DIFFERENT CANCER SAME MUTATION

 

An astounding variety of genetic abnormalities can cause healthy cells to turn cancerous. Few of these are shared among cancers of the same tissue, and fewer still are shared among cancers of different tissues. Nevertheless, scientists searching for such common genetic needles in an array of cancer.

“For the first time we have been able to analyze, across the board, large numbers of tumor samples . . . and also systematically look across different tumor types,” said Chris Sander, chair of the computational biology program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and senior author on one of the new papers. The main aim was to learn about principles of cancer biology that might not have been obvious from previous studies examining one tumor type in isolation.

“TCGA is all about analyzing each tumor type separately,” said Josh Stuart, a professor of biomolecular engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not involved in either study. ON every time a new experiment is carried out in cancer, we always wanted to compare it to the previous one and it has been analyzed that there is some kind of  similarities.

One benefit of looking at cancer samples from all tissue types is that the pool of data becomes larger, offering more statistical power. .

A scientist team examined DNA copy number alterations—common features in cancer—at roughly 1.5 million loci across the genome. They found approximately 200,000 copy number alterations in total, which worked out to about 39 alterations per cancer sample.

To determine which of these alterations might be causing cancer, the researchers looked for only those that recurred across various cancer types. By doing so, they whittled down the 200,000 or so loci to just 140. Only 35 of these loci contained known oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, meaning the remaining 105 contained new cancer-causing candidates to investigate.

Another scientist  team—which studied gene mutations and DNA methylation changes in addition to copy number alterations—similarly whittled down many thousands of such genetic aberrations to just 479 that were recurrent across multiple cancer types.

The team then asked which of these 479 genetic events occurred in each cancer sample, paving the way for new categories of cancer based on the particular constellations of aberrations they possessed. Interestingly, the team found that cancers with abundant single gene mutations tended not to have many copy number alterations and vice versa.

The two team  come to in conclusion is that they have a spectrum of tumors that are driven by copy number abnormalities  and then another set of tumors that are driven primarily by a series of mutational events. The two papers provided a very cogent argument that these are two of the major driving events.

Beyond learning more about the mechanisms behind the disease’s origins, such cancer studies might lead to a new kind of clinical trial. Sander described such studies as basket or matrix trials, in which patients with different tumor types—for example, breast, ovarian, or colorectal—but similar constellations of genetic alterations, would be treated with the same drug or drugs.

 It’s possible that the same mutation in different cancer types could indicate different responses to drugs.

REFERNCE-

G. Ciriello et al., “Emerging landscape of oncogenic signatures across human cancers,” Nature Genetics, doi:10.1038/ng.2762, 2013.

