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Post by Ms. Kathy on Jun 19, 2004 0:25:45 GMT -6
The following info is taken from Eye Cancer.com at www.eyecancer.com/conditions/Retinal%20Tumors/retino.html
Retinoblastoma
Description: Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer of childhood and effects approximately 300 children in the United States each year. A modern day medical success story, more than 90% of children can be cured of retinoblastoma by early detection and treatment of the affected eye. Unfortunately, some children can have both eyes affected. Whenever possible, eye-cancer specialists try to save a child’s eye and preserve vision.
Retinoblastoma was the first cancer to be directly associated with a genetic abnormality (Deletions or mutation of the q14 band of chromosome 13). Retinoblastoma can occur sporadically (without a family history) or it can be inherited (with a family history).
If a genetic mutation is found there is a 45-50% chance that the parents will have another child with retinoblastoma. If there is no family history and no mutation is found, the risk of having a second child with retinoblastoma is 2-5%. The average age of children with retinoblastoma is 18 months.
More than 75% of children with retinoblastoma are first noted to have a “white-pupil” (which the doctors call leukocoria), or poorly aligned eyes (which the doctors call strabismus), or a red and painful eye (usually due to glaucoma). Other eye diseases which can be cause these symptoms include congenital cataract, Toxocara canis, Coat’s disease, and persistent hypertrophic primary vitreous (PHPV). These diseases may look like retinoblastoma, but by performing an examination under anesthesia, specialized blood tests, CAT scans, and ultrasound evaluations ophthalmic oncologists can diagnose intraocular retinoblastoma in over 95% of cases. In order to be 100% correct all the time, eye-cancer specialists would have to perform a biopsy. Biopsies of intraocular retinoblastoma are avoided in order to prevent cancer cells from spreading outside of the eye.
Feel free to post questions, discussions, etc. about retinoblastoma here.
the definition below comes form Medicinet.com at www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5341
Definition of Retinoblastoma
Our Retinoblastoma Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma: A malignant eye tumor in children, usually under age 5, that arises in cells in the developing retina containing cancer-predisposing mutations in both copies of the gene RB1. The most common sign of retinoblastoma (RB) is a white pupillary reflex to light (leukocoria). Strabismus (a "lazy eye") is the second most common sign.
There are two forms of RB. One is hereditary while the other is sporadic:
The inherited form of RB is usually present at birth as multiple tumors (multifocal) in both eyes. It is due to the transmission of an RB1 (germline) mutation followed by an acquired (somatic) RB1 mutation.
The sporadic form of retinoblastoma has later onset and typically leads to a single tumor in only one eye. It is due to acquired (somatic) mutations in both RB1 genes.
Patients with hereditary RB are also at increased risk of developing tumors outside the eye, including pinealomas (in the pineal gland of the brain), osteosarcomas, soft tissue sarcomas, and melanomas. These RB-related tumors usually are diagnosed in adolescence or adulthood.
When RB is detected at an early stage, it can sometimes be treated locally but often requires removal of the eye (enucleation). Early diagnosis and treatment of RB and RB-related tumors can reduce morbidity and increase longevity.
