Dedicated in Memory of Jennifer Swartz Danna 1973-2006

2006-10-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

WE GIVE SPECIAL BOOKS TO KIDS WITH A VERY SICK PARENT...TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING!

If you need books...Write Tatum's Uncle at:

stan@SwartzFoundationAtBarrow.com

In Memory of Jennifer Swartz Danna 1973-2006

"THIS WEB-SITE IS DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF JENNIFER DANNA & HER FELLOW BRAIN TUMOR PATIENTS WHO LOST THE BATTLE:

2006-10-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

LAUREN KAYE...ASHLEY ANDERSON...TIM MAYHEW...MAKENZIE MOORE...COURTNEY MALEDON...NICKY MAILLIARD...SETH FELDMAN...MARK ERICKSON...DICK ARNOLD"

A message from Emily and Caroline in memory of their sister Ashley

2006-10-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

2006-08-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

Brain Tumor survivor heads back to class
"Matt Claver has marked his progress by the small things: Speaking words. Learning to swallow. Eating a cinnamon-flavored Pop Tart. And, on Tuesday, going to school with everyone else. As the 16-year-old lugged his backpack out of honors physics class shortly before 10 a.m., he could have been any other teenager, at any other school, marking any other first day.

He isn’t. He is a Brain Tumor survivor, marked by the scar down the back of his head and the determination in his eyes. And he is, by all accounts, an inspiration....

2006-08-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RESEARCHERS TARGET CELLS THAT CAUSE BRAIN CANCER

Building on previous research linking a common childhood brain cancer called medulloblastoma with high levels of the Notch2 gene, a team led by Charles Eberhart, M.D., Ph.D., is exploiting Notch2 gene products known to regulate brain stem-cell growth and survival. The new studies provide the first hint that a class of drugs, called gamma secretase inhibitors, which block Notch proteins and currently are being developed for Alzheimer's disease, specifically kills stem cells responsible for creating and sustaining a brain tumor.

"Drugs that we typically use to treat cancer don't seem to kill tumor stem cells," says Eberhart, associate professor of pathology and oncology, and after the stem cells survive an onslaught of chemotherapy and radiation, they are left to regrow new tumors. Gamma secretase inhibitors appear to overcome this barrier.

Eberhart and postdoctoral fellow Xing Fan, M.D., Ph.D., treated medulloblastoma cell cultures for 48 hours with a gamma secretase inhibitor and found that tumor growth slowed. Closer inspection of the types of cells in the culture revealed that the cancer's stem cells were almost completely eliminated by the drug, but remained in drugless cultures.

Intrigued, the researchers injected the drugged and drug-free cultured cells into mice. All 24 control mice with cells not treated with the Notch-blocking drug grew large tumors. Mice that received cells previously treated with the drug fared much better. Only two of eight mice in this group grew very small tumors - less than one-tenth the size of control tumors.

"Medulloblastoma stem cells have much higher Notch gene activity than other cells in the tumor, which may be why the stem cells die first. They are more dependent on the Notch pathway, and blocking it causes severe problems," Eberhart explains.

Although the stem cells are a very small percentage of the entire tumor - approximately 1 percent - other researchers have identified heavy-duty transporters on their cell surfaces that may pump out chemotherapy drugs and cause cancers to become treatment-resistant.

Eberhart and Fan are continuing laboratory studies to select an appropriate gamma secretase inhibitor for clinical trials.

This study was funded by the Children's Cancer Foundation of Baltimore, Md. Additional authors include William Matsui, Leila Khaki, and Duncan Stearns of Johns Hopkins; and Jiong Chun and Yue-Ming Li of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

2006-08-07T12:19:00.000-07:00

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

There wiil be no new posts to the Brain Tumor Channel until August 14th as a Silent Prayer in memory of Jennifer Swartz Danna...whose funeral was held yesterday....and all of her fellow brain tumor patients who lost the Battle!

Due to the many request that I have received...we will be starting something new on August 14th.

INDIVIDUAL PERSONALIZED PHOTO ALBUMS (on this web-site) in Support and/or in Memory of your Loved Ones.

Simply send me your photos...up to 100 photos (Jpegs only)...along with the name/words you would like on the headline of your album. I will create your album for you and a link will be posted on this website. There will be no charge for this service...in memory of Jennifer!

send to:
stanswartz@mac.com

Best,

Stan Swartz
The Brain Tumor Channel

What makes some brain-tumor cells so resistant to treatment? (A MD Health Channel Video)

2006-08-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Adrienne C. Scheck, Ph.D.
Senior Staff Scientist
Neuro-Oncology Research Laboratory
Barrow Neurological Institute

CLICK BELOW TO SEE 528 PHOTOS FROM THE BRAIN TUMOR WALKATHON (photos by MD Health Channel)

2006-08-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

528 PHOTOS ....CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2006 SSBTR WALKATHON PHOTO ALBUM...

"I DECIDED TO MAKE TRAGEDY INTO TRIUMPH!"...LANETTE IS A 7 YEAR SURVIVOR!!!!

2006-08-01T01:05:00.000-07:00

A MD Health Channel production

2006-08-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

"CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SSBTR WALKATHON PHOTO GALLERY

Joe Arpaio
Sheriff
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

"HEROS" :OUR 8 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY WAS FILMED AT LAST YEARS SSBTR WALKATHON

2006-07-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

A documentary dedicated to Lauren Kaye
Produced by Stan Swartz

Brain tumor opens her mind to art

2006-07-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Brain tumor opens her mind to art: "After a brain tumor was removed from the left side of Sandy Allen's brain, she began art therapy sessions that unleashed the artist she never knew existed. She is shown here in her home in front of a wall she collaged using pictures from magazines."

"Neurologists now recommend regular MRI brain scans for patients with lung, breast, and other cancers that carry a high-risk of brain metastasis

2006-07-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

MORE....according to an Associated Press article released earlier this month. The recommendation stems from the availability of sophisticated new treatments including stereotactic radiosurgeryfor metastatic brain tumors that are detected early.
Neurologists from the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch (CINN) and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center explained that cancer patients are surviving longer, which increases the risk of metastatic brain tumors. Up to 40 percent of lung cancer patients and 33 percent of breast cancer patients develop these tumors. Patients with melanoma, kidney cancer, and colon cancer are also at risk. Routine brain scans can detect these tumors, which can be treated with drugs as well as stereotactic radiosurgery.
Among the sophisticated radiosurgery treatment options for patients at CINN is Gamma Knife(R) surgery. There is also a Leksell Gamma Knife(R) at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Overall, Leksell Gamma Knife(R) is installed at more than 100 facilities in the U.S. (for center locations, visit http://www.elekta.com). Leksell Gamma Knife(R) from Elekta remains the solution of choice and the standard of care for intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery.
'The combination of early detection and Gamma Knife(R) surgery provides one of the best possible outcomes for patients who are treated via stereotactic radiosurgery,' says Jim Rose, VP Marketing, North America. 'It also offers the gentlest care. Because the procedure is wholly noninvasive, patients often go home the same day they receive treatment.'
Often referred to as 'the gold standard' for radiosurgery, the Leksell Gamma Knife(R) from Elekta is the standard of care for neurosurgery, with thousands of published papers on treatment efficacy and improved quality of life for patients.
Gamma Knife(R) surgery is a noninvasive method for treating targets in the brain. It delivers a single, high dose of irradiation to the precisely located target, without harming the surrounding healthy tissue."