T. I. Zack et al., “Pan-cancer patterns of somatic copy number alteration,” Nature Genetics,doi:10.1038/ng.2760, 2013.

HOW VITAMIN D HELPS PREVENT LUNG CANCER?
Increasing vitamin D may now be a matter of life or death, as recent studies have shown that it may play a vital role in the fight against lung cancer. To date, lung cancer is one of the three most common cancers that kill men and women in developed countries with a statistic of one million deaths every year.
Researchers from the University of California at San Diego discovered a correlative relationship between higher rates of lung cancer and less exposure to the sun.
Cancer and vitamin D
The study compared data from national and international databases and compared the lung cancer rates in 111 countries. It found a correlation with smoking, lung cancer and significant lower UVB exposure. Although the current study focused only on lung cancer, research conducted on other cancers have pointed to the fact that most cancer cases are seen in subjects living far from the equator, suggesting that lower levels of vitamin D also account for a high risk of colon and other cancers.
Traditionally, vitamin D was thought to be mostly responsible for bone health and was the medical answer to the rickets phenomenon decades ago. More recent findings have shown that the body has cells and tissues which contain vitamin D receptors necessary for its proper functioning, spurring a lot of interest in the potential of what it can do. The fact that it has just been discovered to prevent a spectrum of chronic diseases, cancer included, has stimulated a debate about whether it is the answer to the cancer problem that has plagued the world.
What is vitamin D?
Curiously, vitamin D is not a vitamin but a hormone that, as earlier mentioned, affects a lot of physiological processes.
The body needs sufficient sun exposure to produce vitamin D . It can even be stored in the skin until the time when body needs it again. Strangely, it is impossible to get an overdose from sun exposure since the body has a mechanism that controls the amount it needs.
Getting vitamin D from dietary sources may not be enough, as there are not many foods naturally containing vitamin D. This leaves supplementation, which can be an option for those who may not get enough sun exposure.
Vitamin D controls cancer cells
The likely explanation for this is that vitamin D locally controls genes that help keep cancer at bay by keeping cellular proliferation in check. It has also been suggested that it can induce cell death and regeneration, reducing the potential for malignant cells to survive. Once it has done its job, it initiates its own destruction to guarantee that it does not enter circulation to influence calcium metabolism.
Andreas Moritz, a practitioner of alternative medicine and author of "Cancer is not Disease - It's a Survival Mechanism," describes cancer as the body's healing attempt when all other measures of self-preservation have failed. According to him, the reason the body allows some of its cells to become abnormal is because it attempts to heal itself. Thus, blocking its healing attempt can destroy the body while supporting it in its healing mechanisms can save it.
. The present treatment of cancer involves procedures such as chemotherapy, invasive procedure and use of pharmaceuticals. This narrow-minded focus on finding a cure practically ignores other options which have been around far longer than conventional medicine - such as the concept of a nutritional cure.
A look at the current trend in cancer treatments has seen such debilitating side effects in a patient's quality of life that it may appear to hasten a patient's decline rather improve his or her health. A patient may as well not undergo chemotherapy, as his chances of surviving without the procedure may well be higher than when he is undergoing treatment.
Nutritional care, on the other hand, seeks to work with the body's needs by providing the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to properly function. It is actually the natural way of keeping the body in balance and the best way to prevent diseases. In the event that the body's system is compromised due to illness, the body's immune system may be strengthened by taking food that naturally boost its immune system.
REFERENCE--
NATURAL NEWS JOURNAL
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035282_vitamin_D_lung_cancer_prevention.html#ixzz2fvBkc5oj

UNMASKING THE ROLE OF MAST CELLS IN DENGUE


Immune cells called mast cells can hinder rather than help the body's response to dengue virus, which suggests that mast cell products could be used as biomarkers to identify severe forms of the disease.

Every year, millions of people become infected with dengue virus: a mosquito-borne pathogen that poses an increasingly serious threat to global health. While the majority of individuals either experience no symptoms or mild dengue fever—a flu-like illness with headache, rash, and muscle and joint pain—a small percentage go on to develop a life-threatening condition called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). This can result in hemorrhage, shock, organ failure and even death (World Health Organization, 1997).DHF is marked by the leakage of plasma proteins and fluid out of capillaries so that the blood becomes more concentrated. This vascular leakage is accompanied by a decrease in the number of platelets—cell fragments that help the blood to clot—and abnormalities in liver function. At present, there is neither a vaccine nor any specific therapy for severe dengue infection, and progress on both these fronts has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of disease pathogenesis. Now, in recent research by, Soman Abraham of Duke University and co-workers from the National University of Singapore reveals a pathogenic role for immune cells called mast cells in the response to dengue infection (St John et al., 2013). The study also reveals a potential biomarker that could identify patients at risk of DHF, as well as novel therapeutic targets.

Mast cells are part of the innate immune system—the body’s first line of defense against pathogens—and reside in tissues surrounding blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. They can be activated by the binding of specific antibodies to receptors on their surface, and can also recognize pathogens and inflammatory proteins directly. Mast cells contain large numbers of granules, which are enriched in substances such as histamine, tryptase, chymase and tumor necrosis factor, and within seconds of the mast cells being activated, these substances are released in a process called degranulation. The activated mast cells also begin to synthesize leukotrienes, prostaglandins, cytokines, and other inflammatory mediators. The release of these substances/mediators increases the permeability of blood vessels and recruits immune cells to the site of the infection. It also leads to activation of various non-immune cells, such as smooth muscle cells and mucous glands, which help to remove allergens and pathogens from the body.

Several lines of evidence are consistent with a protective role for mast cells in the host response to pathogens (Abraham and St John, 2010). Dengue virus is known to infect mast cells, particularly in the presence of pre-existing antibodies from an earlier infection (King et al., 2000). Mast cells also contribute to immunosurveillance, responding to dengue virus by activating host anti-viral responses and releasing signaling molecules that recruit additional immune cells (St John et al., 2011). By contrast, other recent work suggests that mast cells may sometimes have a pathogenic role. When infected with dengue virus in vitro, they trigger activation of endothelial cells (Brown et al., 2011). These line the inside of blood vessels and their activation can promote inflammation and blood clotting. Moreover, levels of certain mast cell proteins are elevated in patients with DHF compared to those with milder dengue fever (Furuta et al., 2012).

