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You are here Biopharmaceutical/ Genomic Glossary Homepage/Search > Applications> Molecular Medicine > Cancer diagnostics genomics prognostics & therapeutics Pharmaceutical
Cancer diagnostics, genomics, prognostics & therapeutics glossary & taxonomy
Chemistry term index Drug discovery term index Informatics term index Technologies term index Biology term index Glossaries & taxonomies Site Map Related glossaries include Biomarkers Molecular Diagnostics, Genetic & genomic testing Molecular Medicine Pharmacogenomics Molecular imaging Cancer is an extraordinarily complex disease of uncontrolled cellular growth, proliferation, and spread, combined with very unique networks of chemical interactions between the tumor and its host. The disease is not singular in definition, but differs according to the organ site of origin; it often has important genetic and phenotypic subtype differences within the same site. National Cancer Institute, Nation's Investment in Cancer Research, Advancing Genomic Science Annual Plan and Budget Proposal Fiscal Year 2011 http://plan.cancer.gov/Advancing_Genomic_Science.htm angiogenesis: Cell biology antibodies
cancer therapy: Antibodies in Cancer Therapy
April 30 - May 1, 2012 •
Boston, MA Program | Register | Download Brochure The development of
antibodies for cancer therapeutics has seen an upsurge as a result of the vast
improvements that have been made in creating fully human antibodies and
improving their performance. Engineering efforts have been aimed at boosting
efficacy while improving tumor penetration and stimulating immune response. This
conference will showcase both early stage efforts that incorporate a novel
approach, with more established proven techniques for generating antibodies
against cancer. This growing field exploits the latest tools and techniques to
produce the next generation of blockbuster drugs. apoptosis:
Cell biology autoantibodies:
A hallmark of both
autoimmunity and cancer, represent an easily accessible surrogate for measuring
adaptive immune responses to cancer. ... Serological analysis of arrays displaying the
complete human proteome (seromics)
represents a new era in cancer immunology, opening the way to defining the
repertoire of the humoral immune response to cancer. Seromic profiling of
ovarian and pancreatic cancer, Gnjatic S, et. al, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010
Mar 16;107(11):5088-93. Epub 2010 Mar 1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20194765 biological therapy: A type of treatment that works with your immune system. It can help fight cancer or help control side effects (how your body reacts to the drugs you are taking) from other cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Biological therapy and chemotherapy are both treatments that fight cancer. While they may seem alike, they work in different ways. Biological therapy helps your immune system fight cancer. Chemotherapy attacks the cancer cells directly. National Cancer Institute, Biological Therapy http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/biologicaltherapy#1 biological tumor markers: Molecular products metabolized and secreted by neoplastic tissue and characterized biochemically in cells or body fluids. They are indicators of tumor stage and grade as well as useful for monitoring responses to treatment and predicting recurrence. Many chemical groups are represented including hormones, antigens, amino and nucleic acids, enzymes, polyamines, and specific cell membrane proteins and lipids. MeSH, 1988 CGAP Cancer Genome Anatomy Project: The goal of the NCI's Cancer Genome Anatomy Project is to determine the gene expression profiles of normal, precancer, and cancer cells, leading eventually to improved detection, diagnosis, and treatment for the patient. CGAP, National Cancer Institute, NIH, US http://cgap.nci.nih.gov/ cancer
biologics: Cancer Biologics February 21-23, 2012 • San Francisco, CA
Program | Register | Download
Brochure cancer biomarkers: Cancer biomarkers are employed across the entire healthcare spectrum from the cancer biological research laboratory to patient monitoring in the clinic. Cancer biomarkers have contributed greatly to our current understanding of the heterogeneous nature of specific cancers and have led to improvements in treatment outcomes. Biomarker diagnostic and drug therapy combinations are the basis of established treatment protocols in the clinic. Insight Pharma Reports, Cancer Biomarkers: Adoption is Driving Growth, 2008 "Cancer"
biomarkers may also be present in benign neoplastic disease, which careful
longitudinal clinical study has shown does not proceed to malignancy (13)(14). A
vitally important and humbling example is the demonstration that oncogene
markers such as c-erbB-2, p53, and cyclin D1, commonly thought to be cancer
biomarkers, are also present in patients with benign breast disease who have
been followed clinically for 15 years or longer without neoplastic progression.
