Leukemia Archives

Vaccine may cure chronic myeloid leukemia CML

Johns Hopkins researchers say vaccine appears to ‘mop up’ leukemia cells Gleevec leaves behind — Team cautions that results are very preliminary and they cannot yet rule out other reasons for success – Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers say preliminary studies show that a vaccine made with leukemia cells may be able to reduce or eliminate the last remaining cancer cells in some chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients taking the drug Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec).

XMRV virus may cause prostate cancer in people

Researchers find first evidence of virus in malignant prostate cells in prostate cancer — XMRV retrovirus is associated with more aggressive tumors of prostate gland. – XMRV (Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) — a type of virus known to cause leukemia and sarcomas in animals has been found for the first time in malignant human prostate cancer cells.

Agent Orange exposure linked to heart disease and Parkinson’s disease

Limited data suggest possible association between Agent Orange exposure – A new report from the Institute of Medicine finds suggestive but limited evidence that exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War is associated with an increased chance of developing ischemic heart disease and Parkinson’s disease for Vietnam veterans.

Nitrate linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease

Researchers find possible environmental causes for Alzheimer’s, diabetes — Call for reducing nitrate levels in fertilizer and water, detoxifying food and water. – Increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food increases disease risks including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson’s disease, revealed by researchers.

Combined antiviral and chemotherapy to fight HIV AIDS

A new weapon in the war against HIV-AIDS: Combined antiviral and targeted chemotherapy – HIV-AIDS could be treated through a combination of targeted chemotherapy and current Highly Active Retroviral (HAART) treatments, revealed by researchers.

Early stem cell transplant best for acute myeloid leukemia patients

Study IDs benefit of donor SCT for adults with acute myeloid leukemia – A stem cell transplant (SCT) from a compatible donor early in the course of disease is the best approach for the majority of young and middle-aged adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to a new analysis of two dozen clinical studies.

Stem cell protein LIN28 offers a new cancer target

LIN28, which maintains cell ‘stemness,’ is abundant in advanced cancers and transforms cells to cancerous state – A protein abundant in embryonic stem cells is now shown to be important in cancer, and offers a possible new target for drug development, report researchers from the Stem Cell Program at Children’s Hospital Boston.

Stem cell – gene therapy may cure human genetic diseases

Combined stem cell-gene therapy approach cures human genetic disease in vitro – A study led by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has catapulted the field of regenerative medicine significantly forward, proving in principle that a human genetic disease can be cured using a combination of gene therapy and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology.

Green tea shows promise in leukemia

Green tea extract shows promise in leukemia trials – Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea.

Embryo’s heartbeat drives blood stem cell formation

Embryo’s heartbeat drives blood stem cell formation – Clues about how blood forms could yield new strategies for treating blood diseases. – Biologists have long wondered why the embryonic heart begins beating so early, before the tissues actually need to be infused with blood. Two groups of researchers from Children’s Hospital Boston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) -? presenting multiple lines of evidence from zebrafish, mice and mouse embryonic stem cells -? provide an intriguing answer: A beating heart and blood flow are necessary for development of the blood system, which relies on mechanical stresses to cue its formation.

Chemotherapy improves survival among older breast cancer patients

Study shows chemotherapy improves survival among older breast cancer patients – The average age of a woman diagnosed with breast cancer is 63, so it is critical to have effective proven, therapies for an older patient population.

$51 million for cancer research in US

American Cancer Society awards 143 research grants to investigators at 83 institutions nationwide. Grants total more than $51 million in the second of two cycles for 2009. – The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, not-for-profit funding source of cancer research in the United States, has awarded 143 national research and training grants totaling more than $51 million in the second of two grant cycles for 2009. The grants go into effect beginning July 1, 2009.