Thread: Cancer sucks

Nature’s elegant and efficient vision systems can detect cancer

Mantis shrimp eyes are inspiring the design of new cameras that can detect a variety of cancers and visualise brain activity.

University of Queensland research has found that the shrimp’s compound eyes are superbly tuned to detect polarised light, providing a streamlined framework for technology to mimic.

Professor Justin Marshall, from the Queensland Brain Institute at UQ, said cancerous tissue reflected polarised light differently to surrounding healthy tissue.

“Humans can’t see this, but a mantis shrimp could walk up to it and hit it,” he said.

“We see colour with hues and shades, and objects that contrast – a red apple in a green tree for example – but our research is revealing a number of animals that use polarised light to detect and discriminate between objects.

“The camera that we’ve developed in close collaboration with US and UK scientists shoots video and could provide immediate feedback on detecting cancer and monitoring the activity of exposed nerve cells.

“It converts the invisible messages into colours that our visual system is comfortable with.”

Professor Marshall said current scopes and imaging systems used polarised light to detect cancer, but the shrimp-inspired technology aimed to improve and widen these non-invasive detection methods, reducing the need for biopsies and guiding surgical procedures.

More here: Nature

Originally Posted by misskit

guiding surgical procedures.

Prostate surgery is tricky in this regard. Not to mention brain surgery, of course.


Both above discoveries are excellent. Thanks for sharing.

No more colonoscopies. Yay!

New Non-invasive Colon Cancer Test Claims 92% Accuracy

According to the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cause of death for both men and women. Survivability rises if it is diagnosed early enough. A new type of test promises to replace the dreaded colonoscopy as the most reliable method for doing that.

Doctors say the most reliable test for colon cancer is a colonoscopy - looking inside the patient’s large intestine. With a special instrument, they can look for potentially deadly polyps and remove them on the spot.

But University of Miami oncologist Ike Akunyili said the procedure is not a popular one. “You have to put something through somebody's behind and lot of people don't like it.”

That is why many patients opt for the less invasive fecal occult blood test, which can be done at home, but is less reliable. It cannot detect polyps and even misses some cancers.

But a new way to test stool samples, called Cologuard, claims to be 94 percent accurate in identifying colorectal cancer.

Akunyili said this is especially good news for patients who avoid colonoscopies.

“It might increase uptake and make more people who are hesitant about getting screened, get screened,” he said.

Patients can collect a stool sample at home and send it to a laboratory, where it is screened for three genetic markers associated with polyps or early stage tumors.

Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist David Alquist said the new test may lead to fewer colorectal cancer cases, just as the PAP Smear test lowered the number of cervical cancer cases.

“There is no reason why application of Cologuard broadly through our population couldn't achieve the same thing for colon cancer. Our goal is to eradicate colon cancer,” said Alquist.

As screening for genetic markers becomes more sophisticated, doctors say the test soon may be able to identify other gastrointestinal cancers.

New Non-invasive Colon Cancer Test Claims 92% Accuracy

I am seeking pain relief from post radiotherapy from throat cancer & a fentanyl injection used for pain relief.
I choose not to use ganja or other illegal substance in LOS.
Quality assurance is another important issue for me.

SUGGESTIONS? (other than the Arabian technique ie beheading).

lab-on-a-chip

New 'lab-on-a-chip' could revolutionize early diagnosis of cancer

Sientists have been laboring to detect cancer and a host of other diseases in people using promising new biomarkers called "exosomes." Indeed, Popular Science magazine named exosome-based cancer diagnostics one of the 20 breakthroughs that will shape the world this year. Exosomes could lead to less invasive, earlier detection of cancer, and sharply boost patients' odds of survival.

"Exosomes are minuscule membrane vesicles -- or sacs -- released from most, if not all, cell types, including cancer cells," said Yong Zeng, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas. "First described in the mid-'80s, they were once thought to be 'cell dust,' or trash bags containing unwanted cellular contents. However, in the past decade scientists realized that exosomes play important roles in many biological functions through capsuling and delivering molecular messages in the form of nucleic acids and proteins from the donor cells to affect the functions of nearby or distant cells. In other words, this forms a crucial pathway in which cells talk to others."

While the average piece of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick, exosomes run just 30 to 150 nanometers in size. Because of this, exosomes are hard to separate out and test, requiring multiple-step ultracentrifugation -- a tedious and inefficient process requires long stretches in the lab, according to scientists.

"There aren't many technologies out there that are suitable for efficient isolation and sensitive molecular profiling of exosomes," said Zeng. "First, current exosome isolation protocols are time-consuming and difficult to standardize. Second, conventional downstream analyses on collected exosomes are slow and require large samples, which is a key setback in clinical development of exosomal biomarkers."

Now, Zeng and colleagues from the University of Kansas Medical Center and KU Cancer Center have just published a breakthrough paper in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal describing their invention of a miniaturized biomedical testing device for exosomes. Dubbed the "lab-on-a-chip," the device promises faster result times, reduced costs, minimal sample demands and better sensitivity of analysis when compared with the conventional bench-top instruments now used to examine the tiny biomarkers.

