Solid tumor cells not killed by radiation and chemotherapy become stronger

[Celebration]

http://www.physorg.com/news132236005.html

Because of the way solid tumors adapt the body's machinery to bring themselves more oxygen, chemotherapy and radiation may actually make these tumors stronger.

"In a sense, these therapies can make the tumor healthier," said Mark W. Dewhirst, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center. "Unless the treatment is very effective in killing many if not most tumor cells, you are shooting yourself in the foot."

Dewhirst and colleagues Yiting Cao, M.D., Ph.D., of Duke Pathology, and Benjamin Moeller, M.D., Ph.D. have introduced this counter-intuitive idea at recent conferences and in a review article featured in the June issue of Nature Reviews Cancer.

Radiation and chemotherapy do kill most solid tumor cells, but in the cells that survive, the therapies drive an increase in a regulatory factor called HIF1 (hypoxia-inducible factor 1), which cells use to get the oxygen they need by increasing blood vessel growth into the tumor. Solid tumors generally have low supplies of oxygen, Dewhirst explained and HIF1 helps them get the oxygen they need.

[supernova]

1. Which is why they were so interested in Judah Folkman's work

in trying to figure out how tumors create these byzantine networks of veins to support them then getting the blood supply to die off, thereby shrinking the tumor (that's the theory anyway).

I knew Mark when I worked there. Cool guy. Nice to see him getting some recognition. :-)

Every little piece of the puzzle helps.

[xchrom]

2. Miss SuperNova!

how are you? :hi: :loveya: