Non-smokers With Lung Cancer Respond Better To Treatment Than Smokers, Study Says

Smoking history contributes to poor outcomes in the treatment of lung cancer, according to a new study. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lung cancer patients who have never smoked before in their life have better overall survival rates and respond better to chemotherapy than current or former smokers. Published in the June 1, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study also reveals that smoking status during treatment has no affect on clinical outcome.

Cigarette smoking is the most significant risk factor for developing lung cancer, one of most common and aggressive malignancies in the world. In 2005, over 170,000 Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer and over 160,000 patients died. The five-year survival rate from lung cancer is less than 20 percent at best. NSCLC causes the majority of lung cancers, and if cured, the survivor has up to a 4 percent annual risk of developing another tumor.

Despite the association of lung cancer with cigarettes, diagnosed patients continue to smoke. However, physicians remain unable to tell their patients how that will impact their cancer treatment. Previous studies have failed to agree on whether smoking status impacts the outcome of chemotherapy or chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation.

Led by Anne S. Tsao, M.D. of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, researchers reviewed the medical records of 1370 patients with NSCLC who were treated with chemotherapy or chemo-radiation to determine an association between smoking and treatment response and survival.

The researchers found that patients who never smoked had a better response to the chemotherapy; developed less disease progression during therapy; and showed improved survival over former and current smokers. They say the finding may be due to non-smokers having less genetic damage compared to smokers, being less likely to have other ailments that would affect survival, and having better preserved lung function. The authors write that “Continued efforts at preventing smoking initiation are a critical public health issue and emphasize the need for chemoprevention for smokers and primary-prevention protocols to prevent smoking.”

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Article: “Smoking Affects Treatment Outcome in Patients with Advanced Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer,” Anne S. Tsao, Diane Liu, J. Jack Lee, Margaret Spitz, Waun Ki Hong, CANCER; Published Online: April 2006 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.218844); Print Issue Date: June 1, 2006.

Contact: Amy Molnar
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Reducing The Risk Of Diabetes

Which works best in fighting the risk factors for diabetes – exercise or diet?

It’s a toss up, according to a new study by a Saint Louis University researcher who is a member of a Washington University team of scientists examining whether a calorie-restrictive diet can extend people’s lifespan.

“Both diet and exercise provide profound benefits to reduce the risk of diabetes. Both those who restrict calories and those who exercise benefit from weight loss,” says Edward Weiss, Ph.D., lead author and assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University’s Doisy College of Health Sciences.

“We thought exercise probably would produce greater benefits. But both of these are providing beneficial health improvements.”

Weiss said the scientists looked at markers for developing diabetes because the disease is one of the main causes of premature death.

The researchers studied 50 to 60 year olds whose body mass index was between 23 and 30. That places them at the high end of normal weight or overweight, but not obese.

“People weren’t way out of whack in terms of their body composition,” Weiss says.

The study participants were divided into three groups – with 18 each in the diet and exercise groups and 10 in the control group. The year long study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

All participants had their insulin action and glucose tolerance, which both are markers for diabetes, evaluated at the beginning and end of the study. In addition, their weight, body composition and energy intake were measured at the beginning of the study and at one, three, six, nine and 12 month intervals.

Those who restricted calories met weekly with a dietitian who helped them develop individualized menu plans and guided them to reduce portion sizes and replace high calorie foods with lower caloric choices.

Their goal was to reduce their calorie consumption by 16 percent the first three months and by 20 percent for the next nine. Their progress was tracked by keeping food diaries and the doubly-labeled water test, which is the gold standard in measuring the rate of a person’s metabolism or the amount of energy expended.

Exercisers — or those who expended more calories — had the goal of burning 16 percent more calories for the first three months, increasing to 20 percent the next nine months. They met weekly with an exercise trainer and had open access to a fitness center. To meet their goal, they exercised for between an hour and 90 minutes a day and tracked their progress on a heart rate monitor that recorded calories burned.

“As they got fit, the treadmill could be speeded up. They could exercise on a steeper grade and they could burn more calories,” Weiss says. “All of them learned very quickly the most efficient way to burn more calories was through cardio. If they pushed themselves, the numbers added up quickly.”

