Cancer Breakthrough

[1cooldude]

Diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer called anal sac adenocarcinoma, Oscar's future seemed bleak. Bedridden and unresponsive to chemotherapy or radiation, he would be lucky to survive three months. But thanks to an innovative new drug treatment, Oscar's cancer receded and he was walking again within two weeks.

Oscar's recovery was extraordinary enough, but his case was unusual for another reason. Oscar is a Bichon Frise, who scientists reporting in Salt Lake City, Utah at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society on March 23 call "the Miracle Dog." Joseph A. Bauer, Ph.D., and colleagues described promising results with a drug called nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl) in battling cancer in Oscar and three other canines without any negative side effects. While it gives profound hope to dog owners, NO-Cbl also points to a powerful new cancer treatment for humans — one that infiltrates cancer cells like a biological Trojan horse.

"We are one of the few research groups that is offering to treat dogs with cancer that otherwise have no hope," Bauer said. "With no other options available, most people in this situation opt to euthanize so that their pets don't go through the pain of disease and trauma of surgery."

About six million dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), pets with cancer provide a win-win opportunity for cancer researchers. Scientists can study new cancer treatments in animals other than lab mice. And pets get access to new treatments that provide hope and in instances like NO-Cbl, additional time.

Bauer put it this way: "The beauty of using a dog or a cat to test a cancer drug is two-fold. First, the animal can get the benefit of the most up-to-date drug in cancer medicine. Second, the NCI gets data on pets that are exposed to the same environmental factors their owners are. They breathe the same polluted air and drink the same polluted water that you and I do every day. If you can find an agent to treat cancer that occurs in a dog with success, there is a higher likelihood that you can take that to the human population and have a much higher response rate than with mice."

Although NO-Cbl has been used in only a few dogs, daily treatments have led to promising results in each case. "In all four dogs, there has been a significant reduction in tumor size without any toxic side effects or discomfort," says Bauer.

Oscar was the first success story. Since then, Bauer has treated two other dogs. A six-year old golden retriever named Buddy was unable to walk due to a spinal tumor pinching essential nerves leading to his right hind leg. After nine months of daily NO-Cbl treatment, Buddy's tumor shrank by 40 percent and he was going on two mile walks. A 13-year-old female Giant Schnauzer with inoperable thyroid carcinoma also showed tumor reductions of 77 percent in less than 10 weeks.

"Our case studies demonstrate anti-tumor efficacy with limited toxicity to normal tissues," Bauer added. "NO-Cbl sensitizes multidrug-resistant cancer cells to the antitumor effects of several different drugs, so it may be valuable when utilized in combination regimes," he added.

The drug targets cancer cells with "biological Trojan horse technology." Cells have receptors for vitamin B12 on their outer surface. The receptors serve as docking ports where molecules of the vitamin, essential for cells to divide and multiply, attach and then enter the cell. In order to divide at their abnormally rapid pace, cancer cells grow extra B12 receptors — 100 times more than normal cancer cells. Scientists have been trying since the 1950s to exploit that vulnerability and make B12-based drugs that attach to the receptors, sneak into the cell, and deliver a knock-out dose of medication.

Bauer and his colleagues from the Cleveland Clinic attached nitric oxide (NO) molecules to vitamin B12. NO kills cancer cells. The B12 acts as the Trojan horse, easily slipping into cancer cells. The subsequent release of toxic NO kills the cancer cells from within.

The team's goal is to successfully treat 10 dogs with NO-Cbl and slingshot the drug into human use as soon as possible. Because of the genetic similarity between dogs and humans, Bauer says his approach should have a much better chance of getting through the FDA's strict drug approval chain.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090323143856.htm

[mountain_rage]

Something tells me cancer will be a thing of the past within the next 10 to 20 years. There are so many promising avenues of treatment currently in the research phase that its hard to believe a cure isn't imminent. There is one attempt to create a drug that carries metal into the tumor than zapping them with radio waves that heat up the metal killing the tumor. Then you have research on finding genes that may cause someone to be predisposed to cancer, helping to locate early signs that someone should be regularly checked. Even gamma knives and MRI are advancing in a way that improves their abilities to kill cancer.

