Cancer control : journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center
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Ras mutations are among the most common oncogene mutations found in multiple myeloma (MM). Patients with mutated Ras are less likely to respond to chemotherapy and have a shortened median survival. Therefore, targeting Ras farnesylation may be a valuable approach to treatment of MM. R115777 (tipifarnib) is a potent farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI) presently undergoing phase II/III clinical trials. ⋯ The drug selectively targets farnesyltransferase, but this effect did not correlate with disease stabilization, suggesting that these drugs may be targeting a survival pathway independent of Ras processing. Further studies will evaluate the use of FTI in maintenance therapy as well as in combination with other agents in advanced myeloma.
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Computed tomography (CT) screening of the chest has shown promise for early detection of lung cancer, but evidence for a reduction in lung cancer mortality by CT screening is not available. ⋯ Evidence regarding lung cancer screening by CT shows that this technology detects earlier-stage and smaller lung cancers with greater frequency than other screening methods. To date, no trials have demonstrated that CT screening leads to a reduction in lung cancer mortality. Until mortality trials are completed, low-dose CT screening should be considered an investigative tool rather than the standard of care.
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Lung cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths. Lung cancer mortality figures argue powerfully for new approaches to control this disease. The term chemoprevention can be defined as the use of specific natural or synthetic chemical agents to reverse, suppress, or prevent premalignancy from progressing to invasive cancer. ⋯ The concept of chemoprevention in lung cancer is still in its infancy but one day may have a significant impact on the incidence and mortality of this leading cancer threat. Molecular markets of risk, drug activity and targeting, improved imaging techniques, and new drug delivery systems are being evaluated.
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The dismal prognosis for patients harboring intracranial gliomas has prompted an intensive search for effective treatment alternatives such as immunotherapy. Our increased knowledge in basic immunology, glioma immunobiology, and molecular biology may lead to the development of effective, rational immunotherapy approaches. ⋯ Novel strategies to generate an anti-glioma immune response through use of dendritic cell vaccination, directed cytokine delivery, gene-based immunotherapy, and reversal of tumor-induced immunosuppression are promising. These strategies carry the potential of overcoming the resistance of gliomas to immunotherapeutic manipulation and, undoubtedly, will become a part of our future therapeutic armamentarium.
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The highly orchestrated process of blood cell development and homeostasis is termed "hematopoiesis." Understanding the biology of hematopoietic stem cells as well as hematopoiesis is important to developing improved treatments for hematologic malignancies, congenital disorders, chemotherapy-related cytopenias, and blood and marrow transplants. ⋯ While much is known about hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoiesis, much remains to be clarified about the environmental and genetic processes that govern the growth and development of the blood system. In addition, careful studies remain to be conducted to determine whether hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into extra-hematopoietic tissues.