To begin to decipher the pathogenic role of mast cells, St John et al. injected dengue virus under the skin of the mouse ear. Local activation of mast cells (degranulation) and signs of capillary leakage were observed in the mice, which suggests that mice can be used to study dengue virus.

To delineate the role of mast cells in systemic dengue infection, the Duke-NUS team then introduced a clinical isolate of dengue virus directly into the mouse abdominal cavity. This induced a number of responses similar to those seen in patients with DHF, and which are consistent with increased vascular permeability. The mice also showed evidence of the virus in their bloodstream, as well as viral replication in the liver and spleen—the two primary organs affected in humans—and expressed a marker for mast cell activation, MCPT1. Similar findings were obtained in immunocompromised mice in which dengue virus can replicate more efficiently over a longer period. By contrast, genetically modified mice that were deficient in mast cells did not show vascular leakage in response to dengue virus, but began to do so when they were supplied with mast cells. Moreover, treatment with clinically approved mast-cell stabilizing compounds inhibited both mast cell activation and vascular leakage, in normal as well as immunocompromised mice.

To verify the mouse data, levels of chymase—the human equivalent of mouse MCPT1—were measured in a cohort of infected adults. The early clinical presentation of dengue fever and DHF are similar, but St John et al. found that chymase levels were consistently elevated in DHF patients compared to those with dengue fever. These findings point to a role for chymase (or mast cell activation) in the blood vessel pathology associated with dengue infection, and suggest that it could be a useful biomarker for DHF. Further studies are required to investigate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the test at various time points, and to determine whether it would also work in children.

The work of St John, Abraham and co-workers has revealed mast cells to be another deleterious player in dengue pathogenesis, despite their previously reported protective function. However, the factors that determine whether the mast cell response is beneficial or harmful are still unclear. The type and location of infected cells is likely to be important as different groups of mast cells can release distinct mediators. Whether the cells are activated by the virus itself or by pre-existing antibodies could also influence the response outcome, as could viral dosage. Lastly, the activity of other immune system components could influence the response of mast cells, as could the patient's genetic background and whether they have allergies.

Download figureOpen in new tabDownload powerpointFigure 1.

The response of mast cells to dengue virus can be beneficial or detrimental. When a mosquito injects dengue virus (brown hexagons) into the skin, the viruses are detected by specific antibodies (green) or unidentified receptors (blue) on the surface of resting (i.e., non-activated) mast cells. These can then trigger an anti-viral response (left) by releasing the contents of their granules (degranulation) and by upregulating intracellular anti-viral molecules (RIG-I and MDA5). The activated mast cells also secrete signaling molecules called chemokines, which recruit other immune cells including natural killer cells (NK), natural killer T cells (NKT) and T cells, which help to clear the virus. However, if local control mechanisms fail, the virus will enter the bloodstream and be carried to other organs (right). This activates the mast cells in these organs so that they undergo degranulation, releasing ready-made proteases such as chymase and tryptase, and synthesizing inflammatory mediators (leukotrienes and vascular endothelial cell growth factor [VEGF]). These increase the permeability of capillaries, leading to vascular leakage. Mast cells in these organs can also be activated by endogenous inflammatory mediators (such as C3a and C5a) that help the body to remove pathogens. Blocking mast cells (or their mediators) with drugs such as cromolyn, ketotifen and montelukast reduces pathogenic vascular leakage, but might also hamper viral clearance. Anti-mast cell therapy could thus be a double-edged sword.

Medications that block mast cells or their mediators have long been used to treat allergy and asthma, albeit with modest efficacy (Boushey, 2012). However, the use of these drugs in dengue infection must wait until we have a better understanding of how mast cells are regulated. It will be essential to find out how we can block vascular leakage without impeding viral clearance, and achieve overall control of infection without triggering an unwanted immune reaction. Nevertheless, the work of St John et al. offers new hope that it will be possible to treat or prevent DHF using readily available drugs, just as soon as we can identify which patients will benefit, and when

- See more at: http://elife.elifesciences.org/content/2/e00767#sthash.lyHMNldy.dpuf
REFERENCE----
IMMUNOLOGY eLife journal

Alcohol-Containing Mouthwashes Strongly Linked to Increased Oral Cancer Risk

 Top independent experts  have called for mouthwashes that contain alcohol to be immediately removed from store shelves. This is after the experts had looked at latest available scientific information on these products, which suggest that they can cause oral cancer.

