| Unraveling Brain Tumors - Science Insider
Reported September 2007
BACKGROUND: Researchers at St. Jude Children's Hospital have found brain tumors appear to arise from cancer stem cells (CSCs) that live inside tiny protective "niches" formed by blood vessels in the brain. Breaking down these niches is a promising strategy for eliminating the tumors and preventing them from regrowing.
ABOUT CANCER STEM CELLS: Scientists previously believed tumors are lumps of cancerous tissue and must be completely removed or destroyed to cure a patient. But over the last five years, cancer researchers have learned not all cancer cells are created equal. In the same way normal tissue in the body is generated from stem cells, so is cancer. CSCs are the ultimate source of the tumor, consistently supplying it with new cells. Researchers have identified the CSCs for acute myeloma leukemia, four types of brain cancer and breast cancer. So it is possible we need not kill all cancer cells to rid a patient of the disease. Targeting the CSCs specifically might be much more efficient.
NEW DRUG THERAPY: The new findings from St. Jude indicates it is possible to kill the cancer by disrupting the shielded compartments in the small capillaries of the brain where CSCs reside. Anti-angiogenic drugs, such as Avastin, block the formation of new blood vessels. In tests with mice, those same drugs cause a significant drop in cancer stem cells and slow tumor growth. Human clinical trials are currently in progress at St. Jude to determine the effectiveness of Avastin and another anti-angiogenic drug in eliminating tumors and preventing their recurrence in children with brain cancers.
If you would like more information, please contact:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN
(901) 495-3300
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