While those in the control group could request general advice on eating a healthy diet and free passes to a yoga class, few did, Weiss says.

Glucose tolerance and insulin levels improved at about the same levels in both the dieters and exercisers. They also lost weight. Those in the control group didn’t lose weight or have changes to their glucose tolerance or insulin levels.

“The next step is to determine what happens when you exercise and diet to lose weight,” Weiss says. “We don’t know if the combination is going to provide greater benefits.”

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Weiss, who also is an adjunct research assistant professor at Washington University School of Medicine, conducted the research in the laboratory of John O. Holloszy, M.D., professor of medicine at Washington University. It was published in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Long a leader in health professions education, Saint Louis University began its nursing program in 1928 and the first baccalaureate degree program in an allied health profession in 1929. Today the Doisy College of Health Sciences offers degrees in nursing, clinical laboratory sciences, health information management, investigative and medical sciences, nuclear medicine technology, nutrition and dietetics, occupational science and occupational therapy, physical therapy and a physician assistant program.

Contact: Nancy Solomon
Saint Louis University

Pilot Study Successful In Taming Allergic Reactions To Food

Children who were allergic to eggs were able to essentially overcome their allergy by gradually consuming increased quantities of eggs over time, researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences have found in a small pilot study.

“Participants who took a daily dose of egg product over the two-year study period were able to build up their bodies’ resistance to the point where most of them could eat two scrambled eggs without a reaction,” said A. Wesley Burks, M.D., chief of Duke’s Division of Allergy and Immunology and a senior member of the research team. “Egg allergies cause a significant decrease in quality of life for many people, so this study is exciting in that it brings us a step closer to being able to offer a meaningful therapy for these people.”

Egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies among children in the United States, Burks said. Just how many children are allergic to eggs is unclear, but the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases estimates that 6 percent to 8 percent of children have some type of food allergy. Most children outgrow egg allergy by age 5, but some people remain allergic for a lifetime.

The findings are reported in an advance online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and will appear in the journal’s January 2007 print edition.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the two universities.

The study is the first in a series of studies on food allergy “desensitization” that are under way at Duke and the University of Arkansas. The goal, Burks said, is to offer food allergy sufferers protection from accidental ingestion of items that provoke reactions and, eventually, to induce complete or near-complete tolerance to those items.

Burks and his colleagues modeled the study on a commonly used method for treating seasonal allergy sufferers to alleviate symptoms. In this approach, called immunotherapy, physicians give patients shots containing small amounts of the troublesome allergen in an effort to build their tolerance to it. The therapy works on a cellular level to alter specific immune system cells, called lymphocytes, that play a part in orchestrating allergic reactions and to increase the immune system’s production of antibodies that attack and neutralize allergens, Burks said.

The seven subjects in the study, who ranged from 1 to 7 years of age, had a history of allergic reactions, including hives, wheezing and vomiting, when they consumed eggs or egg products. For safety’s sake, none of the children enrolled had previously experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction, Burks said. As an extra precaution, the subjects received a supply of epinephrine, which is commonly used to treat breathing problems that can occur with food allergy.

Instead of receiving shots, as seasonal allergy sufferers do, the subjects were given small doses of powdered egg orally, mixed in food. “We started the subjects with a very small concentration of egg product — the equivalent of less than one-thousandth of an egg — and then we increased the dose every 30 minutes for eight hours in order to determine the highest dose that each subject could tolerate,” Burks said.

The subjects consumed the first doses in the study clinic. The researchers then gave the children’s parents or caregivers a supply of egg product, allocated into the tolerated doses, which the subjects consumed daily at home, mixed with other foods.

The children returned to the clinic every two weeks. At each visit, the researchers increased the subjects’ dosages until they reached the equivalent of one-tenth of an egg, Burks said. The children then continued to take this “maintenance dose” daily for the duration of the study.

Over time, the children showed both an increase in tolerance to eggs and a decrease in the severity of their allergic reactions, Burks said. At the end of the study period, most of the children could tolerate two scrambled eggs with no adverse reactions.