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Mar 18, 2005 11:34:04 GMT -6
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Aug 5, 2005 6:04:01 GMT -6
Cancer proves not to be an obstacle for Longhorn Tinnon, who dominates in pool By Ryan Derousseau Daily Texan[Source: CollegeSports.com: www.collegesports.com/sports/c-swim/uwire/042605aab.html]Austin, TX (U-WIRE) -- When Susan Tinnon took pictures of her newborn child, she wanted to document her daughter's life. But what started as a typical parent wanting to show off pictures of her child turned into a life-saving practice. When Susan looked at her photos, she realized her daughter Elizabeth's right eye printed white in the pictures. She did not think much of it until she began noticing a white dot on the eye itself. After a trip to the doctor, Susan was no longer concerned about when Elizabeth would take her first step or speak her first words. Instead, it became an issue of whether Elizabeth would lose her eyesight, and possibly her life. "They [doctors] sent us to a specialist in Tennessee," Susan said. "They did all kinds of tests to see how big [the cancer] was. They didn't think they could save any vision, and there was a danger that it could spread throughout the body." The doctor diagnosed Elizabeth with retinoblastoma, a type of cancer that starts in the retina and can spread to the brain. The disease affects about 200 to 300 children a year in the United States, and the cancer in some cases can spread to both eyes, causing the need to remove them. In Elizabeth's case, the cancer prevented proper blood flow, causing her eye to appear white in pictures. The eye specialist recommended the infected eye be removed and replaced with a glass one before the cancer spread. Because the operation occurred at a young age, doctors were optimistic Elizabeth, now a swimmer for the Longhorns, would adjust easily to seeing with only one eye. "I have to do things differently than a lot of people," Elizabeth said. "I've never really considered it a setback, because this is all I know. I'm not different than anyone else. I just can't see out of my right eye." Both Susan and the doctors concluded it was unlikely Elizabeth ever had correct vision out of her right eye. Susan said her daughter's depth perception lacked as a child, noting that Elizabeth bumped into furniture frequently. Elizabeth also had difficulty learning to write. "She is right-handed, and it took a long time to learn to use utensils and to write," Susan said. "She had to write almost like a left-handed person would." The operation was successful, and Elizabeth's cancer never returned, allowing Elizabeth to live a healthy and normal life, at least for a while. Because of her glass eye, doctors prevented Elizabeth from playing contact sports, so she turned to swimming. Despite what some call a disability, Elizabeth quickly became a top swimmer for her age group, and she used the loss of her eye to her advantage, concentrating solely on her own stroke because she could not see her competitors during a race. "You could saw off both of her arms, and she would still want to compete," Texas co-head coach Michael Walker said. "She is just that kind of athlete. There is no mountain that's too high for her. She will come out and give everything she has." However, during her sophomore year of high school, health problems resurfaced. Elizabeth noticed that her heart raced and beat at a faster rate than normal. After a bad attack, she went back to the doctor and was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-Light Syndrome. "Everything was chugging along when we found out," Susan said. "We were like, 'Oh my gosh, she has been through so much,' but we had to deal with it and move on." A form of heart arrhythmia, Wolff-Parkinson can cause headaches, lightheadedness and in extreme cases cardiac arrest. In order to stop the erratic beat, Elizabeth underwent catheter ablation, an eight-hour procedure during which doctors send radio waves to destroy the problem. Her diagnosis and surgery set her back about six months in her training, causing her to lose plenty of opportunities to improve her speed. Her mother believes she lost confidence during the break, but it quickly resurfaced once Elizabeth returned to the pool. By her junior year she had fully recovered, and colleges began to notice her talent. "It was really hard knowing I couldn't swim until surgery," Elizabeth said. "I did pretty well my junior year, and it didn't affect me that much [in recruiting]. It could have been a lot worse." She is now one of the top collegiate breaststroke swimmers in the nation. As a freshman she won the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events at the Big 12 Championships and repeated the feat during her sophomore campaign. She also earned fifth place in both events and two individual All-American honors in the 2005 NCAA Championships. "It is amazing how things work out," Susan said. "I am proud of how she hung in there through tough times, and never gave up." (C) 2004 Daily Texan via U-WIRE
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Nov 18, 2005 22:44:28 GMT -6
Researchers find possible pediatric eye cancer treatmentFrom Pharmaceutical Business Review: www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=634E6ABA-C7BB-44FC-931C-3F7754D91CF8Investigators at St Jude Children's Research Hospital have found a potential new treatment for the pediatric eye cancer retinoblastoma that appears to be more effective than the current standard therapy. 19 Oct 2005, 09:33 GMT - The study showed in laboratory models that combination therapy with topotecan and carboplatin is superior to the standard triple-drug therapy using vincristine, carboplatin and etoposide. The new combination developed by the scientists eliminates the use of etoposide, a drug known to increase the risk of developing acute myeloblastic leukemia, and the study suggested that vincristine contributes little to the treatment of retinoblastoma, and therefore can be eliminated from therapy. An obstacle in efforts to design better treatments is that there are not enough patients for researchers to enroll in large clinical trials designed to investigate new treatments, according to Dr Michael Dyer, an assistant member of the department of Developmental Neurobiology and senior author of the report that was published in Clinical Cancer Care. Therefore, it is critically important that any new treatment being considered for clinical trials have already demonstrated in the laboratory a high likelihood of success in clinical trials. Until last year when researchers at St Jude developed the first knockout model of retinoblastoma and the two other models presented in this work, there were few options for preclinical studies on retinoblastoma. Source: Datamonitor Newswire
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Dec 9, 2005 6:45:50 GMT -6