2006-07-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Vaccine Slows Glioblastoma In Phase II Trial:
[Abstract - medpagetoday]
"A novel vaccine appears to sharply extend life expectancy in people with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), according to results of a phase II clinical trial presented here today. The vaccine targets the epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII), a tumor-specific cell surface protein expressed on about 30% of GBM tumors but absent on normal tissues, said Amy Heimberger, M.D., an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. 'Median survival has not yet been reached' for the 23 patients enrolled in the clinical trial, conducted at M. D. Anderson and at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Heimberger said in a statement before her presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons here. However, after an average of a year of follow-up, she said, median survival is at least 19 months. By contrast, she said, median survival is 14 months for patients with GBM who are treated with radiation and Temodar (temozolomide)...."

Hope for new brain tumor vaccine

2006-07-25T00:05:00.000-07:00

BBC NEWS | Health | Hope for new brain tumour vaccine:
"A vaccine has been developed which may be able to fight the most aggressive form of brain tumour, scientists say.

US researchers say their vaccine increased survival times for the 23 glioblastoma multiforme patients they tested it on by at least 18 months.

Only four patients went on to die from the cancer, the study to be presented at a meeting of experts in the US said.

A larger trial of the jab, which works by targeting a protein thought to drive the tumour's spread, is now planned.
This is exciting because people have been trying to use immunotherapy against gliomas for a long time
Amy HeimbergerResearcher
It uses an artificial form of the protein, which is found on the outside of 30-50% of tumours, to alert the immune system to its presence and attack it.

The brain is tricked into thinking the protein, known as EGFRvIII, is foreign, and fighter cells in the immune system are sent in.

Amy Heimberger, assistant professor of neurosurgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, said the vaccine was an easy-to-use 'off-the-shelf' treatment that could potentially help half of all patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)."

Gliadel Wafer Demonstrates Long-Term Survival Benefit for Patients with High-Grade Malignant Gliomas

2006-07-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

READ MORE: "MGI PHARMA, INC. (Nasdaq:MOGN) today announced the
publication of long-term (56 month) follow-up data showing that
Gliadel(R) Wafer provides a durable long-term survival benefit for
patients with high-grade malignant glioma.

Gliadel Wafer is approved by the FDA for treatment of patients
with newly-diagnosed high-grade malignant glioma as an adjunct to
surgery and radiation. Gliadel Wafer is also indicated to treat
recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in addition to surgery. The
approval was based on clinical trial results showing the median
survival of patients with high-grade malignant gliomas increased to
13.9 months from 11.6 months, and the median survival of patients with
recurrent GBM increased to 6.4 months from 4.6 months."

Woman fights on after surgery to remove tumor

2006-07-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

MORE: "Darcie Tossetti has her brain to herself now.

Gone is the tumor she affectionately called 'Klingon.'
The grape-sized growth, lodged in her frontal lobe, was removed at
Loma Linda University Medical Center in December 2004.
A scar on her forehead, along her hair line from her left ear to her
right ear, is the only outward evidence of Darcie's eight-hour surgery
to extricate the alien invader.
The growth was diagnosed two months earlier as a meningioma, a benign
tumor that develops between the lining of the brain and the skull.
'On Oct. 16, 2004, I heard five words that would change mine and my
family's lives forever you have a brain tumor,' Darcie recalls.
'I was lucky. They got it while it was still relatively small. It
was a slow-growing tumor,' she says. 'When I realized how lucky I was,
I stopped feeling sorry for myself.'"

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Talks About Our Good Kids & the Walkathon

2006-07-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

THIS VIDEO WAS FILMED AT LAST YEARS SSBTR WALKATHON

A MD Health Channel production

Comedian wields laughter as weapon against cancer... Comic has had four brain tumors

2006-07-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

BBC News writer Ivan Noble was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in 2002. Since then he has been sharing his experiences in an online diary

2006-07-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

BBC NEWS /CLICK TO READ THE ENTIRE DIARY

Brain balloon, liquid radiation stops tumor

2006-07-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

MORE: "Up until six years ago, there was nothing extraordinary about Jason Wilson's life. He worked his job in the air-conditioning business by day and spent time with his family by night. Then, in February 2000, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor - a tumor that's kept recurring, changing Wilson's life. His doctors thought he'd die six or seven months after he was diagnosed with the first one, but he's still alive and kicking."

2006-07-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Barrow growing...Neurological facility's 7-story tower at St. Joe's to double capacity, add high-tech procedures
(Arizona Republic-July 8)

"It's where Saudi royalty came for intricate back surgery.

It helped treat Pvt. Jessica Lynch's war injuries.

It's where patients are chilled almost to death so their brain surgeries can go more smoothly.

And now it's getting bigger.

The new Barrow Neurosciences Tower at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in central Phoenix will open to patients next week. The $160 million, seven-story tower will double the surgical capacity at world-renowned Barrow.

Barrow now will have the largest number of operating rooms of its type in the world, said Dr. Robert Spetzler, director of the Barrow Neurological Institute.

"There are few, if any, neuroscience centers like this in the world," he said. "It's incredible to have a building this size, with this many surgical suites and this many patient beds solely dedicated to neuroscience care."

For Barrow, the expansion means a chance to add technology as well as beds.

Among the new features is an extremely powerful magnetic resonance imaging machine that can provide immediate brain scans during operations.

That will let doctors check during surgery to make sure the entire brain tumor has been removed. Now, patients have to be sewn up, sent for the scans and then sent back for surgery again....First of its type

The MRI machine, a 3-Tesla Intraoperative Magnetic, is the first of its type to be installed at any hospital. Other MRI machines are typically 1.5-Tesla, which means Barrow's new MRI provides even more detailed scans.

"It's the difference between regular television and high-definition television," Spetzler said......Because the magnet is so powerful - it can pull a gun out of a holster - patients are loaded into the machine on special iron-free equipment.

Another gee-whiz feature of the tower is its "supercool" operating room, where the temperature can be reduced to 55 degrees from 68 to 70 degrees in just three minutes.

The chilling is key for a special technique Spetzler developed to bring a patient to the brink of death to lower the risk of complications during brain surgery.

In "cardiac standstill," doctors chill the patient's body so that the heart and blood flow are stopped. That makes it easier for a surgeon to go in and clip a brain aneurysm. Spetzler has done the procedure 107 times. The Discovery Health Channel broadcast one of the operations recently.

The neuroscience tower also contains:
• Eleven surgical suites dedicated to neurosurgery. Each suite has a microscope connected to a computer that allows surgeons to see on a computer screen an extremely magnified image of what they are operating on.

• All of the suites will have video-conferencing capabilities that will allow physicians and medical students around the world to view what is happening in the operating rooms.

• Sixty-four intensive-care beds and 80 acute-care beds devoted to neurological and neurosurgical care. That's more than double what the hospital has now.

Barrow also has the largest neurosurgery residency-training program in the nation and more certified neuroscience registered nurses than any other hospital in the United States."

NEWSRELEASE: Radiotherapy advance points way to noninvasive brain cancer treatment

2006-07-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

In the Jan. 1, 2006 issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research, Gelsomina "Pupa" De Stasio, professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and colleagues report on research into using a new radiotherapy technique for fighting GBM with the element gadolinium. The approach might lead to less invasive treatments that offer greater promise of alleviating the disease.

"It's the most lethal cancer there is. The only good thing about it is that, if left untreated, death is relatively quick and pain-free, since this tumor does not form painful metastases in other parts of the body," says De Stasio.

The therapy, called Gadolinium Synchrotron Stereotactic Radiotherapy (GdSSR), requires a gadolinium compound to find tumor cells and penetrate them, down into their nuclei, while sparing the normal brain. Then, the patient's head is irradiated with x-rays. For these x-ray photons the whole brain is transparent, while gadolinium is opaque. Then, where gadolinium is localized-in the nuclei of the cancer cells only-what's known as "the photoelectric effect" takes place.

