Tag Archives: breast cancer
The importance of immature cancer cells in predicting patient outcome
The word “cure” for breast or any other type of cancer might be unfair to a patient since this will give the individual a false sense of comfort. The misuse of `cure’ is evident in breast cancer
Tissue-specific MED1 LxxLL motifs play critical roles in HER2-driven breast cancers
Estrogen Receptor (ER) is a nuclear hormone receptor that plays important roles in normal mammary gland development as well as breast cancer growth and metastases. In a breast cancer setting, when ER is bound by estradiol, there is
Potential biomarkers of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HR-positive advanced breast cancer
Thanks to the development of endocrine therapy, the mortality rate of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer patients has been decreased drastically. In spite of the improvement, however, relapse and progression that are driven by different mechanisms are
Lower TSH and higher free thyroxine predict incidence of prostate but not other common cancers
The pituitary gland signals production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland through secretion of thyrotropin (TSH). There are two types of thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. These include thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyroinine (T3). These
Obesity fuels breast carcinogenesis: What is the molecular basis?
Excess body weight is associated with the primary risk of 13 distinct cancers and is generally considered a poor prognostic indicator for patients diagnosed with a variety of malignancies. Obesity is increasingly recognized as a risk factor
What is a SERM and how does it work?
Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are nuclear receptors that function as ligand-dependent transcription factors. They play a vital role in many physiological functions such as the development and differentiation of the reproductive tract and mammary gland. They
Transmitted sound wave mammography
This study was designed to look at a new type of totally harmless breast imaging called whole-breast transmission ultrasound to see if it could do something mammography cannot do – that is to diagnose the presence of
New treatments for breast cancer
Now that 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live at least 5 years, new treatments are aim at improving outcomes for the 10% who are not responding to current drugs and delivering treatments with less
A new extracellular role for miR-939 in triple negative breast cancer
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative breast carcinomas (BC). Unfortunately, this kind of tumor is characterized by poor prognosis, high
Next generation sequencing, a new gold standard for clinical gene panel testing
The adaption of the Next Generation Sequencing ( NGS ) technology to clinical laboratories has revolutionized the molecular diagnostics by reducing the costs and increasing the throughput. Clinical use of NGS enables simultaneous testing of multiple genes
Let-7b expression in breast cancer: does have any implications on the DNA repair capacity?
Epigenetics study the changes on gene expression that occur without altering the primary structure of the DNA. Examples of epigenetic mechanisms that can produce such changes include microRNA ( miRNA ) silencing, DNA methylation, histone methylation, among
Teasing apart the roles that oncogenic miRNAs play in breast cancer
Oncogenic miRNA and breast cancer Since the early 2000’s, the field of RNA has been contributing to major discoveries in cancer research. McroRNAs are small RNA molecules (miRNA), inhibit the messenger RNAs that produce our proteins. Normally,
Radiation-induced morphea: an under-recognized complication of breast radiation
Worldwide, breast cancer was the most common new diagnosis and common cause of death in women in 2012. As screening for breast cancer has improved patients are often identified in the early stage of disease and are
An RNA degradative enzyme that stimulates breast cancer cells to move and invade
RNA degradative enzymes carry out key steps in regulating gene expression. They are broadly grouped into two groups; exonucleases, that degrade RNA from one end and endonucleases, which cut within the body of an RNA molecule. PMR1
Metabolic reprogramming: from estrogen dependence to self-sufficiency
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and, despite significant progress in diagnosis and treatments, incidence has been steadily increasing in the last 40 years. Approximately 70% of breast cancers are characterised by the expression
Discovery of potential anti-breast cancer agents dual targeting ER and VEGFR-2
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in females worldwide. Among all BC patients, more than 70% are diagnosed as estrogen receptor positive (ER+). Estrogen is the primary female hormone which is responsible for the development
Focusing on the most relevant gene variants in inherited breast and ovarian cancer
Modern sequencing technology (which has begun to become adopted in clinical labs) can provide invaluable genetic information of individuals, such as those with a family history of early onset breast cancer. However, this information also results in
Why women with early stage breast cancer don’t complete their chemotherapy treatment?
Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among US women. For women with early stage breast cancer (stages I and II), completing chemotherapy after surgery can increase survival. Despite this proven benefit, some women do
FDG-PET/CT is accurate in diagnosing breast cancer recurrence
A woman with a substantial risk of breast cancer recurrence experiences worry and anxiety, and a correct diagnosis is relevant in order to make well-founded decision on treatment strategy. It is then crucial to provide accurate diagnostic
The synergistic role of prolactin and estrogen in breast cancer requires PAK1
In 2016, the American Cancer Society estimates about 40,000 deaths will result from breast cancer. This makes breast cancer the second leading cause of cancer-related among women. Despite the frightening statistics, the death rates from breast cancer
