Early surgery for 'low-grade' brain tumours may result in longer survival

Thursday 25 October 2012

Early surgery for patients with slow-growing, low-grade glioma brain tumours may result in better survival than a wait-and-see approach, according to Norwegian research.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), compares strategies for treating the brain tumours at two Norwegian hospitals.

Patients at the hospital that usually carried out early surgery to removal low-grade brain tumour had better overall survival than at the hospital that usually carried out a biopsy followed by monitoring.

Until now, a lack of evidence has meant that treatment of the tumours - which are not usually considered surgically curable - has varied between different hospitals. Some doctors have thought close monitoring is best, to spare patients brain surgery. But others have considered surgery the best option to give their patients the best chances of survival.

The research compared 153 patients with brain tumours treated at one of the hospitals.

Patients treated at the hospital that usually carried out early surgery lived longer than patients treated at the hospital that usually took a biopsy and monitored the patients.

After one year, 89 per cent of patients from either hospital had survived their disease.

But after three years, 70 per cent of people at the biopsy and monitoring hospital had survived, compared with 80 per cent at the hospital that carried out early surgery. The gap for seven-year survival was even wider, at 44 per cent compared with 68 per cent.

Dr Asgeir Jakola, of St Olavs University Hospital in Trondheim carried out the study. He said that the results: "significantly strengthens the data in support of early resection in newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas."

Dr Colin Watts, a Cancer Research UK brain tumour expert at the University of Cambridge, said the question of how treat low-grade gliomas was challenging, as these slow-growing brain tumours can be present for years without causing symptoms.

He added: "This new paper is exciting, as it suggests that early surgery, rather than a 'watch and wait' strategy, is the best option for suitable patients.

"But there are still unanswered questions - for example, there were more oligodendrogliomas in the group who were operated on, and since these have a better prognosis, this could have skewed the results."

However, he said the results for astrocytomas, which have a poorer outlook, generally supported the idea that early surgery could the best treatment for some patients.

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Anti-alcoholism drug could help treat most common type of adult brain cancer

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Cancer Research UK Press Release

A DRUG that has been used to treat alcoholic patients for more than sixty years could potentially help treat glioblastoma – the most common and deadly brain tumour in adults – according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer today (Wednesday).

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of brain tumour and is extremely hard to treat, with only around 27 per cent of patients in England surviving for one year or more*.

One of the difficulties is that only a handful of conventional drugs are able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier – which controls the exchange of molecules between the brain and the blood circulating around the body. So when glioblastoma patients develop resistance to existing treatments, there are very few alternatives that doctors can try.

But now researchers from the University of Wolverhampton - funded by The Brain Tumour Charity (formerly Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust) - have shown in lab studies how an anti-alcoholism drug called disulfiram, which can potentially cross the blood-brain barrier, might help sensitise cancer cells to existing chemotherapy treatments.

They found that the drug was effective at killing glioblastoma cells growing in the lab, particularly when combined with the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine, which is one of few chemotherapy drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Problems with tumours developing resistance to gemcitabine have previously limited its use in treating this type of cancer.

And because disulfiram is already licensed for use in alcoholic patients, this paves the way for phase II clinical trials to begin in cancer patients as soon as possible.

Study leader Dr Weiguang Wang, from the University of Wolverhampton, said: “We’ve been studying the cancer-fighting properties of disulfiram for over a decade, so it’s very exciting to have reached a stage where clinical trials may be possible. These latest findings suggest that the drug may work by transporting copper into the cancer cells, generating destructive free-radicals that build up and kill the cell. Glioblastoma cells tend to have much higher levels of copper than normal tissues, meaning additional copper may tip them over the edge while sparing normal tissues.

“The idea of using copper to tackle cancer was first suggested by UK scientists in the 1920s, but this is the first time that scientists have found a way of successfully transporting excess copper into cancer cells and shown how this can be combined with conventional chemotherapy treatment to help kill glioblastoma cells. We’re now working on the best way to deliver dilsulfiram and hope to begin clinical trials in cancer patients as soon as funding can be secured.”

Sarah Lindsell, CEO of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “The Brain Tumour Charity is proud to have funded this research and is pleased that it has had such a positive outcome that has the possibility of leading to clinical trials.  We see first-hand the devastating effects that glioblastomas have on patients and their families and this research could be a foundation to improve treatment and extend life expectancy. It is only through funding much-needed research that we can offer real hope to people who are diagnosed with a glioblastoma in the future.”

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said: “One of the big challenges in cancer treatment is how to successfully kill tumour cells without harming the surrounding tissues. Drugs like this one, which can both penetrate the blood brain barrier and increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy, could play an important role in overcoming the problem of resistance to help improve the outlook for people with brain tumours.”

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Gene 'fusion' linked to aggressive brain cancer

Thursday 26 July 2012

A small number of cases of glioblastoma - an aggressive brain tumour - are caused by DNA damage that joins two particular genes together, according to a US study published in the journal Science.

The finding, by researchers at Columbia University Medical Centre, also showed that chemicals targeting cells that contain this so-called 'gene fusion' can dramatically slow the growth of glioblastomas in mice.

The fusion of the two genes - known as FGFR and TACC - was seen in just three of 97 tumours studied.

So any therapy targeting this genetic fault would likely only be effective in only a small minority of glioblastoma patients.

Commenting on the finding, Cancer Research UK's Dr Laura Bell said the study wouldn't be applicable to all people with glioblastoma, but could be the first vital step to a treatment for people with few other options.

"It's particularly interesting that the researchers found a type of fault called a 'fusion gene' in some glioblastomas", she said, "as we know from experience that these faults can be targeted by drugs.

"For example, the drug imatinib, targets a fusion gene in certain leukaemias, and this has transformed the outlook for people with this form of the disease."

Study leader Professor Antonio Iavarone and his team carried out detailed genetic analyses of glioblastoma cells isolated from nine patients and then grown in the lab, and found the fusion between FGFR and TACC.

They then confirmed the finding by looking for the fusion in samples from 97 more glioblastoma patients.

"From a clinical perspective, we have identified a druggable target for a brain cancer with a particularly dismal outcome," said Professor Iavarone.

"From a basic research perspective, this discovery has implications for the understanding of glioblastoma as well as others types of solid tumours."

The researchers also found that introducing the FGFR-TACC fusion gene into the brain cells of healthy mice led to the development of aggressive brain tumours in 90 per cent of the animals.

Professor Peter Collins from the University of Cambridge, said the research was “interesting and offers the possibility of targeted treatment in cases with the fusion”.

Professor Collins, who is working as part of Cancer Research UK’s Stratified Medicine Programme, added: “It is only the second significant fusion gene found in a brain tumour.

“With more and more of these ‘next-generation’ gene sequencing projects reporting over the coming years, more drug targets will be identified.”

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Repeated childhood CT scans increase risk of cancer in adulthood

Thursday 7 June 2012

Repeated CT scans during childhood can increase the risk of developing brain tumours or leukaemia in later life, research from the UK, US and Canada suggests.

A new study published in the Lancet indicates that brain tumours in later life were three times as common among people who had two to three CT head scans in childhood, while the risk of leukaemia was three times greater in patients receiving five to 10 scans during childhood.

But the researchers who carried out the study emphasise that the overall absolute risk of people developing cancer after receiving CT scans remains small - amounting to two extra cases of cancer per 10,000 children who received CT scans.

And an expert from Cancer Research UK noted that the use of CT scans in the UK is regulated and so is generally lower than in the other countries in the study.

As a result of their findings, the researchers recommend that the radiation doses delivered during CT scans should be as low as possible to reduce the associated risks.

The scientists - from Newcastle University, Dalhousie University in Canada and the Institutes of Health in the USA - assessed nearly 180,000 young patients in the UK who were given CT scans between 1985 and 2002.

Of these patients, 74 subsequently developed leukaemia, and 135 were diagnosed with brain cancer. The relative risk of leukaemia went up for each 0.036 mGy (microGrays - a unit of radiation exposure) of radiation that was received by those undergoing CT scans. For brain tumours, the risk increased per 0.023 mGy.

The study's authors point out that regulations introduced in the UK in 2000 meant that CT scans are usually only used in the UK when they are justified by clinical need.

Lead author of the study, Dr Mark Pearce, said: "The immediate benefits of CT outweigh the potential long-term risks in many settings and because of CT's diagnostic accuracy and speed of scanning, notably removing the need for anaesthesia and sedation in young patients, it will, and should, remain in widespread practice for the foreseeable future."

Elizabeth Woolf, head of Cancer Research UK's information website, CancerHelp UK, added: "This study provides further evidence to back up UK regulations that there should be a good clinical reason for performing any test or investigation.

"And as the authors of this new study note, the UK's use of CT scans is lower than in countries without such legislation. It's also important to remember that, even though the risks of brain tumours and leukaemia seemed to increase in people who had CT scans, these conditions are relatively rare: the overall effect was one extra case of leukaemia and one extra brain cancer for every 10,000 children who had a scan."

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Nanoparticle imaging technique 'could improve brain surgery'

Sunday 15 April 2012

A new 'nanoparticle'-based imaging technique could improve the accuracy of brain tumour surgery, according to lab work by US scientists.

The Stanford University scientists were able to precisely remove glioblastomas in mice by using the tiny particles to home in on and highlight the brain tumours.

The imaging technique uses three types of brain scan before and during surgery. This three-pronged approach greatly improves the image quality of the outer edges of the brain tumour. This means surgeons can remove more of the tumour than previously possible.

Glioblastomas are particularly rough-edged tumours, so even the most skilled surgeons cannot remove the entire tumour while leaving the healthy parts of the brain intact.

If developed further, the new technique could improve the precision of brain tumour surgery, and ultimately improve patient survival.

The nanoparticles used in the study are essentially tiny gold balls coated with factors that help imaging.

The three methods of scanning involved coating the nanoparticles with a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent called gadolinium; 'photoacoustic imaging', where pulses of light are absorbed by the nanoparticle's gold cores, making them easier to see; and 'Raman imaging'.

This final imaging technique picked up extremely low levels of light given off by the gold particles. It was particularly accurate at flagging up residual cancer cells left after the bulk of the tumour was removed.

Lead author, Professor Sam Gambhir said: "Now we can learn the tumour's extent before we go into the operating room, be guided with molecular precision during the excision procedure itself and then immediately afterwards be able to 'see' once-invisible residual tumour material and take that out too."

Cancer Research UK scientist, Dr Nicola Sibson, from the Gray Institute, said the research was at an early stage but a “very exciting step” towards improved brain imaging.

“This type of ‘multimodal’ approach to tumour imaging has great potential and means these techniques could help to make brain surgery more precise.

“While conventional imaging techniques are reasonably good at defining the location of brain tumours, any improvements in defining their outer edges could ultimately lead to improved survival. The next step will be to see if this lab work translates into the real-world setting of the clinic.”

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Scientists develop first snap shot of tiny brain tumours

Monday 26 March 2012

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK scientists have developed a technique they believe could be used to detect tiny secondary tumours in the brain, a process that is currently impossible, according to research published in PNAS, today, (Monday).

The scientists at Cancer Research UK’s Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology at the University of Oxford showed that a special dye recognises and sticks to a molecule called VCAM-1, in mice. The molecule is produced in greater amounts on blood vessels in cancer that has spread to the brain from other parts of the body – known as brain metastases.

A medical imaging technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can ‘take a photo’ of the dye distribution in the brain. This could enable cancer doctors to detect brain metastases that are much smaller than is currently possible.

Secondary cancer that has spread to the brain is extremely difficult to treat successfully. Approximately 10 per cent of patients with cancer develop brain metastases.

Small secondary brain tumours can be treated with whole brain radiotherapy or surgery, and there are new chemotherapy treatments in development. But currently, it is only possible to detect larger secondary brain tumours, which are more difficult to treat.

Cancer Research UK scientist, Dr Nicola Sibson, from the Gray Institute, said: “We urgently need  to find ways to diagnose these cancers at an earlier stage to improve survival rates.

“Our research suggests a new possible approach to do just this. The next stage is to build on these results and carry out clinical trials. If successful, we hope that early detection using this technique could increase the number of available treatment options for these patients.”

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said:

“This exciting discovery reveals that a single protein could enable doctors to literally paint a picture with a medical dye to detect cancer that has spread to the brain, at a very early stage, when treatment has a greater chance of being successful.

“Thanks to the generosity of the public we’ve invested in research that has contributed to progress in brain tumour treatment, with survival almost doubling in children since the 1960s. But sadly less progress has been made in adults – a situation that urgently needs to change. We hope that research such as this to improve detection will increase survival from this hard-to-treat disease.”

