Cancer researches

Cause:

It involves many different disciplines including genetics, diet, environmental factors .In regard to investigation of causes and potential targets for therapy, the route used starts with data obtained from clinical observations, enters main research, and, convincing and independently confirmed results are obtained, proceeds with clinical research, involving appropriately designed trials on consenting human subjects, with aim to test safety and efficiency of the therapeutic intervention method. Important part of the research is characterization of the potential function of mechanisms of carcinogenesis, in regard to the types of genetic and epigenetic changes that are associated with cancer development. The mouse is often used as a mammalian model for manipulation of the function of genes that play roles in tumor formation, while basic aspects of tumor intiation are assayed on cultures of bacteria and mammalian cells.

The Genes involved in cancer:

The aim of oncogenomics is to identify new oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes those may provide new insights into cancer diagnosis, predicting clinical outcome of cancers, and new targets for cancer therapies.

Several hereditary factors can increase the chance of cancer-causing mutations.That includes the activation of oncogenes or the inhibition of tumor suppressor genes. The functions of various onco- and tumor suppressor genes can be disrupted at different stages of tumor progression. Mutations in such genes can be used to classify the malignancy of a tumor.

In later stages, the tumors can develop a resistance to cancer treatment. The identification of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes is very important to understand tumor progression and treatment success. The role of a given gene in cancer progression may vary tremendously, depending on the stage and the type of the cancer involved.

Genes and protein products that have been identified by at least two independent publications as being involved in cancer are:

{ABI1, ABL2, ACSL6, AF1Q, AF5Q31 (is also known as MCEF), AKT1, ARNT, ASPSCR1, ATF1, ATIC, BCL10, BFHD, BIRC3, BMPR1A, BTG1, CBFA2T1, CBFA2T3, CBFB, CCND1, CDC2, CDK4, CHIC2, CHN1, COPEB, COX6C, CTNNB1, CYLD, DDB2, DDIT3, DEK, EIF4A2, EPS15, ERCC2, ERCC3, ERCC5, ERG, ETV4, ETV6, EWSR1, EXT1, EXT2, FANCC, FANCG, FGFR1OP, FGFR3, FH, FIP1L1, FUS, GAS7, GATA1, GMPS, GOLGA5, GPC (gene), GPHN, HIST1H4I, HRAS, HSPCA, IL21R, IIRF4, KRAS2, LASP1, LCP1, LHFP, LMO2, LYL1, MADH4, MLF1, MLH1, MLLT3, MLLT6, MNAT1, MSF, MSH2, MSN, MUTYH, MYC, NCOA4, NF2, NPM1, NRAS, PAX8, PCBD, PDGFB, PIM1, PLK2, PNUTL1, POU2F1, PPARG, PRCC, PRKACB, PRKAR1A, PTEN, PTPN11, RABEP1, RAD51L1, RAP1GDS1, RARA, RB1, RET, RHOH, RPL22, SBDS, SDHB, SEPTIN6, SET, SH3GL1, SS18L1, SSX1, SSX2, SSX4, STAT3, TAF15, TCF12, TCL1A, TFE3, TFEB, TFG, TFPT, TFRC, TNFRSF6, TP53, TPM3, TPM4, TRIP11, VHL, WAS, WT1, ZNF198, ZNF278, ZNF384, ZNFN1A1 }

The Treatments:

The topics of cancer treatment research are:

*Chemotherapy

*Radiation therapy

*Boosting the immune system

*Gene therapy

*Anti-cancer vaccine — is based on exposing some cancer cells extracted from a tumour to UV rays for 24 hours then injecting them back into the organism, this approach has already been successful on rats.

*Targeted therapy

And some specific treatment researches:

Dichloroacetate:

In January 2007, researchers of the University of Alberta reported preliminary results of dichloroacetate (DCA) causing regression in several cancers in vitro, including lung, breast and brain tumors. Since DCA itself can’t be patented it could be an inexpensive alternative to other treatments, depending of course on whether the method of using DCA in the treatment of cancer is patentable. Clinical use of DCA requires further public/private investment for clinical trials.The initial research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Prevention:

*Vaccines

*It may be indicated a connection between Vitamin D deficiency and cancer.

Funding:

Some methods, like Dichloroacetate, can’t be patented and thus would not garner the investment interest towards research from the pharmaceutical industry.

Distributed computing:

There are some projects like Help Conquer Cancer. World Community Grid also had a project called Help Defeat Cancer. An also related project is Stanford University’s Folding@Home project .

Organizations:

Here are some related organizations in the world;

*American Association for Cancer Research

*Cancer Research Foundation

*Cancer Research UK

*Cancer Research (journal)

*Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

*Gateway for Cancer Research

*Institute of Cancer Research

*International Cancer Genome Consortium

*Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

*United Devices Cancer Research Project

*NCI-designated Cancer Center

*Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

*E-Foundation for Cancer Research

*Friends of Cancer Research

*Walker Cancer Research Institute

*American Society of Clinical Oncology

*Australian Cancer Research Foundation