If this isn't absolute rock bottom for the tabloid compulsion to divide every substance known to science into things that cure or cause cancer, I really don't want to know what is.Cancer-busting chemotherapy can cause damage to healthy cells which triggers them to secrete a protein that sustains tumour growth and resistance to further treatment, a study said Sunday.
Researchers in the United States made the "completely unexpected" finding while seeking to explain why cancer cells are so resilient inside the human body when they are easy to kill in the lab.
They tested the effects of a type of chemotherapy on tissue collected from men with prostate cancer, and found "evidence of DNA damage" in healthy cells after treatment, the scientists wrote in Nature Medicine.
Chemotherapy works by inhibiting reproduction of fast-dividing cells such as those found in tumours.
The scientists found that healthy cells damaged by chemotherapy secreted more of a protein called WNT16B which boosts cancer cell survival.
"The increase in WNT16B was completely unexpected," study co-author Peter Nelson of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle told AFP.
The protein was taken up by tumour cells neighbouring the damaged cells.
"WNT16B, when secreted, would interact with nearby tumour cells and cause them to grow, invade, and importantly, resist subsequent therapy," said Nelson.
In cancer treatment, tumours often respond well initially, followed by rapid regrowth and then resistance to further chemotherapy.
Rates of tumour cell reproduction have been shown to accelerate between treatments.
"Our results indicate that damage responses in benign cells... may directly contribute to enhanced tumour growth kinetics," wrote the team.
The researchers said they confirmed their findings with breast and ovarian cancer tumours.
The result paves the way for research into new, improved treatment, said Nelson.
"For example, an antibody to WNT16B, given with chemotherapy, may improve responses (kill more tumour cells)," he said in an email exchange.
"Alternatively, it may be possible to use smaller, less toxic doses of therapy."
Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
Moderators: Alyrium Denryle, Edi, K. A. Pital
Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
Yahoo News, who are now probably an honourary British tabloid.
There are hardly any excesses of the most crazed psychopath that cannot easily be duplicated by a normal kindly family man who just comes in to work every day and has a job to do.
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)
Replace "ginger" with "n*gger," and suddenly it become a lot less funny, doesn't it?
-- fgalkin
Like my writing? Tip me on Patreon
I Have A Blog
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)
Replace "ginger" with "n*gger," and suddenly it become a lot less funny, doesn't it?
-- fgalkin
Like my writing? Tip me on Patreon
I Have A Blog
-
Broomstick
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 28848
- Joined: 2004-01-02 07:04pm
- Location: Industrial armpit of the US Midwest
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
The fact that exposure to many chemotherapy agents can actually increase one's chances of getting cancer later on isn't news - my dad was aware of that back when he was mixing up batches of chemo in the 1970's (wearing/using appropriate safety gear, of course). This is just more detail on the exact mechanism involved hyped up by the media to look like a New Amazing Breakthrough.
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. Leonard Nimoy.
Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.- Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity, which sums up my feelings regarding the lawsuit discussed here.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. - John F. Kennedy
Sam Vimes Theory of Economic Injustice
Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.- Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity, which sums up my feelings regarding the lawsuit discussed here.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. - John F. Kennedy
Sam Vimes Theory of Economic Injustice
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
It has been a big drive to develop ways to target chemo better and use smaller doses for decades now.
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.
- NEIL ARMSTRONG, MISSION COMMANDER, APOLLO 11
Signature dedicated to the greatest achievement of mankind.
MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST does not mind BREAKING the SOUND BARRIER, because it is INSURED. - Simon_Jester considering the problems of hypersonic flight for Team L.A.M.E.
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
Errr..... aren't you the one over-reacting to this?
We already know that chemotherapy causes secondary cancer, its one of the factors for children since they're most likely to experience this.
The report doesn't even say anything about this. It just gives a straightforward report on how the body response to chemotherapy can boost tumour growth. I mean, I'm no scientist, but it does help explain why cancer cells act the way they do, and they even say it in the article itself here.
In cancer treatment, tumours often respond well initially, followed by rapid regrowth and then resistance to further chemotherapy.
Rates of tumour cell reproduction have been shown to accelerate between treatments.
"Our results indicate that damage responses in benign cells... may directly contribute to enhanced tumour growth kinetics," wrote the team.
I think you're the one who needs to get their newsmeter recalibrated.
We already know that chemotherapy causes secondary cancer, its one of the factors for children since they're most likely to experience this.
The report doesn't even say anything about this. It just gives a straightforward report on how the body response to chemotherapy can boost tumour growth. I mean, I'm no scientist, but it does help explain why cancer cells act the way they do, and they even say it in the article itself here.
In cancer treatment, tumours often respond well initially, followed by rapid regrowth and then resistance to further chemotherapy.
Rates of tumour cell reproduction have been shown to accelerate between treatments.
"Our results indicate that damage responses in benign cells... may directly contribute to enhanced tumour growth kinetics," wrote the team.
I think you're the one who needs to get their newsmeter recalibrated.
Let him land on any Lyran world to taste firsthand the wrath of peace loving people thwarted by the myopic greed of a few miserly old farts- Katrina Steiner
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
Not really... The mechanism suggeted is that DNA damage and repair by cytotoxic drugs increases the chance you developing secondary malignancies like leukemia.Broomstick wrote:The fact that exposure to many chemotherapy agents can actually increase one's chances of getting cancer later on isn't news - my dad was aware of that back when he was mixing up batches of chemo in the 1970's (wearing/using appropriate safety gear, of course). This is just more detail on the exact mechanism involved hyped up by the media to look like a New Amazing Breakthrough.
This study seems to shine more light on how malignant cells grow back faster and more aggressively when they relapse.
Let him land on any Lyran world to taste firsthand the wrath of peace loving people thwarted by the myopic greed of a few miserly old farts- Katrina Steiner
-
LaCroix
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 5196
- Joined: 2004-12-21 12:14pm
- Location: Sopron District, Hungary, Europe, Terra
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
This is possible the most depressing title you could have chosen for such good news...
Awesome find - finally, we can make cancer treatment more effective.
Awesome find - finally, we can make cancer treatment more effective.
A minute's thought suggests that the very idea of this is stupid. A more detailed examination raises the possibility that it might be an answer to the question "how could the Germans win the war after the US gets involved?" - Captain Seafort, in a thread proposing a 1942 'D-Day' in Quiberon Bay
I do archery skeet. With a Trebuchet.
I do archery skeet. With a Trebuchet.
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
LOL, something that kills fast growing cells may have fast growing cells grow fast to counter. Who would have thought? Actually, I'm more keen on the old saying, Chemo is trying to kill the cancer before the chemo kills you.
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
It is an important discovery nonetheless, because aside from "chemo can give you cancer", the researchers also gleaned some information on WHY and HOW it does that. And that's kind serious 
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.
- NEIL ARMSTRONG, MISSION COMMANDER, APOLLO 11
Signature dedicated to the greatest achievement of mankind.
MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST does not mind BREAKING the SOUND BARRIER, because it is INSURED. - Simon_Jester considering the problems of hypersonic flight for Team L.A.M.E.
Re: Now Even Chemotherapy Gives You Cancer!
If I wanted to find the paper this story is based on what would my best bet be? I know that I could google it, but I would be willing to bet that people here would know a few quicker ways to find things like this.