Childhood Cancer Can Be Cured If Detected Early - Global Campaign To Help Parents Recognise The Signswww.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=34518Category: Cancer/Oncology News Article Date: 05 Dec 2005 Cancer is the second highest cause of death in children between the ages of one to fourteen. While statistics show that over 160,000 children worldwide are newly diagnosed with cancer each year, the exact number of new cases each year is not known as cancer registers do not exist in many countries. Significant advances have been made in diagnosis and therapy during the past four decades and the good news is that childhood cancer can largely be cured if detected sufficiently early. Yet children with cancer who live in developing countries have less than a 50 per cent survival rate, as opposed to 80 per cent for children living in developed countries. The International Union Against Cancer (UICC), a Geneva based NGO, and its members of cancer-fighting organisations in over 80 countries, are dedicating World Cancer Day 2006 to childhood cancer. Under the slogan, ‘My Child Matters', World Cancer Day will take place on Saturday 4 February 2006 and focus on early detection and equal access to treatment, as well as celebrating the lives of all children around the world in the fight against childhood cancer. Members around the world will join together to organise events, including a wide range of educational activities and fundraising events to educate parents about early detection in the fight against childhood cancer. “Childhood cancer is more than twice as curable as all adult cancers,” says Isabel Mortara, UICC Executive Director. “To save thousands of children's lives each year it is vitally important that childhood cancer is detected early and that access to treatment is improved in developing countries,” she says. “Currently only 20 per cent of children with cancer living in developing countries receive the treatment they need.” Knowing the signs can save a child's life The types of cancer that occur in children differ greatly from those found in adults, as do the treatments and survival rates. Frequency of many common cancer types differs between populations. For example, leukaemia represents almost a third of all childhood cancers in Europe, America and East Asia, where it is the most common childhood cancer. Other tumour types are more frequent in developing countries, such as lymphomas, Kaposi's sarcoma or retinoblastoma. CHILDHOOD CANCER CAN BE CURED IF DETECTED EARLY/2 Although there are different types of cancer, at least 85 per cent of all childhood cancers have similar signs and symptoms. These include continued, unexplained weight loss and fever; pallor; headaches - often with early morning vomiting; unusual swelling and abdominal mass; swollen head; development of excessive bruising or bleeding; white glow in the eye; and sudden changes in balance or behaviour. Since most of the symptoms of cancer can be interpreted as common child ailments, parents should insist, where possible, that physicians carry out tests to rule out cancer. Cancer in children develops rapidly and early diagnosis and treatment greatly improve the chances that the child will survive and live an active and productive life. Bridging the gap “World Cancer Day not only aims to stimulate collective responsibility and action among families, community-based groups and the medical profession, but also to look for solutions to expand access to treatment in developing countries,” says Dr John R. Seffrin, President of UICC. “Forty years ago, childhood cancer in developed countries was almost uniformly fatal,” says Dr Seffrin. “Vigorous action has changed that picture dramatically, so that today, most children live. In developing countries this is not the case, and the majority of children with cancer are still dying. Across the globe, we need to make surviving cancer the rule, not the exception. The UICC is funding specific projects to help make this happen, and hope that others will follow our lead to bridge the huge gap between the two worlds. The time to act is now, so that together we can help save children's lives.” Phil Collins' Little Dreams Foundation Supports World Cancer Day The young talents of the Little Dreams Foundation, created by international singer and song writer Phil Collins with his wife Orianne, support UICC in their fight against childhood cancer. An artistic or sportive passion can be an important driver in the recovery process of a child with cancer. A young singer with cancer recently joined the Little Dreams Foundation for musical training and to share his hope with other children. Like many young people from the Little Dreams Foundation who work hard on a daily basis to develop their talents, children with cancer also need to make their dreams become a reality. About UICC The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is the only international non-governmental organisation that is dedicated solely to the global control of cancer. Its vision is of a world where cancer is eliminated as a major life-threatening disease for future generations. As the world's largest independent, non-profit association of cancer-fighting organisations, UICC is a catalyst for responsible dialogue and collective action. With over 270 member organisations in more than 80 countries, UICC is a resource for action and a voice for change. For further information visit: www.uicc.org or www.mychildmatters.orgInternational Agency for Research on Cancer. Scientific publications, No. 144. International Society of Pediatric Oncology, 2003
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Dec 10, 2005 1:18:41 GMT -6
RETINOBLASTOMA occurs in early childhood and affects about 1 child in 20,000. The tumor develops from the immature retina - the part of the eye responsible for detecting light and color. There are both hereditary and non-hereditary forms of retinoblastoma. IN the hereditary form, multiple tumors are found in both eyes, while in the non-hereditary form only one eye is effected and by only one tumor. Source: ncbi.nih.gov/disease/Retinoblast.html In the hereditary form, a gene called Rb is lost from chromosome 13. Since the absence of Rb seemed to be linked to retinoblastoma, it has been suggested that the role of Rb in normal cells is to suppress tumor formation. Rb is found in all cells of the body, where under normal conditions it acts as a brake on the cell division cycle by preventing certain regulatory proteins from triggering DNA replication. If Rb is missing, a cell can replicate itself over and over in an uncontrolled manner, resulting in tumor formation. Untreated, retinoblastoma is almost uniformly fatal, but with early diagnosis and modern methods of treatment the survival rate is over 90%. Since the Rb gene is found in all cell types, studying the molecular mechanism of tumor suppression by Rb will give insight into the progression of many types of cancer, not just retinoblastoma.