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Famous Harrys join host of celebrities to support Help Harry Help Others

Friday 10 February 2012

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Famous Harrys have united to launch a fundraising campaign for Help Harry Help Others, the campaign started by the inspirational Harry Moseley who died of a brain tumour in October 2011, aged just 11.

Harry Redknapp, Harry Styles, Cliff Richard (born Harry Webb) and Ainsley Harriott are among the celebrities appearing in a video to help make sure Harry’s campaign, in aid of Cancer Research UK, continues to raise much needed funds to help beat brain cancer.

Alongside the famous Harrys, a host of other famous faces have appeared in short videos encouraging people to buy the iconic beaded bracelets that Harry Moseley handmade and sold to raise money when he first started his campaign.

Harry Styles from One Direction, said: “After being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, all Harry wanted to do was help others who were poorly like him to get better. By making bracelets and raising money for brain cancer research, Harry became an inspiration to me and many others. I’m proud to be supporting Help Harry Help Others, so please help us keep his dream alive by wearing one of his bracelets in memory of this very special Harry.”

Cliff Richard, who was born with the name Harry Webb, said: “For someone so young, Harry had an impact on so many people’s lives and his selfless work to raise money by selling bracelets for brain cancer research touched so many people. I’m proud to wear my bracelet in support of Help Harry Help Others to remember such a caring little boy.”

Ainsley Harriott, said: “All Harry wanted to do was help others who had brain tumours like him. By making special bracelets and through his charity Help Harry Help Others, he raised hundreds of thousands of pounds towards brain cancer research before he sadly passed away last year. So please, join me and buy a Harry bracelet to help continue his amazing work.”

Harry Redknapp, said: “What an incredible boy Harry was. It was his wish that everyone in the UK would wear one of his bracelets so please Help Harry Help Others by buying one today.”

Having so many celebrities supporting Help Harry Help Others reflects just how many people Harry inspired during his short life.  Just seven years old when he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, he was helped through his gruelling course of treatment by Robert Harley, a fellow brain cancer patient.  When Robert became very ill with his brain tumour, Harry began his campaign, Help Harry Help Others, making and selling beaded bracelets to raise funds for vital research that will help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours in the future.  To date, the campaign has raised over £230,000 for brain tumour research.

Harry’s mum, Georgie Moseley, is incredibly proud of the work her little boy started, and has vowed to continue the campaign in his name.  She said: “I miss my boy every single day, but knowing his campaign is continuing gives me strength.  His dream was that one day everyone across the country would wear one of his bracelets with pride.  I hope that people will realise they can make a difference, and show their support by buying a bracelet and helping to raise more money for research into brain cancer.  If it means one less family has to go through what we did, it will be worth it.”

All money raised through the sale of Harry’s bracelets goes directly to fund Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of brain cancer.

To view the video and order a bracelet, visit: http://on.fb.me/Help_Harry

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Studies shine light on genetics of childhood brain tumours

Monday 30 January 2012

New studies have found genes linked to two types of aggressive childhood brain tumours, and could aid the development of effective treatments.

Reported in Nature and Nature Genetics, the studies used 'next-generation' DNA sequencing technology to uncover genetic faults behind two childhood tumours that are often hard to treat - glioblastoma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

Adult and childhood glioblastoma are thought to be caused by largely different genetic alterations, but the causes of childhood cases are less well understood.

In order to understand more about the causes, Dr Jabado, from McGill University in Montreal, and co-workers studied 48 childhood glioblastoma samples and found that 44 per cent of the tumours had faults in genes that are involved in regulating the genetic material in chromosomes.

Faults in a gene called H3F3A - which encodes a type of protein called histone H3.3 - were found in 31 per cent of tumours.

The histone H3 family of proteins are responsible for organising the DNA of every cell in the body and also for regulating the expression of the DNA code as a foetus develops.

In a second study, Suzanne Baker and co-workers at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in the US looked at DNA samples from DIPGs - a childhood tumour of the brain stem - and identified faults in two similar genes.

To start with, they sequenced the DNA from tumours and matched healthy tissues from seven children, and found mutations in two genes coding for histones H3.1 and H3.3.

They then confirmed their findings in a different set of brain tumour samples - they found that the same mutations in 39 out of 50 DIPGs and 13 out of 36 non-brainstem childhood glioblastomas.

These findings are particularly important as DIPG has a long-term survival rate of less than one in 10 and is usually inoperable because the brain stem controls essential functions such as breathing.

Dr Chris Jones, a Cancer Research UK-funded scientist from The Institute of Cancer Research said the findings were hugely significant, and shed new light on forms of cancer that are notoriously hard to treat.

"Glioblastomas are rare in children, and there have been hints that they are biologically distinct from similar tumours which arise in elderly adults," he said.

"This work demonstrates for the first time the presence of gene mutations specific to the childhood disease, particularly when the tumours arise in the brainstem, and a potentially unique way in which these tumours arise. Now much work needs to be done to turn this key biological insight into new, effective therapies for children with glioblastoma," he added.

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Brain scans could diagnose and monitor glioma brain tumours

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Research into the most common type of brain tumour has uncovered a way to monitor the disease using the latest imaging technologies - dispensing with the need for invasive surgery.

The new method - discussed in two papers published in the journal Science Translational Medicine - uses a technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to track chemicals associated with genetic mutations inside gliomas.

Tumours of the central nervous systems are graded according to their capacity to grow and spread, but this grading doesn't always accurately predict how a tumour will develop and respond to treatment. So researchers have been looking for a better way to classify and track the disease.

About 7 in 10 patients with gliomas have faults in the gene that produces the IDH1 enzyme. These patients usually live longer than patients without the gene faults.

The faults cause the enzyme to overproduce a molecule called 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), which studies have shown may be associated with increased patient survival.

To find out whether this could be used to track the disease, Adam Elkhaled and colleagues from the University of California took 104 tissue samples from 52 patients with various stage gliomas. Using MRS, the team were able to detect 2HG in 86 per cent of tumour samples that had a faulty IDH1 enzyme.

Meanwhile, in a separate study, a team led by Ovidiu Cristian Andronesi of Massachusetts Institute of Technology worked out how to use MRS to detect levels of 2HG - and hence the presence of IDH1 mutations - in patients with gliomas - as opposed to in tumour samples.

Taken together, the results suggests the new technique could help doctors diagnose gliomas and also help track patients' response to treatment.

Dr Susan Short, a Cancer Research UK brain tumour expert, said that the work represented a major advance in the field.

She added: "This is a very exciting development in glioma research, as it&aposs the first time that scientists have found a way to diagnose this type of brain tumour without the need for invasive surgery.

"It was only a few years ago that scientists discovered that IDH1 faults were more common in glioma patients who live longer, so it's encouraging to see that they have now built on this work and found a way to grade tumours by detecting this gene using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

"This work needs to be confirmed in larger groups of patients before routine clinical use, but it suggests that grading a tumour by non-invasive imaging could soon be used to help diagnose patients and select appropriate treatments. Imaging could also be used to monitor whether a patient is responding to treatment or not."

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Drug boosts survival when breast cancer spreads to brain

Wednesday 30 November 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Treatment with lapatinib could extend survival in women with Her2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain, according to research published today (Wednesday) in the British Journal of Cancer1.

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna looked at the average survival of a group of 43 women with Her2-positive breast cancer that had spread to the brain – 28 had been treated with herceptin and 15 had also received lapatinib. While the women treated with herceptin survived for 13 months on average, more than half who were treated with lapatinib were alive after two years2.

This group were all compared with a control group of 37 women who were treated before the use of herceptin became routine and received no targeted treatment. In this group women treated with chemotherapy survived for nine months on average and those given radiotherapy only survived an average of three months.

Her2-positive breast cancer is more likely to spread to the brain and this problem has been increasing in the last decade. Lapatanib is a type of biological therapy called a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which blocks a group of proteins that stimulate cancer cells to grow.

Unlike many other drugs, lapatinib is a small molecule that is more likely to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Professor Guenther Steger, study author based at the Medical University of Vienna, said: “These results are very promising, but we’ve only studied a small and very specific group of women. We now need to look at the effect of lapatinib in a larger group of women with Her2-positive breast cancer to see if the same improvements in survival are seen.”

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Women with Her2-positive breast cancer appear to have a greater risk of their disease spreading to the brain, which is very difficult to treat.. If lapatinib is proven to work in a larger group of women we could have a powerful new approach to prevent and treat the spread of breast cancer to the brain.”

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Cancer Research UK launches nine high-tech gene projects

Friday 18 November 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Unravelling the genetic secrets behind a range of cancers - from understanding how certain genes control cancer to determining how the disease evades treatment - is the aim of a new initiative from Cancer Research UK.

The Genomics Initiative will use the latest high-tech gene sequencing machines to address specific research questions that until now were impossible to answer.

The latest sequencing technology allows researchers to scan all of the genes in a cancer – like reading an instruction manual for the disease – and identify each of the cancer causing faults a million times faster than the Human Genome Project ten years ago.

The genes involved in cancer not only cause the disease but also drive its changes between different forms, influence how aggressive it is and whether certain treatments will work.

Armed with this knowledge, the researchers will be able to piece together information that will tell them about people at greater risk of cancer, pick the right treatments for the disease and start developing new drugs.

The Genomics Initiative is being funded by Cancer Research UK’s Catalyst Club – a pioneering venture to raise £10 million for various research projects, including the Genomics Initiative, on personalised medicine for people with cancer.

One of the projects will look at rare types of skin cancer. The study, led by Professor Richard Marais at The Institute of Cancer Research, will look for the genes that make certain types of skin cancer more aggressive with the ultimate aim of improving treatments for patients with these rare forms of the disease.

Professor Marais said: “We urgently need new drugs to treat these rare but very aggressive forms of skin cancer. This project will let us build a bigger picture of the genes that are involved in the disease giving us an insight into the inner workings of skin cancer.”

Another project will attempt to understand why kidney cancer has unique genetic defects in different parts of the same tumour. This can result in a tumour biopsy not giving the full picture of what is going on in the cancer. Professor Charles Swanton, at Cancer Research UK’s London Research Institute, is trying to understand why this happens and hopes to find new markers that predict who will benefit from targeted treatments.

Professor Swanton said: “Attempts to identify markers to predict if patients with kidney cancer will respond to distinct targeted drugs have so far been unsuccessful. Our research is investigating whether this may result from the genetic variation within single tumours, such that an oncologist may not be able to fully trust the genomic information present in a single biopsy. We hope to be able to find markers for drug resistance that are common across multiple biopsies in the same tumour, that may guide the treating clinician to determine the right treatments are given to each patient."

The other seven projects are:

• Finding genes that put people at a higher risk of developing pre-cancerous growths called polyps and bowel cancer

• How follicular lymphoma transforms into the more aggressive B cell lymphoma

• Sequencing the genes in an aggressive form of childhood brain cancer

• Looking for the genes that affect how pancreatic cancer patients respond to treatment

• Identifying key genes in skin cancer in people with no family history

• Studying 1,000 women to find new genes linked to breast cancer

• Understanding how stem cells in leukaemia pick up new genetic faults

Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to launch the Genomics Initiative, which takes advantage of powerful new technologies to drive an exciting area of cancer research. We know that mistakes in genes are behind cancer, and they also drive how cancer act and respond to treatment. Understanding this better will bring real benefits for patients in the future, playing an essential role in the push towards personalised cancer treatment.”

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'Glow in the dark' brains aid tumour surgery

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

A multi-centre phase II clinical trial for a pioneering new surgical technique has started in the UK, jointly funded by Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust and Cancer Research UK.

The trial, called GALA-5, will involve over 60 patients who have been newly diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common and most harmful primary malignant brain tumour in adults, with an average survival rate of just 15 months from diagnosis.

The trial will examine the tolerability and feasibility of two treatments used in combination. The first one is called 5-ALA (5-Amino-Levulinic Acid), which is converted in the body to a fluorescent chemical, making the tumour glow under ultraviolet light during surgery. This pioneering technique means that surgeons should be able to see the edges of the tumour more clearly, allowing more accurate and complete tumour removal.

• Flourescent 5-ALA showing location of glioblastoma (courtesy of Dr Colin Watts, Addenbrookes Hospital)

The second therapy is given after the tumour is removed, and involves inserting wafers impregnated with the chemotherapy drug carmustine into the cavity. Carmustine is then released locally to help kill remaining tumour cells.

The GALA-5 trial is being made possible through an innovative new partnership between Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (SDBTT), the UK’s largest brain tumour charity, and Cancer Research UK, the UK’s largest cancer charity. Last year, for the first time, the two charities collaborated to jointly fund research into brain tumours.