The experts language was clear - there was "sufficient evidence" that "alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer".

The review had looked at and reported on several studies from around the world. One such international study had looked at the habits of 3,210 people and found that the use of mouthwash on a daily basis was a "significant risk factor" for developing head and neck cancers. This was regardless of whether the mouthwash users smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol.

Although the risks were larger for those who smoked and used mouthwash (9 times the risk of getting the said cancers), as well as for those who drank and used mouthwash (more than 5 times the risk), even mouthwash users who neither smoked nor drank experienced a significant increase in cancer risk - a whopping 4 to 5 times.

Separately, a review which was published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology expressed "doubts about the safety of alcohol-containing oral products" and stated that it would be "prudent, precautionary public-health policy to generally refrain from using ethanol in (mouthwash) products".

Dangers of Alcohol in Mouthwashes

How might the alcohol in mouthwashes increase cancer risk? One possibility is that the ethanol in mouthwashes could allow carcinogens to more easily penetrate the mouth lining, thereby allowing more damage to be done. In addition, acetaldehyde, a poisonous by-product of alcohol, could accumulate in the mouth when someone gargles mouthwash. Cancer risk could then be elevated because this compound might have cancer-causing properties.

Unlike alcoholic drinks, which are an established cancer risk factor, the role of mouthwashes had been iffy. However, many brands of mouthwashes in fact contain higher levels of alcohol than alcoholic beverages themselves. And while such drinks are swallowed, mouthwashes are kept in the mouth for longer periods of time. With the formation of acetaldehyde and the role of ethanol also at play, the risk factors of alcoholic mouthwashes are thus multi-fold.

In a strange way, because alcoholic beverages are consumed for pleasure and recreation purposes, they seem to then have a "license" to be harmful for health. Mouthwashes, on the other hand, are marketed as health products, which thus makes it very ironic that they could be cancer-causing. But then again, those of us familiar with the workings of conventional medicine would be well aware that many of the products and methods it pushes are in fact dangerous for human health.

The Need to Reassess the Use of Alcohol-Containing Mouthwashes

According to market surveys, mouthwash use is on the up. And Listerine, consists of as much as 26% alcohol. Combined with the available research information discussed earlier, these facts surely make for worrying reading.

One possible alternative is alcohol-free versions of commercial mouthwashes. Better still, one could use herbal mouthwashes, which are a viable, effective and much safer option, although they may also be more difficult to find.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/025581_mouthwash_cancer_alcohol.html#ixzz2f8NHGScp

BODY DRUGS CAN AFFECT THE MIND

Many drugs that treat bodily ills can alter mood, memory and other mental functions. Often the trials required to approve new drugs miss these uncommon side effects, but when the medications go on the market and are doled out to millions, thousands of people can be at risk. The drugs listed below are some of the most commonly prescribed; each one (including its generic versions) likely causes at least 10,000 patients—some, more than 100,000—to experience mental side effects every year.

Strategy Discovered to Activate Genes that Suppress Tumors and Inhibit Cancer

Main Content

Filed under: biochemistry and molecular biology, chemistry, research

Cancer cells. A research team led by two scientists at Penn State University has developed a promising cancer-fighting strategy for "reactivating" genes that cause cancer tumors to shrink and die. The discovery may aid in the development of an innovative anti-cancer drug that effectively targets unhealthy, cancerous tissue without damaging healthy, non-cancerous tissue and vital organs.          Credit: National Cancer Institute

 A team of scientists has developed a promising new strategy for "reactivating" genes that cause cancer tumors to shrink and die. The researchers hope that their discovery will aid in the development of an innovative anti-cancer drug that effectively targets unhealthy, cancerous tissue without damaging healthy, non-cancerous tissue and vital organs. .