"Exactly 100 years after Einstein first explained this effect, we have found a way to make it useful in medicine," De Stasio says. "In this effect, atoms absorb photons and emit electrons. The emitted electrons are very destructive for DNA, but have a very short range of action. Therefore, to induce DNA damage that the cancer cells cannot repair, and consequently cell death, gadolinium atoms must be localized in the nuclei of cancer cells."READ MOREt

Cancer's road map to metastasis revealed

2006-07-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

"Scientists have discovered how cancer spreads from a primary site to other places in the body in a finding that could open doors for new ways of treating and preventing advanced disease.

Instead of a cell just breaking off from a tumor and traveling through the bloodstream to another organ where it forms a secondary tumor, or metastasis, researchers in the United States have shown that the cancer sends out envoys to prepare the new site.

Intercepting those envoys, or blocking their action with drugs, might help to prevent the spread of cancer or to treat it in patients in which it has already occurred.

"We are basically looking at all the earlier steps that are involved in metastasis that we weren't previously aware of. It is complex but we are opening the door to all these things that occur before the tumor cell implants itself," said Professor David Lyden, of Cornell University in New York. "It is a map to where the metastasis will occur," he added in an interview."MORE

2006-05-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

A MESSAGE FROM LANETTE

"Dick Arnold graduates to Heaven"

"It is a bitter sweet moment. ...Our wonderful MIRACLE MAN graduated to Heaven. Although he will be DEEPLY missed I am very happy that he is dancing with the angels and has no more pain. I can just see it now as I type he is walking and talking and of course he has everyone smiling or laughing because of his humor. Dick sure was an example of true courage! One thing is for sure there are no STINKING BRAIN TUMORS in HEAVEN!

As soon as Sharon let's me know I will send out a message or call with arrangement times etc."

Lanette McLamb-Veres

May 20, 2006 11:22:57 AM

BLOOD DRIVE AT ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL

2006-04-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

Date: Wednesday - April 26th and Thursday April 27th
Time: 8:00 am to 1:00pm
Location: Barrow Neurological Institute Lobby
Contact Information: www.Bloodhero.com [Sponsor Code: "stjoes"]

2006-04-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

development and clinical trial supply of Neuradiab, an antibody used to treat the most common and deadly form of brain cancer.: "MDS Nordion has signed a three-year contract with Bradmer Pharmaceuticals for the development and clinical trial supply of Neuradiab, an antibody used to treat the most common and deadly form of brain cancer.

'We are pleased that our world-class facilities, wealth of expertise and dedication to bringing products to market quickly will contribute to Neuradiab's development and its potential success,' says MDS Nordion president Steve West.

Neuradiab is in clinical trials. It has been proven to be safe and effective in delivering tumor-killing radiation specifically to residual brain tumor cells following surgery, with minimal impact on the surrounding brain tissue.

'In six completed clinical trials involving over 160 cancer patients, Neuradiab has demonstrated a significant survival benefit over historical controls,' says Dr. Mark Rogers, CEO of Bradmer Pharmaceuticals.

'This new agreement is an important step in our preparation for a planned multi-centre clinical trial for Neuradiab. We chose MDS Nordion based on their experience and standards of quality in developing and producing radiotherapeutics.'

Neuradiab was developed at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina......"

PHOTO AVAILABLE: Huge Brain Tumor Operated On In Romania

2006-03-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

MORE: "Romanian plastic and neuro surgeons at Bagdasar Arseni Hospital operated one of the largest brain tumors in the world."

THE BRAIN TUMOR CHANNEL IS PART OF OUR FAMILY OF 6 NEWS-SITES:

2006-02-25T22:23:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR HOME PAGE: MD Health Channel.com

MS news Channel.com
Anti-Aging News.com
Stroke News Channel.com
Parkinsons News Channel.com
Bain Tumor Channel.com
Noticias de Salud

Animal Studies at Georgetown Find Ginkgo Biloba May Have Preventive Effects For Cancerous Human Brain Tumors

2006-02-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

READ MORE: "Animal Studies at Georgetown Find Ginkgo Biloba May Have Preventive Effects For Cancerous Human Brain and Breast Tumors

Washington, DC %u2014 Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center say they now have a clearer picture of how an extract from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree reduces the risk of aggressive cancer in animal experiments.

In the January-February issue of the journal Anticancer Research, the investigators reported that treating mice with an extract of leaves of Ginkgo biloba both before and after implanting human breast or brain (glioma) tumors decreased expression of a cell receptor associated with invasive cancer. This decreased expression slowed the growth of the breast tumors by 80 percent as long as the extract was used, compared to untreated mice, and also reduced the size of the brain tumors, but temporarily, and to a lesser extent.

Ginkgo biloba extract is a popular supplement that comes from the leaves of the Gingko tree, which is indigenous to Japan, Korea and China but can be found all over the world. Many believe it enhances memory, and is being currently being tested as a treatment for Alzheimer%u2019s disease.

%u201CIt is very encouraging that Ginkgo biloba appeared to reduce the aggressiveness of these cancers, because it suggests that the leaves could be useful in some early stage diseases to prevent them from becoming invasive, or spreading,%u201D said the study%u2019s senior author, Vassilios Papadopoulos, DPharm, PhD, Director, Biomedical Graduate Research Organization and Associate Vice President of Georgetown University Medical Center.

%u201CBut I must stress that this is a study in mice, and so we cannot say what anticancer effects, if any, Gingko biloba might offer humans,%u201D he said."

Ashley Anderson and Her Family (photo on taken at the 2005 SSBTR Walkathon)

2006-02-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

PHOTOS: THE 2005 SSBTR WALKATHON AWARDS CEREMONY

2006-02-21T10:12:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

NEWS & TIPS IN SPANISH....A New Service from The MD Health Channel:

2006-02-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

NOTICIAS DE SALUD

EN ESPAÑOL...HAZ CLIC AQUI PARA MAS...

PHOTO GALLERY: THE MIRACLE MAN

2006-02-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS OF ANNIVERSARY PARTY AND BIRTHDAY PARTY

"I'M LANETTE....I AM ALSO A 7 YEAR BRAIN TUMOR SURVIVOR!....JOIN ME IN STICKING YOUR TONGUE OUT AT TUMORS!

2006-02-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

Click to see photos of my friends and fellow Survivors.

Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (SSBTR) one-time-only screening of the "Concert for George."

2006-01-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Feb. 16th, at 7 PM the Harkins Cine Capri will be showing a one-time-only screening of the "Concert for George."

Originally performed at Royal Albert Hall in London, this tribute to the music of George Harrison has been universally acclaimed as one of the best concert films of all time. It features Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Jeff Lynne (lead singer from ELO) and a host of other incredibly talented musicians.

Tickets are $30 tax-deductible dollars each (plus a $1 service charge) with all proceeds going to benefit the Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (SSBTR). A large portion of the funds this organization raises goes to fund research programs at Phoenix Children's Hospital and the Barrow Neurological Institute.

Seating is limited to 525 and since sales are done via computer it's strictly first come/first serve. To insure than your are part of what promises to be a memorable evening (the largest screen in Arizona and 40,000 amps of sound)CLICK HERE... Purchase movie tickets online.

Liz Holzemer, the founder of Menigioma Mommas, will be featured on the Discovery Health Channels series Mystery Diagnosis this month

2006-01-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Liz is a baseball-sized meningoima brain tumor survivor. The 15-minute segment will feature Liz and her family. Also, this is the first time Mystery Diagnosis has ever featured a meningioma brain tumor survivor.

The air dates and times are: January 16--10 p.m.
January 17--1 a.m.
January 22--6 p.m.