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Apr 16, 2006 18:31:59 GMT -6
RetinoblastomaCurtis E. Margo, MD, MPH, Lynn E. Harman, MD, and Zuber D. Mulla, MSPHIntroduction Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy of infancy and childhood. Prior to this century, retinoblastoma was a uniformly fatal disease.1 The development of the ophthalmoscope, general anesthesia, and surgical enucleation has improved prognosis so that survival rates currently exceed 90% in most industrialized countries.2,3 Retinoblastoma represents the phenotypic expression of an abnormal or absent tumor suppressor gene known as the retinoblastoma gene (RB1).4 Historical Perspective Prior to knowledge of the RB1, children with retinoblastoma were classified as having either sporadic or inherited retinoblastoma.2 Clinically and histologically, inherited and sporadic tumors are indistinguishable from one another. Markers for the inherited variety include bilateral involvement and multifocal primary tumors in one eye. The absence of multiple tumors, however, does not exclude the possibility of inherited retinoblastoma. Historically, the retinoblastoma trait seemed to be transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern. On occasion, a family would demonstrate a skipped generation indicating genetic carriers. This article is continued at its source: www.moffitt.usf.edu/pubs/ccj/v5n4/article2.html
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Aug 2, 2006 0:16:22 GMT -6
2 kids helped by stored bloodSource: torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2006/07/31/pf-1711389.htmlJuly 31, 2006 Parents of these youngsters urge the banking of blood taken from the umbilical cords of newborns By MICHELE HENRY His penetrating eyes soften for a moment as he remembers sitting on the edge of his son's hospital bed last November when the doctor revealed the blush-coloured vial. The last time the Halton father laid eyes on that test tube was four years ago in the delivery room, just after his wife gave birth to their second son. The obstetrician filled it with blood freshly extracted from her umbilical cord. "It was such a spiritual time for my family," the dark-eyed man said, recalling how he and his wife clasped their hands in prayer as pediatric hematologist Dr. John Doyle slowly infused their 6-year-old son with the contents of the tube, in the hope it would cure the small boy of Leukemia. "I remember that being a very emotional time." Inside the tube were stem cells, carefully extracted from the cord blood of the family's second child, and frozen in a specialized GTA bank. Mom and dad decided to store the cells of each of their children, even though cord blood banking was virtually unheard of when they gave birth to their eldest child in 2000. They were completely unaware it would one day save their young son's life. Until he watched as the cells were transplanted -- slowly into lines protruding from his son's chest, the 33-year-old father didn't realize the impact of a decision he and his wife made to store them when she was pregnant so long ago. "I remember sitting there in the hospital thinking, what if we had never done that? What if hadn't stored the cells?" he said. "Was it an act of God or fate that had our family doctor mention that one liner about cord blood a few years ago? It's changed our lives, for sure." Now, almost a year after the procedure, the father can't understand why to bank or not to bank is even a question. Healthy, and with no history of disease, there was no reason, according to the odds of contracting a disease like leukemia -- which are between 1/10,000 and 1/200,000 -- that his family should have had to worry. The slim odds of needing the stem cells dovetail with the few cord blood transplants that have been performed in Canada. Only 49 have been completed so far (not including this year). Doyle, who is the section head of blood and marrow transplants at The Hospital for Sick Children, has performed more than 20 of them -- his first was in 1997, and business picked up in 2005, when there were nine. But anyone can find himself in an odds-beating situation, the Halton father said, and if there's insurance against it: buy it. TELLS HIS STORY "It's a no brainer," he said, noting he tells his story to anyone who will listen. "I can't believe not everyone knows about this." Neither can Lisa Farquharson. Her son Jesse was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer called Retinoblastoma in 2001 and was the first in North America to have his own stored cells returned to his body. The procedure saved the infant's immune system, which was weakened by the chemotherapy used to obliterate the tumour. "We are the odds maker," Farquharson said. "We had no medical history. We were the family that should never have (banked). We proved the critics wrong." Doyle knows first hand that in these instances having the banked cord blood available is a blessing. In the Halton case, the cells saved the younger brother from having to undergo