The trial is being led by Dr Colin Watts (HEFCE Clinical Senior Lecturer) at the University of Cambridge, where the first 4 patients have been recruited. It will be rolled out to more than 10 other centres, including King’s College Hospital and the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery (both have recently opened to recruitment), and is being co-ordinated by the Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre (Cancer Institute, University College London). If the combination of the two therapies is found to be safe and effective, it will be followed by a larger phase III trial.

Dr Colin Watts said: “I strongly feel that our best opportunity to progress further is to emphasise funding of lab-based research and innovative trials and the GALA-5 trial is a significant step forward in making this a reality. I am delighted to see this partnership between Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust and Cancer Research UK, which really make a difference and allow more trials and clinicians to be supported.”

Neil Dickson, Founder and Chair of Trustees of SDBTT said: “We are proud to be funding this trial, which we hope will make a real difference to the lives of people diagnosed with a glioblastoma. Brain tumour research receives a fraction of the funding of that of higher profile cancers and it is our priority to redress the balance. This is essential as figures show that advances in treatment, achieved through the dedicated work of committed researchers over the years, have had a beneficial effect. Whilst we have invested heavily in laboratory based research, and continue to do so, for us as a charity this is a significant step towards funding more clinical trials.”

Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research UK, said: “Treating brain tumours is a real challenge facing clinicians and we urgently need new treatments to help more people diagnosed with the disease. By working together we are able to fund more research and really focus on areas that are going to make a telling difference. We are already building on the success of the partnership and are looking to fund more research in the coming year.”

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'No link' between using mobile phones and brain tumours

Thursday 20 October 2011

There is no link between using a mobile phone and developing tumours in the brain or central nervous system, according to a Danish study published in the British Medical Journal today.

Experts from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen found there was no difference in the rates of brain or central nervous system tumours in long-term mobile phone users compared with those who do not use them at all.

There were concerns that electromagnetic fields emitted by holding a headset near to the ear could harm the health of five billion mobile phone users worldwide.

But this new research, which studied over 350,000 mobile phone subscribers and compared them with the remainder of people over 30 who were born in Denmark after 1925, found no overall rise in risk for developing tumours in the brain or central nervous system. The study used mobile phone subscriptions as a way to indirectly measure mobile phone use.

There was also no increased risk of developing other types of cancers among long-term mobile phone subscribers.

The authors said: "The extended follow-up allowed us to investigate effects in people who had used mobile phones for 10 years or more, and this long-term use was not associated with higher risks of cancer.

"However, as a small to moderate increase in risk for subgroups of heavy users or after even longer induction periods than 10-15 years cannot be ruled out, further studies with large study populations, where the potential for misclassification of exposure and selection bias is minimised, are warranted."

In an editorial accompanying the research, Professors Anders Ahlborn and Maria Feychting, of Sweden's Karolinska Institutet described the findings as reassuring but urged continued monitoring of health registers.

Danish experts analysed data of 10,729 tumours between 1990 and 2007 and gathered information from Danish phone network operators and the Danish Cancer Register for the study.

Hazel Nunn, head of evidence and health information at Cancer Research UK, said: "These results are the strongest evidence yet that using a mobile phone does not seem to increase the risk of cancers of the brain or central nervous system in adults. The study minimised many of the problems of previous research in this area and included over 350,000 Danish mobile phone subscribers, many of whom had used mobile phones for longer than 10 years.

"Even longer term follow up of cancer risk in mobile phone users is still needed, as are studies of effects of mobile phone use in children."

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Virus discovery may aid treatment of children's brain tumour

Monday 26 September 2011

A large proportion of medulloblastomas - the most common malignant brain tumour in children - are infected with a virus, according to work published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Although the work doesn't solve whether or not the virus has a specific role in causing the disease, researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Instituet hope that their study could lead to the development of new treatments for children with medulloblastomas.

The team found that a virus known as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was present in many tumour samples and medulloblastoma cells grown in the lab.

The presence of HCMV was proven by detecting several proteins known to be made by the virus within the tumour cells.

The researchers, led by Professor Cecilia Soderberg-Naucler and Professor John Inge Johnsen, also carried out tests in cells in the lab and in mice to see if drugs that affect the virus have any effect on tumour cell growth.

They found that the antiviral drug valganciclovir reduced the growth of the tumour cells both in the laboratory and in mice.

Similar effects were seen using a drug called celecoxib, which blocks a protein known to be increased by HCMV, called COX-2.

The drugs did not affect the growth of tumour cells in the laboratory or mouse tumours that were not infected with HCMV.

In an associated commentary, Dr Cynthia Hawkins and Dr Sidney Croul said that targeting HCMV might offer potential treatment developments not only for medulloblastomas, but also for other brain tumours including gliomas and choroid plexus papillomas.

But, further study is needed into the effects of targeted treatment on humans before its true benefits to people with brain tumours are fully understood.

Oliver Childs, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Whether viruses directly contribute to the development of certain brain tumours has been a hotly debated topic for decades. This study certainly doesn't solve whether human cytomegalovirus causes medulloblastomas.

"But it does suggest that the virus is present in a large percentage of these brain tumours. So - as these preliminary results also indicate - drugs that interfere with the activity of human cytomegalovirus could be an interesting avenue of further investigation for the treatment of medulloblastomas."

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Cancer Research UK launches trial to treat brain cancer which has returned

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office has opened a trial of a new combination of drugs for the treatment of patients with brain cancer.

The Phase I clinical trial will take place at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, the Christie Hospital in Manchester, and the Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton. Patients with glioblastoma that has returned and requires surgery, will receive olaparib alongside temozolomide - standard chemotherapy treatment.

Olaparib is one of a new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors and is being developed by AstraZeneca. Glioblastoma is the most common and the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

The researchers hope to show that olaparib will make temozolomide more effective against brain tumour cells. Experiments in the laboratory have been promising but this will be the first time that the combination of olaparib and temozolomide has been trialled in patients.

The two-part trial will firstly determine if olaparib can reach brain tumours by crossing the blood-brain barrier. This structure protects the brain by separating brain fluids from the blood that is circulating around the rest of the body - but it can also stop some medicines from reaching their target. 

Because the blood-brain barrier is disrupted in patients with glioblastoma, the researchers are optimistic that olaparib will reach the tumour cells.

In this initial part of the study, six patients will receive olaparib tablets for a few days leading up to their surgery. Tumour samples collected during surgery will be analysed to see if olaparib has crossed the blood-brain barrier and reached the tumour. In this part of the trial, olaparib will not provide any benefit as it will be given on its own, but the patients will then receive further standard treatment for their cancer after the surgery.

The second stage of the study will determine the appropriate doses for treatment combining olaparib and temozolomide, and may indicate whether the combination will be effective for some patients.

Lead clinician Professor Anthony Chalmers, of the University of Glasgow and the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, said: “It’s very exciting to launch a trial of a new approach to treat glioblastomas. Once the disease has returned, patients have limited options so there is an urgent need for new treatments.

“Most of the patients in the trial will have had previous treatment with radiotherapy and temozolomide and the likelihood of temozolomide being effective again is quite low. By adding olaparib we hope to increase the effectiveness of the temozolomide in treating tumours which have returned.”

Cancer Research UK led the development of temozolomide from early pioneering lab work to the discovery, development and first clinical trials of the drug in people with cancer. Temozolomide is approved for first-line treatment of brain cancers.

The charity also began some clinical trials of PARP inhibitors, which are a new type of drug for the treatment of cancer. These clinical trials were the result of more than a decade’s work by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists and others.

On their own, PARP inhibitors kill certain types of cancer cells by stopping their ability to repair gene faults. They are being used in clinical trials to treat patients with specific types of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. PARP inhibitors can also be combined with existing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy and it is hoped that this combination will be effective against a wider range of cancer types including brain tumours.

This latest trial is being funded and managed by the charity’s Drug Development Office (DDO).

Dr Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to launch this trial combining two drugs which have both been developed through work led by Cancer Research UK scientists. We hope that this new treatment approach will help extend the lives of brain cancer patients for whom the disease has returned.

“We’re heavily investing in further ways to develop targeted treatments through trials such as this to treat a wide range of cancers. We look forward to the results with great interest.”

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Scientists divide ependymoma brain tumours into two types

Thursday 25 August 2011

Researchers have discovered that a brain tumour that affects both children and adults can be divided into two clinically distinct groups. The team also found that these groups can be identified using a widely available lab test, which could help pinpoint patients in need of the most intense treatment.

An international study, led by scientists at the German Cancer Research Centre and Heidelberg University Hospital, used genetic analysis to identify two different types of posterior fossa ependymoma. Ependymomas are tumours that develop in the central nervous system and are the third most common type of brain tumour in children. Although more common in children, ependymomas also occur in adults.

If these findings are confirmed in further studies, they could lead to doctors using a simple test to determine which type of tumour a patient has, allowing them to adapt treatment accordingly.

In the largest ever genetic study of posterior fossa ependymomas, researchers analysed the genetic differences between 583 tissue samples, and found that the posterior fossa ependymomas could be divided into two types.

Group A tumours affected younger patients and were more aggressive - they were more likely to come back after treatment and were more likely to spread to other parts of the body

By contrast, group B tumours tended to affect adults and patients were more likely to respond to treatment.

Study leader Dr Stefan Pfister said: "The genetic differences between these two types are so marked that we have to speak of two different diseases that may even arise from different original cells."

The results of the study mean that Dr Pfister and his colleagues will now be able to take a closer look at group A ependymomas to identify what makes these tumours more aggressive.

The researchers hope that their findings could eventually pave the way for the development of better drugs to specifically fight this type of tumour.

Oliver Childs, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Until recently, little was known about the underlying biology of this type of brain tumour. But this research is among a growing body of work that's starting to uncover the inner workings of this cancer.

"Once confirmed in clinical studies, this work could be used to identify which ependymoma patients are most at risk of their cancer coming back or spreading, and so in need of the most aggressive treatment. This study also provides a foundation for further work to find which genes drive each type of tumour, which could lead to more targeted and effective treatments."

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People fear cancer more than other serious illness

Monday 15 August 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

More than a third of people in the UK fear cancer more than other life-threatening conditions – such as Alzheimer’s, stroke and heart disease according to a Cancer Research UK survey.

And top of the list of cancers most feared is brain cancer followed by bowel and lung cancers.

Cancer Research UK commissioned a YouGov survey of more than 2000 people to find out the disease or condition feared by most people in the UK*.

More than a third (35 per cent) said cancer was the disease they feared most and a quarter (25 per cent) said Alzheimer’s.

When asked which cancer they feared most 16 per cent said brain cancer. The main reasons for this were that they believed it was the cancer they were most likely to die from (57 per cent) or that it had the worst symptoms (47 per cent).

For men, bowel cancer is the second most feared (12 per cent) followed by lung (10 per cent) and prostate (10 per cent) cancers.

And just last week Radio Two presenter Chris Evans described his bowel cancer scare and said men were especially prone to fear of cancer.

For women, breast cancer (13 per cent) is the second most feared followed by bowel (8 per cent) and lung (7 per cent) cancers.

When asked about survival 21 per cent said they thought breast cancer had the best survival rate and 12 per cent thought testicular cancer had the best chance of survival.

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “Cancer is a very emotive subject and it’s understandable why so many people fear it among other diseases. Yet people should be reassured that we are doing all we can to find new treatments for the disease. Our greatest achievement in brain tumour research has been temozolomide – a drug that Cancer Research UK created in the lab and developed through to the first treatment of patients. It’s now used to treat thousands of people all over the world with high grade glioma – an aggressive type of brain tumour.

“What’s heartening is that overall survival from all cancers has doubled over the last 40 years and this optimistic message is reaching the public who have rightly picked breast and testicular cancer which are both cancers with high survival rates.

“Our latest figures show more than 80 per cent of women now survive their breast cancer for five years or more. And our research – which has helped lead the way in treating bowel, prostate and lung cancer – has been at the heart of that progress. Our scientists helped to show the most effective way to use tamoxifen and paved the way for the development of Herceptin. Our work has also shown how radiotherapy can help prevent breast cancer coming back.

“All our research is directly funded by the generosity of the public. And we need to do all we can to maintain the level of cancer research in the UK so that we can continue making discoveries like these which have the potential to save thousands of lives every year.”

If you have any concerns about cancer you can speak to a Cancer Research UK nurse on 0808 800 4040 or visit CancerHelp UK.

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Gene faults linked to common type of brain tumour

Friday 5 August 2011

Scientists in the United States have created a comprehensive gene map that throws light on the causes of a common form of brain tumour known as oligodendroglioma.

Researchers from the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University used advanced sequencing technology to look for gene faults in seven tumour samples. They found that two genes called CIC and FUBP1 were often faulty, according to work published in the journal Science.

The genes are known to play a part in cell signalling - the mechanism by which cells communicate with each other. And faults in CIC have been found in a small number of sarcoma, breast and prostate cancers.