The team, led by Yanming Wang, a Penn State University associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Gong Chen, a Penn State assistant professor of chemistry, developed the new strategy after years of earlier research on a gene called PAD4 (peptidylarginine deiminase 4), which produces the PAD4 enzyme. Previous research by Wang and other scientists revealed that the PAD4 enzyme plays an important role in protecting the body from infection. The scientists compared normal mice with a functioning PAD4 gene to other mice that had a defective a PAD4 gene. When infected with bacteria, cells from the normal mice attacked and killed about 30 percent of the harmful bacteria, while cells from the defective mice battled a mere 10 percent. The researchers discovered that cells with a functioning PAD4 enzyme are able to build around themselves a protective, bacteria-killing web that Wang and his colleagues dubbed a NET (neutrophil extracellular trap). This NET is especially effective at fighting off flesh-eating bacteria.

Now, in their new study, Wang and his collaborators have focused on the less-desirable effects of the same PAD4 gene. While PAD4 is clearly a critical part of the body's defense strategy, the gene's over-expression may be linked to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. One situation in which the PAD4 enzyme is markedly increased is in patients with certain cancers, such as breast, lung, and bone cancers.

To test their theory, Wang and his colleagues treated mice that had cancerous tumors with a molecule to inhibit the PAD4 enzyme. They found that, especially when combined with additional enzyme inhibitors, the treatment worked as effectively as the most-commonly-used chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, which shrinks tumors by about 70 percent.

Most striking, however, was that the PAD4 enzyme-inhibition strategy caused significantly less damage to healthy tissues.Current chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin don't attack just tumors; unfortunately, they also attack healthy areas of the body. "That's why chemotherapy patients experience such terrible side effects such as weight loss, nausea, and hair loss. Because the PAD4 treatment appears to be less toxic, it could be an excellent alternative to current chemotherapy treatments.

Wang also explained that the PAD4 gene's dual personality -- on the one hand a helpful defense against bacteria, while on the other, a harmful silencer of cancer-suppressor genes -- can be understood from the perspectives of evolution and longer life spans. 

How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter

As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be.  We suddenly can't remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band we used to love.  As the brain fades, we euphemistically refer to these occurrences as "senior moments."

While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being. 

It happens to most of us, but is it inevitable? 

Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done.  It turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions.  Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain.  To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited.  However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.

Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness.  Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology from Stanford University.

Lumosity, is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills.  That's because they have integrated these exercises into a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills.  The program keeps track of your progress and provides detailed feedback on your performance and improvement.  Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to build on the strengths you are developing--much like an effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.

Does it work?

Apparently it does. In randomized, controlled clinical trials, Lumosity was shown to significantly improve basic cognitive functions. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks, significantly greater gains than those made by other students in the same class, who were not training with the Lumosity program.

The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for names, numbers, directions, increased alertness and awareness, elevated mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.

Melanoma treatment uses immune system to kill cancer cells

A combination of two immunotherapy drugs used against highly advanced melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — caused tumors to dramatically shrink or disappear, according to a study released Wednesday. The results of the research from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York are part of a transformative advance in harnessing the body's immune system to kill cancer cells.

In the new study, some 40 percent of patients in the study saw reduction in their huge tumors from the treatment, which combines a drug called ipilimumab and an experimental new immunotherapy known as Nivolumab. They're part of a treatment trend that uses the immune system to help reject cancer.

,Immunotherapies are being found effective against lung, kidney and many other cancers, as well.

Immunotherapy has been a dream of cancer researchers for more than a century. But the field has been marked by a few tantalizing successes, followed by years of failure. Researchers believe they now understand the immune system well to start employing it reliably against cancer.

The treatment starts with the understanding that a type of immune system cells — white blood cells called killer T-cells — try to destroy cancer cells. But cancer cells are tricky and they release an array of chemicals to keep the killer T-cells at bay. To completely destroy the cancer cell, the killer T-cell usually has to connect to it in two places.

The next step was to aim the killer T-cells at the second site. Several experimental drugs have been developed for that.  

Also, the drugs have side effects — often nothing more than a bad rash, but they also can cause inflammation of the intestine or the liver. And they are expensive. 

Despite those limitations, immunotherapy is an exciting new concept. Experts say it stands a very good chance of curing many patients whose cancer would have been fatal.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CANCER...

After years of telling people chemotherapy is the only way to try and eliminate cancer, doctors are finally starting to tell us there is another way.