"A lab-on-a-chip shrinks the pipettes, test tubes and analysis instruments of a modern chemistry lab onto a microchip-sized wafer," Zeng said. "Also referred to as 'microfluidics' technology, it was inspired by revolutionary semiconductor electronics and has been under intensive development since the 1990s. Essentially, it allows precise manipulation of minuscule fluid volumes down to one trillionth of a liter or less to carry out multiple laboratory functions, such as sample purification, running of chemical and biological reactions, and analytical measurement."

Zeng and his fellow researchers have developed the lab-on-a-chip for early detection of lung cancer -- the number-one cancer killer in the U.S. Today, lung cancer is detected mostly with an invasive biopsy, after tumors are larger than 3 centimeters in diameter and even metastatic, according to the KU researcher.

Using the lab-on-a-chip, lung cancer could be detected much earlier, using only a small drop of a patient's blood.

"Most lung cancers are first diagnosed based on symptoms, which indicate that the normal lung functions have been already damaged," Zeng said. "Unlike some cancer types such as breast or colon cancer, no widely accepted screening tool has been available for detecting early-stage lung cancers. Diagnosis of lung cancer requires removing a piece of tissue from the lung for molecular examination. Tumor biopsy is often impossible for early cancer diagnosis as the developing tumor is too small to see by the current imaging tools. In contrast, our blood-based test is minimally invasive, inexpensive, and more sensitive, thus suitable for large population screening to detect early-stage tumors."

Zeng said the prototype lab-on-a-chip is made of a widely used silicone rubber called polydimethylsiloxane and uses a technique called "on-chip immunoisolation."

"We used magnetic beads of 3 micrometers in diameter to pull down the exosomes in plasma samples," Zeng said. "In order to avoid other interfering species present in plasma, the bead surface was chemically modified with an antibody that recognizes and binds with a specific target protein -- for example, a protein receptor -- present on the exosome membrane. The plasma containing magnetic beads then flows through the microchannels on the diagnostic chip in which the beads can be readily collected using a magnet to extract circulating exosomes from the plasma."

Beyond lung cancer, Zeng said the lab-on-a-chip could be used to detect a range of potentially deadly forms of cancer.

"Our technique provides a general platform to detecting tumor-derived exosomes for cancer diagnosis," he said. "In addition to lung cancer, we've also tested for ovarian cancer in this work. In theory, it should be applicable to other types of cancer. Our long-term goal is to translate this technology into clinical investigation of the pathological implication of exosomes in tumor development. Such knowledge would help develop better predictive biomarkers and more efficient targeted therapy to improve the clinical outcome."

Originally Posted by misskit

No more colonoscopies. Yay!

Don't know if this is the case.

My thought is that the colonoscopy is a preventative procedure to remove polyps before they turn cancerous. Obviously it can detect cancer but I want it (hopefully) to prevent a cancer from starting.

Originally Posted by cnx37

SUGGESTIONS?

Sorry my friend, I have nothing to offer. You have done far more investigation(s) than the average Joe so I expect you have come across most, if not all, options available. Of course, something new can always pop up unannounced, so keep searching.

Good Luck, be strong and do whatever it takes to improve your quality of life.

Originally Posted by bowie

You have done far more investigation(s) than the average Joe so I expect you have come across most, if not all, options available.

Yes...his time in Pattaya was expensive, but a real hoot.

It is with deep regret that I announce the passing of Mr. Lick. Lick was a valuable member of this forum. He passed away on the 2nd of October in England after a long battle with cancer. RIP Lick, you will be sadly missed.

Sad news. RIP Mr Lick.

Ouch ! That hurts. I had not realized that his cancer was so far advanced, and was hoping for some news of his recovery.

Didn't know you, but I always enjoyed your posts, Mr Lick. Your personality shone out as kind.

That is so sad. He was always so positive during his illness.

Rest, MrLick. Hope to meet you on the other side.



Damn you, cancer.

Was hoping Mr Lick might be one of the lucky ones. Nice guy who faced it well. Sorry to hear of his passing.

Originally Posted by Necron99

with deep regret that I announce the passing of Mr. Lick

With some short notes received and by reading some of his posts here, Mr. Lick did appear to be brave and was determined to beat cancer. There were times I did believe him (or want to believe),…that he wasn’t going to let cancer take him. We might not ever know what Mr. Lick endured during his final days; he wasn’t one to complain much, but I do believe he must have given cancer hell in his fight to survive.

He will be missed.

Just a reminder. Early detection. Get tested or screened for different types of cancer. If not for yourself, do it for your loved ones. Someone will miss you.

Originally Posted by cnx37

I am seeking pain relief from post radiotherapy from throat cancer & a fentanyl injection used for pain relief.
I choose not to use ganja or other illegal substance in LOS.
Quality assurance is another important issue for me.

SUGGESTIONS? (other than the Arabian technique ie beheading).