!!! CHEMO....FDA Approves EMEND (aprepitant) for the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting

2006-01-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved EMEND(R) (aprepitant) for use with other antiemetic medicines for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, which are likely to cause nausea and vomiting. EMEND, in combination with other antiemetics, is also approved for the prevention of nausea and vomiting caused by initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic chemotherapy treatments, which are highly likely to cause nausea and vomiting, including high dose cisplatin.

The FDA approval for EMEND is based on the findings of a study published in April 2005 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) that enrolled 866 breast cancer patients, of whom 99.5 percent were women. The study compared a regimen including EMEND (EMEND in combination with ondansetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, on day 1 followed by EMEND on day 2 and 3) and a standard regimen (ondansetron and dexamethasone on day 1 followed by ondansetron on day 2 and 3).

Results from this study of breast cancer patients who received moderately emetogenic chemotherapy treatments, which are likely to cause nausea and vomiting, showed that a significantly higher proportion of patients treated with the regimen including EMEND in Cycle 1 reported a complete response (defined as no vomiting and no use of other therapies for nausea or vomiting) in the five days after initiation of chemotherapy compared to a standard regimen (51% vs. 42% , p=0.015). The difference between treatment groups was primarily driven by the "No Emesis Endpoint", a principal component of this composite primary endpoint. In addition, a higher proportion of patients receiving the regimen including EMEND in Cycle 1 had a complete response during the acute (0-24 hours) and delayed (25-120 hours) phases compared with patients receiving the standard regimen; however, the treatment group differences failed to reach statistical significance after multiplicity adjustments.

"Patients with cancer are not only facing a serious illness, they also face the possibility of distressing side effects such as nausea and vomiting from their chemotherapy, and breast cancer patients are particularly susceptible to these side effects," said Kelly Pendergrass, M.D., clinical investigator and medical oncologist at the Kansas City Cancer Center. "The good news is that, with this expanded indication, EMEND can now be used with other antiemetics in the wider population of patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy to help prevent these worrisome and challenging side effects before they occur."

The study also showed that more patients receiving EMEND reported minimal or no impact of nausea and vomiting on their daily life (64% vs. 56%).READ

Neopharm stock jumps on brain cancer study

2006-01-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

United Press International - READ MORE: "the panel recommended continuation of the study of its potential drug IL13-PE38QQR for treatment of an agressive form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma multiforme.

The firm said the independent panel would also conduct an interim efficacy analysis in the second quarter of 2006. Neopharm said it would then consider whether to file with the Food and Drug Administration for approval of the cancer therapy."

LOGAN AT BANK ONE BALL PARK

2006-01-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTO ALBUM OF THE AWARD CEREMONY

2006-01-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

NeoPharm brain-cancer trial backed

2005-12-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

NeoPharm Inc. (NEOL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said an independent panel found a late-stage clinical trial of its experimental drug for an aggressive form of brain cancer should continue as planned, sending shares up more than 45 percent.

The recommendation to continue the trial of the drug, IL13-PE38QQR, and not change the study's design bodes well for the drug's eventual approval, said Vinny Jindal, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities.

"The fact that they didn't have to resize the trial indicates the trial is on its way to reaching statistical significance," Jindal said.

"If IL13 is approaching statistical significance, it demonstrates the drug is highly potent," he added.

NeoPharm is studying its drug as a potential treatment for glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer that is considered incurable.

NeoPharm said it remains "cautiously optimistic" for a positive final outcome of the trial, called Precise. The company said it expects to conduct an interim efficacy analysis late in the second quarter.more| Reuters.com

Radiotherapy for glioma can restore brain function

2005-12-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

(Reuters Health)

"By Will Boggs, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Rather than having a harmful effect on brain function, radiotherapy for low-grade glioma brain tumors -- one of the most difficult types of cancer to treat -- can restore cognitive function to its pre-tumor level, a study shows.

"Using modern techniques with moderate total doses, 3-D conformal radiotherapy, and advanced planning imaging and software, the risks of neurocognitive deficits in low-grade glioma patients are quite small and greatly overshadowed by the deficits caused by the tumor itself," Dr. Paul D. Brown from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota told Reuters Health.

Brown and colleagues administered a battery of cognitive tests before and after radiotherapy in 20 patients with low-grade glioma. These brain tumors tend to be slow growing but can quickly change into a much more aggressive and deadly tumor.

At baseline, overall cognitive performance was lower than that for age-specific normative standards, the investigators report.

By the second evaluation, a medium 18.3 months after the first, mean test scores were higher than the initial scores for all psychometric measures.

None of the 20 patients experienced significant decline in cognitive function over the follow-up period, regardless of whether they received high-dose or low-dose radiotherapy, the team reports in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

"Our data is reassuring in that properly administered radiotherapy is well-tolerated and associated with a low risk of cognitive impairment for patients in whom it is indicated," Brown said. "

SOURCE: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, November 15, 2005.

Genes team up to suppress brain tumor

2005-12-14T23:46:00.000-08:00

The Ink4c and Ptch1 genes collaborate to suppress the development of the brain tumor medulloblastoma, according to a team led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators. The Ink4c and Ptch1 collaboration occurs independently of another anti-cancer collaboration: that of Ptch1 with the p53 gene, the researchers said.
The discovery sheds new light on how cells in the cerebellum called granule neuronal precursor cells (GNPs) give rise to medulloblastoma when certain genes are absent or functioning abnormally.MORE... St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Babies born with a larger head may have an increased risk of childhood brain cancer, research suggests

2005-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

BBC NEWS: "Head circumference at birth reflects brain size, and researchers suspected that in some cases this might be a sign of abnormal growth pattern"...MORE

Musical Healing Power For Cancer Patients

2005-11-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

"More and more people are using alternative therapies in medicine. As ABC7's Dr. Dean Edell reports, one growing trend is using music therapy to help cancer patients.

Sound fills the room and touches Alexis like nothing else can, especially when she joins in.

Alexis Vanden Bos, breast cancer patient: "It's just like, 'wow, I can just have fun,' and just bam bam bam bam bam bam bam -- just really knock away at it."....abc7news.com: MOREFor more information on this program call Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Resource Center
(206) 288-2081

Mutations Predict Poor Outcome in Neuroblastoma

2005-11-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

Even when most indicators suggest a low-risk form of neuroblastoma, loss of genetic material on chromosomes 1 and 11 predicts a poor outcome, researchers here reported.

The finding may allow clinicians to improve treatment for the disease, which afflicts about 650 children every year in the U.S., said John Maris, M.D., of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "If we can correctly detect risk factors at diagnosis, we can tailor their treatment accordingly," he said.MORE- CME Teaching Brief - MedPage Today

Wonderful Video!!!!...... Journey Into Nanotechnology....A Nanotech Cure for Cancer?

2005-11-20T23:56:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO...National Cancer Institute[PHOTOS:A drug-carrying dendrimer approaches a cancer cell, docks in a receptor and releases its deadly payload]

Diffusion MRI Provides Fast Assessment of Brain Cancer Therapy

2005-11-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

An experimental form of MRI may be able to spot quickly whether patients with brain cancer are responding to chemotherapy or radiation.MORE

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR OF BRAIN TUMOR NEWS

2005-11-19T19:29:00.000-08:00

"FELLOW SURVIVORS: Send me your photo-info about you, your family-your support group-I'll post them here"

We'll post a link to your support group on "Brain Tumor News" Do you have up to 100+ photo's of your last fundraiser? We'll create a photo gallery for you and post each and every one of your event photos on this site.

It's all FREE for all of my fellow survivors and their support groups!