... Even after more than 150 years of cell science, it must be recognized that
our conceptual framework of cancer biology remains inadequate to recognize the
ideal or optimal biomarker for most cancers. Furthermore, even if, as expected,
our perspectives will change over time, we need to understand what we are
looking for before investments in the search and evaluation for cancer
biomarkers will be effective. KP Pritzker, Cancer biomarkers: Easier said than
done, Clinical Chemistry, 48 (8): 1147- 1150 Aug. 2002 http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/48/8/1147 cancer clinical
trials: Oncology Clinical Trials 02
February 21-23, 2012 • San
Francisco, CA Program | Register | Download Brochure T cancer fragmentomics: http://www.imss.nl/imsc17/abstracts/abstractc398.html?ID=1037 cancer genomics: Cancer is a complex disease of genomic alteration, exploiting many different molecular mechanisms. Fighting cancer will ultimately require a comprehensive classification of cancers according to their genomic basis. Projects include: systematic studies of genome-wide loss and amplification; targeted resequencing to identify mutant genes in key pathways; and discovery of cancer-specific biomarkers. ... Cancer cells rely for their survival on the expression of a limited number of specific genes. Identifying these genes would yield, for the first time, a comprehensive catalog of the potential therapeutic targets for cancer. Projects include systematic use of RNA interference (RNAi) to identify such Achilles' heels of cancers. ... Genomic signatures provide a powerful way to recognize the effects of chemical compounds, both to understand cancer biology and to develop new therapeutics. Program activities include: Gene-Expression High-Throughput Screening (GE-HTS) to identify compounds that can induce specific developmental changes in cancer ... Other efforts include molecular pathology studies to map gene expression patterns to actual tumor architecture, integrating molecular signatures to predict cancer prognosis and treatment response, and developing robust computational biology tools to analyze and interpret the data generated across the large range of projects underway. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard 2010 http://www.broadinstitute.org/scientific-community/science/programs/cancer/cancer Herceptin is an example of a drug for which specific suitable patients can now be identified. Oncogenomics appears to be a synonym, but less frequently used than cancer genomics. (Glossary FAQ question # 3 outlines methodology.) Related terms: CGAP Cancer Genome Anatomy Project, familial cancer, family history, germline mutations, oncogenomics, somatic cells, sporadic cancer Narrower terms: cancer proteomics; familial cancer, family history, hereditary cancer, sporadic cancer. cancer immunome: Towards a Cancer Immunome Database, Victor Jongeneel, http://www.cancerimmunity.org/v1p3/010203.htm Broader term: -Omes & -omics immunome; Related terms: Expression gene & protein cancer immunomics: The goal of our breast cancer immunomics project is to identify new antigens that can be used for diagnostics and therapy. We have developed a technique that allows us to efficiently identify candidate antigens among millions of potential antigens. we are using two approaches for this project; the first is to use blood serum from patients with breast cancer to identify antigens that produce an immune response in patients with breast cancer. These might be good candidates for vaccines, because the body already creates a response, and we just have to enhance the effect. the second approach stems from the question: Does pregnancy immunize against breast cancer?...Finally we have been studying immunological deficits in patients with breast cancer. Michael Campbell, Breast Care Center, Univ. of California San Francisco http://www.ucsfbreastcarecenter.org/newsletters/winter_2000.pdf Broader term: -Omes & -omics immunomics cancer immunotherapeutics: Cancer continues to pose a major health burden worldwide. Prevailing therapies are extremely limited in terms of safety, tolerability, and efficacy. Meanwhile, the morbidity and mortality associated with cancer is fueling interest in novel therapeutic approaches. Foremost among these are therapies that enhance the ability of the body's own immune system to fight and destroy abnormal cancer cells. Insight Pharma Reports Cancer Immunotherapies and Vaccines: Pipelines Analysis and Competitive Dynamics, 2006 Recent developments have shown successful results for an active and passive immunotherapeutic approach to fight cancer. Modulating the immune system by either changing the immune cells or by creating patient specific vaccines offer good opportunities for novel pharmaceutical drug developments. Challenging areas such as humanized monoclonal antibodies, soluble receptors, immunorepressants and tumor treatment are seeing advances. See also Biomarkers cancer informatics: Cancer