The researchers now are conducting two follow-up food allergy desensitization studies, Burks said. In one study, subjects receive higher doses of egg to see if this will further reduce their sensitivity or even neutralize the allergy altogether.

The second study focuses on children who are allergic to peanuts, to see if the desensitization approach can build their tolerance and decrease the severity of their reactions. Peanut allergy, which can be life-threatening, affects approximately 1 percent of children under age 5, and its incidence has been on the rise over the past 15 years, according to Burks. Studies have shown that about 20 percent of children with egg or milk allergy will go on to develop a peanut allergy.

Other members of the research team were Ariana Buchanan, Todd Green, Pamela Steele, Laurent Pons and Laurie Lee of Duke and Amy Scurlock, Lynn Christie, Karen Althage and Rick Helm of the University of Arkansas.

Contact: Lauren Shaftel
Duke University Medical Center

Final Phase 2b Survival Results Of Stimuvax(R) Trial In Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer – Biomira Inc

Biomira Inc. (Nasdaq:BIOM) (TSX:BRA) today announced final survival results from an exploratory analysis of the Phase 2b clinical trial data. The randomized, open-label trial tested the clinical potential of Stimuvax(R) in patients with Stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The analysis confirms a median survival in Stage IIIB patients on vaccine being 30.6 months, while Stage IIIB patients on the control had a median survival of 13.3 months.

“Our enthusiasm around Stimuvax(R) continues,” said Alex McPherson, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Biomira. “These data from the Phase 2b trial are encouraging and have been reviewed by an independent statistician, who confirms our findings. We are in the process of completing the transition of this exciting project to Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany and we have begun manufacturing the vaccine required for the phase 3 study slated to start this summer. We are hopeful that this larger randomized trial will confirm the results seen in the phase 2b trial.”

Stimuvax(R): Clinical Study Design and Results of Additional Analysis

The controlled, open-label Phase 2b trial enrolled 171 men and women with NSCLC whose disease was stable or who had responded to treatment following completion of their first-line standard chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy. Patients were randomized to either Stimuvax(R) plus best supportive care or to best supportive care alone. Best supportive care includes palliative radiation therapy and/or second line chemotherapy according to current standard clinical practice. The study was designed to document the safety profile of the vaccine and to evaluate efficacy by comparing survival in the two arms.

An earlier survival analysis reported in November 2004, indicated that the median survival in the pre-stratified subset of locoregional Stage IIIB patients on the vaccine arm had not been reached. Informal survival results from an additional exploratory analysis have now been confirmed showing a median survival in the Stage IIIB patients on vaccine being 30.6 months, while the Stage IIIB patients on the control had a median survival of 13.3 months.

Stimuvax(R)

Formerly known as BLP25 Liposome Vaccine (L-BLP25), Stimuvax(R) is a synthetic MUC1 peptide vaccine. Stimuvax(R) incorporates a 25-amino acid sequence of the MUC1 cancer mucin, encapsulated in a liposomal delivery system. The liposome enhances recognition of the cancer antigen by the immune system and facilitates better delivery. Stimuvax(R) is designed to induce an immune response to cancer cells.

Biomira

Biomira is a biotechnology company specializing in the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to cancer management. Biomira’s commitment to the treatment of cancer currently focuses on the development of synthetic vaccines and novel strategies for cancer immunotherapy. We are The Cancer Vaccine People(R).

Except for historical information contained herein, this release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, particularly those risks and uncertainties surrounding the efficacy of Stimuvax(R) to treat men and women with NSCLC, which may include risks and uncertainties inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risk that additional trials may not demonstrate the safety and efficacy required to satisfy the regulatory authorities, and other matters required to bringing products to market; dependence on the efforts of third parties, including suppliers and collaborators, dependence on intellectual property rights and the effectiveness thereof, difficulties or delays in manufacturing products, and regulatory developments involving products and manufacturing facilities. For more detailed information on the risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s product candidates and other activities see the Company’s periodic reports filed with the applicable securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

BIOMIRA INC
2011 – 94 St. Edmonton
AB
Canada
T6N 1H1
Tel: (780) 450-3761
Fax: (780) 463-0871
http://www.biomira.com

Chronic Diseases Threaten Economies Across The Globe

A new report from the Oxford Health Alliance (OxHA), a global organisation promoting chronic disease prevention by focusing on lifestyle risk factors, demonstrates that chronic diseases – heart and lung disease, cancer and diabetes – are having a negative economic impact on both the developed and developing world and should thus be adequately addressed by domestic and international policy makers. The report, Chronic disease: an economic perspective, synthesises extensive evidence from across the world and sends out two main messages: first, chronic diseases should be far more prominent on the international development agenda of donors and international organisations, and, second, from an economic perspective, governments are justified to act to prevent chronic diseases.