To confirm the results, the team then looked in a further 27 tumours, and showed that two-thirds of the samples also contained differences in the CIC and FUBP1 genes.

Professor Nickolas Papadopoulos, from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, said: "Whenever we find genes mutated in a majority of tumours, it is likely that the pathway regulated by that gene is critical for the development and biology of the tumour."

Cells in the human body contain 23 chromosomes, each containing thousands of genes that produce proteins. Scientists have long known that up to 70 per cent of oligodendrogliomas have faults on chromosomes 1 and 19, and that patients with these faults tend to respond better to treatment.

For more than a decade, scientists have been looking for other gene faults that also contribute to disease. According to one of the team, Chetan Bettegowda at Johns Hopkins, the next step will be to test whether patients with CIC and FUBP1 mutations have the same favourable prognosis as those who have the chromosome 1 and 19 faults.

"We can focus now on when these mutations develop during tumour formation, whether they can guide prognosis, and how they might form targets for therapy," says Bettegowda.

Professor Kenneth Kinzler, of the Ludwig Center at Johns Hopkins, said: "Thanks to the Human Genome Project and advances in cancer genome sequencing, a single study can now resolve decade-old questions and reveal the genetics of this brain cancer.

"Knowing the genetic roadmap of a cancer is the key to attacking it."

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "These results show how rapid improvements in technology are giving scientists important new insights into the causes of cancer. We urgently need more effective treatments for brain tumours, so we hope that these findings will form the foundation for better ways to detect and treat people with this common type of brain tumour in the future."

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Genetic link to rare brain tumour discovered

Sunday 31 July 2011

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK funded scientists have conducted the first whole-genome scan of the brain tumour meningioma and revealed a genetic region that increases the risk of developing the disease, according to research published in Nature Genetics* today (Sunday).

Professor Richard Houlston from The Institute of Cancer Research led the major international collaboration comparing the DNA of 1,633 meningioma patients and 2,464 healthy controls, using a technique known as a genome-wide association study.

Relatives of people with meningiomas are three times more likely to develop the disease but little is known about what increases their risk. A small proportion of meningiomas are linked to four rare genetic diseases called neurofibromatiosis type-2, Coden, Werner and Gorlin symdromes.

Professor Houlston said: “We knew that people with certain rare inherited diseases are more likely to develop meningiomas. Although these inherited diseases significantly increase the chance of getting this type of brain cancer, they are so rare that they account for a very small proportion of the increased risk among relatives of people with meningiomas. Our study begins to shed light on the biggest part of the inherited risk.

“The genetic region we’ve found is very closely linked with two genes called AF10 and MLLT10, which we know are involved in the development of leukaemia. We can’t say at this stage whether the diseases are linked or even if the two genetic regions interact, but we’ll be looking at this in our follow up studies.”

More than 4,500 people are diagnosed with malignant brain tumours in the UK each year. Meningiomas account for around a quarter of these, but little is known about the cause of the disease, which tends to mostly affect older people and women.

The tumours tend to grow slowly in the tissues of the brain or spinal cord and as a result do not respond well to chemotherapy and cannot always be safely removed by surgery.

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Brain tumours are usually more difficult to treat because of the sensitive position of the tumour. As a result of this, survival rates have remained quite low.

“Studies like this are important in helping us understand more about the way brain tumours develop and this research has already given scientists another lead to follow to learn more about the disease.”

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Contact allergies 'may be associated with reduced risk of some cancers'

Tuesday 12 July 2011

People with contact allergies to common metals and chemicals may be less likely to develop certain types of cancer, according to a study by Danish scientists.

However, the study only looked at retrospective data rather than actively tracking people's habits over time, so further studies are needed to clarify the apparent links between contact allergies and the risk of cancer.

The research was carried out by scientists at the National Allergy Research Centre in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Scientists analysed data on 16,922 Danish adults, all of whom were tested between 1984 and 2008 to see whether they were allergic to any common contact allergens.

Thirty-five per cent of people reacted to at least one allergen, including 41 per cent of women and 26 per cent of men.

The researchers looked to see whether any of these individuals were recorded on the Danish Cancer Registry, which contains data on all instances of cancer in the country.

They found that 19 per cent of participants had developed a growth (cancerous or non-cancerous), and that 38 per cent of these individuals had a contact allergy.

Overall, the researchers found a strong link between contact allergies and cancer, though from this analysis alone, they were unable to say whether contact allergies were the direct cause of the reduced cancer risk.

Breast cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer were both significantly less common among people with contact allergies, and brain cancer was less likely to develop in women with an allergy.

The researchers suggest that the findings may be explained by the so-called 'immunosurveillance hypothesis', which states that people with allergies may be less likely to develop cancer because their immune systems are highly responsive.

In contrast, the researchers observed that people with contact allergies had an elevated risk of bladder cancer - a trend they believe may be due to higher levels of chemical break-down products in the bladder.

The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, cannot be used to draw conclusions about allergies and individual cancer risk - further research is needed.

Dr Caetano Reis e Sousa, a Cancer Research UK immunology expert, said: "This is an interesting study, but it doesn't tell people with allergies anything about their individual cancer risk. Firstly, the researchers only looked at a specific type of allergy, so this work doesn't apply to other common allergies such as hay fever. Secondly, the study only demonstrated a statistical link, not the actual cause of this relationship. So further work needs to be carried out before scientists can give solid reasons for these associations.

"Nevertheless, this work highlights the value of good quality databases to help scientists explore possible causes of cancer. It opens the door for further research looking at the role of the immune system in allergies and cancer."

The researchers said: "More refined analyses, adjusting for social class and smoking, for instance, and studies focusing on specific chemical exposures are required to further our understanding of the role of contact allergies in the development of cancer.

"However, if these relations are aetiological, there are implications for understanding how contact allergy can affect cancer development, and vice versa."

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Deaths from cancer in children fall by almost 60 per cent since the '60s

Friday 12 November 2010

Cancer Research UK Press Release

The rate of children dying from cancer has fallen by almost 60 per cent over the last 40 years, according to new figures from Cancer Research UK.

In the late 1960s, around 940 children died from the disease every year but this fell to around 290 a year in the latest figures available. In the late ‘60s, less than three out of 10 children survived beyond 5 years. Today, that figure is almost eight out of 10.

This good news is more marked for some types of cancer. Forty years ago less than 40 per cent of children diagnosed with a lymphoma would survive more than five years, today almost 90 per cent beat the disease.

And around 80 per cent of children are now cured through treatment for leukaemia compared to less than 10 per cent in the late 1960s.

The overall death rate dropped from 73.4 per million children between 1966 and 1970 to 31.9 per million children between 2001 and 20051 - a fall of almost 60 per cent.

This success is thanks to years of research and new treatments, many of which Cancer Research UK has played a pivotal role in.

The new figures from Cancer Research UK are revealed as the charity launches its annual Little Star Awards in partnership with labels-for-less retailer TK Maxx.

For many years Cancer Research UK has been at the forefront of bringing a range of new treatments to the UK, saving the lives of thousands of children. Treatment advances include the shortening the interval between chemotherapy, which increased survival in children with neuroblastoma.

But, not all cancers have seen the improvements that leukaemia has. For example, five year survival is 44 per cent for certain types of gliomas – a type of brain tumour.

To continue its life saving work and help more children beat the disease, Cancer Research UK opened the Children’s Cancer Trials Team (CCTT) within the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Birmingham earlier this year. By co-ordinating national treatment trials in the UK they are playing a key role in bringing new and more effective therapies to children with cancer.

In December last year, Cancer Research UK launched a clinical trial for children with advanced neuroblastoma. This trial has brought a pioneering treatment called immunotherapy to the UK, which uses the body’s own immune system to hunt out and destroy cancer cells, helping to prevent the disease coming back.

Dr Pam Kearns, director of the Cancer Research UK Children’s Cancer Trials Team, said: “More children are beating cancer thanks to the transformation and improvements of treatments over the last 30 years, with ways of treating the disease offering greater hope to children diagnosed with cancer. We need to continue this work so that every child who is diagnosed with cancer has the best possible chance of beating the disease.”

In the UK around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and leukaemia is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in children. It’s estimated that there are around 26,000 childhood cancer survivors in Britain.

Rebecca McFarlane’s daughter Bonnie (10) was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2005 and took part in a trail part-funded by Cancer Research UK, called the UK ALL trial.

Rebecca, from Woking in Surrey, said: “Bonnie’s cancer was very aggressive and did not respond to regular treatment. She was entered into a clinical trial which looked at different combinations of chemotherapy for children according to how aggressive their disease was. Bonnie’s treatment lasted for just over two years and the drugs worked because in October 2007 doctors were confident enough to say that the cancer was in remission. We are so grateful for all the advances in research that have been achieved in order that children like Bonnie can receive life saving treatments.”

In February Bonnie received a Little Star Award from Cancer Research UK and TK Maxx.

Now in their eighth year, the Little Star Awards recognise the courage of children who have encountered cancer and are backed by a host of celebrities including singer Leona Lewis and footballer Ryan Giggs.

Unlike many other children’s awards, there is no judging panel because Cancer Research UK and TK Maxx believe each and every child who confronts cancer is special.

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “These new figures show that years of hard work by researchers across the world are paying off. Cancer Research UK is the largest single funder of research into childhood cancers in the UK, spending over £9 million every year. This research will lead to even more success stories for children diagnosed with cancer in the future.”

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Cancer Research UK and immatics biotechnologies launch trial for brain cancer

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology - the charity's development and commercialisation arm – together with immatics biotechnologies have launched the first clinical trial of a promising cancer vaccine to treat glioblastoma, one of the most common forms of brain cancer.

The treatment IMA950, is a vaccine developed specifically for glioblastoma which is an aggressive form of glioma. The vaccine will direct and boost the body’s immune system to enable it to fight cancer. The vaccine will be used together with the standard treatments of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

IMA950 contains 11 peptides – strings of amino acids – that are found on the surface of glioblastoma tumours but not on the surface of healthy cells. These peptides when incorporated into the vaccine ‘train’ T cells in the immune system to recognise cancer cells as unhealthy cells – and then to target and destroy them.

Using a large number of peptides compared with a small number increases the chance of a beneficial immune response.

The launch of the trial is the result of Cancer Research UK's innovative Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) scheme.

CDP is a joint initiative between Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office and Cancer Research Technology, to put drugs that otherwise cannot be developed by pharmaceutical companies through early phase clinical trials. Trials of experimental drugs such as this may have not been possible without this initiative, which strives to deliver the latest potential treatments to cancer patients - and increase survival.

Up to 45 patients newly diagnosed with this form of glioma will take part in this first trial of IMA950 and receive a number of doses of the vaccine.
The trial, is taking place at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow and up to four other hospitals yet to be confirmed across the UK. The trial has been set up through Cancer Research UK’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre network and it will be managed by the charity’s Drug Development Office (DDO).

The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre is the lead centre for delivering non-surgical cancer care across the West of Scotland and provides patients and staff with cutting-edge equipment, treatments and surroundings to fight cancer.

Under the terms of the partnership, Cancer Research UK is funding the trial and after the trial, immatics biotechnologies will have an option to further develop and commercialise the drug in exchange for future payments to the charity.

Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: “It’s really great news that we have launched this trial for a vaccine which could boost the current treatment for brain cancer.

“Our scientists are working at the cutting edge of the field to find new and powerful ways to treat cancer. Using the immune system to fight cancer is an exciting area of research and something we are heavily investing in as a promising way to treat a broad range of cancers.”

Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research Technology’s licensing manager, said: “This is a truly collaborative deal between our world-class scientists and immatics biotechnologies to ensure promising therapeutic programmes reach patients.”

Harpreet Singh, CSO of immatics said: “We are delighted to have joined forces with Cancer Research UK and the University of Glasgow to fight brain cancer. It is pleasing to see that the very first patients have now begun treatment with IMA950 - this is a major step on a path to create a highly innovative new treatment for this deadly disease.”

Professor Roy Rampling, from the University of Glasgow who will lead the study nationally said: “One of the hardest parts of my job is telling someone they have brain cancer. 

“Glioblastoma can be challenging to treat because there are limited options for therapy – there’s a real need for new treatments for this disease.”

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Relatives of young breast cancer patients could face increased risks of other cancers

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Both male and female relatives of women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 35 are at an increased risk of other cancers even if they do not carry faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, scientists have discovered.

The study*, published in the British Journal of Cancer** today (Wednesday) looked at the risks of breast and other cancers for the relatives of young women diagnosed with the disease.

Scientists studied the 2200 parents and siblings of 500 women with breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 35 who had been tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations***.

After excluding families with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2, scientists found that the relatives not only faced an increased risk of breast cancer, but also of prostate, lung, brain and urinary cancers.