Informatics April
25-26, 2012 • Boston, MA Program
| Register | Download
Brochure
cancer molecular markers: Emerging Molecular Markers of Cancer August 21-22, 2012 • Washington, DC Program | Register | Download Brochure Cancer Molecular Markers February 21-23, 2012 • San
Francisco, CA Program | Register | Download
Brochure cancer proteomics: The use of DNA microarrays to study cancer is as established as the technology itself [5, 6]. Transcriptome data is not only used to classify different types of cancer, but to shed light on known and unknown cancer genes: proto- oncogenes, oncogenes, and tumor suppressor genes. Proteome data, on the other hand, is not as pervasive, largely due to technological limitations. However, with the steady advancements in the tools mentioned above, “cancer proteomics” is becoming a reality. [James Kuo "Proteomics and its applications to cancer research" Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Yale Univ. 2000] http://bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/mbb452a/2000/projects/James--Kuo.html cancer resources - for patients cancer stem cells: The
science of cancer stem cells is still evolving, and despite the many unknowns,
holds significant promise for the next phase of oncology. There is growing
interest in Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) and their associate pathways in Pharma
and Biotech as oncology drug targets. Targeting
Cancer Stem Cells in Oncology February 19-20, 2012 • San Francisco, CA Program | Register | Download
Brochure cancer vaccines:
Insight Pharma Reports Cancer Vaccines Market Study is focused around a
conducted a targeted industry survey on therapeutic cancer vaccines, which was
designed to focus on standardized immunogenic vaccines vs. autologous cell
therapies or passive immunotherapies. Vaccines or candidate vaccines designed to prevent or treat cancer. Vaccines are produced using the patient's own whole tumor cells as the source of antigens, or using tumor-specific antigens, often recombinantly produced. MeSH 1997 Cancer vaccines are intended either to treat existing cancers (therapeutic vaccines) or to prevent the development of cancer (prophylactic vaccines). National Cancer Institute, Treating and Preventing Cancer with Vaccines: Introduction 2004 http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/cancervaccines While the common goal for cancer immunotherapeutics is to boost the immune system and thereby fight cancer in various stages, what is needed most for treating cancer successfully are more precisely-targeted therapies. The approaches vary widely and ideally it may be reached by using the patient’s own immune system or by inducing T-cells or “vaccines”, however, many obstacles and challenges still need to be overcome. Broader terms: cancer immunotherapeutics cellular oncogene (proto-oncogene): A normal gene that when mutated or improperly expressed contributes to the development of cancer. (See Oncogene.) chemoprediction: Involves predicting the response of a specific tumor to a range of chemotherapeutic agents. Utilizing genetic markers developed in the collaboration should allow cancer treatments to be selected on an individual patient basis, enabling physicians to select the most effective and least toxic chemotherapeutic agent for each patient. Mayo Clinic and Millennium Predictive Medicine establish strategic alliance, press release Nov, 9, 1998 Related terms: cancer genomics, oncogenomics Biomarkers chemotherapy: Drug discovery & development circulating
tumor cells CTCs:
Molecular
characterization of tumour material will become increasingly important in
selecting patients for clinical trials and offering appropriate treatment for
patients in clinical practice. Recent advances in the field have indicated that
the molecular characteristics of a tumour can be determined from circulating
tumour cells and circulating tumour DNA; thus, a simple blood sample could
provide these data in a simple, convenient and efficient manner. Circulating tumour-derived predictive biomarkers
in oncology, Hodgson DR, Wellings R, Orr MC, McCormack R, Malone M, Board RE,