The economic relevance of chronic diseases has long been ignored, not least because they were deemed to be a problem affecting mostly the elderly and the wealthy. However, today’s report offers evidence to show that not only are chronic diseases affecting the poor in developed as well as developing economies, but that they are also taking a heavy toll on working age adults across the globe. In low- and middle-income countries, chronic diseases currently account for about 40% of deaths and 80% of the disease impact for those aged below 60. The report also takes cost of illness studies into account and looks at the economic impact at every level down to households and individuals.

According to economic reports, chronic diseases can exact a toll of up to 6.8% of a country’s GDP. In many countries in the developed world, heart disease alone can account for between 1% and 3% of GDP. In developing countries, where there is less evidence, the economic losses also appear to be significant. In China, for example, tobacco consumption and obesity in 1995 imposed costs of 1.5% and 2.1% of GDP, respectively.

Rachel Nugent, director of health and economics at the Population Reference Bureau, Washington DC, and a co-author of the report, stresses: “Given the economic evidence, the role of chronic diseases as both a marker of poverty and as a potential determinant of economic outcomes is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Chronic diseases are predicted to become the most common causes of death by 2015 in both the developed and developing world. Despite this, the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to improve the economies of the world’s poorest countries, have failed to include them in their list of health priorities.”

Along with demonstrating the significance of chronic diseases in economic terms, the OxHA report also discusses the economic rationale for why government is justified to interfere in what many might consider to be the exclusively private sphere of the individual, that is, how people decide to lead their lives, such as in the case of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and diet.

As Marc Suhrcke, an economist with the World Health Organization and another author of the report, says: “Personal choice is a great principle that we as economists whole-heartedly support – as long as a few conditions are met (e.g. these actions do no harm to other, people are well-informed, they act rationally, etc.) When these conditions are not met – which is what is happening in a number of chronic disease-relevant areas – then there is a justification for government to step in to improve on the market’s failure. This is solely a question of efficiency and has nothing whatsoever to do with the ideologically driven call for the ‘nanny state’.”

The report also points out that there are many cost-effective interventions available to address the chronic disease burden, with particular focus on developing countries.

Dr Derek Yach, Director of Global Health at the Rockefeller Foundation and a member of the Oxford Health Alliance Board, concludes, “This report should be a wake up call to governments, economists and philanthropists alike to move chronic diseases up their agenda, if not simply for public health reasons, then because of the negative impact they could have on the economy if unchecked. This is never to downplay the huge importance of communicable, child and maternal health conditions such as HIV/AIDS or under-nutrition, but it is to make the point that we cannot continue to ignore chronic disease as a global health priority.”

Members of the Oxford Health Alliance’s network will meet in Cape Town in two weeks (20-22 November) to formulate strategies for confronting the fast-growing epidemic of chronic disease. To view or listen to the conference live or on demand, visit http://www.3four50.com.

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Notes:

Chronic disease: an economic perspective was authored by Marc Suhrcke, Rachel Nugent, David Stuckler and Lorenzo Rocco on behalf of the Oxford Health Alliance.

The Oxford Health Alliance

Founded in 2002, the Oxford Health Alliance enables experts and activists from different backgrounds to collaborate in order to confront the epidemic of chronic disease through prevention by focusing on three risk factors – tobacco use, diet and physical activity.

