Cancer is the most dreadful disease. However, skin cancer is somewhat less virulent compared to the other variety of cancers. Skin cancer by far the most common form of cancer among human beings. The incidence of such cancer is quite high. The USA records several thousands cases every year.
What Is It And How Many Types Are There
» Read more: Skin Cancer – A Review
Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) arise from undifferentiated brain cells and are the most frequent malignant brain tumors in children. There are different forms of PNETs and, while scientists have made progress in characterizing the genetic abnormalities associated with some PNET subtypes, the highly aggressive cerebral tumors known as CNS-PNETs have been difficult to characterize as they represent a relatively uncommon group of tumors with ill-defined diagnostic features.
“Lack of insight into the molecular pathogenesis of CNS-PNET is a major obstacle towards development of disease-specific models and treatments for these frequently fatal malignancies,” explains senior study author, Dr. Annie Huang from the Hospital for Sick Children in Ontario, Canada. To comprehensively define relevant genetic alterations associated with CNS-PNET, Dr. Huang established international collaborations with colleagues from pediatric oncology centers in Asia, Europe and the United States to complete a sophisticated high resolution genomic screen of a large collection of primary tumors.
» Read more: New Hope for Diagnosis and Treatment of Intractable Pediatric Brain Tumors
One in five people with lung cancer have small cell lung cancer and only three per cent of these people are expected to survive for five years. With this form of lung cancer, tumours spread quickly so it is rarely possible to remove the tumours surgically. Because of this, small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy, with or without additional radiotherapy. Initially, the treatment often appears to work, reducing the size of the tumours. However, the tumours usually grow back rapidly and then become resistant to further treatment.
The researchers behind today’s study have identified a drug that, in some mice, was able to completely shrink tumours away. In the mouse models, it was also able to stop tumours from growing and it helped other forms of chemotherapy to work more effectively. If the drug proves successful in humans, the researchers hope that it could help patients with this kind of lung cancer to live longer.
» Read more: Drug Shrinks Lung Cancer Tumors In Mice