This could potentially reflect the presence and effects of other undiscovered gene disorders causing disease in these young women and perhaps other cancers in their families.****

In the 1990s Cancer Research UK scientists led the world in tracking down the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Since then they have discovered many other genes involved in breast cancer and their ongoing research will help to identify and advise those women at greatest risk.

Professor John Hopper, who led the study from the Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne, said: “These results are surprising and novel, and could be pointing to a new cancer genetic syndrome.

“Just as the link between male and female breast cancers in some families led UK researchers to find the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2, the results of this study could help scientists discover new cancer susceptibility genes.”

Previous studies have suggested increased risks of other cancers for relatives of women diagnosed with breast cancer but the links have been weak and inconsistent.

This study is one of the few to look at the cancer risks for relatives of very early onset breast cancer cases and it is possible that there could be more substantial effects at this age.

It is already known that relatives of very early onset breast cancer patients - without mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes – carry a four-fold increased risk of the disease than those with no family link.

But this study suggests that close relatives also face similarly high increased risks of prostate, lung, brain and urinary cancers.

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “These early results are interesting in pointing to some increased risks of other cancers in the relatives of very young breast cancer cases.

“This study is important in suggesting a strategy to help identify other genes which significantly increase a woman’s breast cancer risk. And more studies with larger numbers will help confirm these risks.”

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Gene could be important drug target for children's brain tumour

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Scientists have discovered a gene that could lead to more effective treatments for a form of childhood brain cancer called paediatric high grade glioma.

The study, which was part-funded by Cancer Research UK, also identified a number of other genetic differences between the adult and childhood forms of the disease, which can both be hard to treat.

Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the University of Nottingham and St Jude Children's Research Hospital in the US scanned the genomes of 78 newly-diagnosed children and compared their tumour samples with those taken from adult gliomas.

They discovered that a gene called PDGFRA, located on chromosome 4q12, was often repeated several times in paediatric gliomas, but not in adult tumour samples.

Paediatric gliomas also often had extra copies of chromosome 1q that were not present in adult gliomas.

The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is the first to show underlying differences in the genetics of paediatric and adult forms of the disease.

Dr Joanna Owens, Cancer Research UK's senior science information officer, said: "This research shows that there are important genetic differences between glioma in children and adults, providing clues to help us find better ways to treat the disease. The researchers have also unearthed a gene that looks to be involved in the development of glioma, which might prove to be a target for life-saving drugs in the future."

Dr Chris Jones, leader of the Paediatric Molecular Pathology Team at the ICR, revealed: "We found significant differences between the genomes of adult and young people's gliomas.

"This is an important finding because it means studies on adult gliomas cannot simply be applied to younger patients, and it has particular implications for drug trials."

Professor Richard Grundy, from the Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University of Nottingham, added: "This cancer gene is unusually active in paediatric high grade gliomas and is likely to be an important drug target."

The researchers also tracked the activity of genes in 53 of the tumour samples and found that, even in paediatric gliomas that did not have several copies of PDGFRA, associated genes were still switched on.

They concluded that this biological pathway - which helps control cell growth, cell division and survival - may therefore play an important role in the development of paediatric high grade glioma.

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Seve calls for golfers to support his 'Seve Summer' to help beat brain cancer

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Golf legend Seve Ballesteros is asking golfers across the UK to support the first ever ‘Seve Summer’ to help him raise over £300,000 towards life-saving research into cancers of the brain. The new initiative is part of a fundraising drive for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, which launched last December and hopes to raise £1 million in its first year.

‘Seve Summer’ tees off on the 1st May and runs throughout the summer. It is a chance for golf clubs and golfers across the country to show their support for Seve in his battle against brain cancer by raising vital funds to help beat the disease.

Anyone inspired to take part can get involved through their club or by coordinating fundraising activities themselves, for example:

• Adding a fundraising element to usual monthly medal competitions;
• Introducing a ‘Ballesteros Bunker’, where golfers donate to the cause if their ball goes into the dedicated bunker;
• Adding a ‘Pound per Round’ as a fundraiser at the 19th hole;
• ‘Green in One’ sweepstakes, where golfers bet on their chances of getting the ball on the green in the first shot
• An Open BBQ for the final day’s play of the Open Championship.

All clubs that return funds will be entered into a prize draw to win one of three pairs of tickets to Viva la Vida, a spectacular evening of entertainment and a celebration of golf in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, which will be hosted by the man himself. In addition the top two fundraising clubs will automatically receive a pair of tickets each.

The five times Major winner was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2008 after collapsing at Madrid airport. He says: “I’m lucky to be alive and owe it all to the vital research carried out by organisations like Cancer Research UK. But there’s still a lot more research that can be done into this disease – which affects around 8,000 people in the UK each year – and that’s why I’m asking golfers to support ‘Seve Summer’ and help my Foundation raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK.

“There are more than five million golfers in the UK and if just a small proportion of those got involved, we’d be well on our way to reaching our target and making a real impact on the lives of people like me who are diagnosed with brain cancer.”

For more information about Seve’s fight against cancer and how to support The Seve Ballesteros Foundation and its partnership with Cancer Research UK through ‘Seve Summer’ visit www.seveballesterosfoundation.org.

ENDS

For further press information, please contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 7061 8300.

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New guidelines may speed up child brain tumour diagnosis

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Scientists at Birmingham Children's Hospital and the Universities of Nottingham and Southampton have developed new guidelines that should help doctors to diagnose brain tumours in children more quickly.

At present, children may feel unwell for months before they are diagnosed with a brain tumour. Two recent studies found that UK children with brain tumours may face a 2.5-month or 3.5-month wait before they receive a diagnosis. This delay means they are more likely to develop life-threatening complications and experience vision loss and other neurological problems.

The team had previously published a literature review and meta-analysis, along with a study of children newly diagnosed with brain cancer. These publications provided information on the signs, symptoms and progression of brain tumours in children and were used as the basis on which to develop the new guidelines.

In their latest study, the team organised a workshop of 20 healthcare professionals and parents of children with brain tumours. Together they devised new statements describing the signs and symptoms of brain tumours, factors that could be used to tell the difference between brain tumours and other less serious conditions, and the process doctors should follow if they suspect a child has a brain tumour.

These statements were then tested by a panel of health specialists in a 'virtual' focus group - 156 took part, with 88 completing all three rounds.

This resulted in final guidelines containing 76 recommendations on the signs and symptoms of childhood brain tumours, assessment of children with possible brain cancer, and whether and when to carry out central nervous system imaging.

Publishing details of the guideline in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the researchers wrote: "Implementation of this guideline may support clinicians in the identification and timely imaging of children with brain tumours.

"This may reduce the morbidity currently experienced by many children with brain tumours."

Dr Pam Kearns, a Cancer Research UK childhood cancer expert at the University of Birmingham, welcomed the new guidelines.

"The crucial next stage is to ensure they are widely used," she observed, adding: "They will help speed up early diagnosis of children with brain tumours and improve outcomes."

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Cancer Research UK and immatics Biotechnologies to trial vaccine for brain cancer

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology - the charity's development and commercialisation arm - have reached a collaboration agreement with immatics Biotechnologies to trial their new treatment vaccine, IMA950, for glioblastoma multiforme (GMB), one of the most common forms of brain cancer*.

IMA950 is the fifth treatment to enter Cancer Research UK's Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) scheme and the second one to be completed this year**. The CDP programme allows companies to retain the rights to their treatment while enabling the charity to take on its early development work to assess if there is a potential benefit to cancer patients. This is the first treatment vaccine to enter the CDP programme.

IMA950 contains 11 peptides linked to glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of glioma. These peptides encourage the T cells in the immune system to recognise cancer cells and destroy them. In a phase I clinical trial that will open in the next year, up to 45 patients who have been newly diagnosed with this form of glioma will receive a number of doses of the vaccine, alongside routine surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.

The trial, will take place at four hospitals*** across the UK through Cancer Research UK’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre network and it will be managed by the charity’s Drug Development Office (DDO).

Under the terms of the partnership, Cancer Research UK will fund the trial.

immatics Biotechnologies will then have an option to further develop and commercialise the drug in exchange for future payments to the charity. If they elect not to, the rights will be given to CRT to secure an alternative partner.

Dr Ian Walker, licensing manager at CRT, said: "We're delighted to have formed this agreement with immatics Biotechnologies. Following rigorous peer-review of the scientific data, Cancer Research UK’s scientific committee decided that the potential of the vaccine should be investigated further and we are very pleased that the company sought the expertise of the charity to develop a potential new treatment."

Paul Higham, CEO of immatics said: "Cancer Research UK is a world-renowned cancer research organisation and we are delighted that through this collaboration we will be able to efficiently move our third therapeutic cancer vaccine into the clinic, highlighting the wide applicability and productivity of our technology platform."

Professor Roy Rampling, who will lead the study at Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre at the University of Glasgow, said: "The clinical trial will aim to find out if this vaccine targets and stimulates the patient's immune system to fight the cancer.

Although we’re still planning the trial and are not ready to recruit patients yet, it’s exciting to be working on a possible new way to treat glioma."

Dr Victoria John, head of clinical partnerships at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: "We’re very pleased to be taking on the next stage of this vaccine’s development. This form of glioma is very difficult to treat successfully and we hope this trial will help to establish if the vaccine might offer another viable treatment option for people with this type of cancer."

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 7061 8300 or, out of hours, the duty press officer on 07050 264 059.

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Seve Ballesteros looks to beat brain cancer as his charitable foundation comes to the UK

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Cancer Research UK Press Release

GOLFING icon Seve Ballesteros yesterday (Monday 14th December) joined forces with Cancer Research UK in a bid to beat brain cancer. Seve said he was ‘lucky to be alive and owed it all to important research many people have carried out in the past’.

Seve, the greatest golfer ever on the European Tour, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last October (2008) after collapsing at Madrid Airport. After undergoing four operations, intensive chemotherapy and a six-week course of radiotherapy, Seve is now fighting back.

“I’m thankful that my treatment has been successful so far but that wouldn’t be the case if it wasn’t for the amazing research that’s been done into the disease in recent years. Let’s say I have made the cut, in golfing terms, but the tournament is not over yet – I want to do what I can now to help beat this disease.”

The inspirational Spaniard set up the Seve Ballesteros Foundation in Spain earlier this year to help beat brain cancer and has now announced he is taking his quest even further by supporting Cancer Research UK. Seve hopes to raise £1 million for Cancer Research UK in the first year of the partnership to help fund world class research to help beat cancers of the brain. 

The partnership with Cancer Research UK was launched at a star-studded ceremony in London yesterday, hosted by footballing legend Gary Lineker OBE. Guests included Lee Westwood, Tony Jacklin CBE, Bernard Gallacher OBE, Billy Foster, Jonathan Edwards CBE, Jeff Stelling, Gabby and Kenny Logan, Ray Wilkins, Austin Healey MBE and Steve Rider.

Gary Lineker said: “It’s a real pleasure to support Seve in his efforts to beat brain cancer. He’s long been a hero of mine for all he achieved during his career, but his personal battle against this disease and his determination to help others is truly inspirational.”

Latest figures show that each year in the UK around 8,000 people are diagnosed with brain and central nervous system tumours1. Cancer Research UK has made big steps forwards within the field of brain tumours, funding research that led to the development of the drug temozolomide2, which is used worldwide to treat people with the most common type of brain tumour - glioblastoma. Temozolomide has proved to be an effective treatment for people with this type of brain tumour who would otherwise have very limited treatment options. Many thousands of people, including Seve, have continued to benefit from treatment with this drug.

However, survival rates for malignant brain tumours are still low, with around one in ten adults surviving for more than ten years. Continued research is vital to improving the lives of people diagnosed with brain tumours, and Seve's experience has made him determined to ensure that this challenge is met.

Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "We’re delighted to be working with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and I can’t thank Seve enough for his commitment to helping us beat this disease.

“As well as affecting adults, brain cancer is one of the most common childhood cancers. It’s also one of the most difficult types of cancer to treat successfully. The best way to ensure more people survive for longer is through research, which is why Cancer Research UK has committed to improving our understanding of this disease.

“The money raised by Cancer Research UK with the Foundation’s support will fund ambitious and vital research that will help improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours in the future.”

“As well as affecting adults, brain cancer is one of the most common childhood cancers. It’s also one of the most difficult cancers to treat successfully. The best way to ensure more people survive for longer is through research, which is why Cancer Research UK has committed to improving our understanding of this disease.
“The money raised by Cancer Research UK with the Foundation’s support will fund ambitious and vital research that will help improve diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours in the future.”

For more information about Seve’s fight against cancer and how to support Cancer Research UK visit www.seveballesterosfoundation.org.