OxHA’s five focus areas:

• The economic argument for prevention: the costs of chronic disease are already vast, and without urgent investment in health preservation the costs will continue to increase. Better health contributes to economic growth.
• Prevention in the workplace: chronic disease risk reduction in the workplace can have a major impact on the health of employees and their families, while improving productivity and workforce participation.
• Youth, children and future health: the insights and enthusiasm of young people can change perceptions and lifestyles of future generations. Overweight and obese children develop low self-esteem; poor diet causes behaviour problems.
• Environmental design for prevention: designers, architects and urban planners can assist in creating an environment in which the healthy choices are the easy choices.
• Industry’s role in prevention: prevention efforts by companies and industries can have a far-reaching effect on consumers and communities.

Spokespeople

Marc Suhrcke is an economist with the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy, where he is in charge of the Health and Economic Development workstream.

Rachel Nugent is director of health and economics at the Population Reference Bureau. She is a contributor to the Disease Control Priorities Project in Developing Countries, published in 2006.

Derek Yach is Director of Global Health at the Rockefeller Foundation. He is a former executive director at the World Health Organization.

Contact:
Marisa Pulaski, PR Officer
Oxford Health Alliance
28 Margaret Street
London
W1W 8RZ

For more information please visit: The Oxford Health Alliance.

Christmas Allergies Can Make The Holidays Anything But Fun

As Christmas draws closer, winter allergies are once again on the rise. According to a recent survey, (3 out of 4) adults experience an increase of allergy attacks including headaches, eye irritation and sinus congestion from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

??The survey was conducted by SiCap Industries, makers of the world’s first hot pepper nasal spray known as “Sinus Buster”. With more than 500,000 regular customers, Sinus Buster has become a strong leader in the natural health industry.

??”We sent questionnaires to several thousand customers randomly. About 1200 surveys were returned. Each survey concentrated specifically on allergies during the holiday season. We couldn’t believe how many of our customers had Christmas allergies,” says Wayne Perry, president of SiCap Industries.

??Results showed (75%) of surveyed respondents complained of increased allergy symptoms during the holiday season.

??There are many causes for so-called “Christmas Allergies” including molds, artificial scents, and foods. While many people blame live Christmas trees for symptoms, allergies to evergreens are usually caused by molds growing naturally on trees. Artificial trees aren’t much better if they are stored in areas where mold can grow throughout the year. The same holds true for ornaments and other decorations that are packed away yearly.

??To avoid mold contamination, store decorations in dry temperature controlled areas, and seal the cartons tightly. When unpacking, open cartons outside or in the garage, and allow them to air out for 24 hours before bringing them into the living area.

??Another trigger can be scented candles and other artificially scented decorations. Many people are also allergic to pine scented aerosol sprays used to add aroma to artificial trees.

??Increased alcohol consumption during the holidays is another cause. Alcohol is a major trigger for a variety of headaches and sinus problems. The same goes with certain foods. Moderation is the key as well as knowing which foods to avoid.

??The survey also drew feedback concerning SiCap’s line of Sinus Buster Capsaicin nasal sprays. An astounding (96%) of respondents reported that Sinus Buster relieved their seasonal allergies better than any other product they had previously tried.

??”It was a pretty close race between the classic formula and our allergy formula, but the allergy formula is designed to prevent symptoms in addition to relieving them,” Perry explains.

??The Sinus Buster Allergy formula uses a combination of Capsaicin and Nettle extract to relieve allergy symptoms naturally. A couple squirts instantly attacks the worst symptoms including headaches. According to the manufacturer, Sinus Buster lets you enjoy all the tastes and smells of Christmas without the worry of allergy attacks, and it makes a great stocking stuffer.

??http://www.sinusbuster.com

FDG-PET Accurate For Evaluating Lung Tumor Destruction From Radiofrequency Ablation

FDG-PET can be used to assess the amount of tumor destruction after radiofrequency ablation (RFA)–the use of heat to destroy tumors–for the treatment of lung tumors and may provide more valuable information than CT alone, according to a new study.

For the study, researchers assessed 10 tumors in 10 patients who had lung tumors treated with CT-guided RFA and had PET scans both prior to RFA and following RFA. The researchers found that in seven out of 11 RFA treatments for the 10 patients, follow-up PET demonstrated persistent tumor activity. Two of the patients showed no activity on the follow-up PET, suggesting complete destruction of any active tumor. One patient had no definite change in the appearance of the mass, and another had a smaller lesion on follow-up PET.

