UCLA WORKS ON CURE FOR CANCER; TESTING ON HUMANS UNDER WAY.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer Like the new drugs being looked at as a possible cancer cure, a drug under study 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 also attacks tumors by starving them of their blood supply - but it already is being tested on humans. Researchers said Tuesday that they are conducting the first phase of a clinical study involving 30 cancer patients with the drug called SU5416. It has slowed tumor growth without major side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. , they said. ``I'm very encouraged,'' said Dr. Lee Rosen, director of the cancer therapy development program at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. ``The drug is very well-tolerated and we're starting to see hints of response - that tumor growth is starting to slow.'' The drug is an angiogenesis inhibitor angiogenesis inhibitor Oncology A chemotherapy adjuvant which inhibits the angiogenesis required for tumor growth and survive, especially for metastastatic tumors See CAI, CM101, IFN-alpha, IL-12, Marimastat, Pentosan polysulfate, Platelet factor 4, Thalidomide, TNP-470. , operating much like the drugs that have received widespread publicity in recent days, angiostatin an·gi·o·stat·in n. A naturally occurring protein that is a specific inhibitor of endothelial proliferation and a potent angiogenesis inhibitor. It is under investigation as a potential cancer therapy. and endostatin en·do·stat·in n. A potent, naturally occurring antiangiogenic protein that inhibits the formation of the blood vessels that feed tumors and is under investigation as a potential cancer therapy. . They all work to deprive cancerous tumors of their blood supply and have been successful in eradicating tumors in mice. ``In the lab, SU5416 made all kinds of tumors shrink or die, no matter where in the body they were,'' Rosen said. He tempered his enthusiasm, noting the study is in its initial stage and that the drug has yet to eradicate or even noticeably shrink cancerous tumors in human patients. ``I don't want people to think this is a miracle cure,'' said Rosen, an Encino resident who has been conducting the clinical trial since September. ``Until we have a patient who actually benefits from the drug, that's when we can start to use the word `miracle.' '' The study is sponsored by SUGEN Inc., a biotechnology company based in Redwood City Redwood City, city (1990 pop. 66,072), seat of San Mateo co., W Calif., on San Francisco Bay; inc. 1868. Manufactures include commmunications, electrical, electronic, and medical equipment. , Calif. Other scientists hailed SU5416 and its counterparts as new weapons in the fight against cancer. ``I'm really enthusiastic,'' said Dr. Cary Presant, president of the California Cancer Medical Center in Covina and past president of the American Cancer Society's California division. ``It's another building block to wall off cancer,'' he said. ``We have chemotherapy to fight cancer, and hormones that can turn off factors that cause cancers to grow, and surgery that can cut off big cancers. ``This gives us something to turn off the support that bodies give to these tumors with blood vessels Blood vessels Tubular channels for blood transport, of which there are three principal types: arteries, capillaries, and veins. Only the larger arteries and veins in the body bear distinct names. . This is another type of treatment that we can use to increase the cure rate of cancer.'' Rosen plans to present preliminary findings at the international meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO, is an organization that represents all clinical oncologists. Every year, ASCO holds a large symposium where physicians and researchers meet to convey and discuss research and ideas. on May 16-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center The Los Angeles Convention Center (abbreviated LACC) is a convention center in downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, and was best known to video games fans as host to E3 until its cessation in 2006. . About 13,000 researchers are expected to attend. He now is testing the drug's safety, proper dosage and possible side effects. He also is studying patients whose cancer has not responded to conventional treatment or who have cancer for which there is no available therapy. Discovered years ago, anti-angiogenesis drugs as a class stop the growth of new blood vessels. Until now, they have been shown to only slow animal cancers, and early results in patients indicate they slow tumor growth in humans as well. Presant said researchers now are learning how to better manipulate these drugs to help cancer patients. ``Different schedules and different combinations used to maximum effect - that's why we're seeing more enthusiasm today,'' said Presant, who is conducting a clinical study of tumor blood flow and anti-angiogenesis drugs. Drugs with anti-angiogenesis effects now in use include tamoxifen tamoxifen (təmŏk`sĭfĕn'), synthetic hormone used in the treatment of breast cancer. Introduced in 1978, tamoxifen is used to prevent recurrences of cancer in women who have already undergone surgery to remove their tumors. , which slows the growth of breast cancer, and interferon, used to treat melanoma, kidney and lymphoma cancers and hepatitis. The crucial question to be determined is whether SU5416 and its counterparts eliminate tumors in humans as they did in mice. ``We have to learn that they work in human beings,'' Presant said. ``It's easy when you have a mouse that you can put in a very defined situation. It's quite another thing to test human beings. ``Everyone is looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. the result where the tumor shrinks up and dies, and we haven't seen that dramatic result yet.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (color) Dr. Lee Rosen of UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is encouraged by SU5416. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News |
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