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Mobile phone use 'not linked to brain tumours'

Friday 4 December 2009

A new study has found no increase in the incidence of brain tumours during the years immediately following the introduction of mobile phones in Nordic countries.

Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen analysed the annual incidence rates of two of the most common types of brain cancer - glioma and meningioma - among over-20s in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

They found that 59,984 men and women out of a population of 16 million adults were diagnosed with one of these types of cancer between 1974 and 2003.

The use of mobile phones increased sharply in the mid-1990s in these countries, yet the incidence of brain cancer did not rise between 1998 and 2003, as would have been expected if the devices increased the risk of the disease within five to ten years of use.

The findings, which are published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, support other studies, which indicate that mobile phone use does not increase the risk of brain tumours in the short or medium term.

But the authors cautioned that conclusions cannot be drawn from their study about the long-term effects of regular mobile phone use. And their analysis did not take into account the levels of individual people's mobile phone use.

"Because of the high prevalence of mobile phone exposure in this population and worldwide, longer follow-up of time trends in brain tumour incidence rates are warranted," the study authors wrote.

Dr Alison Ross, Cancer Research UK's senior science information officer, commented: "Overall, the scientific evidence tells us that using mobile phones for less than ten years does not increase the risk of cancer and this large study supports that conclusion.

"However, brain tumours often take a very long time to develop so we will need to look for any future changes in incidence rates to see if mobile phones could pose any longer-term risks."

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Faulty enzyme linked to certain brain tumours

Monday 23 November 2009

US scientists have discovered that a faulty enzyme may contribute to the formation of some malignant brain tumours.

Around 70 per cent of people with a type of brain tumour - called a low-grade glioma - have a faulty version of an enzyme called IDH1. The mutation is also found in a significant proportion of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Research led by Agios Pharmaceuticals has now shown that mutations in this enzyme result in unusually high levels of a metabolite called 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) in the brain, which has previously been linked to the development of brain cancer.

This study is the first evidence of a role for IDH1 in the development of cancer.

Although the enzyme was known to be faulty in gliomas, scientists did not understand exactly how it could contribute to the disease.

The team, whose findings are published in the journal Nature, analysed samples of tissue taken from malignant gliomas and found that those with faults in the IDH1 enzyme typically had 100 times more 2HG than those with the normal IDH1 enzyme.

It may now be possible to develop a diagnostic test that identifies patients with gliomas that harbour the IDH1 mutation by measuring the levels of 2HG in their brain. Evidence suggests that patients with the mutation tend to do better than those without.

The research could also lead to treatments that block the production of 2HG, which in turn could delay the progression of this kind of brain tumour.

Professor Lew Cantley, director of the Cancer Centre at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre and founder of Agios Pharmaceuticals, described the work as "groundbreaking".

"The team at Agios has demonstrated that what was previously considered an inactive enzyme is in reality an active oncogene and a potential therapeutic target," he confirmed.

"This has fundamentally changed our understanding of the field. Additionally, there is an easily measured metabolic biomarker, 2HG, that will help in the diagnosis and treatment of any related therapeutics that arise from this work."

Dr Laura Bell, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "This study has brought exciting new information to light which could eventually help doctors understand more about how certain brain tumours are likely to progress - and how best to treat them.

"But there is still some way to go before this new information could be used to help treat people with cancer."

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Experts issue warning over private brain screening tests

Friday 4 September 2009

UK experts have questioned the benefits of private brain screening tests, which can be purchased by healthy people who want to reassure themselves that they do not have an undiagnosed brain tumour.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have conducted a study which has put the usefulness of these screening tests in serious doubt.

In light of their findings, which are published in the British Medical Journal, the researchers suggest that brain screening tests may actually do more harm than good by causing anxiety over abnormalities that might never progress or cause symptoms.

The team analysed the results of almost 20,000 brain scans, all of which were carried out on people who had no symptoms to suggest an underlying brain condition.

Almost three per cent of MRI scans revealed an abnormality such as a weakened blood vessel or benign tumour.

However, the researchers pointed out that in such cases, experts cannot tell whether treatment will do more harm than good.

They say that as a result, patients face a difficult decision over whether to leave their condition untreated or undergo risky and potentially unnecessary brain surgery.

Dr Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, an MRC clinician scientist at the University of Edinburgh, explained: "The difficulty with these health check-ups is that in the small number of people who do harbour some undiagnosed brain condition, there is not a clear next step.

"We do not have enough medical evidence to know whether we should treat the abnormalities or just leave them be. Until we have that knowledge, we cannot be sure that commercial screening benefits people with incidental findings on their brain scan.

"Furthermore, there is little evidence that 'peace of mind' lasts for the people with normal brain scans."

Ed Yong, Cancer Research UK's head of health evidence and information, commented: "On rare occasions, brain scans can sometimes detect brain tumours in people who seem otherwise well, but the odds of this happening are too small to justify screening healthy people who aren't showing any symptoms.

"Some brain scanning tests are commercially available, often as part of private health check-ups. But there is no strong evidence that these tests could save lives and when certain conditions are detected that are not yet causing symptoms, the best way to manage them may not be clear.

"They also cost money, and people may end up paying an extra price in terms of anxiety, further investigations, or uncertain choices."

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Study confirms side-effects of radiotherapy for low-grade glioma brain tumours

Tuesday 11 August 2009

A new study has confirmed that patients who undergo radiotherapy for a type of brain tumour called a low-grade glioma (LGG) may experience a decline in their mental ability in later years.

LGGs are a particular type of brain tumour that tend to grow slowly and often cause few symptoms.

Patients with LGG brain tumours used to be treated with radiotherapy, but surgery has been the preferred form of treatment for a number of years after evidence showed it to be more effective in the early stages of the disease.

Now, a new study in the Lancet Neurology medical journal has lent support to this consensus, suggesting that even low doses of radiotherapy may contribute to mental decline in these patients.

Researchers at VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam studied 65 patients, all of whom had a follow-up assessment of their mental skills around 12 years after treatment.

Approximately half of the study participants had been treated with radiotherapy when they were first diagnosed, while the others had never received radiation treatment.

The researchers found that 27 per cent of those who did not have radiotherapy showed signs of cognitive disability after 12 years, compared with 53 per cent of those who had received the treatment.

Radiotherapy patients tended to perform worse in a number of areas, including attention and information processing speed.

In contrast, the ability of patients who did not receive radiotherapy tended to be stable.

The authors wrote: "The current results indicate that radiotherapy is associated with long-term cognitive deterioration, regardless of fraction dose ... [and indicate that] all surviving patients who had radiotherapy are at risk of developing attentional problems."

Writing in an accompanying comment, Paul Brown and Jane Cerhan from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, US, noted that the techniques used in modern radiotherapy are very different to those used during the study's treatment period.

Dr Jeremy Rees, a Cancer Research UK scientist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, also pointed out that radiotherapy is rarely used to treat patients with LGG.

"We normally try to avoid giving radiotherapy to patients with low-grade glioma, unless the tumour is progressing or they have epilepsy not controlled on standard medication," he explained.

"Surgery is generally a preferred option with chemotherapy or radiotherapy coming into play at a later stage if the glioma progresses. Continued research and increased knowledge about the disease is enabling us to treat it increasingly effectively while reducing side effects."

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Scientists find genes that affect risk of common brain tumour

Monday 6 July 2009

Scientists from the UK have helped to identify a number of genetic variants that appear to increase a person's risk of developing glioma, the most common type of brain tumour.

Although the causes of gliomas are largely unknown, scientists have long suspected that an individual's genes affect their risk, as people with a family history of the disease are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the condition themselves.

An international team involving scientists from the UK's Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre in the US and other centres in Europe worked together to study the DNA sequences of thousands of people.

They have identified five genetic factors that are more common in people with gliomas, which account for around four fifths of primary malignant brain tumours and affect around 4,550 people in the UK each year.

Lead researcher Professor Richard Houlston, who is part-funded by Cancer Research UK and is based at the ICR, described the findings in the journal Nature Genetics as a "major discovery".

"We've found the first real evidence that variations in the genes which many people carry can increase their risk of this deadly disease," he said.

The researchers studied the DNA of 1,878 glioma patients and a further 3,670 cancer-free individuals.

They found 'variant' versions of five genes that are more common in people with glioma, which they then confirmed by studying the DNA sequences of a further 2,545 glioma patients and 2,953 cancer-free people from Europe.

The more variants a person has, the greater their risk of developing glioma.

People with eight or more copies of the variants - out of a possible ten copies (five of each from their mother and father) - are three times more likely to develop glioma compared with the general population.

The researchers believe that there are still more genetic factors to be found and that the five identified in their study probably account for between seven and 14 per cent of the inherited risk of glioma.

Professor Peter Rigby, chief executive of the ICR, said: "These findings have important implications as glioma is one of the most common tumours in middle-aged people, and the prognosis for sufferers is poor.

"We would also hope that this research could ultimately help scientists develop new treatments that are targeted at patients' specific molecular defects."

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, noted that little is known about the lifestyle or genetic factors that affect a person's risk of developing a brain tumour.

"This large new study is an important step forward as it unlocks some of the first genetic secrets behind the most common type of brain tumour, glioma," she said.

"Identifying these genetic variants will open up new avenues for scientists to explore, helping them to better understand how gliomas develop, identify who might be most at risk and ultimately find improved ways to diagnose and treat the disease."

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Study offers childhood brain tumour treatment hope

Thursday 23 April 2009

Results from a new study suggests that pilocytic astrocytoma - the most common type of brain tumour seen in children - may be driven by a specific set of gene faults. The discovery could pave the way for new treatments for the disease.

Researchers funded by the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, Cancer Research UK and ALSAC found that every one of the pilocytic astrocytomas tested contained either a fault in a gene called KRAS, or a situation where the BRAF or RAF1 genes had become attached to other genes.

All three gene faults have previously been linked to cancer, and there are currently drugs in development that target the molecular pathways they are involved in. The scientists have raised the possibility of using such drugs to help treat children with pilocytic astrocytoma.

Childhood brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children as existing treatments are not always effective. While surgery remains an option many tumours are inoperable due to their proximity to critical brain structures.

Study leader Professor David Ellison, of St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, believes this research, published in the Journal of Pathology, has important implications for treatment.

"Our more detailed molecular understanding of pilocytic astrocytoma will also be useful in diagnosis, enabling pathologists to use genetic tests to distinguish among different types of childhood brain tumours to guide better treatment decisions," he commented.

Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, said: "It's often more difficult to treat brain tumours successfully because of the sensitive position of the tumour. This research adds to our understanding of the cancer pathways that cause these tumours to form, and we think this study will be vital in guiding future research into targeted treatments for the disease."

References Activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway: a signature genetic defect in posterior fossa pilocytic astrocytomas. J Pathol. (2009), DOI: 10.1002/path.2558. Sheer D. et al.

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Eight gene mutations appear to cause childhood brain cancer

Thursday 12 March 2009

Canadian scientists have identified eight genes that appear to be involved in the development of the most common form of childhood brain cancer, medulloblastoma, when faulty.

The findings are published in the journal Nature Genetics and are "very promising", according to Dr Christine Williams, director of research programmes at the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute.

Researchers identified the faulty genes after analysing tumour samples from more than 200 children from several different countries.

- Henry Scowcroft, science information manager, Cancer Research UK

None of the faulty genes identified in the study had previously been suspected as being involved in the development of cancer.

Dr Williams said that the discovery could lead to "better, more targeted treatments" that improve survival and cause fewer side-effects.

Lead researcher Dr Michael Taylor, a paediatric brain surgeon at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children who is funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, explained: "When these eight genes are functioning normally, we believe their role is to make a protein which tells the developing brain when it's time to stop growing.

"But when the genes are mutated, the brain may continue to grow out of control, leading to cancer."

Dr Taylor noted that scientists are already working to develop drugs that target these types of proteins.

"Our hope is that some of these drugs may be adapted and used effectively to treat medulloblastomas."

Henry Scowcroft, Science Information Manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "This takes us a step closer to understanding the causes of medulloblastoma. We hope this knowledge will one day lead to new treatments, or help doctors identify children at risk of this disease."

Medulloblastoma is the most common type of brain tumour in children.

There are about 51 cases of medulloblastoma in children aged 0-14 each year in Great Britain.

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Temozolomide sales reach $1 billion

Friday 6 February 2009

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Sales of Temozolomide*, an anti-cancer drug developed by Cancer Research UK scientists, have reached $1 billion**. The charity receives a percentage royalty on these sales, which it uses to invest in new research to beat cancer.

Temozolomide - a chemotherapy drug for patients with the most common form of brain tumour - was discovered 30 years ago in a Cancer Research UK laboratory led by Professor Malcolm Stevens, then at Aston University in Birmingham.