“Usually, CT is used to assess tumor destruction, but CT cannot tell you whether a tumor is still alive–that is, actively metabolizing glucose–or dead in the area of destruction. It can also be difficult to assess how much of the ablated area is caused by an inflammatory reaction to the procedure. By using PET, the tumor cells that are still alive light up and the radiologist can better assess how much residual active tumor is left,” said Jennifer Daly, MD, of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA, and lead author of the study.

According to the researchers, without effective follow-up imaging, the radiologist has to gauge how successful it was based only on the patient’s improvement in pain and maybe what is possibly seen on a post-ablation CT. “You don’t really know for sure how much active tumor is destroyed unless you compare pre- and post-PET scans,” said Dr. Daly.

The full results of the study will be presented in May 2006 during the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting in Vancouver, BC.

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About ARRS
The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) was founded in 1900 and is the oldest radiology society in the United States. Radiologists from all over the world attend the ARRS Annual Meeting to take part in instructional courses, scientific paper presentations, symposiums, new issues forums and scientific and commercial exhibits related to the field of radiology. The ARRS is named after Wilhelm Rцentgen, who discovered the x-ray in 1895.

Contact: Necoya Lightsey
American Roentgen Ray Society

Manmade Protein Shows Promise For Cancer, Macular Degeneration

Potentially blinding blood vessel growth in the cornea resulting from eye injury or even surgery can be reduced by more than 50 percent with a new manmade protein, researchers say.

“We believe eventually we’ll be able to use this protein to help patients in many situations where blood vessel formation is detrimental, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration,” says Dr. Balamurali K. Ambati, corneal specialist at the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Ambati is corresponding author of the study published in the November issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

The body can produce new blood vessels to promote healing after trauma, such as a corneal transplant, a significant corneal scratch from a contact lens or retinal oxygen deprivation caused by diabetes or aging. This natural response, called angiogenesis, becomes detrimental when new growth obstructs vision or when a tumor pirates the process to survive.

In an animal model, researchers used the protein they developed to reverse obstructive growth as long as one month after injury, says Dr. Ambati. That’s a very long time after injury in a mouse’s lifetime, indicating even well-established blood vessels are susceptible to intraceptor-mediated regression, he says.

This intraceptor traps vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, inside the protein making machinery of a cell. It’s made with a portion of a VEGF receptor called sflt-1, a free-floating receptor recently shown to help keep the cornea clear by taking up and effectively neutralizing VEGF. Although other molecules have an anti-angiogenic effect, sflt-1 was the only one they found that spurs corneal blood vessels when blocked. The work, published in October in Nature, was led by teams at MCG and the University of Kentucky.

“Now we have designed a novel recombinant molecule where we take a subunit of sflt-1 and couple it with a four-amino-acid peptide tail,” he says. “The tail essentially handcuffs the manmade molecule within the protein-making machinery of the cell so that it stays there and anything that binds with it, namely VEGF, stays there too. So it’s a very specific way of down-regulating a target protein.”

In May 2005, Dr. Ambati and his colleagues published work in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science showing the intraceptor helped reduce blood vessel development in the test tube and animal models for corneal injury and melanoma.

“Now we are talking about making them go away,” says Dr. Ambati. While the work is still in the laboratory, it provides further evidence of the intraceptor’s potential clinical application, he says.

The work shows the intraceptor prompts regression of blood vessels by inducing programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in the vascular endothelial cells that line the vessels.

“The biology of all this is showing this molecule interrupts the proper folding of proteins involved in existing blood vessels, which makes them die. It’s a nice result,” says Dr. Ambati.

Some existing anti-angiogenesis treatments target VEGF outside cells. “It is important to bind it within cells because certain cells, such as cancer and blood vessel cells, have the capability to produce their own VEGF and their own receptors,” Dr. Ambati says. “Imagine trying to block from the outside a factory that has everything it needs inside. You have to throw a monkey wrench inside the factory and that is what we managed to do.”