Cantarini MV., AstraZeneca, Drug Discov Today. 2010 Feb;15(3-4):98-101. Epub
2010 Jan 4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20045486 cryochemotherapy: By combining freezing with chemotherapy, he [Boris Rubinsky] and his colleagues [radiologist Gary Onik and scientists from the Institut Gustave- Roussy in Villejuif, France] hope to more precisely target malignant cells, while sparing healthy tissue around them. Cryosurgery is performed by inserting one or more cryoprobes, thin needles cooled with either argon gas or liquid nitrogen, into a tumor, turning the malignant mass into an ice ball. Doctors see where they are operating and monitor the freezing using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Rachele Kanigel, Giving Cancer the Cold Shoulder, Forefront, College of Engineering, Univ. of California- Berkeley http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/forefront/fall02/cancer.html Google = about 93 Sept. 23, 2004, about 390 Jan 25, 2008; about 677 Dec 20, 2010 dominant (-acting) oncogene A gene that stimulates cell proliferation and contributes to oncogenesis when present in a single copy. See oncogene [FAO glossary] driver mutations: Cancer genomes carry two classes of mutations: 'driver' mutations, which are positively selected because they are essential for tumour growth and development, and 'passenger' mutations, which are not subject to selection because they don't confer a growth advantage. Genomics: Beyond the usual suspects Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 6, 270-271 April 2007 doi:10.1038/nrd2301 drug development clinical oncology: Includes vaccines and immunotherapeutics, patient imaging, hot topics in clinical oncology research, circulating tumor cells, translational oncology biomarkers, oncology clinical trials. Strategies for Clinical Oncology Drug Development February 23-25, 2011 • San Francisco, CA Program | Register | Download Brochure Order CD early
detection of cancer: Methods to identify and characterize
cancer in the early stages of disease and predict tumor behavior. MeSH
2009 familial cancer: The expression 'familial cancer' is used by some as a synonym of hereditary cancer, however, many (including the authors of this program) use it simply to refer to the familial occurrence of cancer (> 1 case in a family), not necessarily due to an inherited cancer predisposition. Some proven hereditary disorders include the word ‘familial’ in their name. [Familial Cancer Database On-line Manual. R.H. Sijmons & G.T.N. Burger, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2000 http://facd.uicc.org/manual.shtml Related terms: hereditary cancer, sporadic cancer FDA Office of Oncology Drug Products: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CDER/ucm091745.htm galectinomics: Knowledge about galectin expression by human tumor cells is mainly restricted to galectins-1 and -3. This study was conducted to define the gene expression pattern of all presently known human galectins in tumor cell lines of various histogenetic origin. H Lahm, S Andre, A Hoeflich, JR Fischer, B Sordat, H Kaltner, E Wolf, HJ Gabius, Comprehensive galectin fingerprinting in a panel of 61 human tumor cell lines by RT-PCR and its implications for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 127(6): 375- 386, 2001 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11414198&query_hl=28 Google = about 85 Nov. 5, 2005; about 288 June 25, 2007 Gleevec:
An early example of a drug that targets a
genetic change that is characteristic of the disease being treated ... approved
for treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Gleevec inhibits
Bcr- Abl tyrosine kinase, a protein that is created by the Philadelphia
chromosome abnormality that is characteristic of CML. hematological cancer
therapies:
In recent years, newer and more specific therapies for
hematological cancers have been developed, such as targeted small-molecule drugs
and biological therapies including monoclonal antibodies. However, there remains
significant need from a clinical perspective, as well as challenges and
opportunities for pharmaceutical companies. Hematological
Cancer Therapies: Pipelines, Markets, and Business Considerations February