painful surgery to donate bone marrow to his sibling. In the Farquharson case, the cells spared the family the agony of searching for a bone marrow match. Banked cord blood stem cells confer other unique advantages, Doyle explained. Because cord blood stem cells haven't had enough time in a body to be heavily programmed, they will adapt more easily to a new host. Practically, this means finding a cord blood match could be easier than locating a compatible living bone marrow donor. And, there is less chance a new body will reject the stem cells. "It opens up windows we didn't have before," Doyle said. "It's immediately available." Cord blood is less likely than bone marrow to carry viral infection, and if people from ethnic minorities bank their stem cells for public use, they could spare families from diverse backgrounds the often immense problems of trying to locate a bone-marrow donor. But, despite all the positive aspects, Doyle says cord blood samples are useful only in limited situations -- transplanting a donor's sample back to his or her body is the exception, not the rule, and until research advances one cord blood sample, is sufficient for a child under 35 kilos, but not an adult. Cord cells also take longer to proliferate, and grow after transplant, so the process is a little slower than with marrow. Banking is an expensive and iffy form of insurance, the doctor still believes. "Cord blood is useful. But as an insurance policy a family has to look at it closely before signing on the dotted line." Farquharson and the Halton father have their pens ready. "How guilty would we feel if we passed it up?" Farquharson said, noting she's felt the anguish of parents of ill children who didn't have the option to bank. "We tell everyone they should do this. It saved our son's life. It's like spending money on a lottery ticket. But if you never use your child's stem cells, you win the lottery."
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Aug 2, 2006 0:23:59 GMT -6
Dorchester mom staunch supporter of saving cord bloodBy MICHELE HENRY, SUN MEDIA Lisa Farquharson says parents can't lose by taking part in one of Canada's hottest trends in biological technology. The Dorchester mother knows from experience. Her son, Jesse, was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma in 2001. Jesse was the first child in North America to have his own stored cells transplanted back into his body. The procedure saved the infant's immune system that was weakened by the chemotherapy used to obliterate the tumour. "We are the odds maker," Farquharson said. "We had no medical history. We were the family that should never have (banked). We proved the critics wrong." When Jesse was born, blood was extracted from his umbilical cord, taken to a private cord blood bank and stored. These new storage facilities specialize in extracting a sample of nubile stem cells from the baby's umbilical cord blood and freezing it for at least 18 years, charging, critics say, an arm and a leg to do it. For years stem cells have been touted in headlines as the future of medicine, the next miracle cure for everything from deadly cancers to diabetes. With good reason. These master cells not only create the body's immune system, but can develop into any kind of biological tissue --putting cures for many deadly illnesses into the realm of possibility. Right now, however, stem cell research is in its infancy and therapeutic uses for the cells today are few. Nonetheless, parents have been signing on in droves to bank their babies' blood. In the last decade, 13 cord blood banks have opened in Canada -- eight in the GTA -- to accommodate demand. But the banks have serious critics, including Trudo Lemmons, an associate professor of law at the University of Toronto. An average healthy couple has a one in 10,000 to one in 200,000 chance of ever using the cord blood for their child, she said. "It's a money-making business that offers a lot of promises -- how accurate are they anyway?" Lemmons asked, calling for more public debate on the issue. "It's making people feel responsible for the potential death of their child. There is a reason we should be concerned about it." Farquharson doesn't buy this argument. "How guilty would we feel if we passed it up," she said. "We tell everyone they should do this. It saved our son's life." HOW CORD BANKING WORKS - After a baby is born, about half a cup of blood is extracted from its umbilical cord. - The blood is taken to one of about a dozen Canadian cord blood banks, where sophisticated machinery is used to separate the stem cells. They are coveted for being powerhouses that produce the body's blood supply, supporting life and fighting infection. - The cells are frozen in storage units. - Cord blood banking can cost more than $2,500 a child. The average initial cost of $1,000 covers administrative fees, blood extraction and preparation for storage. Then there is an annual fee of up to $150 for the first 18 years. Source: London Free Press lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2006/07/31/pf-1711016.html