For the study, the manmade protein was injected directly into the cornea with a microneedle. “Ideally we would like to develop a topical eye drop with a long-term delivery system,” says Dr. Ambati.

His research team is pursuing its work of the intraceptor’s potential role in destroying blood vessels that help sustain cancers. They also are looking at a biodegradable polymer cage so they can encapsulate the intraceptor, tag it with a homing device for target cells and deliver it “like a missile carrying a payload” into the desired cells where it will slowly release the intraceptor, he says.

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Co-authors include Dr. Nirbhai Singh, MCG postdoctoral fellow; Pooja D. Jani and Shivan Amin, MCG medical students; and Tushar Suthar, a medical student at New York Medical College in Valhalla.

The research was funded by the Knights-Templar Eye Foundation, Fight For Sight Grant-in-Aid and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology/Alcon Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Contact: Toni Baker
Medical College of Georgia

New Journal Focuses On Lifestyle Health

With more and more Americans battling maladies such as allergies, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and weight management issues, it’s clear that everything we do – from what we eat to how much exercise and sleep we get – directly impacts our health. The need for the latest research and information in these fields is apparent.

As a result of this dynamic and growing field, SAGE is launching its newest publication, the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (AJLM). The bi-monthly journal, which launches its first issue in January, will feature peer-reviewed papers exploring lifestyle medicine’s many disciplines, and is geared at helping primary care providers guide their patients to lead healthier lives.

“While there are many factors that contribute to health problems, one common denominator is that they are all associated with a person’s daily habits and actions,” commented James M. Rippe, MD, Editor-In-Chief of AJLM. “With more research in this field than ever before, healthcare providers are not only educating their patients about disease management, but should also be advising them on how to maintain their health through proper lifestyle choices. That’s what AJLM is all about.”

“I expect the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine to become an authoritative voice in the field for caregivers because it’s a unique publication,” said Ron Epstein, SAGE Director, Controlled Circulation Publications. “It’s not only edited by the leader in the lifestyle medicine field, renowned cardiologist Dr. Rippe; it also boasts an outstanding editorial board with extensive expertise in the disciplines covered by the Journal. The AJLM is the latest in SAGE’s growing number of journals in the fields of science, technology, medicine and social sciences.”

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To find out more about the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, visit the journal’s website at http://ajlm.sagepub.com/.

About SAGE
SAGE Publications is a leading international publisher of journals, books, and electronic media for academic, educational, and professional markets. Since 1965, SAGE has helped inform and educate a global community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students spanning a wide range of subject areas including business, humanities, social sciences, and science, technology and medicine. A privately owned corporation, SAGE has principal offices in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, and Singapore.

http://www.sagepublications.com/

Contact: Ron Epstein
SAGE Publications

Candidates Sought For Cancer Prevention Research Award

Nominations are open for the annual American Association for Cancer Research-Cancer Research Prevention Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research.

In order to qualify, researchers must have made seminal contributions in the conduct of basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological or behavioral research in cancer prevention. The award is intended to recognize not only a major impact on the field, but also the stimulation of a new direction in this important area.

All cancer researchers who are affiliated with any institution involved in cancer research, cancer medicine, or cancer-related biomedical science, anywhere in the world, are eligible. Such institutions include the academic, industrial and government sectors. Candidates also must currently maintain an active research program and have a record of recent publications.

The award will be presented to an individual investigator, who will deliver a lecture at the Fifth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov. 12-15, 1006, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Mass.

Information on how to submit a nomination is available on the AACR website at aacr.org/page3754.aspx.

The AACR is pleased to co-sponsor this award with the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation. CRPF is a national, nonprofit health foundation with a single mission: the prevention and early detection of cancer through scientific research and education. Over the years, CRPF has made major contributions to ongoing programs of the AACR and therefore has been named “Champion of the AACR.”

Previous award recipients are:
— Scott M. Lippman, M.D., The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, in 2005
— David S. Alberts, M.D., University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, in 2004;
— Waun Ki Hong, M.D., The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, in 2003;
— Michael B. Sporn, M.D., Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H., in 2002.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 24,000 basic, translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 60 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication, CR, is a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. It provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy.

http://www.aacr.org