The charity also undertook the first clinical trials of the drug which proved its activity against glioblastoma multiforme - the most aggressive type of brain tumour accounting for over 50 per cent of all primary cases of the disease.

Based on these phase I and phase II trials - which were managed by Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office - the charity's commercial and development arm Cancer Research Technology (CRT) licensed the drug to Schering-Plough which now markets the drug. The company undertook the pivotal phase III studies which found that temozolomide, when given in combination with radiotherapy, results in a significant increase in survival with minimal side effects.

Dr Keith Blundy, chief executive of CRT, said: "We're delighted that Temozolomide has achieved sales of over $1 billion. We're extremely proud of our involvement in the licensing of Temozolomide as it has proved to be an effective treatment for people with brain tumours who otherwise have very limited treatment options.

"The royalties we receive from the sales of Temozolomide go straight back into the pot to fund further research to aid the development of even more drugs to help in our fight against the disease."

The standard of care for glioblastoma multiforme - also known as glioma - includes chemotherapy during and after radiotherapy. The use of temozolomide both during radiotherapy and for six months post radiotherapy is now the gold standard treatment for most cases of the disease. Temozolomide works by killing cancer cells and sensitising them to the effects of radiation.

Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer esearch UK, said: "This milestone highlights the significant impact our research is having on cancer drug development. It is testament to the ingenuity of the scientists who developed the original compound as well as the unique capabilities of our drug development and technology transfer teams."

Cancer Research UK scientists have contributed to the discovery or early clinical development of 5-10 per cent of all major cancer treatments currently in clinical use around the world and has taken over 100 new drugs into patients for the first time.

Harpal Kumar continued: "This is just the latest example in a long list of successful treatments that have come out of Cancer Research UK funded research. Our scientists helped to discover and develop two of the most widely used cancer drugs in the world - carboplatin and cisplatin - which are used to treat ovarian, lung and testicular cancer.

"We also have a very exciting pipeline of almost 50 new drugs currently in clinical trials which could provide further significant weapons in the fight against cancer. Of these, several are in phase III development, including three potential new drugs for lung cancer, a disease in which we have sadly made little progress over the past few decades.

"Today's news is a fantastic example of how the public's investment, through their generous donations, in Cancer Research UK pays off."

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 7061 8300 or, out of hours, the duty press officer on 07050 264 059.

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Teenagers not included in enough cancer trials

Monday 1 December 2008

A new study has highlighted the small number of teenagers who are enrolled in clinical trials in the UK.

British researchers analysed enrolment in phase III clinical trials from April 2005 to March 2007 involving teenagers and young adults (TYA) and children.

All of the young patients involved in trials had been diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma, brain and central nervous system, bone sarcomas or male germ cell tumours.

The researchers found that only 25.2 per cent of 15 to 19-year-olds and 13.1 per cent of 20 to 24-year-olds were enrolled in clinical trials, compared with 43.2 per cent of ten to 14-year-olds.

Rates increased among 10 to 14-year-olds and 15 to 19-year-olds during April 2006 to March 2007 compared with the previous 12 months, but fell among 20 to 24-year-olds.

The researchers noted that there were four trials available for patients with central nervous system tumours, yet no over-16s were enrolled in these trials.

They also observed that over-15s were much less likely to take part in clinical trials in England than children and younger teenagers.

Publishing their findings in the British Journal of Cancer, the researchers wrote: "Closer dialogue between those involved in planning and running trials for children and for adults is necessary to improve trial availability and recruitment."

Kate Law, Cancer Research UK's director of clinical trials, said: "This is an important study that highlights the significant role of clinical trials in improving survival for cancer. Before now, we didn't know how many young people with cancer were recruited onto clinical trials, and this research will be the base on which progress is measured.

"Cancer Research UK's new five-year strategy announced today aims to drive up survival rates. Highlighting poor recruitment of young people onto clinical trials and introducing measures to improve this will be a vital contribution to reaching our goal."

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Information from brain tumour sacs may help to guide treatment

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Tiny membrane-covered sacs which are released from brain tumour cells may provide information which could be used to guide treatment, US scientists have said.

Cells from an aggressive form of brain tumour called glioblastoma release tiny sacs called exosomes.

Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) set out to analyse the contents of these exosomes which they isolated from blood samples taken from patients with glioblastoma.

They found that the sacs contained genetic material called RNA, which tells a cell to make certain proteins. These may be involved in cell proliferation and movement, the growth of new blood vessels, and immune response.

Publishing their findings in the journal Nature Cell Biology, the researchers suggest that the RNA contained in the tiny sacs might be changing the environment around cancer cells, encouraging tumour growth.

Lead author Dr Johan Skog, from the MGH Neuroscience Centre, commented: "Glioblastomas release exosomes in sufficient quantities to pass the blood-brain barrier.

"We were able to isolate them, analyse the RNA transcripts and show how they might be used as biomarkers to guide targeted therapy and monitor treatment response."

The expert added: "Exosomes also may someday be used to deliver therapeutic molecules to the site of a tumour."

The researchers also revealed that, when glioblastoma exosomes were grown with normal cells, tumour RNA was able to move into the normal cells and start making proteins.

Dr Skog noted that the results may have broad implications for personalised medicine as the effects of some anti-cancer drugs are known to depend on a tumour's genetic profile.

He said: "Detecting mutational profiles through a non-invasive blood test could allow us to monitor how a tumour's genetic makeup changes in response to therapy, which may necessitate changes in treatment strategy."

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Family history may have role in brain cancer

Friday 14 November 2008

US and Israeli scientists have found evidence that a family history of brain cancer may increase a person's chances of developing the disease.

Researchers at the University of Utah and Tel Aviv University analysed the medical records of nearly 1,500 people from Utah and tracked back for between three and ten generations of family members.

Their findings are published in the journal Neurology.

They found that a family history of brain tumours - including the aggressive glioblastoma - increases a person's likelihood of developing the disease, sometimes as much as fourfold.

Dr Deborah Blumenthal, co-director of Tel Aviv University's Neuro-oncology Service and an affiliate associate professor at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, said that the study is unique as it was able to track genealogy records back so far.

She recommended that people with a family history of brain cancer should report this to their family doctor at routine medical checks.

"Until now, brain tumours were not thought to be an inheritable disease," said Dr Blumenthal. "A few earlier studies did find an increased risk in immediate relatives, but in such cases it is hard to distinguish between the effects of a shared environment and heredity."

However, Dr Blumenthal emphasised that the risks of having a hereditary brain tumour are still "very low" as the majority of primary brain tumours are not inheritable.

Less than five per cent of rare primary brain tumours are hereditary and the risk of inheriting genes that may increase the risk of a brain tumour is therefore low.

She explained: "Reporting to your family doctor that brain cancer runs in the family just gives a more comprehensive picture of your medical history. It may provide doctors and family members with useful information."

The researchers now hope to use blood and tissue samples from high-risk families to try to identify genes associated with brain tumours so that, in future, it may be possible to screen people with a family history of the disease and identify those whose genes place them at greater risk.

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New childhood brain cancer genes identified

Tuesday 9 September 2008

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Scientists have isolated three important genes involved in the development of a type of childhood brain cancer - reveals a study published in the British Journal of Cancer* today (Tuesday).

Researchers from the Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University of Nottingham, on behalf of the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG)**, have found three genes associated with specific characteristics of ependymoma - the third most common form of childhood brain cancer.

Before now, relatively little was known about the underlying biology of this disease. The results of this study provide a more detailed understanding of the genetics behind ependymoma, which could help scientists develop targeted drugs to treat the disease more successfully, and with fewer side effects.

Around 35 children are diagnosed with ependymoma each year in the UK, and around half of these will be under three years old. In total, around 300 children under 15 are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year in the UK.

Overall, three quarters of children with cancer in the UK can be successfully treated, but survival for ependymoma is just 50 per cent. And around half the children who are initially successfully treated will suffer a relapse of the disease.

Lead author Professor Richard Grundy from the Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre at the Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, said: "Understanding the biological causes of cancer is vitally important as it will help us to develop drugs that target abnormal genes in cancer cells but not in healthy cells, which is what traditional chemotherapy treatments do. More accurately targeted treatments will cause fewer side-effects than conventional chemotherapy and be more effective. So this is an important finding which we hope will lead to the development of new treatments for ependymoma."

The team analysed the genome wide expression pattern of ependymoma identifying three genes with distinct profiles. They confirmed the involvement of these different genes in 74 samples of ependymoma. From this they discovered that a gene called SI00A4 was strongly associated with tumours in very young children. SI00A6 was a marker of a tumour in a specific part of the brain and high levels of CHI3L1 was common in cancers showing a larger degree of cell death.

The genes discovered are all located on a section of Chromosome 1 that this research group had previously linked to poor survival for ependymomas.

Professor Grundy continued: "We hope our findings will lead to a more detailed understanding of ependymoma. This is crucial if we are to ensure each child receives the most appropriate treatment for their disease and that we reduce the number of children in which their cancer recurs."

Kate Law, director of clinical trials at Cancer Research UK, which is the major funding provider of the CCLG, said: "Relatively little is known about the causes of childhood cancer, so this is an important study. Overall survival rates for children's cancers have been rapidly improving - thanks in part to international clinical trials - but it’s crucial that research like this takes place to improve treatments even further."

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Teen cancer survival on the rise, but more work needed

Tuesday 19 August 2008

Cancer Research UK Press Release

The first national report detailing survival for teenagers and young adults with cancer shows that survival rates climbed by around 11 per cent over two decades.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Cancer* today (Tuesday), looked at survival across all cancers in people aged 13 to 24 between 1979 and 2001.

Previously, statistical information about cancers in people in this age group has been limited, as patients were treated as either a child or adult. Before now, the importance of classing young people as a separate group was not recognised.

It is now understood that the spectrum of cancers affecting young people is different from children and adults and their physical, social and educational needs are also unique.

This report, funded by Cancer Research UK, will serve as a baseline for monitoring and guiding health policy geared towards developing specialised cancer care for teenagers and young people.

Lead author, Professor Jillian Birch, director of Cancer Research UK's Paediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group at The University of Manchester, said: "We found that survival for teenagers and young people with cancer improved overall from 63 per cent between 1979 and 1984 to 74 per cent between 1996 and 2001, which is great news. But more needs to be done to drive this figure even higher.

"It's important that cancer services are tailored to suit teenagers and young adults, as their needs differ from older adults and children - clinically and psychologically. Research like this is needed to measure how much of an impact this tailored treatment could have."

The researchers analysed five-year survival in more than 30,000 13 to 24 year olds diagnosed with cancer in England between 1979 and 2001, and followed them up to 2003.

The greatest increase in survival rates was seen for leukaemia, which increased by 21 per cent over the 23 years studied. But survival for brain tumours, bone cancers and soft tissue sarcomas hasn't changed significantly since the mid-1980s.

Professor Birch added: "Our research has also identified cancers where survival rates remain poor, highlighting the need for continuing research in those areas to drive up survival."

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "Research like this is vital if we are to measure the impact of changes to the way teenagers with cancer are treated. Recruiting more young people onto clinical trials - which has been a priority for childhood cancer - will help this.

"It's important that this group of patients receive the most appropriate treatment, and Cancer Research UK will continue investing in research to work towards this goal."

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Impotence drugs make chemotherapy more effective in rats

Wednesday 30 July 2008

A US study has found that drugs used to treat impotence appear to help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in rats with brain tumours.

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre found that 'phosphodiesterase5 (PDE5) inhibitor' drugs like Viagra (sildenafil) and Levitra (vardenafil), which increase bloodflow to the penis in people with erectile dysfunction (ED), can also increase the flow of blood - and chemotherapy drugs - across the blood-brain barrier of laboratory rats.

This barrier limits the ability of substances like drugs from moving from the bloodstream into the brain - and therefore limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Study author and neurosurgeon Dr Keith Black, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, commented: "This is the first study to show that oral administration of PDE5 inhibitors increases the rate of transport of compounds across the blood-brain tumour barrier and improves the effectiveness of the anti-tumour drug adriamycin in the treatment of brain tumours in a rat model."

The researchers investigated the impact of the ED drug vardenafil (Levitra) in 29 rats with brain tumours and have now published their findings in the journal Brain Research.

They found that rats treated with the anti-cancer drug adriamycin alone survived for an average of 42 days.

However, animals which also received the ED drug vardenafil survived for an average of 53 days, indicating that the additional drug helped to improve the delivery of the anti-cancer drug to the tumour.

Dr Black concluded: "The combination of vardenafil and adriamycin resulted in longer survival and smaller tumour size."

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Vaccine may double survival in patients with aggressive brain tumour

Tuesday 3 June 2008

A small early-stage US trial has produced promising results for a new cancer vaccine, which may double survival in patients with the aggressive brain tumour glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

The vaccine targets a protein found on the tumours of around half of all people with GBM, called epithelial growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII).