Why doesn't your doctor give you dilaudid or oxy?

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Ouch ! That hurts. I had not realized that his cancer was so far advanced, and was hoping for some news of his recovery.

Didn't know you, but I always enjoyed your posts, Mr Lick. Your personality shone out as kind.

Sorrow for TD.
....this fucking cancer.

I don't believe Mr. Lick was that old either, was he??

You're in our hearts, Brother Lick.

RIP Mr Lick, I enjoyed your photos very much.

Does anyone know what cancer Mr Lick succumbed to? It might be prudent to know what took him at (AFAIK), a relatively young age. I should get my balls/arse/tits tested etc.

Originally Posted by Simon43

RIP Mr Lick, I enjoyed your photos very much.

Does anyone know what cancer Mr Lick succumbed to?

From a post of his:

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

Pembrolizumab for Dummies


Had a wee bit of a set back yesterday when informed that melanoma cancer cells had spread to my liver. The cheeky little buggers must have circumvented the immune system whilst I was sleeping.

The good news is that the sun is shining in old blighty and next week I start a course of the new wonder drug Pembrolizumab. That should sort the intruders out once and for all. Invaders must die and all that!!

For those who are interested i'll keep the updates flowing on how this new drug is performing.

For a man who was so positive and brave during his illness this is very sad news.
R.I.P Mr Lick. And God bless you.

A poster who`s contributions I will miss.

Condolences to his family.

By Christa Sgobba
The same pill that gives you a lift in the sack could also raise something much more serious: your risk of a deadly form of skin cancer.

Taking an erectile-dysfunction (ED) drug may increase your likelihood of developing melanoma, finds a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers followed over 25,000 men over the course of 10 years, and found that those who reported using sildenafil—more commonly known by its brand name, Viagra—in the three months before the study’s start were 84 per cent more likely to get melanoma during the follow-up.

Plus, the guys who reported using the drug some time before the start were 92 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with the cancer compared to men who said they never used it.


More research is needed to determine what may be responsible for the increased risk, says study author Dr Wen-Qing Li. But his team has one theory: the drug, which suppresses the PDE5A enzyme to help you get an erection, also mimics the activation of a mutation commonly seen in melanoma. This may spark the development of the skin cancer.


Before you toss your little blue pill, it’s important to understand that the findings don’t necessarily show a cause-and-effect relationship between Viagra use and melanoma. Plus, the actual cases of melanoma in Viagra users were very small—only 14 in 1,378 men.


Right now, Li says the results aren’t enough to alter current clinical recommendations for Viagra or other common ED drugs like Levitra and Cialis. (These weren’t included in the study since they hadn’t yet received FDA approval at its start.) Instead, more research needs to be done first on how dosage and frequency of use are related to melanoma risk.


https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/mens-...ect-of-viagra/

Scientists get lung cancer cells to self-destruct

In the future, the best weapon against cancer may well be cancer. At least this is the vision of the Cancer Research UK, and though it may be hard to believe, based on the findings of their latest study, the day when cancer “kills itself” may be closer than you think.

When a cell is no longer able to perform its necessary function, it essentially commits cellular suicide and triggers a chain of events which end in self-destruction. Cancer cells are exempt from this process and will continue to live, regardless of how much harm they inflict on a body. This allows them to grow out of control and eventually form deadly tumors. According to a recent press release, a team of researchers from Cancer Research UK has found a drug combination capable of triggering the cell self-destruction process in lunch cancer cells.

The discovery, although still in its infancy, could essentially revolutionize the way doctors approach cancer. “Igniting the fuse that causes lung cancer cells to self-destruct could pave the way to a completely new treatment approach — and leave healthy cells unharmed,” lead researcher Dr. Henning Walczak, from University College London Cancer Institute, explained in the press release.

In the study, the team used lung cancer cells from mice to demonstrate how two drugs, TRAIL and a CDK9 inhibitor, altered the molecular switches of the cancer cells, forcing them to kill themselves Mission Impossible style. Impressively, none of the mice’s healthy cells were negatively affected by the potent drug combination.

Lung cancer is the most deadly of all forms of cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lung cancer claims around 1.6 million lives worldwide each year. What makes this form of cancer so extremely deadly is how especially hard it is to detect. Most patients show almost no symptoms of disease until the cancer has progressed too far to be treated.

"There's an urgent need to save more lives from lung cancer, and we hope these findings will one day lead to effective new treatments to help lung cancer patients and potentially those with other cancer types too," said Nell Barrie, a senior science information manager at Cancer Researcher UK. For now, the drug combination is still in its early stages of development, but eventually it may prove to be a potential treatment option for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The next step for the team is to see how this cancer-killing approach affects different types of cancers, “We hope it could ultimately lead to testing this technique in trials to see if it can help patients," Walczak said. The study will be presented next week at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool, England.

CNX: It will surely not help, but - as "we artists" say when chear up a friend before he jumps on stage - "Break a leg (or neck)".

(not sure whether it is understood in Aussie Language)