Stem Cell Treatment News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Att: To all myeloma sufferers....

Kevin asked for me to post article I read..... We are concerned about this article and I will be certainly asking the doc about it..

Regards Melanie 

Your post is much appreciated: MMS

On 2/2/2008 melanie and carol wrote:

Att: To all myeloma sufferers....

Kevin asked for me to post article I read..... We are concerned about this article and I will be certainly asking the doc about it..

Regards Melanie 

Stem Cells Make Bone Marrow Cancer Resistant To Treatment

NewsRx.com

January 24, 2008

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say they have evidence that cancer stem cells for multiple myeloma share many properties with normal stem cells and have multiple ways of resisting chemotherapy and other treatments.

A report on the evidence, published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research, may explain why the disease is so persistent, the Johns Hopkins scientists say, and pave the way for treatments that overcome the cells drug resistance. Multiple myeloma affects bone marrow and bone tissue.

"Cancer stem cells that have distinct biology and drug sensitivity as compared with the bulk of a cancer may explain why multiple myeloma, like many other cancers, so often relapses even after chemotherapy puts patients into remission," says Richard J. Jones, M.D., professor and director of bone marrow transplant at Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and one of the scientists who authored the new report.

The existence of cancer stem cells - a topic of some controversy in cancer biology - is seen by some scientists as a useful explanation for the long history of difficulty in overcoming some cancers persistence.

The Hopkins investigators previously had uncovered a rare stem cell in myeloma, accounting for less than one percent of all the cancer s cells. Working with cell samples from myeloma patients, the team found that this stem cell originates from immune system B-cells and is capable of giving rise to the malignant bone marrow cells characteristic of the disease.

In the current study, the scientists isolated stem cells from the blood of four patients with multiple myeloma and transplanted them into mice. All of the animals developed hind-limb paralysis and showed signs of cancer in the bone marrow. By contrast, plasma cells that were transplanted from multiple myeloma patients to mice did not engraft. The Hopkins scientists say that recreating the disease in mice provides more evidence that these cells act as cancer stem cells.

The Johns Hopkins scientists also compared the response of these special stem cells with the bulk of multiple myeloma plasma cells, to four different chemotherapy medications commonly used to treat patients with the disease: dexamethasone, lenadilomide, bortezomib and 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide. While all four agents significantly inhibited the growth of the plasma cells, none inhibited the stem cells.

To their surprise, the research team noted that the multiple myeloma stem cells resemble other types of adult stem cells and exhibit similar properties that may make them resistant to chemotherapy. They found that the stem cells contain high levels of enzymes that neutralize toxins, like cancer drugs, and expel them through miniature pumps on their cell surface. The investigators believe that these drug-fighting enzymes and pumps - also plentiful in normal stem cells - may help cancer stem cells resist treatment.

"Nature made normal stem cells very hearty for a reason, namely to survive and help repair damaged tissues and organs after injury or illness," says William Matsui, M.D., an assistant professor of oncology at Hopkins and the study s lead investigator. "To us, it makes sense that the same processes that protect normal stem cells also exist in cancer stem cells to make them resistant to chemotherapy. We need to develop new ways to target the specific biology of cancer stem cells to prevent the continued production of mature tumor cells and disease relapse."

"Standard cancer therapy is like mowing the weed - it gets rid of the disease transiently but the dandelion always grows back. We need to get rid of the root to cure disease, and therefore need a different type of therapy - mowing won t work," says Jones.

Matsui says the work also may make it possible to track the rare myeloma stem cells as a marker of how well a patient is doing during treatment.

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer and strikes more than 14,000 Americans each year. Close to 11,000 will die from the disease.

Copyright 2008, Stem Cell Week via NewsRx.com

Hi Mel~~

I know that I saw this last article week because I forwarded it to my daughter in law who is a Dr. of Research, currently looking at why some people respond to chemo where others do not.  I wanted her opinions before I started talking about the article.  My problem at the moment is this: Where was this published here in Australia that we both saw it??  I know my short term memory is faulty -- chemo brain, drugs in general, or just plain aging -- what ever, but it is really annoying me that I can't remember.  I looked it up on Google and found the article, if I wanted to pay $3.00 - but I know that we actually have the article somewhere and I can't find it!!  I'd really appreciate your help with this Mel.

