Dana Farber has a new cancer treatment in the works, and it looks like it could be a doozy. I doubt the studies will come soon enough to help me, but there is hope that the treatment could be around for my younger family members and their friends, if the time comes that they might need it.
This treatment involves what are called PARP inhibitors, which previously seemed to be effective only for a rather limited number of people with breast and ovarian cancer - those who lacked functioning BRCA1 and BRCA2 proteins. These BRCA proteins help to repair DNA damage to cells, but seem to be particularly effective in repairing DNA damage to cancer cells, which means that the cancer cells are able to quickly find ways to protect themselves from damage, and to continue growing. Which is why treatments tend to stop working after a period of time.
PARP inhibitors prevent less serious DNA damage to cancer cells, which in combination with lack of functioning BRCA proteins, leaves those cells more susceptible to being killed off by treatments such as radiation and chemo.
Another protein, CDK1, regulates cell growth and is overactive in many types of cancers. Dana Farber's recent studies indicate that CDK1 is a necessary activator for BRCA1, and that a CDK1 inhibitor can be used to disable what would otherwise be working BRCA1 proteins, making the PARP inhibitor functional for a larger number of cancers.
Not only does it look as though this combo of PARP and CDK1 inhibitors might be very effective for at least some people, but it also seems to be non-toxic, as it only affects cancer cells, and largely leaves normal cells alone. Welcome news for those of us on toxic treatments; we hardly need to add more poison to what we are already taking on.
This seems like a very exciting development to me. If you are interested in getting a more in-depth (and probably more clear) understanding of this potential treatment, you can find a good article about it - and links to even more pertinent information - here.
5 comments:
Excellent link-thanks! Very encouraging news.
That sounds like a great development. It is encouraging to know that some breakthroughs are being made xxx
On another topic entirely--please do try to get to Nani this fall. I think late September is good, i was up there once then and the leaves were gorgeous. We called at the last minute and they had one smallish room left so we were lucky. Yes, they have a glorious high tea--you can sit on the second floor deck and look out over the water. It's too beautiful. But call soon, I know they get filled for fall colors pretty far in advance. Even better news--their rates are very reasonable fro non-lakeside rooms! 18 miles N of Grand Marais--good food in the restaurant, too. (But no alcohol served.)
I just found out today that I have breast cancer...
Nice posts, you have shared very nice information. keep sharing information about cervical cancer if you have.
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