid encoding for IL-12 to melanoma tumor cells. This phase I trial will enroll approximately 18-30 patients with advanced melanoma at five dose levels. The current dose (3rd dose level) being tested is five times higher than the first dose tested. Thus far there has been no toxicity to date in the six patients who have participated at the first two dose levels.The clinical trial is the first to test "electroporation," or electrical stimulation, to deliver to humans a plasmid that contains all the genetic material necessary to tell a cancer cell to produce IL-12. In less than a minute after the plasmid is applied to melanoma on the skin, an electrode delivers six brief pulses to the tumor. This strategy briefly increases the permeability of the membrane of tumor cells, allowing the very large plasmid molecule to enter, according to principal investigator Richard Heller, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Molecular Delivery at the University of South Florida. Once inside the cell, the plasmid makes its way to the nucleus and the cell machinery transcribes IL-12 DNA, and produces and secretes the cytokine, which can stimulate the immune system to attack the tumor.A series of preclinical studies by Heller and his team found that the technique resulted in an 80 percent complete response in mice models of a very aggressive mouse melanoma. They also noted that the mice did not develop new tumors, suggesting that the therapy induced a systemic immune response against new cancers.While the strategy appears to be ideal for accessible cancers, such as those on the skin, the USF team and other research teams have used electroporation delivery of plasmids encoding various molecules to the liver, spleen and kidneys of animals. The Discovery and Development of Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Penetrating Anthracyclines for the Treatment of Brain Tumors (Abstract 3384)
A major deterrent in treating malignant brain tumors is that systemic chemotherapy effective against other types of tumors is limited because most drugs can not penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively. But now, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed an agent that not only gains entry into the brain, but also targets topoisomerase II , a protein associated with malignant gliomas, the most aggressive form of brain tumors. The drug, WP744, has entered a phase I clinical trial, which will enroll up to 30 patients with advanced brain cancer.A research team led by Waldemar Priebe, Ph.D., professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, developed the dual-purpose agent, which targets topoisomerase II and avoids transport proteins found in both the blood-brain barrier and glioma tumor cells. These proteins,known as ABC-binding cassette transporters like MRP1, LRP, and P-gp, control which molecules can pass through a membrane (such as the "blood-brain barrier") and are also part of a cellular defense that is associated with a cancer cell's ability to become resistant to multiple drugs.Priebe, working with, Charles Conrad, M.D., associate professor of Neuro-Oncology, Timothy Madden, Pharm.D., associate professor of Pharmacology, and Izabela Fokt, Ph.D., Instructor of Medicinal Chemistry, designed and synthesized DNA-binding agents using a modular approach and searched for topoisomerase II poisons that could circumvent transport proteins efflux, hypothesizing that this will allow entry into both the blood-brain barrier and glioma tumor cells. Out of 400 DNA binding agents, they selected two compounds for evaluation in vivo. Both of these compounds resemble the well-known anticancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, but have properties that are also unique, according to Priebe. In mice studies, one of the compounds, WP744 entered the brain and effectively treated cancer, increasing the survival time of the animals. This compound, now called RTA744, was licensed by Reata Pharmaceuticals in Dallas and is undergoing phase I studies at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The researchers say the agent may prove to be effective in treating brain tumor patients because, in contrast to doxorubicin, it can cross the blood-brain barrier and hone in on these cancers when delivered systemically. RTA744 (WP744) may represent a treatment not only for tumors that originate in the brain, but also for other cancers that tend to metastasize to the brain as well, the researchers say.
A Safety and Efficacy Trial of Lethally Irradiated Allogeneic Pancreatic Tumor Cells Transfected with the GM-CSF Gene in Combination with Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for the Treatment of Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas (Abstract 2229)A novel vaccine for pancreatic cancer appears to be nudging survival rates higher, say researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Their study, the first reported phase II study of a vaccine to treat this often lethal disease following surgery, has found in an early analysis that 88 percent of 56 patients tested are alive a year after treatment, and that two year survival is 76 percent. Researchers say that represents a significant bump over historical survival statistics, which are approximately 60 and 40 percent, respectively.
And if the Phase II trial mirrors results from its phase I predecessor, some patients may defy survival projections altogether, they say. In that study of 14 patients, three patients remain cancer free more than seven years after use of the experimental vaccine. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death, and only about three percent of all pancreatic cancer patients are expected to survive beyond five years, according to Daniel Laheru, M.D., assistant professor of medical oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.
In this study, the vaccine was added to the standard treatment for patients whose cancer is confined to the pancreas. The first vaccine was delivered eight weeks after surgery, and that was followed a month later by a six-month course of chemotherapy and chemo-radiation. Three more vaccines were given every month thereafter, and the final dose was delivered after six months. The vaccine is designed to boost a patient's immune response to pancreatic cancer cells that may still exist despite surgery and chemo-radiation treatment. It was derived from cancer cells extracted from two patients, which were genetically modified to secrete the immune stimulatory protein granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Because the vaccine is made up of cancer cells, it was irradiated to disarm any growth potential before being delivered to patients. Researchers believe that once in the body, the vaccine cells produce GM-CSF for about five days, which is within the critical time period required to attract antigen presenting cells. This sets off an immune system response that may result in recognition of protein tags on the tumor cells, which are subsequently attacked, Laheru says. With an analysis of long-term responders in both of these clinical trials, the research team may be able to identify cancer-associated proteins that the immune system specifically reacts to, and modify the vaccine to display those antigens, he says. A phase III trial might also test use of the vaccine against traditional chemo-radiation treatment, he adds.
In vivo Evaluation of Radioprotection by the Fullerene CD60_DF1 Using a Zebrafish Model (Abstract 3381) As beneficial as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are in managing cancer, these treatments can cause harm to normal tissue by producing stress on cells. One particularly harmful result is the production of hydroxyl radicals, in which water atoms in a cell exposed to radiation split apart, creating high reactive oxygen free radicals capable of damaging cellular molecules. Radiation can damage epithelial cells and lead to permanent hair loss, among other effects, and certain types of systemic chemotherapy can produce hearing loss and damage to a number of organs, including the heart and kidneys. For those reasons, researchers have been seeking an agent that protects normal tissue against these effects. Although one such drug, Amifostine, is now on the market, it carries toxicities of its own which has limited its use. Now, researchers have studied how a nanoparticle, a soccer ball-shaped hollow carbon structure known as a fullerene, acts like an "oxygen sink." The 60-carbon structure, known as CD60_DF1, is a technology that is currently patented and under development by a Houston based drug company, C Sixty. To test how well it works, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University used tiny zebrafish embryos, which are transparent and allow scientists to closely observe damage produced by cancer treatments to organs.
They gave the embryos different doses of ionizing radiation as well as treatment by either Amifostine, which acted as a control agent, or CD60_DF1. Then the research team used a novel organ specific "read-out," which they developed, to calculate damage to organs. They found that CD60_DF1 given before exposure to X-rays reduced organ damage by 2/3rds, a level of protection that was as good as that provided by Amifostine.
The fullerene nanoparticle effectively and efficiently bound to, and thus inactivated, loose oxygen radicals produced by cancer treatment, but appeared to have no other effects in normal tissue, and were quickly excreted, say the study's principal investigator, radiation oncologist Adam Dicker, M.D., Ph.D. and his collaborator Dr. Ulrich Rodeck.Not only does the biopharmaceutical fullerene potentially represent a new class of radioprotective drugs, which might be modifiable to protect specific organs and tissues, but the agents might also provide general protection against radiation poisoning from a "dirty bomb" that might be used in an attack, Dicker says. Still, he adds, there is much work to be done, including determining how to target the agent to normal tissues only. Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research is a professional society of more than 24,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical scientists engaged in cancer research in the United States and in more than 60 other countries. AACR's mission is to accelerate the prevention and cure of cancer through research, education, communication, and advocacy. This work is carried out through five major peer-reviewed scientific journals and high-quality scientific programs focusing on the latest developments in all areas of cancer research. The National Cancer Institute, founded in 1971, is the principal United States government agency charged with coordinating the National Cancer Program. It facilitates international cooperation in clinical trials involving U.S. and foreign collaborating institutions.The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer was organized in 1962 to conduct, develop, coordinate and stimulate laboratory and clinical research in Europe, and to improve the management of cancer and related problems by increasing the survival and quality of life for patients.