The new vaccine works by enhancing the body's immune response against cells covered with this protein, so preventing re-growth of the tumour following treatment.

The trial involved just 23 patients who had undergone standard anti-cancer-therapy, and who then received monthly doses of the vaccine as well as a chemotherapy drug called temozolomide.

Temozolomide was developed in the late 90s by Cancer Research UK scientists and has provided substantial benefits for people with GBM.

Researchers found that patients survived without re-growth of their tumours for a median of 16.6 months - more than double the usual progression-free survival for GBM patients.

Patients in the trial also lived for an average of 33.1 months, which is significantly longer than the typical 14.3-month survival in GBM patients.

Dr John Sampson, the Duke University neurosurgeon who presented the findings at an American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, commented: "This vaccine represents a very promising therapy for a cancer that comes out of the blue and robs people of something most of us take for granted - time.

"We're more than doubling survival time in this group, and we have some patients who are four, five or six years out from diagnosis, which is virtually unheard of," he continued.

"The possibility of doubling expected survival - with few if any side-effects - would represent a big step and a lot of hope for this group of patients."

Dr Sampson noted that the effectiveness of the combination of temozolomide - which works by suppressing the immune system - and the vaccine - which works by boosting the immune system - was something of a surprise.

"It stands to reason that chemotherapy, which suppresses the body's immune system, would make the vaccine less effective," he explained. "What we found was that the opposite is true. While the body is recovering from chemotherapy, immune response is actually stronger as the immune system overcompensates in order to right itself. It's the perfect time to introduce a vaccine."

Following the promising results from the phase II trial, a larger phase III trial is now underway in the US.

Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK information manager, said: "Although this trial only involved 23 patients, the initial results appear very encouraging.

"Since temozolomide - a drug developed by Cancer Research UK - was licensed in 1999, it has provided huge benefits for many people with glioblastoma. So developing a way to extend these survival times further would be even better news.

"But these findings need to be confirmed, and built upon, in the next phase of development. We're eagerly awaiting the results of the US-based trials that the team plan to carry out."

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Brain tumour gene link found

Thursday 21 February 2008

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Cancer Research UK funded scientists have discovered a mutation in a DNA repair gene which may increase the risk of developing meningioma, a rare type of brain tumour, according to new research published in the latest edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The researchers, based at The Institute of Cancer Research, explored 136 DNA repair genes before they homed in on a mutation in the gene BRIP1 - a gene also associated with increased breast cancer risk. This mutation may account for 16 per cent of meningiomas.

More than 7,500 people are diagnosed with malignant or benign brain tumours in the UK each year. Meninigiomas account for over 30 per cent of these, yet little is known about the cause of the disease which tends to affect older people, and women.

The vast majority of meningiomas are benign. They grow slowly in the tissues of the brain or spinal cord and as a result do not respond well to chemotherapy and cannot always be safely removed by surgery.

The new study examined genetic differences in the brains of 1,268 people from four European countries. Data from 631 patients with meningiomas was compared with 637 healthy individuals. Previous US research had analysed a small sample of just 200 people, making this is the largest study of gene involvement in meningioma risk.

Lead researcher, Professor Richard Houlston, based at The Institute of Cancer Research, said: "Using a large sample, we have identified a new region associated with meningioma risk. However, further investigation into the functions of BRIP1, could shed more light on the relationship between the gene and brain tumour growth.

"Currently, the only sure way to diagnose many brain tumours is by biopsy. Research like ours, which examines gene changes may offer the hope of non-invasive ways to diagnose the disease and new tailored treatments for brain cancer patients."

Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, said: "Although meningioma is a rare condition, we welcome any insight that helps us to understand it further. This study has shown some very interesting results. However, further studies are needed to explain how additional changes in the BRIP1 gene may also contribute to the growth of these tumours."

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Gene therapy could 'train' immune system to destroy brain cancer cells

Thursday 21 February 2008

Scientists are developing a new gene therapy approach that 'trains' the immune system to destroy brain cancer cells and may even restore normal brain function.

The approach is being tested on animal models with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer that often affects concentration, memory and balance as the tumour compresses nerve cells.

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre used a modified virus to deliver two therapeutic proteins directly into tumour cells.

One of the proteins, 'FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand' (Flt3L), attracted a class of immune cell called dendritic cells to the brain. Dendritic cells clear up dying cells and alert the immune system to the existence of foreign objects, such as cancer cells.

The other protein, 'Herpes simplex virus type 1 thimidine kinase' (HSV1-TK), when combined with the antiviral drug gancyclovir, proved directly toxic to tumour cells.

Publishing their initial findings in the journal Molecular Therapy, the researchers revealed that around 70 per cent of animals survived, compared to just 20 per cent when the dendritic-cell inducing Flt3L was left out.

It is also thought that the therapy could help to revert behavioural abnormalities caused by the growing tumour, as surviving rats did not have any long-term behavioural impairment.

Dr Pedro Lowenstein, director of the centre's Board of Governors Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, revealed: "Tumour growth causes behavioural deficits, but even treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can cause learning disabilities and other cognitive problems.

"In our animal study, this therapy eliminated the tumour mass and reversed the deficits that were caused by the tumour."

It is hoped that human clinical trials will commence later this year.

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New study shows no increased risk of brain cancer from mobile phones

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Cancer Research UK Press Release

Using a mobile phone does not increase the risk of getting brain cancer, according to a new Japanese study published in the British Journal of Cancer* today.

In the first study to consider the effects of radiation levels in different parts of the brain, researchers found that regular mobile phone users were not at an increased risk of three types** of brain cancer.

They assessed levels of radiation in terms of the number of years since a mobile was first used, the average number of hours spent on the phone each day and which parts of the brain were most likely to be affected.

The Japanese scientists compared the history of mobile phone use in 322 brain cancer patients with 683 healthy people in Tokyo. They found that regularly using a mobile phone did not significantly affect their risk of getting brain cancer.

Lead author, Professor Naohito Yamaguchi, based at Tokyo Women's Medical University, said: "A central challenge with previous studies looking into the link between mobiles and cancer has been how to accurately estimate how much exposure different parts of the brain receive.

"We studied the radiation emitted from various types of mobile phones and placed them into one of four categories relating to radiation strength. We then analysed how they would affect different areas of the brain areas, taking into account the organ’s complex structure.

"Using our newly developed and more accurate techniques, we found no association between mobile phone use and cancer, providing more evidence to suggest they don't cause brain cancer."

The use of mobile phones has rapidly increased since the 1980s but studies have shown that in this time the number of people with brain cancer has hardly changed.

Although a few studies have shown an association between mobile phones and cancer, the majority found no link. The largest study to date, involving 420,000 people, showed no link with any type of cancer, even after 10 years of use.

Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, said: "So far, studies have shown no evidence that mobile use is harmful, but we can't be completely sure about their long-term effects. Research is still ongoing and Cancer Research UK will continue to look for new evidence."

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Clinical trials planned to test controversial drug

Friday 28 September 2007

An experimental drug that has received significant media attention this year is to be tested for cancer treatment.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is used to treat a rare childhood metabolic disease.

Earlier this year it was shown to shrink tumours in rats but has yet to be tested for treating cancer in humans.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently closed down a website that was selling the controversial treatment after media coverage led to people with cancer buying the drug online.

Some researchers have claimed that the drug may cause fewer side-effects than conventional cancer treatments, but it is a known environmental pollutant and has even been found to cause cancer in animals.

However, the drug's potential to treat cancer - as well as the promising results in animal tests at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada - have convinced Health Canada to give permission for an authorised trial.

The drug will be tested on 50 people with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma to determine whether it has the potential to be a viable and safe cancer treatment.

Lead researcher Evangelos Michelakis told New Scientist: "We've obtained human ethics approval as well, and we plan to start immediately."

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Brain tumours may need multiple drug treatment

Tuesday 18 September 2007

Researchers have found that brain tumours often have more than one overactive cell-growth 'switch', explaining why treatment with a single drug designed to target one particular switch often fails.

The 'switches' are made of clusters of proteins, called receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) molecules, and are often mutated and overactive in cancer cells. They are a major target for 'smart' cancer drugs - such as Gleevec and Tarceva - that each target a specific switch.

Located on the surfaces of cells, RTKs receive and transmit signals, including chemical growth factors that tell the cell to divide and grow.

Some RTKs have been implicated in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive brain tumour that is nearly always fatal. However, existing drugs are rarely effective.

Dr Ronald DePinho, director of the Centre for Applied Cancer Science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said: "Typically one elicits a positive initial response, but rarely durable cures.

"Overall, the record of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in these brain tumours has been somewhat disappointing."

Researchers tested 20 glioblastoma cell cultures in order to measure the activity of different RTKs at any one time.

They found that, in 19 of the 20 cell lines, three or more RTKs were activated and emitting abnormal growth signals at the same time.

Similar results were observed in fresh tumour samples taken from newly-diagnosed patients.

Writing in the journal Science, the researchers said that the findings "provide a rational explanation for the feeble clinical responses" seen when a single targeted drug is given to patients.

They suggest that combination therapy is likely to achieve better results.

Dr DePinho commented: "This is a transformative finding that will motivate clinicians and our pharmaceutical colleagues to design clinical trials with regimens using several inhibitors," noting that three or more different drugs were required in the laboratory study to stop the abnormal cell growth signals.

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Discovery of protein link may lead to brain tumour treatment

Monday 23 July 2007

US researchers have identified a link between two proteins found in brain tumours, a discovery which could one day lead to a treatment for a particularly aggressive form of the disease.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a previously unknown connection between a protein called EGFRvIII and a receptor called c-Met. Receptors are proteins that transmit signals within cells by recognising and sticking to other proteins.

EGFRvIII is a mutated form of the EGFR protein and causes cells to grow and divide uncontrollably and is found in around a quarter of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumours, an aggressive brain cancer that is currently hard to treat.

Researchers found that whenever EGFRvIII is activated, the c-Met receptor is also active, despite the fact that it is normally switched off in adult cells.

The c-Met receptor has already been implicated in very invasive types of lung and breast cancer so the discovery of a link between c-Met and EGFRvIII could help to explain why these brain tumours are so aggressive.

Lead author Paul Huang, a graduate student in biological engineering, said: "It seems that it is not the activation of one receptor that results in cancer. It's the action of multiple receptors that leads to the tumours we see."

The finding provides an explanation for why previous attempts to treat patients by inhibiting EGFRvIII have had little effect.

Mr Huang added: "A potential way to overcome this is to attack multiple targets instead of just one."

Lead researcher Forest White, associate professor of biological engineering at MIT, said that it is still unclear how EGFRvIII activates c-Met.

"Our data shows that as EGFRvIII is activated, c-Met is activated as well. Whether it's direct or indirect is something that we are currently deciphering."

The researchers treated tumour cells with drugs to inhibit both EGFRvIII and c-Met and found that much lower doses were required to kill the cells than when one or other of the drugs was given in isolation.

They hope that the finding, published in an early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, will guide drug developers by alerting them to the need to target both proteins at once.

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Protein from frogs' eggs could treat brain tumours

Friday 29 June 2007

A protein found in frog eggs may provide the basis for a new treatment for brain tumours.

Amphinase is an enzyme found in the egg cells of the Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens).

The molecule recognises a particular sugary coating found on tumour cells and binds to their surface before invading the cells.

Once inside a tumour cell, amphinase disrupts the cell's normal workings by chopping up strands of RNA - the genetic material that conveys DNA's instructions to a cell's protein factory - causing the tumour to die.

Researchers at the University of Bath, and at Alfacell Corporation in the US believe that this "very exciting" molecule could potentially be used to treat many types of cancer, but its potential in the treatment of brain tumours is of particular interest.

Professor Ravi Acharya, a researcher at the University of Bath's Department of Biology and Biochemistry, said that amphinase appeared to be "highly specific at hunting and destroying tumour cells".

He added that the enzyme could be "easily synthesised in the laboratory and offers great hope as a therapeutic treatment of the future".

A treatment based on amphinase would likely be injected directly into the affected area of the body and, since it is only capable of recognising and binding to the surface of tumour cells, would not be harmful to other, healthy cells.

However the researchers, who have published their findings in the Journal of Molecular Biology, note that the drug is still in the very early stages of development and that any resulting treatment will therefore not be ready for several years. Even then it would have to be proved safe and effective in large-scale clinical trials.

Cancer Research UK's Dr Emma Knight said: "Cancer is such a complicated disease that researchers need to explore all potential avenues. A similar drug to amphinase is currently being tested against cancer in human clinical trials. But it's far too early to comment on whether amphinase could ever be helpful for people with cancer."

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