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Feb 22, 2007 11:11:47 GMT -6
Makenzie And Her "Angels": A Cancer Survivor At Age 8Source Link: iberkshires.com/story.php?story_id=22349By Susan Bush - February 20, 2007 Makenzie Wright was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a cancer that usually strikes during childhood, when she was 22 months old. {Photo courtesy of Tammy Wright] Florida - Most parents believe their daughters are special, and Tammy and Don Wright are no exception. Daughter Makenzie Wright, 8, is a very special little girl, said her mother. A Keeper "She's a keeper," Tammy Wright said during a Feb. 20 telephone interview. The sentiment is felt profoundly by Makenzie's family and friends; at 22 months old, Makenzie was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a cancer that strikes the retina and is most often found in children. Retinoblastoma is the source of about three percent of cancers that affect children under age 15. Most cases are diagnosed before a child's fifth birthday. Five Year Mark Passed, But Parent Fears Remain from left, Tammy Wright, Makenzie Wright, and Don Wright [Photo courtesy of Tammy Wright] Makenzie was treated for the cancer and is cancer-free today. During her treatment, her right eye was removed, said Tammy Wright. "She's tested every year and so far, so good," she said, and noted that Makenzie has passed a significant five-year cancer-free time marker. "But that fear, the fear that it will come back, is always there." Makenzie is a second-grade student at the Gabriel Abbott school in Florida and enjoys spending time with her friends and her family members. And she is the inspiration for "Makenzie's Angels," a team of folks who raise money to benefit the American Cancer Society. Chocolate And Wine Fundraiser "Makenzie's Angels" has planned a "Chocolate and Wine Tasting" fundraiser for Feb. 24 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles hall on Curran Highway. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. and concludes at 9:30 p.m.; $25 advance tickets are available at Galadriel's Boutique on Main Street and Melissa 's Hair Design on West Main Street, both in North Adams, or by calling Tammy Wright at 413-663-3303. Those who attend the event without advance tickets and mention "WinterFest" upon arrival will be able to purchase $35 at-the-door tickets at the $25 advance-buy price. There will be 20 wines and a wide variety of chocolates and appetizers at the event, Wright said. The goal is to support all those impacted by cancer and offer tangible evidence that Makenzie's positive outcome is deeply appreciated. The "angels" hope that the funds they raise will lead to positive outcomes for all cancer patients. "Makenzie had a good result," said Wright. "Some children [with retinoblastoma] lose both eyes." Retinoblastoma According to information provided by a Penn State Children's Hospital www.hmc.psu.edu Internet web site, a "blastoma" is a tumor comprised of abnormal and immature cells. Symptoms of the cancer are a white pupil or an "odd look to the eye, such as cross eyes." A small percentage of those with retinoblastoma will have glaucoma and very red, very painful eyes. "Retinoblastoma cells can also spread to other areas of the body, and may reach the brain by growing along the optic nerve," according to the information. "Cancer...She Knows What Cancer Is" "Makenzie's Angels" have participated in fundraisers such as the May 2006 Northern Berkshire Relay For Life. Makenzie participated in a fundraiser for the first time several years ago during a Survivor Lap held as part of a relay event at Wahconah High School. She was present at last year's cold and rainy overnight relay at Joe Wolfe Field. "She understands what it's all about, the importance of it," said Wright. "She was good friends with Caleb Jacobbe, who lost his battle with cancer last year." Caleb was eight years old when he died in May 2006. Caleb and Makenzie became pals when the two attended a child care program together, said Wright. Makenzie's cancer losses reach beyond her childhood friend, Wright added. "She lost two grandparents to cancer. She knows that people do not always have a good result. Cancer...she knows what cancer is." Additional information about retinoblastoma is available at a Retinoblastoma International www.retinoblastoma.net Internet web site, a National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov Internet web site, and an American Cancer Society www.cancer.org Internet web site. Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or 413-663-3384 ext. 29. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iBerkshires • 106 Main Street • P.O. Box 1787 North Adams, MA 01247 • tel: 413.663.3384 • fax: 413.663.3615 • info@iberkshires.com
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Feb 22, 2007 11:21:26 GMT -6