2012 Table of Contents | Tables and Figures Herceptin: Herceptin.com, Genentech, US http://www.herceptin.com/ A preliminary (and promising) example of pharmacogenomics coming into clinical use. hereditary cancer: The hallmark of hereditary cancer is that the associated germ- line mutation confers a high lifetime risk of cancer (often >50 %, but no precise risk percentage has been defined in the literature). As a general rule, tumor development is a multi- step process in which in addition to the germline mutation in a gene, the normal ("wild type") copy of that gene and/ or other genes need to undergo somatic mutations before cancer develops. Familial Cancer Database On- line Manual. R.H. Simons & G.T.N. Burger, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2000 http://facd.uicc.org/manual.shtml Related terms: familial cancer, sporadic cancer Interagency Council on Biomedical Imaging in Oncology: The Interagency Council on Biomedical Imaging (ICBIO) in Oncology brings together technology developers and representatives from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expedite the process of bringing new products to market, to provide advice from a multi-agency perspective on the spectrum of scientific, regulatory, and reimbursement issues related to developing imaging devices or technology. http://imaging.cancer.gov/programsandresources/specializedinitiatives/icbio mathematical oncology: Clinical oncologists and tumour biologists possess virtually no comprehensive model to serve as a framework for understanding, organizing and applying their data... Fortunately, there are some signs of increasing acceptance of mathematical methods in experimental oncology. "Mathematical oncology: Cancer summed up" RA Gatenby, PK Maini, Nature 421 (6921): 321, Jan. 23, 2003 Related term: oncologic mathematics methylation: Proteins methylation specific PCR: Gene amplification & PCR methylome, methylomics, pharmacomethylomics: -Omes & - omics Molecular Diagnostics for Cancer
October 11-12, 2011 • Hannover
Germany Program
| Register
| Download Brochure Emerging Molecular Markers of Cancer
August 23-24, 2011 • Washington, DC Program
| Register
| Download Brochure Molecular
Targets Laboratory: Recent advances and insights
into the molecular pathogenesis of cancer provide unprecedented opportunities
for discovery and development of novel, molecularly targeted diagnostic,
therapeutic and preventative strategies and agents. The pivotal challenge to
discovery and development of molecularly targeted prevention and therapeutics
remains the definitive validation of human cancer-pertinent molecular
targets for intervention. Such validation ultimately requires human clinical
trials of specific molecularly targeted agents, and the demonstration that the
desired clinical outcome is unequivocally the result of the corresponding
molecular intervention. The critical foundation for the lead-discovery and
preclinical research phase of molecular target validation is the basic research
elucidating potential cancer-pertinent molecular targets. National Cancer
Institute, NIH https://ccrod.cancer.gov/confluence/display/CCRMTDPBeu/Introduction+to+MTL
Related terms:
molecularly targeted cancer therapies See also Drug
targets molecularly targeted cancer therapies: Drugs that selectively attack specific cancer-associated molecular receptors or pathways, impeding the growth and progression of cancer. Insight Pharma Reports, Oncogenomics, 2006 http://www.insightpharmareports.com/reports/2006/60_Oncogenomics/overview.asp See also molecular targets for cancer neosis: W Dr. (Raj) Rengaswami Rajaraman, Dalhousie Univ. NuTech, Nova Universities Technology, Canada, Cancer Biology & Therapy, Feb. 2004 http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/cbt/abstract.php?id=663 oncogene: A normal cellular gene which, when inappropriately expressed or mutated, can transform eukaryotic cells into tumour cells. [IUPAC Medicinal Chemistry] Genes which can potentially induce neoplastic transformation. They include genes for growth factors, growth factor receptors, protein kinases, signal transducers, nuclear phosphoproteins, and transcription factors. When these genes are constitutively expressed after structural and/or regulatory changes, uncontrolled cell proliferation may result. Viral oncogenes have prefix "v-" before the gene symbol; cellular oncogenes (PROTO- ONCOGENES) have the prefix "c-" before the gene symbol. MeSH, 1983 Narrower terms: cellular oncogenes, dominant oncogene, immortalizing oncogene, proto-oncogene, recessive oncogene, viral oncogenes oncogene proteins: Proteins coded by oncogenes. They include proteins resulting from the fusion of an oncogene and another gene (ONCOGENE PROTEINS, FUSION). [MeSH, 1993] oncogenomics: The emergence of oncogenomics promises a new era of cancer care. Over the next decade or so, biomedical researchers hope to have fully catalogued all