Interesting facts about cancer

1. Every person has cancer cells in their body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion times.
2. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
3. Cancer cells occur in the body between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
4. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.
5. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
6. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
7. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, to the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
8. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
9. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation does not result in more tumor destruction.
10. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and Radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
11. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
12. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

1. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting out sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
2. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting out milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.
3. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
4. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruit help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
5. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which are high in caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water is best to drink purified, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
6. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.
7. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
8. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like Vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
9. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
10. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Long-Term Use of Some High Blood Pressure Drugs May Increase Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer

The risk of breast cancer more than doubled among postmenopausal women who took high blood pressure drugs known as calcium-channel blockers for 10 years or longer, 

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women . The chance of an individual developing cancer depends on both genetic and non-genetic factors. Non-genetic factors may include diet, exercise, or exposure to other substances, including medications.

Hypertension—or high blood pressure—is a chronic condition that is often treated with medications known as antihypertensive agents. In fact, antihypertensive agents are the most commonly prescribed class. There are several different types of antihypertensive agents, including calcium-channel blockers, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), beta blockers and diuretics.

Although blood pressure medications are widely prescribed, data regarding their long-term impact is sparse. In order to evaluate the relationship between high blood pressure drugs and the risk of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast cancers among postmenopausal women, researchers conducted a population-based, case-control study in the 3-county Seattle-Puget Sound metropolitan area. The study included 880 women with invasive ductal breast cancer; 1,027 with invasive lobular breast cancer; and 856 women with no cancer who served as the control group. All of the women in the study were aged 55 to 74.

The researchers gathered detailed data regarding health history, obesity, and alcohol and tobacco use as well as the history of hypertension and use of antihypertensive agents—including type, duration, and how recently the drugs were used.

Overall, the use of antihypertensive agents was not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer—regardless of whether the use was classified as current, former, or short-term. However, when the researchers analyzed the results based on the type and duration of antihypertensive therapy, they found that calcium-channel blockers had a significant association with breast cancer risk. In fact, women currently taking calcium-channel blockers who had used them for 10 or more years had two and a half times the risk of developing invasive ductal and invasive lobular cancers compared to women who never used such calcium-channel blockers and compared to users of other forms of antihypertensive agents.

In contrast, the results indicated that other types of antihypertensive agents, such as beta blockers, diuretics, and ARBs, were not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer—even when used long term.

The researchers concluded that long-term use of calcium-channel blockers may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women.

The Science of Smell

The sense of smell (or olfaction) is our most primitive sense and is located in the same part of our brain that effects emotions, memory, and creativity. Our sense of smell allows us to identify food, mates, and danger, as well as sensual pleasures like perfume and flowers/nature. Sudden scents, like smelling salts, will jolt the mind.

The senses of smell and taste, two of the five senses identified by Aristotle, are called “chemical senses” and are sometimes regarded as one sense rather than separate senses. About 80% of what we taste is actually due to our sense of smell. Without the sense of smell, we would only be able to recognize five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory. A food’s flavor can be altered by simply changing its smell, while keeping its taste the same. In fact, our sense of smell becomes stronger when we are hungry.

Aromas, scents and fragrances, good and bad smells, are all odors or odorants. An odor is a chemical dissolved in air, generally at a very low concentration, which we perceive by the sense of smell or olfaction. Odors are also called “smells,” which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors. In contrast, “stench” and “stink” are used specifically to describe an unpleasant odor. The terms fragrance,” “scent,” or “aroma” are used primarily by the air treatment companies like Prolitec as well as food and cosmetic companies to describe a pleasant odor. The term “perfume” is used to refer to fine fragrances or wearable scents.

Humans are able to distinguish over 10,000 different odor molecules. When inhaled, these odor molecules travel into the nose and interact with odor eceptors. The odor receptors then transmit the information to the olfactory bulb, which is located in the brain’s limbic system. The limbic system also controls memory and emotions, and is connected to the pituitary gland and hypothalamus area that controls the release of hormones that affect our appetite, nervous system, body temperature, stress levels, and concentration.

While there is no theory that explains olfaction fully, one theory is that millions of axons or nerve fibers cover the circumference of the olfactory bulb. Depending on which nerve fibers interact with or capture the odor molecules, a pattern of activity is generated which cause the perception of a unique smell. Another theory is that odor receptor function like a key-lock system. If the airborne molecules of a certain chemical can fit into the lock, the nerve cell will respond.

