Experimental test predicts cancer chemotherapy success.SANTA MONICA Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. , Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--March 20, 1997--John Wayne Cancer Institute researchers believe they have developed a test to determine if a patient will benefit from conventional cancer chemotherapy or needs additional treatment with experimental drugs. The test, performed on tissue removed during surgery or biopsy, provides results in two hours and, if verified, could spare some patients months of ineffective chemotherapy. The Multidrug Resistance multidrug resistance, n the adaptation of tumor cells or infectious agents to resist chemotherapeutic agents. Assay or MDRA MDRA Minnesota Distance Running Association MDRA Marine Design Resource Alliance MDRA Marina Del Rey Anglers MDRA Midwest Drag Racers Association MDRA Malta Drag Racing Association MDRA Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association, Inc. was developed by Myles Cabot, Ph.D, Chief of the Breast Cancer Research Program. His findings will be presented in Chicago on March 22 at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology surgical oncology Oncological surgery The field of surgery dedicated to the operative ablation of neoplasia, generally, 'solid' tumors . The MDRA was developed because some tumors have the ability to resist chemotherapy from the beginning of treatment or develop that ability after therapy has started. Last year, John Wayne Cancer Institute researchers discovered a major piece of the puzzle that helps explain why these tumors are difficult to kill. Cabot's team found that many chemotherapy-resistant tumors contain high amounts of glucosylceramide (pronounced GLU-co-sill-SER-a-mide), a chemical that appears to regulate a molecular pump which removes chemotherapy drugs from inside tumor cells before they have a chance to work. The appearance of glucosylceramide in tumors may also signal that the chemotherapy regimen being employed are ineffective. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Cabot, "We found this chemical was elevated in many chemotherapy-resistant cells and tumors, including ovarian cancer ovarian cancer Malignant tumour of the ovaries. Risk factors include early age of first menstruation (before age 12), late onset of menopause (after age 52), absence of pregnancy, presence of specific genetic mutations, use of fertility drugs, and personal history of breast which is notoriously difficult to treat. However, we didn't find the chemical in tumors that responded to chemotherapy." Using this information, Cabot's team is refining the test which, if verified by further studies, would significantly change chemotherapy treatments. "Early identification of these patients will enable us to modify chemotherapy programs, including the use of experimental drugs called `multidrug resistance reversing agents,'" said Cabot. Studies to validate the MDRA will begin immediately. Working in cooperation with Saint John's Health Center Saint John's Health Center is a hospital in Santa Monica, California, USA. The hospital was founded in 1942 by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. New Construction patients, researchers will test breast cancer tumors and malignant melanomas for the presence of glucosylceramide. A high percentage of these cancers become chemotherapy resistant at some point during therapy. By following these patients' response to therapy, clinicians will be able to determine if the test does, in fact, predict chemotherapy success; if chemotherapy fails in patients who test positive for glucosylceramide, the validity of the MDRA will be established. These findings would then support its use for future screening of all cancer patients for chemotherapy failure, also called multidrug resistance. The John Wayne Cancer Institute is one of the West Coast's leading cancer research and treatment centers. For the past 25 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time staff of the Institute has been at the forefront of cancer diagnosis, research and treatment. The Institute, originally at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , is now established at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. CONTACT: BBPR Barbara Bishop, 310/656-4668 |
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