Top 10 Discoveries of Cancer Treatment in 2009
Since 2009 is getting close to the end, I am going to join the Group Writing Project organized by DailyBloggingTips.com to write this article about the top 10 new discoveries of cancer treatment in 2009.
I have gathered the cancer research news from Google and NCI. Below are some of the new findings of cancer treatment which I found really benefits to the world.
1. Brachytherapy – New Cancer Treatment without Surgery
On the 27th of January 2009, U.T.’s Health Science Centre unveiled a new promising cancer treatment that revolutionized the way to treat cancerous tumors in patients’ lungs. This new finding is called Brachytherapy, a new cancer treatment without surgery.
After mild sedation, a catheter is inserted into patient’s throat and the lung near to the tumor. Radiation is released from a small seed at the end of the catheter and killed the tumor cells without killing the normal lung tissue. Therefore, the patient can still live normally after treatment. It only takes 3 to 4 minutes to undergo the Brachytherapy and the patient can leave the hospital a short time later without feeling sick.
2. Linac – Machine Boots Cancer Treatment
On 12th of June 2009, a new machine called Linac that can speed up cancer treatment for cancer patients has been unveiled at Velindre Cancer Centre. This machine enables an extra 200 radiotherapy cancer treatments to be carried out every week. Linac generate high intensity of radiation beams to kill cancer cells effectively.
3. CD8+ Memory Stem Cells to Destroy Large Tumors
On 14th of June 2009, the researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that a subset of immune cells, T lymphocytes called CD8+ memory stem cells, were capable of mediating strong anti-tumor immune response. These stem-like characteristics of CD8+ memory stem cells enable tiny numbers of T cells to stimulate the destruction of large melanoma tumors. The CD8+ memory stem cells have the enhanced ability to renew themselves, to proliferate, to differentiate and to kill tumor cells effectively.
4. α-CbT – Compound Inhibited Nicotine Receptors for Cancer Treatment
On 15th of June 2009, the compound α-CbT was found to inhibit the expression of nicotine receptors and increased apoptosis. As we all know, changes in genes encoding nicotine receptors can drive the urge to smoke and increase susceptibility to lung cancer as well. Exposure to nicotine will boost the expression of nicotine receptors which inhibits the apoptosis. Therefore, this new cancer treatment that targeted nicotine receptors by using α-CbT can prevent the developing of lung cancer. The α-CbT did not affect the noncancerous cells.
5. microRNA – Help Identify and Cancer Treatment for Lung Cancer
On 7th of October 2009, the scientists at National Cancer Institute (NCI) revealed that a small RNA molecule, known as microRNA, can help to identify liver cancer and respond well to cancer treatment with a biological agent called interferon. The researchers showed that miR-26 (microRNA) status in tumors may be useful indicator both to determine prognosis for patients with hematocelular carcinoma (HCC) and to inform the selection of patients who might benefit from treatment with interferon to prevent disease relapse.
6. Suicide Gene – Induce Apoptosis on Tumor cells
On 9th of October 2009, A group of researchers from National Cancer Institute (NCI) have used the suicide genes that cause a cell to kill itself through apoptosis to treat cancer. This new technique used the surviving gene promoter to induce the expression of suicide gene in cancer cells with a minimum effect on normal cells. When the survivin promoter-driven mutant bax was injected in to tumors of mice, the gene induced 60% of cancer cells in tumor tissue to undergo apoptosis. This slowed tumor growth significantly.
7. Reduce Radiation Damage by Blocking the Expression of CD47
On 21st of October 2009, the researchers at National Cancer Institute (NCI) once again showed their contribution to the cancer research by developing a method that protects healthy tissues from damaging effects of radiation cancer treatment. Previous cancer research showed that mice lacking CD47 are resistant to radiation damage. Therefore, the researchers injected an agent that suppressed the CD47 expression during the radiation. They proved that this can protect the normal cells from damage by radiation.
8. Nicotine Patch and Nicotine Lozenge Works Best for Smoking Cessation
On 2nd of November 2009, the researchers from National Cancer Institute (NCI) showed that the combination of nicotine patch and nicotine lozenge provided the great benefit for smokers to quit smoking effectively.
9. PDF – Mushroom Extract that Shrink Tumors Effectively
On 1st of December 2009, Dr. Brandon Louie and colleagues from Department of Urology at New York Medical College showed that a combination of interferon alpha (immunotherapy for bladder cancer) and PDF (mushroom extract) can reduce bladder cancer cell growth. However, it is too soon to claim that the PDF are a cure for cancer as the study provides no evidence that the mushrooms extract have health benefits in humans. Anyway, I still feel that this study has the further research value for cancer treatment in future.