genetic alterations associated with cancer, greatly expanding the number of "druggable" anticancer molecular targets. Oncogenomics has already seen clinical and market success with a handful of "first-generation" oncogenomic therapeutics such as Herceptin, raising hope and expectations that safer and more effective patient-selected targeted therapeutics will revolutionize cancer therapy and transform cancer into a manageable chronic disease. Insight Pharma Reports, Oncogenomics: The future of cancer care, 2006 Google = about 332 July 24, 2002; about 1,700 Sept. 8, 2003, about 7,510 Jan. 14, 2005; about 29,400 Nov 5, 2005; about 42,100 June 25, 2007 oncologic mathematics: HYPOTHESIS: Mathematical methods and their derivatives have practical applications to oncology. They can be used to describe fundamental aspects of tumor behavior, such as loss of genetic stability, tumor growth, immunologic identity, genesis of diversity, and methods of prognosticating cancer. DATA SOURCES: Descriptive models and published literature in the fields of oncology and applied mathematics. DATA SYNTHESIS: Cancer does not conform to simple mathematical principles. Its irregular mode of carcinogenesis, erratic tumor growth, variable response to tumoricidal agents, and poorly understood metastatic patterns constitute highly variable clinical behavior. Defining this process requires an accurate understanding of the interactions between tumor cells and host tissues and ultimately determines prognosis. Applying time- tested and evolving mathematical methods to oncology may provide new tools with inherent advantages for the description of tumor behavior, selection of therapeutic modes, prediction of metastatic patterns, and providing an inclusive basis for prognostication. ... CONCLUSION: Experimentally testable, oncologic mathematics may provide a framework to determine clinical outcome on a patient- specific basis and increase the growing awareness that mathematical models help simplify seemingly complex and random tumor behavior. "Oncologic mathematics: evolution of a new specialty" RY Chandawarkar, DP Guyton, Archives of Surgery 137(12): 1428- 1434, Dec. 2002 Related term: mathematical oncology oncology
and chemotherapy introduction: an introductory overview of the terminology
and classification of cancer and principle issues in its treatment. Commonly
available anti-cancer drugs will be reviewed, particularly in relation to mode
of action, dose intensity and chemotherapy regimes. This will lead on to a
detailed study of the range of side effects commonly and uncommonly experienced
by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Quality of life issues
will also be discussed in terms of overall assessment and interpretation of
results. Introduction to Oncology and
Chemotherapy May 25-26, 2011 •Program | Register
| Download Brochure oncolytic:
Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging biotherapeutic platform for cancer
treatment, which is based on selective infection/killing of cancer cells by
viruses. Anticancer oncolytic activity of respiratory syncytial
virus, Echchgadda S KotaI DeLa
Cruz, A Sabbah, T Chang, R Harnack, V Mgbemena, B Chatterjee
and S Bos, Cancer Gene Therapy
(2009) 16, 923–935;
doi:10.1038/cgt.2009.34; published online 15 May 2009 oncopharmacogenomics: Pharmacogenomics oncoproteomics: Proteomic technologies are now being incorporated in oncology in the post- genomic era. Cancer involves alterations in protein expression and provides a good model not only for detection of biomarkers but also their use in drug discovery. Proteomics has an impact on diagnostics as well as drug discovery. Genomics still remains an important approach but the value of proteomics lies in the fact that most of the diagnostics and drugs target proteins. Kewal K. Jain, Oncoproteomics, Technology in cancer research and treatment 1(4), Aug. 2002 http://www.tcrt.org/index.cfm? CFID operomics: -Omes & -omics p53: Tumor suppressor genes located on the short arm of human chromosome 17 and coding for the phosphoprotein p53. MeSH, 1991 Broader term: tumor suppressor gene partnering early
oncology:
partnering discussions and
emerging company presentations for cancer diagnostics and therapies. Early
Oncology Partnering: Strategies and Company Showcases February 21-22,
2011 • San Francisco, CA Program | Register
| Download Brochure
passenger mutations: See under driver mutations passive immunotherapies: antibody products, for prevention of infection or for treatment of many diseases, including cancer, is widespread. In addition, some nonspecific immunomodulators on the market are used to treat certain cancers. Insight Pharma Reports, Immunotherapies & Vaccines for Cancer & Infectious Diseases, 2008 pathway