Classmates present ill student with laptop Last Update: 02/20/2007 1:54:34 PM By: Reed Upton A seventh grade student at Los Lunas Middle School will be able to continue to participate in class despite being sidelined by a recurrence of cancer. Ashley Martinez’ classmates, with the assistance of a parent, on Friday gave a laptop computer with a Webcam to the youngster. Martinez is suffering from Retinoblastoma – a form of eye cancer. She had been in remission for ten years, but recently the disease has returned and it has spread to her shoulder. Mrs. Crawford’s seventh grade class wanted to do something to help but kept running into dead ends until one student approached her father for a donation. The father, from Ace Rebar in Albuquerque, was asked by his daughter to donate money to the cause. Instead of donating money, he got Ashley a laptop with a Webcam and a Webcam for the classroom. “Whenever she chooses to pop into the classroom, she can give me a call and we’ll turn ours on,” said Crawford. At a ceremony on Friday, Ashley’s classmates presented the computer to her along with a check for $300 to help her family pay medical bills. “It’s an honor,” said Ashley, “and it’s really special to me what they’ve done. And now I’ll have all the memories.” Source Link: www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=30545&cat=NMTOPSTORIES
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Mar 16, 2007 8:15:48 GMT -6
Published online 12 March 2007 doi:10.1083/jcb.200608109 The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 176, No. 6, 807-818 Source Link: www.jcb.org/cgi/content/abstract/176/6/807 Critical requirement for cell cycle inhibitors in sustaining nonproliferative states Deborah Pajalunga, Alessia Mazzola, Anna Maria Salzano, Maria Grazia Biferi, Gabriele De Luca, and Marco Crescenzi Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, Italy Correspondence to Marco Crescenzi: marco.crescenzi@iss.it In adult vertebrates, most cells are not in the cell cycle at any one time. Physiological nonproliferation states encompass reversible quiescence and permanent postmitotic conditions such as terminal differentiation and replicative senescence. Although these states appear to be attained and maintained quite differently, they might share a core proliferation-restricting mechanism. Unexpectedly, we found that all sorts of nonproliferating cells can be mitotically reactivated by the sole suppression of histotype-specific cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitors (CKIs) in the absence of exogenous mitogens. RNA interference–mediated suppression of appropriate CKIs efficiently triggered DNA synthesis and mitosis in established and primary terminally differentiated skeletal muscle cells (myotubes), quiescent human fibroblasts, and senescent human embryo kidney cells. In serum-starved fibroblasts and myotubes alike, cell cycle reactivation was critically mediated by the derepression of cyclin D–cdk4/6 complexes. Thus, both temporary and permanent growth arrest must be actively maintained by the constant expression of CKIs, whereas the cell cycle–driving cyclins are always present or can be readily elicited. In principle, our findings could find wide application in biotechnology and tissue repair whenever cell proliferation is limiting. Abbreviations used in this paper: cdk, cyclin-dependent kinase; CKI, cdk inhibitor; HEK, human embryo kidney; MEF, mouse embryo fibroblast; MSC, mouse satellite cell; MyHC, myosin heavy chain; pRb, retinoblastoma protein; TD, terminally differentiated. |
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Mar 22, 2007 14:18:15 GMT -6
Tree Bark Extract Might Help Treat Rare Eye Cancer By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO MAR 16, 2007 (Reuters) - An extract from the bark of a South American tree might lead to better treatments for a rare but deadly childhood eye cancer called retinoblastoma, U.S. researchers reported on Friday. Retinoblastoma affects 1 in 15,000 children, causing about 3 percent of all cancers in children. It forms when developing cells in the retina -- the eye's main light sensor -- go haywire and start reproducing out of control. "The great majority of the cases exist in the developing world, where it is a fatal disease," said Dr. Joan O'Brien of the University of California, San Francisco, who led the study. The cancer usually develops in children under age 6 and kills within two to four years after diagnosis if not treated. If detected early and treated with a combination of chemotherapy agents or radiation, 90 to 95 percent of children live. But conventional treatment has significant side effects. Combination chemotherapy can cause hearing loss, kidney failure and leukemia. Radiation therapy, which is now less commonly used, disfigures the child. In children who have the cancer in only one eye, the eyeball is sometimes replaced with an implant. "We can cure them, but at cost," said O'Brien. "It's important to find a cheap, easily administered, nontoxic therapy." O'Brien and colleagues at UCSF wanted to see whether the tree bark extract beta-lapachone