10. Lunasin – Fighting Leukemia and Blocking Inflammation
On 2nd of December 2009, Elvira de Mejia, a professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition from University of Illinois claimed that lunasin, a soy peptide may have important benefits that fighting leukemia and blocking the inflammation that accompanies such chronic health conditions as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Lunasin is a soy peptide often discarded in the waste streams of soy-processing plants.
In conclusion, the cancer research on cancer treatment is still has a long way to go. The cancer research will continue to carry out to provide the greatest benefits to the world.
Actually it’s cheaper to consume mushroom than to buy the extract. I think cancer patients will much enjoy eating good food than taking all the medicines or undergo chermo or radiotheraphy
.-= scheng1´s last blog ..How to improve psychic abilities =-.
You are right scheng1! Prevention is always better than cure. We have to take good care of our body. Thanks for dropping by! Hope that you enjoy the writing!
Progress is definitely being made on the cancer front. Too bad many of the top students are entering the tech field and not the science field.
Maybe you are right Gabe. In my opinion, cancer research field needs a lot of people that really interested on doing the research but not only with high intellectual. Thanks for dropping by!:)
Very interesting read this is one of my major interest. I will be following this blog closely. I see you put a lot of thought into what you write.
Thanks Kendall! Hope that you enjoy the article.:)
Supposedly, there is a physician in Japan who has discovered a combination fo medication and exercise that can reduce or eliminate cancerous tumors. Don’t know his name but again, supposedly, the treatment worked on 487 of 500 people, and according to the report, the reason it didn’t work on the other 13 was that their cancer was too far advanced for the treatment to help.
.-= psychics uk´s last blog ..MOON MAGIC =-.
Hmm Well I was just searching on Google for some psychic readings and psychic
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It’s glad to see development of cancer treatment in 2009, hope it can cure cancer with higher percentage of success. But in my opinion prevention is still the best, So they need to socialize it more
.-= 2012 Doomsday Prophecy´s last blog ..2012 Mayan Doomsday Prophecy DVD =-.
Yes, you are right! Prevention is always better than cure. We should prevent from getting cancer.
this is great stuff. I hope these cures will help in the future.
I admire the work our scientist are doing to manage this terrible disease. I would like to know how much of total funds are devoted to prevention. If necessary I believe communities would support a direct tax credit to increase funding for cancer research.
Actually, what makes us sick is our stressful jobs, fast food, chlorinated water, dirty air and lack of sleep.
If you can change or improve any one of the above, you’ll have better chances of not getting cancer.
Prevention is in our livestyles.
Peter
.-= Peter Moss´s last blog ..70-562 ASP.NET exam cleared!!! What a relief? =-.
Yes, you are right Peter! We really need to take good care on our health and lifestyle.
2009 was a busy year as gene-related exploration tools opened up a treasure trove of new discoveries. We’ve learned why some of the obvious good health habits, like getting enough sleep and exercise are more important than ever, and we’ve learned new things about health that were barely imagined even a year ago.
@Comforters, yes youare right! Leading a healthy habit is what we really need in this busy era. Prevention is always better than cure.
Cancer has a very long history in my family. My grandfather died of prostate cancer. I lost my dearest aunt to breast cancer. Then, my dad died two years ago fighting colon cancer. Any significant update regarding its treatment is always a welcoming thought on my end.
.-= poptropica cheats´s last blog ..Poptropica Mythology Island Walkthrough =-.
I am so sorry to hear the sad family history from you. I will try my best to update the new cancer treatment in my blog. Hope that you may get some information from here.
I read that there was cancer treatment method using non-chemical therapy. In your opinion, is that work? currently many articles discussing the treatment of cancer with the use of fruits such as soursop, cabbage, and grapes
I head read about CD8+ memory stem cells as antitumor factor. Nice to read here too.
I’m really glad to read about this!
Cancer, is one of the most ‘killer’ disease ever. Knowing that experts/medics are doing all they can to seek new treatments for this disease is really great!
I do believe that ‘prevention is always better than cure’. I do hope they will be successful in their studies and discoveries.
Brachytherapy for lung cancer is not a new treatment. Treatment by inserting radioactive seeds were conducted as early as 1992. This procedure may be provided on its own or in conjunction with other methods. Technology and methods have improved immensely since these early treatments and in fact Brachytherapy is now widely used for successfully treating many forms of cancers throughout the world.