How is Carol?  Did you speak with the oncologist?  I remember with my experience with Velcade that at one point I had the 'mother' of all headaches -- so bad that I was hospitalised in Peter Mac for almost a week.  Is she running a fever?  Just because she is having a break from the Velcade, she would still have some in her blood which could be whats causing the problems.  I think oncology would be your best bet for your GP wouldn't probably understand the intracies of these 'novel' chemo drugs.  Please let us know what they say -- don't let her avoid getting help because it 'will probably be better tomorrow' for in fact, it could be worse, and it is better to nip these things at the start rather than try to rectify them after they have been causing problems for a while.  Bob and I send you and Carol our best wishes, love Cath

Poppy cath: here is what I found on the net on Stem Cell:

http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/hdt-multiple-my

mms

On 2/3/2008 poppy/cath wrote:

Hi Mel~~

I know that I saw this last article week because I forwarded it to my daughter in law who is a Dr. of Research, currently looking at why some people respond to chemo where others do not.  I wanted her opinions before I started talking about the article.  My problem at the moment is this: Where was this published here in Australia that we both saw it??  I know my short term memory is faulty -- chemo brain, drugs in general, or just plain aging -- what ever, but it is really annoying me that I can't remember.  I looked it up on Google and found the article, if I wanted to pay $3.00 - but I know that we actually have the article somewhere and I can't find it!!  I'd really appreciate your help with this Mel.

How is Carol?  Did you speak with the oncologist?  I remember with my experience with Velcade that at one point I had the 'mother' of all headaches -- so bad that I was hospitalised in Peter Mac for almost a week.  Is she running a fever?  Just because she is having a break from the Velcade, she would still have some in her blood which could be whats causing the problems.  I think oncology would be your best bet for your GP wouldn't probably understand the intracies of these 'novel' chemo drugs.  Please let us know what they say -- don't let her avoid getting help because it 'will probably be better tomorrow' for in fact, it could be worse, and it is better to nip these things at the start rather than try to rectify them after they have been causing problems for a while.  Bob and I send you and Carol our best wishes, love Cath

On 2/3/2008 poppy/cath wrote:

Hi Mel~~

I know that I saw this last article week because I forwarded it to my daughter in law who is a Dr. of Research, currently looking at why some people respond to chemo where others do not.  I wanted her opinions before I started talking about the article.  My problem at the moment is this: Where was this published here in Australia that we both saw it??  I know my short term memory is faulty -- chemo brain, drugs in general, or just plain aging -- what ever, but it is really annoying me that I can't remember.  I looked it up on Google and found the article, if I wanted to pay $3.00 - but I know that we actually have the article somewhere and I can't find it!!  I'd really appreciate your help with this Mel.

How is Carol?  Did you speak with the oncologist?  I remember with my experience with Velcade that at one point I had the 'mother' of all headaches -- so bad that I was hospitalised in Peter Mac for almost a week.  Is she running a fever?  Just because she is having a break from the Velcade, she would still have some in her blood which could be whats causing the problems.  I think oncology would be your best bet for your GP wouldn't probably understand the intracies of these 'novel' chemo drugs.  Please let us know what they say -- don't let her avoid getting help because it 'will probably be better tomorrow' for in fact, it could be worse, and it is better to nip these things at the start rather than try to rectify them after they have been causing problems for a while.  Bob and I send you and Carol our best wishes, love Cath

Hi Cath,

The message was sent to me via Cancer Compass Newsletter. If you look at cancer news and check hematogical you will find it listed..

Mum is doing ok, she has Zomenta next tues and her doc next fri. Pain is there but she seems ok. As you know you have bad days and good ones. She is not sleeping and is having hot flushes. See it is myeloma as you know she is not on medication.

I will let you know what happens next week..

Lots of love mel xox 

Dear Melanie;

Thank you for posting the site.

Take care;

Kevin

Thanks Mel, I have found the article again.  It was really bugging me that I couldn't remember where I had first seen it!!  This short term memory loss can be very frustrating -- things usually come back to me later down the track, but occasionally - like this - no matter how hard I try I just can't find it!! 

I have been in contact with the Petrea King Quest For Life Centre and they have a homeopathic remedy for 'flushes' -- its only about $21.00 by mail -- so I thought I'd give it a try and see if it will work.  If I get any benefit at all I will let you know the details!  Best wishes to Carol and your family,  Cath