targeted therapies cancer:
key pathways in cancer,
markers of metastasis and Epithelial-Mesenchymal
Transition EMT, clinical utility of relevant pathways, novel technologies,
bringing pathways to patients, hot pathways in cancer stem cells Pathway-Targeted Therapies in Cancer
February 23-25, 2011 • San Francisco, CA Program | Register
| Download Brochure Order CD
Patient navigation is a process by which an individual—a patient navigator—guides patients with a suspicious finding (e.g, test shows they may have cancer) through and around barriers in the complex cancer care system to help ensure timely diagnosis and treatment.1 Barriers to quality care fall into a number of categories2: Financial and economic, Language and cultural, Communication, Health care system, Transportation, Bias based on culture/race/age, Fear Pfizer Oncology, 2008 http://www.patientnavigation.com/public/PatientNavigation.aspx?LMenuId=100 precancerous:
There has been a lack of uniform
terminology for the precancerous and non- invasive lesions. Reasons for this
lack relate in part to changing concepts about the biology of these lesions,
subjective interpretation of criteria, heterogeneity of the neoplastic cell
population, less than optimal interobserver reproducibility, and even changes in
treatment. Very often descriptive terms applied to these lesions contain a
mixture of diagnostic and prognostic meanings. Classifying
the precancers: A metadata approach Jules J
Berman*1 and Donald E Henson2 BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2003,
3:8 predictive oncology: Essentially promotes primary cancer prevention by assessment of cancer susceptibility and control of genotoxic exposures and of the basic mechanisms that may lead to the development of neoplastic diseases. Predictive oncology incorporates also identification of cancer prone individuals and prognostic evaluation of tumor development and progression as well as lifestyle modification. Cancer Prediction and Prevention Online, International Society for Preventive Oncology http://www.cancerprev.org/ISPO/About/Definition predictive
preclinical oncology models:
Predictive Pre-Clinical Models in Oncology
conference is designed to highlight the cutting edge in vitro and in vivo
pre-clinical models that allow to more effectively evaluate novel cancer
therapeutics as well as to identify predictive biomarkers in early stages of
drug development. Predictive
Pre-Clinical Models in Oncology June 5-6, 2012 • Philadelphia, PA Program | Register | Download
Brochure
preventive oncology: For secondary prevention focuses on routine clinical and laboratory procedures for early detection and treatment of cancer, patient management and education, management of curable lesions, education and lifestyle modification. Involves: screening modalities and their cost effectiveness, methodological issues of cancer detection, public awareness and professional education, screening guidelines for cancer detection, clinical and laboratory aspects of cancer detection, management of patients with preneoplastic alterations, management of early curable neoplasms, novel therapeutic approaches. Cancer Prediction and Prevention Online, International Society for Preventive Oncology http://www.cancerprev.org/ISPO/About/Definition proto-oncogene: See cellular oncogene proto-oncogene proteins: Products of proto-oncogenes. Normally they do not have oncogenic or transforming properties, but are involved in the regulation or differentiation of cell growth. They often have protein kinase activity. MeSH, 1991 recessive oncogene; recessive-acting oncogene; anti-oncogene A single copy of this gene is sufficient to suppress cell proliferation; the loss of both copies of the gene contributes to cancer formation. See oncogene FAO glossary sporadic cancer: Cancer that occurs randomly and is not inherited from parents. Caused by DNA changes in one cell that grows and divides, spreading throughout the body. DOE Related terms: familial cancer, family history, hereditary cancer targeted cancer
therapies: Drugs or other substances that block the growth and spread
of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and
progression. Because scientists often call these molecules “molecular
targets,” targeted cancer therapies are sometimes called “molecularly
targeted drugs,” “molecularly targeted therapies,” or other similar names.