I WANT SURVIVORS LIKE MYSELF- FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD - TO BE ABLE TO CLICK ON OUR SITE AND VIEW 1000'S OF THEIR FELLOW SURVIVORS...PLUS THEIR SUPPORT GROUPS.

I WANT TO GIVE EVERY SUPPORT GROUP A LINK ON "BRAIN TUMOR NEWS"

I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

You probably wonder how we can do this and not charge 1-cent! Our publisher's closest friend - who also happens to be his niece - is a 3 year Survivor! He is doing this in honor of her for us!

Send everything to me at my E-mail address: Braintumornomore@aol.com

Sincerely Yours.
LANETTE McLAMB-VERES

EDITOR, THE MD HEALTH CHANNEL

Gene therapy reverses neuroblastoma growth in lab

2005-11-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

Researchers at St. Jude showed in mouse models of neuroblastoma that a virus engineered to carry the gene for an anti-cancer protein is an effective treatment for this tumor.
The finding is important because it suggests that this technique might improve the treatment of neuroblastoma by offering a way to use the anti-cancer protein human interferon-beta (hIFN-beta) more effectively, while reducing treatment toxicity, according to Andrew Davidoff, MD, Surgery. Davidoff is senior author of a report on this work that appears in the August 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.
The virus, called adeno-associated virus (AAV) carried the gene for hINF-beta to the liver, which used that gene to make hIFN-beta continuously at a low level, blocking the growth of blood vessels feeding the tumors. This treatment significantly restricted continued growth of established abdominal tumors; and it significantly prolonged survival for mice with established, disseminated disease. In addition, the combination of hINF-beta and infrequently administered, low doses of the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide caused established abdominal and disseminated tumors to get smaller.
hIFN-beta most likely exerted its effect on blood vessels by reducing the activity of the genes for VEGF and bFGF, two proteins that stimulate vessel growth, said Davidoff. In the case of small tumors newly engrafted into the laboratory models, hIFN-beta appears to have also had a direct killing effect on the tumor cells.
“This technique might be effective against a variety of solid tumors that are not necessarily vulnerable to direct cell-killing by hIFN-beta,” Davidoff said. “And the continuous, low-level expression of hIFN-beta that the genetically modified liver cells would generate could achieve therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing toxicity.”MORE: ... St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Test predicts effective brain cancer treatment

2005-11-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

MORE | Reuters.co.uk: "California researchers say they can now identify the 800 to 2,000 people in the United States who will respond to treatment against an aggressive form of brain cancer, a study released on Wednesday showed. The tumor, glioblastoma, typically kills its victims in less than a year and only 10 percent to 20 percent of sufferers respond to drugs that block a key protein called EGFR in the cancer cells. Paul Mischel of the University of California at Los Angeles and his colleagues reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that they have developed a test for brain tumor tissue that predicts which patients will be sensitive to the drugs. Among 26 patients who receive the drug therapy, the ones shown to be sensitive to the growth factor-attacking drugs lived five times longer, or 253 days, than those whose tumors did not appear to be sensitive. 'This will help prevent patients from having therapies that are much more toxic and less beneficial,' Mischel said. 'With the short survival times associated with glioblastoma, it is critical.'"

Successful Treatment of Stroke Victim Who Received Stem Cell Transplantation Therapy

2005-10-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

MORE: "This therapy is similar
to the process of organ transplantation, only the treatment consists of the
transplantation of stem cells into the body rather than entire organs, thus
eliminating any chance of rejection or the need for expensive and
potentially dangerous immunosuppression drug therapy.

These new techniques are being applied to finding a cure for a wide range of human disorders,
including neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease, ALS, (also commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease), leukemia, muscular dystrophy, , arthritis, spinal cord injuries, brain injury, stroke, heart disease, liver and retinal disease, diabetes as well as certain types of cancer and can be used to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy."

FDA Approves Brain Stem Cell Transplant and Genentech Inks Another Brain Cancer Deal

2005-10-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Financial News USA - MORE

New approach to chemo: Continuous, lower doses

2005-10-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

MORE: "In the battle against cancer, doctors are finding new ways to use an old weapon: chemotherapy.
The idea behind chemotherapy has long been that more is better. In order to kill the tumor, patients are traditionally given the highest dose they can tolerate. But because the drugs are so toxic, the process must be periodically halted for several weeks to allow the body to recover. Some doctors argue that this resting period can allow a tumor to rebuild the network of blood vessels that it needs to keep growing.
Now, these doctors are experimenting with a new approach, giving very low doses of chemo drugs for extensive periods of time, with no rest."

The Efficacy of Postoperative Ondansetron (Zofran(R)) Orally Disintegrating Tablets for Preventing Nausea and Vomiting After Acoustic Neuroma Surgery

2005-10-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

MORE: "We conclude that after acoustic neuroma surgery IV ondansetron treatment prevents immediate postoperative nausea and vomiting. Postoperative treatment with ondansetron in an orally disintegrating tablet formulation was associated with less frequent rescue therapy as compared with placebo on the first postoperative day."

Nanoparticles to target and treat brain tumors,

2005-10-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

MORE Nanoparticles to target and treat brain tumors, Grants, Virginia Commonwealth University - NanoTechWire.com : "

Researchers working with a man-made, metal-filled nanoparticle are developing the material for use as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent that may boost the sensitivity of MRI techniques and improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors."

STANFORD STUDY REVEALS PROTEIN'S JEKYLL-AND-HYDE ROLE IN CANCER GROWTH - Office of Communications & Public Affairs - Stanford University School of Medicine

2005-10-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

MORE: http://mednews.stanford.edu: "Tumor-suppressor proteins work to inhibit tumor growth in our bodies and when they win, they spare us a battle with cancer. But one such protein, menin, appears to have a split personality. Though menin is well-known for its ability to suppress endocrine tumors, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered that it is also a key player in the development of some forms of acute leukemia."

[!!!!!] O6-BG May Helep Re-Sensitize Cancr Cells to Temodar in Brain Cancer

2005-10-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the agent O6-BG may help to re-sensitize cancer cells to the chemotherapy agent Temodar (temozolomide) in patients with recurrent brain cancer. Treatment for brain cancer typically consists of surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Temodar is a chemotherapy agent that is able to pass through the blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier is a membrane that envelopes the brain and spinal cord. It protects the brain and spinal cord by allowing the passage of only very specific molecules. The majority of chemotherapy agents are not able to pass through the blood-brain barrier; this makes it difficult to reach cancer that has spread to or originated in the brain.

Although initial therapy with Temodar may produce anticancer responses, cancer commonly develops a resistance to the agent. This results in subsequent cancer progression or recurrence following initial treatment with Temodar. Once patients experience a cancer recurrence following treatment with Temodar, they have few effective treatment options. In order to counteract this, researchers have been evaluating ways to re-sensitize cancer cells to Temodar following a recurrence or progression after initial treatment with Temodar.

The agent O6-BG is still in early-phase clinical trials. It has demonstrated the ability to reverse resistance of cancer cells to Temodar and re-sensitive them to its repeated administration following a recurrence....MORE...

New radiation technique helps brain cancer patients keep their hair

2005-10-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

Patients whose cancer has spread to the brain can avoid typical hair loss (alopecia) when treated with newer radiation techniques, thereby improving their quality of life while still controlling their cancer, according to a study presented October 16, 2005, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 47th Annual Meeting in Denver.
Most brain cancer patients whose cancer has spread to the brain receive whole brain radiotherapy. This treatment uses two simple radiation beams on each side of the head to target the cancer. It also causes patients to lose the hair on their head. Since hair loss can be upsetting for patients, doctors are experimenting with new types of radiation therapy to see if they are as effective in treating the cancer while preventing hair loss.