3D MRI Useful In Detecting Major Cancers

2005-11-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

3D MRI Useful In Detecting Most Lethal Of All Major Cancers
3D MRI can detect pancreatic cancer when it is smaller and patients have a greater likelihood of survival, a new study shows. The study included 57 patients who had clinical symptoms of pancreatic cancer. All had contrast enhanced 3D gradient-echo MRI examinations. Radiologists correctly identified pancreatic cancer in 24 patients, said Richard Semelka, MD, professor of radiology, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an author of the study. Eight of the cancers found were less than two centimeters in size, Dr. Semelka said. “Currently patients with pancreatic cancer are treated with complete surgical resection and the smaller the tumor, the easier it is to remove,” he said.Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed too late, said Dr. Semelka. About 40,000 people are diagnosed with the disease in the U.S. each year, and nearly all of them die. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. “The symptoms of the disease are somewhat nonspecific and can easily be misinterpreted. In addition, the disease is very aggressive so if the disease is missed or the diagnosis is delayed, the patient's chance for survival is dismal,” he said.3D MRI did indicate pancreatic cancer in three patients, but biopsy showed they did not have the disease. However, one did have a neuroendocrine tumor and one had focal pancreatitis. Three patients were lost to follow-up, said Dr. Semelka. “No patient with a study interpreted as normal was subsequently found to have pancreatic cancer,” he added.“We are now working with our internists to detect this disease earlier,” said Dr. Semelka. “We are encouraging them to refer their patients for a 3D MRI examination if a patient has severe mid-abdominal pain not explained by a back problem, sudden development of diabetes and/or sudden development of jaundice. Radiologists who are reading 3D MR images of patients with abdominal pain should also look for pancreatic cancer even if the patient didn't have the examination for that purpose,” he said.
The study appears in the September 2005 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.