[RACKnRAIL]

My guess is that nanotechnology will also play a huge role in the future of cancer research and treatment.

[mountain_rage]

My guess is that nanotechnology will also play a huge role in the future of cancer research and treatment.

That is true, and this somewhat falls into advancements of medicine as the current nano tech research is going into making more targeted pharmaceuticals. Its also being used to make smart tissue that behaves like real tissue, but thats used more for physical injuries.

Something that I forgot to put in that is very likely to help the fight are stem cells. Those things are going to change the medical landscape once scientists get all their barings straightened out. If the most ambitious goals are successful a doctor could cut off your arm because there is cancer in it and grow you a new one using stem cells.

There was also talk of nano robot swarms for the future of health care, but that is not likely to happen anytime soon. If I had to estimate I would say that will come in the next 50 to 100 years. . They still need some major breakthroughs before we see a nanorobot swarm take over your body to remove the cancer, fix bones, or other things at the molecular level. But when that does happen it will be pretty sweet, we could possibly develop automated scanning and repair systems for most health care needs.

[RACKnRAIL]

That is true, and this somewhat falls into advancements of medicine as the current nano tech research is going into making more targeted pharmaceuticals. Its also being used to make smart tissue that behaves like real tissue, but thats used more for physical injuries.

Something that I forgot to put in that is very likely to help the fight are stem cells. Those things are going to change the medical landscape once scientists get all their barings straightened out. If the most ambitious goals are successful a doctor could cut off your arm because there is cancer in it and grow you a new one using stem cells.

There was also talk of nano robot swarms for the future of health care, but that is not likely to happen anytime soon. If I had to estimate I would say that will come in the next 50 to 100 years. . They still need some major breakthroughs before we see a nanorobot swarm take over your body to remove the cancer, fix bones, or other things at the molecular level. But when that does happen it will be pretty sweet, we could possibly develop automated scanning and repair systems for most health care needs.

I remember Stephen Hawking saying something to the effect that nano tech could also be our undoing.

[mfgbypooter]

Something tells me cancer will be a thing of the past within the next 10 to 20 years.

Probably not soon enough to save my dad. He is on his last round of chemo now. If this doesn't work then his only option left will be to wait until the cancer finally wins.

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[RACKnRAIL]

Probably not soon enough to save my dad. He is on his last round of chemo now. If this doesn't work then his only option left will be to wait until the cancer finally wins.

*

That sucks!! I lost my dad to cancer. He had lung cancer. When they said he had 6 months they weren't kidding. He lived almost 6 months to the day after being told.

pooter, I wish your dad luck.

[mountain_rage]

I remember Stephen Hawking saying something to the effect that nano tech could also be our undoing.

There is a theory that nanotech could go haywire. The result could be nanobots swarming the world reordering all atoms. Or an even better doomsday scenario was a nanobot designed to build other nanobots ends up in a infinite loop turning everything on the planet into itself. On the bight side, if that ever happens with can start testing emp bombs.

[Aaron_Walkhouse]

Nanotech uses mostly molecular and chemical processes. EMP doesn't really touch that.

[carpefile]

We'd just have to make nanobots to fight the nanobots and have micromech wars in our bodies.

Be cool if we had nanocams to watch the battles.

[fleecy]

i really hope to see cancer gone in my lifetime- it's shortened too many other lives.

[mfgbypooter]

That sucks!! I lost my dad to cancer. He had lung cancer. When they said he had 6 months they weren't kidding. He lived almost 6 months to the day after being told.

pooter, I wish your dad luck.

Thanks, and sorry for your own loss. My dad is already preparing for the inevitable, and is positive and upbeat considering the odds.

All I can hope is that I can be as strong as he is when it comes my own time.

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