In this study, researchers enrolled 10 patients with stage IV cancer that had spread to the brain. Doctors were able to improve upon whole brain radiation therapy by using intensity modulated radiation therapy. This technique, called IMRT, allowed them to further control the intensity of each beam and shape them to better target the cancer while sparing nearby healthy tissue (including hair follicles), allowing patients to significantly reduce the amount of hair they lost.

Half of the patients in the study reported only slightly noticeable hair loss four weeks after treatment ended, and half had no noticeable hair loss. Patients also didn't experience some of the side effects of whole brain radiation, such as a rash on the scalp or behind the ears. With a short follow-up period, overall survival is 100 percent and only one patient has seen their cancer progress.

"This new study will encourage doctors to consider using this new radiation technique to treat cancer that has spread to the brain," said Todd Scarbrough, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist at the MIMA Cancer Center in Melbourne, Florida. "Although hair loss may seem trivial, losing one's hair can be difficult for a patient who is already depressed from the diagnosis and the strain of the treatments. I'm hopeful this new study will help us improve the quality of life for these patients."

For more information on radiation therapy for brain tumors, visit www.rtanswers.org.

The study, "Alopecia-less" Whole Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT) via IMRT: Preliminary Experience and Outcomes" will be available for poster viewing starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 16, 2005. If you would like a copy of the abstract or you would like to speak to the lead author of the study, Todd Scarbrough, M.D., please call Beth Bukata or Nick Lashinsky October 16-20 in the ASTRO Press Room at the Colorado Convention Center at 303-288-8454 or 303-228-8455. You may also e-mail them at bethb@astro.org or nickl@astro.org.

CONGRATULATIONS LANETTE!!!!!

2005-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

NOW A SEVEN !!!!!!!!! YEAR SURVIVOR!!!!!

Brain tumors may originate with neural stem cells, researchers say

2005-10-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have determined that stem cells in a certain region of the brain may be the source of a particular type of incurable brain tumor and may be implicated in other types of brain cancers as well.

The research, conducted in mice, appears in the August issue of the journal Cancer Cell. The findings support growing evidence that adult stem cells may play a role in the development of some forms of cancer, said Dr. Luis Parada, senior author on the paper and director of the Center for Developmental Biology and the Kent Waldrep Center for Basic Research on Nerve Growth and Regeneration at UT Southwestern.

%u201CContinued research into the biology of adult stem cells will aid in the understanding of how cancers originate and develop and may lead to possible new therapies for treating aggressive, currently incurable brain tumors,%u201D said Dr. Parada.

Malignant astrocytoma, or glioma, is one of the most common types of brain tumor in adults. The tumors are thought to arise from glial cells, which are non-nerve cells that provide support and nutrition to cells of the nervous system.

Because these incurable cancers generally are not detected until they are advanced, when symptoms have begun to develop, scientists have been unsure where, or what, initiates the process of uncontrolled cell replication that leads to the formation of the tumors.

Dr. Parada and his research group, including former UT Southwestern postdoctoral researcher and lead author Dr. Yuan Zhu, now at the University of Michigan Medical School, developed a strain of genetically engineered mice that served as models for their human brain-cancer studies and allowed researchers to track down the origins of such tumors. The mice lacked a tumor suppressor gene called p53 and also had a mutated version of another tumor suppressor gene called NF1. The mutated NF1 resulted in an increase in a biochemical reaction called Ras signaling, which has been implicated in the initiation of some cancers.

As infants, the mutant mice showed no sign of cancer, but as they grew older, they all developed brain tumors. By observing and evaluating %u201Csnapshots%u201D of changes in the mouse brains over time, Dr. Parada%u2019s research team determined that the tumors originated in neural stem cells. Those cells that became cancerous then migrated to other areas of the brain and caused tumors.Brain tumors may originate with neural stem cells, researchers say

UPCI Physicians Begin Study of IL-4 Producing Cellular Vaccine for Brain Tumors

2005-10-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) have begun a phase-I clinical study using a genetically engineered anti-tumor vaccine to treat brain tumors, which strike more than 17,000 people a year in the United States.

"Malignant gliomas, the most common type of primary brain tumors, are highly lethal," said Ian Pollack, MD, principal investigator of the study, professor in the department of neurological surgery, and co-director of UPCI’s Brain Tumor Center. "This study is a very important one because it addresses a possible method of treating these cancers, which often return quickly after standard therapies, such as surgery. Immunotherapy is a promising, yet unproven, treatment for this class of cancers."

"The research involves a transfer of a gene for Interleukin-4 (IL-4), which increases the immune response against malignant gliomas, as well as a herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene, a suicide gene," said Hideho Okada, MD, PhD, study co-investigator, assistant professor of neurosurgery and co-director of the Vector Core Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering. The procedure begins by removing brain cells from a patient undergoing brain tumor "debulking," whereby a surgeon removes as much tumor as possible. These cells are then exposed to a retrovirus carrying genes for IL-4, HSV-TK and a special marker gene. The cells are cultured, and the researchers use the special marker gene to select those cells that have picked up the viral vector/gene package. These cells are then purified and injected underneath the skin in the leg of a patient. It is thought that the introduced IL-4 gene causes the tumor cell "vaccine" to produce IL-4, which attracts specialized immune cells to process the tumor cells and, in turn, stimulate other immune cells to recognize and attack tumor cells within the vaccine site and also within the brain. The genetically modified cells also will produce HSV-TK, an enzyme that is not normally produced by the body. Cells that make HSV-TK can be killed with a drug called gancyclovir, which will be administered to patients about eight days following this experimental treatment. In this way, doctors allow the body’s immune system time to recognize the tumor cell to boost the body’s anti-immune response, yet they provide a mechanism whereby the reintroduced tumor cells carrying the IL-4 and HSV-TK genes are destroyed.MORE

What are the risk factors for brain metastasis in breast cancer patients?

2005-10-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

Several important issues pertinent to the prediction of breast cancer brain metastasis are raised by this retrospective analysis. Nature Clinical Practice Oncology |MORE

Modafinil for the treatment of diminished responsiveness in a patient recovering from brain surgery

2005-10-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Modafinil appeared to be beneficial for improving wakefulness and responsiveness in a patient with central nervous system trauma in the post-operative state.MORE

Results of a Survey of Neurosurgical Practice Patterns Regarding the Prophylactic use of Anti-Epilepsy Drugs in Patients with Brain Tumors

2005-10-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

Full Text

Molecularly Targeted Therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors

2005-10-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

Full Text

Considerations on the Role of Chemotherapy and Modern Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Childhood Low Grade Glioma

2005-10-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Full Text

The treatment of high grade gliomas and diffuse intrinsic pontine tumors of childhood and adolescence: a historical - and futuristic - perspective

2005-10-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Full Text

Phase I trial of temozolomide plus o6-benzylguanine for patients with recurrent or progressive malignant glioma

2005-10-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

Full Text

The National Brain Tumor Foundation and the Brain Tumor Society are teaming up to provide a web conference on rehabilitation for brain tumor patients.

2005-10-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

This conference arose out of the questions and concerns of the patients and family members we hear from on a daily basis.

The conference will be comprised of three, one hour, presentations. Presentations will run 45 minutes and will be followed by a ten minute question/answer exchange.

All conferences will be held from 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

October 18, Christina Meyers, of MD Anderson, will present on Neuropsychology.
November 8, Mimi Block, M.S., CCC-SLP and Joy B. Fried, M.A., CCC-SLP, of the University of Michigan, will present on Speech Therapy.
December 6, Mark Huang, MD, and Kim Brennan, PT, of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, will present on Physical Therapy.