By focusing on molecular and cellular changes that are specific to cancer,
targeted cancer therapies may be more effective than other types of treatment,
including chemotherapy
and radiotherapy,
and less harmful to normal cells. National Cancer Institute, Targeted
Cancer Therapy http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/targeted tumor markers: Tumor markers are substances produced by tumor cells or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, in the urine, in the tumor tissue, or in other tissues. Different tumor markers are found in different types of cancer, and levels of the same tumor marker can be altered in more than one type of cancer. In addition, tumor marker levels are not altered in all people with cancer, especially if the cancer is early stage. Some tumor marker levels can also be altered in patients with noncancerous conditions. Tumor Markers Q&A, National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/tumor-markers Tumor markers are substances, usually proteins, that are produced by the body in response to cancer growth or by the cancer tissue itself. Some tumor markers are specific for one type of cancer, while others are seen in several cancer types. Many of the well-known markers are seen in non-cancerous conditions as well as cancer. Consequently, these tumor markers are not diagnostic for cancer. Lab Tests Online, American Association for Clinical Chemistry in collaboration with ACLA, ASCLS, ASM, CLMA, ASH, AMP, ASCP, NCCLS, CAP, CSLMS, CSCC, CLAS, NACB and ACB. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/tumor_markers/glance.html tumor
microenvironment (TME): Consists
of cells, soluble factors, signaling molecules, extracellular matrix, and
mechanical cues that can promote neoplastic transformation, support tumor growth
and invasion, protect the tumor from host immunity, foster therapeutic
resistance, and provide niches for dormant metastases to thrive. An American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
special conference held on November 3–6, 2011, addressed five emerging
concepts in our understanding of the TME: its dynamic evolution, how it is
educated by tumor cells, pathways of communication between stromal and tumor
cells, immunomodulatory roles of the lymphatic system, and contribution of the
intestinal microbiota. Tumor Microenvironment Complexity:
Emerging Roles in Cancer Therapy Melody
A. Swartz 1, Noriho
Iida 2,
Edward
W. Roberts 3,
Sabina
Sangaletti 4,
Melissa
H. Wong 5,
Fiona
E. Yull 6,
Lisa
M. Coussens 5
, and Yves
A. DeClerck 7
Cancer Res May
15, 2012 72; 2473
Published
OnlineFirst March 13, 2012; doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-12- tumor suppressor gene: A protective gene that normally limits the growth of tumors. When a tumor suppressor is mutated, it may fail to keep a cancer from growing. BRCA1 and p53 are well- known tumor suppressor genes. NHGRI Genes that inhibit expression of the tumorigenic phenotype. They are normally involved in holding cellular growth in check. When tumor suppressor genes are inactivated or lost, a barrier to normal proliferation is removed and unregulated growth is possible. MeSH, 2002 Ken Kinzler and Bert Vogelstein distinguish between "gatekeeper" tumor suppressor genes (classical) and "caretakers" (in DNA repair and genome integrity, whose action lies outside the pathway). KW Kinzler, B. Vogelstein "Cancer- susceptibility genes. Gatekeepers and caretakers" Nature 386 (6627): 761, 763 Apr. 24, 1997 Narrower terms: caretaker tumor suppressor genes, gatekeeper tumor suppressor genes, p53; Related term: Gene categories suppressor gene tumor suppressor proteins: Proteins that are normally involved in holding cellular growth in check. Deficiencies or abnormalities in these proteins may lead to unregulated cell growth and tumor development. MeSH, 2002 Bibliography
Therapeutic indications Conferences:
http://www.healthtech.com/Conferences/Search.aspx?k=&r=&s=RXXS Robert Weinberg's Racing to the Beginning of the Road : The Search for the Origin of Cancer 1998 is a very readable account of top rate biomedical research, a good reminder that these "races" are marathons and not 100 yard dashes. The title is one of my favorite metaphors for the complexity of biology. This explanation of how nonlinear progress from lab to clinic can be is highly recommended. Welch, Gilbert H. Should I Be Tested for Cancer? Univ of California Press, 2004. http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10079.html Other patient and disease related websites Genetic & genomic testing, Patient resources Alpha
glossary index IUPAC definitions are reprinted with the permission of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. |
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