Some odors are perceived as pleasant like flowers, perfumes, and cooking aromas. Some odors are called malodors because they are perceived as unpleasant, stench or stink. Malodors are like pleasant odors and caused by specific combinations of chemicals. The perception of all odors is subjective and based on cultural conditioning or emotional state.

Since the olfactory system is located in the brain, the sense of smell is closely tied to memory, mood, stress, and concentration. For example, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, doctors use fragrance to reduce anxiety during medical testing. Doctors from Duke University Medical Center are treating women in menopause with fragrances to alleviate depression and mood swings. This use of scent to affect mood or behavior is called aromatherapy.

Anosmia is the loss of one’s sense of smell. The inability to smell can lead to loss of appetite, libido, and depression linked to smell memories. Anosmia is sometimes an early symptom of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are degenerations of systems associated with the Limbic System.

The human olfactory system adjusts over time and has trouble detecting both bad and good odors provided they are not too strong. This is called olfactory adaptation and it usually takes an hour to become adapted to an odor or scent. For example, people working in a scented environment often adapt to the scent and lose their ability to detect it even if people entering the space can readily perceive it.

                                                                SCIENCE OF SMELLING

Bee Venom Destroys HIV And Spares Surrounding Cells

Nanoparticles containing bee venom toxin melittin can destroy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while at the same time leaving surrounding cells unharmed, 

The researchers said that their finding is a major step toward creating a vaginal gel that can prevent HIV spread. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
Melittin destroys some viruses and malignant tumor cells
Melittin is a powerful toxin found in bee venom. It can poke holes in the protective viral envelope that surrounds the human immunodeficiency virus, as well as other viruses. Free melittin in large-enough quantities can cause considerable damage.

Senior author, Samuel A. Wickline, MD, the J. Russell Hornsby Professor of Biomedical Sciences, has demonstrated that nanoparticles loaded with melittin have anti-cancer properties and have the capacity to kill tumor cells. 
Normal cells remain intact - the scientists showed that nanoparticles loaded with melittin do not harm normal, healthy cells. Protective bumpers were added to the nanoparticles surface, so that when they come into contact with normal cells (which tend to be much larger), the nanoparticles bounce off rather than attach themselves.

Scientists have discovered a powerful toxin in bee venom that could end up playing a crucial role in preventing the spread of HIV.

HIV is much smaller than the nanoparticles and fits in between the bumpers. When HIV comes across a nanoparticle it goes in between the bumpers and comes into direct contact with its surface, which is coated with the bee toxin, which destroys it.
Melittin on the nanoparticles fuses with the viral envelope. The melittin forms little pore-like attack complexes and ruptures the envelope, stripping it off the virus.

While most anti-HIV medications work on inhibiting the virus' ability to replicate, this one attacks a vital part of its structure. The problem with attacking a pathogen's ability to replicate is that it does not stop it from starting an infection. Some HIV strains have found ways to circumvent replication-inhibiting drugs, and reproduce regardless.
Melittin nanoparticles may prevent and treat existing HIV infections
Hood believes that the melittin-loaded nanoparticles have the potential for two types of therapies:

• A vaginal gel to prevent the spread of HIV infection
• Therapy for existing HIV infections, particularly drug-resistant ones

In theory, if the nanoparticles were injected into the patient's bloodstream, they should be able to clear the blood of HIV.
Melittin attacks double-layered membranes indiscriminately, making it a potential for drug therapies beyond HIV infections. The hepatitis B and C viruses, among several others, rely on the same type of protective envelope and could be targeted and destroyed by administering melittin-loaded nanoparticles.
The gel also has the potential to target sperm, the researchers explained, making it a possible contraceptive medication. The study, however, did not look at contraception.
This study was carried out in cells in a laboratory environment. However, the nanoparticles are easy to produce - enough of them could easily be supplied for future human studies.

Systemic enzymes work as anti-inflammatory agents Inflammation can be uncomfortable on a scale that ranges from minor nuisance to major pain; however,  it is an important part of the body as it is the natural reaction of the immune system, the body's way  of defending against irritations that occur. These irritations are caused by injuries, foreign substances,  and other unnatural elements within the body. To ward off the pain of inflammation, anti-inflammatory  medication is prescribed by doctors all over the world, but the best natural anti-inflammatory  agents are systemic enzymes (also known as metabolic enzymes).