For more information, go to: http://www.braintumor.org/about/whats_new/documents/rehabwebconferenceflyer2005.pdf.

Individuals that are interested in attending can register by sending their name, mailing address and phone number to rehabconference@yahoo.com. Registration can also be completed by calling the National Brain Tumor Foundation at 800.934.2873 or the Brain Tumor Society at 800.770.8287. Dial-in instructions and details specific to each presentation will be provided after registration has been completed.

Brain cancers: DNA chips improve diagnosis of gliomas

2005-10-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Institut Curie and Inserm research scientists and physicians have just shown that precise knowledge of alterations in chromosome 1 can be used to improve the treatment of gliomas, the most frequent brain tumors in adults. Diagnosis and treatment of these tumors are difficult because of their heterogeneity and variable malignancy. Using DNA chips, the authors of this report were able to distinguish the tumors with the best prognosis, whose chromosome 1 has undergone a specific deletion. Screening for these deletions should be incorporated into standard diagnostic tests by the end of 2005.

These results are published in the September 2005 issue of Annals of Neurology.

Gliomas are the most frequent brain tumors in adults, and account for over 50% of primary tumors. They are classified into three groups: astrocytomas - 70% of all these tumors - derive from astrocytes, cells close to the neurones; oligodendrogliomas derive from cells that produce the sheaths of nerve fibers; and oligoastrocytomas which are mixed tumors combining the characteristics of the first two types. Gliomas are graded I to IV according to their malignancy. Grade 1 tumors are clinically benign and can be treated surgically. Grade II, III and IV tumors are increasingly malignant and require additional treatments (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy).

Classification and grading of gliomas are essentially based on subtle microscopic characteristics and are therefore problematical. There is no specific marker or genetic signature, and the present classification seems inadequate in predicting the outcome of each type of glioma.

Chromosome 1 and the prognosis of gliomas

By studying the specific genetic alterations of a subgroup of more chemosensitive gliomas, their classification can be refined: the loss of the short arm(1) of chromosome 1 has thus been associated with a better prognosis and improved response to chemotherapy. Jean-Yves Delattre(2) and his team at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital and Olivier Delattre(3) and his team at the Institut Curie have identified several types of deletions of chromosome 1, only one of which is associated with gliomas with a good prognosis. These findings were recorded using array CGH analysis (see "Further information"), a technique that can establish high-resolution maps revealing genome anomalies (amplifications, deletions). Only the complete loss of the short arm of chromosome 1 combined with complete loss of the long arm of chromosome 19 signifies a good prognosis. Partial loss of the short arm of chromosome 1, on the other hand, characterizes more aggressive tumors. This retrospective study was done with samples from the tumor library of the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital using a technology developed at the Institut Curie.

In terms of fundamental research, these findings suggest that the genes involved in these two deletions, and hence associated with gliomas of good and poor prognosis, are different.

In clinical terms, the array CGH technique should improve the diagnosis of gliomas and hence their treatment. Screening for these chromosome 1 deletions should be incorporated into standard diagnostic tests by the end of 2005.

Genomics and notably DNA chips generate new information on the alterations underlying cancers. Using these tools, physicians can revamp and refine tumor classification to enable more individualized treatments. MORE

HOPKINS GENETICIST DISCOVERS MUTATIONS IN CANCER CELLS THAT SUGGEST NEW FORMS OF TREATMENT

2005-09-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have identified three new genetic mutations in brain tumors, a discovery that could pave the way for more effective cancer treatments.

The Johns Hopkins team, in conjunction with researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md., discovered DNA abnormalities in two tyrosine kinase proteins already known to disrupt normal cell activity and contribute to tumor formation.

The discovery of these mutations is especially significant, the researchers say, because tyrosine kinases can be targeted using pharmaceuticals.

"We picked these proteins to sequence because receptor tyrosine kinases sit on the cell surface where anticancer drugs can get at them," said Gregory J. Riggins, M.D., co-lead author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

In the study, the researchers identified two of the previously unknown mutations in fibroblast growth receptor 1 (FGFR1) and one in platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA).

FGFR1 and PDGFRA, said Riggins, have been implicated in several other cancers such as colorectal, breast and ovarian cancer, as well as chronic myelogenous leukemia, gastrointestinal stromal tumors and lymphoma.

Riggins and colleagues analyzed a catalog of 518 protein kinase sequences taken from the Human Genome Project. Using high-throughput gene sequencing equipment based at the Venter Institute's Joint Technology Center, they resequenced 20 targeted proteins from tissue samples of brain tumor cells from Johns Hopkins. The cells came from 19 glioblastoma tumors from eight females and 11 males ranging in age from 7 to 77 years. Glioblastomas are malignant tumors of the central nervous system usually found in the cortex of the brain.

Researchers discovered the mutations after comparing the resequenced genes with corresponding genes from the human genome sequence.

A previous study by Johns Hopkins researchers, led by Victor Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., used high-throughput gene sequencing to identify 14 mutated genes that have potential links to the growth of colon cancer cells, according to Riggins. These discoveries suggest potential future therapies that might use small molecules and antibodies to regulate the function of the mutated genes.

The success of that study prompted researchers to take the same approach to search for new drug targets for glioblastoma, a brain tumor for which current therapies are weak.

According the Riggins, the recent advances in genomic information and technology have set the stage for the assembling of a complete catalog of molecular alterations that contribute to cancers. Genes involved in the tyrosine kinase family will be important in these future studies because they play a significant role in signaling between cancer cells and what's around them. Combined with the remarkable clinical success doctors have had with the molecular targeting of this family of genes, Riggins said, these new findings could result in effective new treatments for cancer.

"The next step," he added, "is to find inhibitors of these mutations and find out how we can reverse the effects of these mutations in the cancer cell. Our hope is that we can target enough of these mutations to treat the cancer."

STUDY: Marital status, treatment, and survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

2005-09-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

...Click to read study...CONCLUSIONS: Unmarried patients with GM presented with larger tumors, were less likely to undergo both surgical resection and postoperative RT, and had a shorter survival after diagnosis when compared with married patients, even after adjustment for treatment and other prognostic factors

Profile of daily life in children with brain tumors: an assessment of health-related quality of life.

2005-08-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

...Click ...

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals and New Approaches to Brain Tumor Therapy (NABTT) Consortium Initiate Cotara(R) Brain Cancer Trial

2005-08-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

The trial will enroll patients at four NABTT institutions; Wake Forest University, Emory University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Pennsylvania. Up to 28 patients will be enrolled in this trial.

"Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive and fatal cancer with few treatment options, and we are anxious to evaluate this novel study drug in patients," said Dr. Kevin Judy of the University of Pennsylvania, the Neurosurgery Chair for the study....Click to read entire article...

Radio-guided Neurosurgery for treatment of Brain cancer

2005-08-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Radio-guided Neurosurgery using a gamma probe for the treatment of brain cancer is the new technology developed by doctors at The Manipal Institute of Neurological Disorders at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore. The new technique effectively removes the brain tumor.

Removal of brain tumors surgically leads to enormous risks and the success of the tumor removal entirely depends on the surgeon’s skill. By using the new technology the effectiveness of tumor removal is highly successful.

The new procedure is done by inserting intravenously, an isotope called technetium-99m, which cruises on a molecule called Sestemabi, in the patient. The isotope then latches onto the cancerous tissue in the brain, making it glow like a light in the darkness. By using the glow caused by the gamma probe the brain tumor is detected and removed effectively.
...Click to read entire article...

Sneaky compound kills brain cancer cells

2005-08-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE"A compound
that kills cancer can sneak past the blood brain barrier to do its work in
fighting a particularly invasive brain cancer.

'The bottom line is, if you can get drugs into the brain, you can cure brain
cancer,' said Dr. William Banks of the St. Louis University School of Medicine.
The compound -- JV-1-36 -- is an antagonist of the hypothalamic growth hormone,
which has been found to cause cancerous tumors, such as malignant glioblastomas,
to grow.

Researchers found the blood brain barrier that usually keeps anti-cancer drugs
out of the brain, intercepted some of the JV-1-36 that was injected into mice,
but allowed much of it pass into the brain to treat cancer."

Early Radiation Improves Progression-Free Survival in Low-Grade Brain Cancer

2005-08-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

...Click to read...

Recycle For The Cure....Help raise money for brain tumor research!

2005-08-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

click here for more info

Scientists Find Common Virus May Help Treat Brain Tumors

2005-08-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

RedNova News - ...Click to read...Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are getting ready to test the experimental cancer therapy, Reolysin as a viable treatment in treating recurrent malignant gliomas, some of the most aggressive and deadly brain tumors.

The studies are sponsored by Oncolytics Biotech and as described by their lead scientist Dr. Matthew Coffey in published scientific journals, including Science and The EMBO Journal, the reovirus is able to replicate in cancer cells with an activated Ras pathway, without harming healthy cells. The Ras Pathway is instrumental in transferring growth signals to the nucleus of a cell, telling the cell when and how to grow -- much like an "on-off" switch.

Experimental Drug Gives New Hope For Brain Cancer

2005-08-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

UCSF Medical Center...CBS ...Click to read...PLUS VIDEOAn experimental drug is saving the lives of patients with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Daily treatment with an experimental cancer drug appears to shrink brain tumors in 22% of patients with recurrent glioblastoma

2005-08-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

Click to read

An angel got her wings: Kristina Michelle "Kristie" Beenau

2005-08-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Kristina "Kristie" Michelle Beenau, 37, of Peoria, Arizona, passed away after fighting brain cancer for the past 16 months, on August 15, 2005. She was born September 1, 1967 in Phoenix, Arizona to Karl and Dottie (O'Neill) Bialik. She is survived by her husband, Blayn W. Beenau; son, Tyler A. Beenau; daughter, Holli L. Beenau; sister, Kelly M. Moody; mother, Dottie O'Neill; father and step mother, Karl Bialik and Phyllis Bartell. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm, Thursday, August 18th at St. Thomas More Church, 6180 West Utopia. Mass will be at 1:30 pm on Friday, August 19th at St. Francis Xavier Church, 4715 N. Central Ave. Arrangements by Hansen Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Hospice of the Valley, 9720 West Peoria Ave., Peoria, AZ 85345 or Barrows Neurological c/o St. Joseph's Hospital.

TIPS: Brain Tumor Parent Information: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

2005-08-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

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Childhood brain cancer dilemma

2005-08-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLEMore than 2,000 children suffer from brain tumors each year in the United States.

Many times, the treatment is as bad, if not worse, than the disease itself. Now, a new approach offers hope -- but not without a risk.

Experts Recommend Cancer Books

2005-08-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

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Chromosome 1p loss: A favorable prognostic factor in low-grade gliomas.

2005-08-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

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New Brain Tumor Drug

2005-08-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLEFor the last 40 years, doctors relied on sulfasalazine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease. However, a new study shows this drug may treat primary brain tumors, known as gliomas.

Gliomas kill nearly 20,000 Americans a year and are among one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with no effective treatment existing.

Asthma Could Cut Brain Cancer Risk

2005-08-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

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Brain Tumor Breakthrough with Crohn's disease drug

2005-08-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

CLICK HEREUAB researchers say a drug already on the market for the treatment of Crohn's disease also may help treat primary brain tumors. The findings, reported in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that sulfasalazine, a drug on the market for nearly 40 years, can reduce tumor size by interfering with the cancer cell's ability to make the brain chemical glutathione.

Epileptic seizures during follow-up of patients treated for primary brain tumors.

2005-08-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

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Re-engineered neural stem cells use a bystander effect to target glioma

2005-08-08T20:24:00.001-07:00

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"SURVIVORS: Send me your photo...info about you, your family- even your support group-I'll post them here-we want this to be your site too!

2005-08-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

We'll post a link to your support group on "Brain Tumor News" Do you have up to 100+ photo's of your last fundraiser? We'll create a photo gallery for you and post each and every one of your event photos on this site.

It's all FREE for all of my fellow survivors and their support groups!

I WANT SURVIVORS LIKE MYSELF- FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD - TO BE ABLE TO CLICK ON OUR SITE AND VIEW 1000'S OF THEIR FELLOW SURVIVORS...PLUS THEIR SUPPORT GROUPS.

I WANT TO GIVE EVERY SUPPORT GROUP A LINK ON "BRAIN TUMOR NEWS"

I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

You probably wonder how we can do this and not charge 1-cent! Our publisher's closest friend - who also happens to be his niece - is a 3 year Survivor! He is doing this in honor of her for us!

Send everything to me at my E-mail address: Braintumornomore@aol.com

Sincerely Yours. LANETTE McLAMB-VERES

Editor, Brain Tumor News

Brain Tumor Breakthrough with Crohn's disease drug

2005-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

CLICK HEREUAB researchers say a drug already on the market for the treatment of Crohn's disease also may help treat primary brain tumors.

Using viruses to treat cancer

2005-08-03T01:11:00.001-07:00

linkThe natural ability of viruses to infect and destroy cells is being used by scientists to kill cancerous tumours, according to an article in the August 2005 issue of Microbiology Today, the quarterly magazine of the Society for General Microbiology.

Professor Moira Brown of Southern General Hospital in Glasgow explains how viruses that cause common diseases, such as cold sores and ‘flu, have been modified so that they are no longer harmful, but can target and kill only cancerous cells.

Safety trials have been completed for some of these cancer-killing viruses and now new trials are underway to test how effective they are.

“If we can demonstrate the effectiveness of the viruses, the potential is there to transform the future for people who have cancers that are otherwise untreatable,” said Professor Brown.

Brain Tumor Breakthrough with Crohn's disease drug

2005-07-31T23:58:00.000-07:00

LINK: "The findings, reported in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that sulfasalazine, a drug on the market for nearly 40 years, can reduce tumor size by interfering with the cancer cell's ability to make the brain chemical glutathione. "

Without glutathione, tumor cells are more susceptible to attack by the body's natural defenses.

“Clinical trials could begin very quickly, since a clinically approved drug that can be delivered orally is already available,” said Harald [cq] Sontheimer, Ph.D. professor of neurobiology and director of the UAB Civitan International Research Center.

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UAB discovers treatment for brain cancer

2005-07-28T19:51:00.001-07:00

CLICK HEREA drug used for decades to treat intestinal inflammation may also work against the most common and malignant type of brain tumor, UAB researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Neuroscience.

The finding will give doctors an FDA-approved drug that can be used immediately in an "off label" application to treat desperately ill patients while human trials are conducted, authorities said.

Imaging Agent Greatly Improves Surgeon's Ability to See Gliomas Intraoperatively: Presented at AANS

2005-07-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

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Asthma gene variants may cut risk of brain cancer

2005-07-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ARTICLE Yahoo! NewsNew research suggests that gene variants, which are known to raise the risk of asthma, decrease the risk of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common type of brain cancer that is rapidly fatal.Several reports have linked asthma with a reduced risk of brain tumors, but the studies may have suffered from various design issues, lead author Dr. Judith Schwartzbaum, from Ohio State University in Columbus, told Reuters Health. "So, to me, the evidence just wasn't credible."