Enzymes are important in keeping the body's many systems running smoothly because they speed up the various chemical reactions that take place, allowing systems such as digestion to be performed at an optimal level. This is not the only function of enzymes, though, as they also work to decrease inflammation - a function that has allowed them to become a very popular natural anti-inflammatory treatment.

When an injury occurs or a foreign body is detected, the immune system responds by creating a Circulating Immune Complex, or CIC. The CIC causes the inflammation by attacking the point at which the injury or foreign body is found, attempting to rid the body of a potentially harmful substance. The pain that this causes is what initially brings the injury or other problem to the attention of individuals; however, after fulfilling this role it can continue to cause unnecessary discomfort. Systemic enzymes are able to essentially destroy the CICs that are causing this excess pain, reducing the inflammation and the pain that it causes.

Why are systemic enzymes safer than over the counter pain killers and anti-inflammatory therapies? First, the over the counter brands contain chemicals that can harm the body. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other pain killers can cause liver, kidney, and intestinal damage. Part of this damage can be attributed to the chemicals, but part of it is due to how these therapies work. Unlike systemic enzymes, they prevent all CICs from forming. While this does attend to the pain that individuals are trying to dull, it also prevents "good" CICs from taking care of other aspects of the body, such as the intestinal lining and the proper maintenance of the kidneys.

The body contains thousands of different systemic enzymes, and the market offers a large variety of natural products that can be used to fight inflammation. Individuals seeking systemic enzyme therapy as an anti-inflammatory treatment should speak to their doctors about which brands are the most effective and should follow the directions on the label.

Systemic enzymes are an important aspect of the proper functioning of the body and have been proven to be an effective and natural therapy that reduces inflammation. For people that are in need of a safe anti-inflammatory, systemic enzymes are the wonderful method of treatment. 

 DNA repair helps prevent cancer

The biological information that makes us unique is encoded in our DNA. DNA damage is a natural biological occurrence that happens every time cells divide and multiply. External factors such as overexposure to sunlight can also damage DNA.

Results from computer simulations show that it is energetically less expensive to bend mismatch-containing, defective DNA (G:T, C:C, C:T, G:A, G:G, T:T, A:A, A+:C) vs. non-defective DNA (containing A:T or G:C base pairs). DNA repair mechanisms likely take advantage of this feature to detect defective DNA based on an increased bending propensity. Credit: Michigan State University

The key here is to understand how these defects are recognized. "DNA damage occurs frequently and if you couldn't repair your DNA, then you won't live for very long." This is because damaged DNA, if left unrepaired, can compromise cells and lead to diseases such as cancer.Understanding how the human body recognizes damaged DNA and initiates repair fascinated Michael Feig, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Michigan State University. Feig studied the proteins MutS and MSH2-MSH6, which recognize defective DNA and initiate DNA repair. Natural DNA repair occurs when proteins like MutS (the primary protein responsible for recognizing a variety of DNA mismatches) scan the DNA, identify a defect, and recruit other enzymes to carry out the actual repair.

A high-level atomic resolution simulations was needed. "These are expensive calculations for which we need hundreds of CPUs to work simultaneously and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) resources made that possible."

DNA chains are made of four precise chemical base pairs with distinct compositions.The research is being carried out by, Feig and his research team showed that the identification and initiation of repair depended on how the MutS protein bound with the base mismatches.

The biological repair machinery seems to take advantage of this propensity by 'testing' DNA to determine whether it can be bent easily. If that is the case, the protein has found a mismatch and repair is initiated.

"When the MutS protein is deficient in certain people, they have a high propensity to develop certain types of cancer," . research i being carried out, how exactly this protein works. The long-term idea is to develop strategies for compensating for this protein, basically substituting some other mechanism for recognizing defective DNA and enabling repair."

The strongest link between diseases and defects from the MutS protein has been made for a specific type of genetically inherited colon cancer.

"If an essential protein like MutS is missing or less than adequate, then the cells will not behave in a normal way,". "They will turn cancerous. The cells will refuse to die and proliferate in an uncontrollable state." In these cases, cancer is not a result of damaged DNA, but occurs because of a problem in the DNA repair mechanism itself.