could cause the abnormal cells to commit suicide -- something it has been shown to do in a number of cancer types, including breast and prostate cells. They tested the extract in the laboratory and found that beta-lapachone significantly blocked rapid cell growth of human tumor cells and that low doses could cause damaged cells to kill themselves in a process called apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Writing in the journal Eye, the scientists said their findings support other studies of the extract in different human cancers and may lead to an effective treatment. "The nice thing about the agent is that it kills at very low doses and it appears to be selective to cancer," O'Brien said. Substances that zero in on cancer are less toxic because they do less harm to healthy cells, O'Brien said. Her lab is now testing the extract in mice with retinoblastoma to look for possible toxic side effects. Source Link: www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=10679
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Mar 22, 2007 14:20:47 GMT -6
Family unites for fun run By Tony Belshaw THREE generations of one family will be among the competitors taking part in a charity fun run in aid of Sheffield Children's Hospital next month. Eleven members of the Miles family, from Norton, Sheffield, will take part in Theo's 2k fun run on Sunday, April 15. Ashley Miles, his wife Amanda, his sisters Jane and Karen, and six of their children aged two to nine, will be joined by gran Patricia Jones, aged 60 - who will tackle the run despite keyhole surgery on her arthritic knee. They are taking part to express their thanks for the hospital's care of two-year-old Annie, the youngest of the Miles family. She was treated for retinoblastoma - cancer of the eye - a rare condition which only affects around 50 children a year. Annie was diagnosed at just 14 months and has undergone 12 surgical procedures and four sessions of chemotherapy. Dad Ashley said: "Annie is looking fantastic. Her treatment culminated in an operation to remove her right eye and replace it with a very convincing prosthetic. "You can't tell she has no sight in her right eye and, apart from three-monthly checks on her left eye, she doesn't have to undergo any more treatment. "We were really lucky the cancer was picked up early during a routine child health check." This year will be the second time the family competes in the 2k fun run. "We had such a great time at last year's run that we were all determined to come back this year," said Ashley. "None of us are out to break any records, but we all feel very strongly that we should support Sheffield Children's Hospital for all their help and support during Annie's treatment." Last year the family raised £500 and they are aiming to at least match that this time round. Last Updated: 19 March 2007 Source Link: www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2130668&SectionID=58
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Post by Ms. Kathy on Mar 22, 2007 14:23:14 GMT -6
Looking to trees to treat rare eye cancer By Julie Steenhuysen Chicago - An extract from the bark of a South American tree might lead to better treatments for a rare but deadly childhood eye cancer called retinoblastoma, US researchers reported on Friday. Retinoblastoma affects 1 in 15 000 children, causing about 3 percent of all cancers in children. It forms when developing cells in the retina - the eye's main light sensor - go haywire and start reproducing out of control. "The great majority of the cases exist in the developing world, where it is a fatal disease," said Dr. Joan O'Brien of the University of California, San Francisco, who led the study. The cancer usually develops in children under age 6 and kills within two to four years after diagnosis if not treated. If detected early and treated with a combination of chemotherapy agents or radiation, 90 to 95 percent of children live. But conventional treatment has significant side effects. Combination chemotherapy can cause hearing loss, kidney failure and leukemia. Radiation therapy, which is now less commonly used, disfigures the child. In children who have the cancer in only one eye, the eyeball is sometimes replaced with an implant. "We can cure them, but at cost," said O'Brien. "It's important to find a cheap, easily administered, nontoxic therapy." O'Brien and colleagues at UCSF wanted to see whether the tree bark extract beta-lapachone could cause the abnormal cells to commit suicide - something it has been shown to do in a number of cancer types, including breast and prostate cells. They tested the extract in the laboratory and found that beta-lapachone significantly blocked rapid cell growth of human tumour cells and that low doses could cause damaged cells to kill themselves in a process called apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Writing in the journal Eye, the scientists said their findings support other studies of the extract in different human cancers and may lead to an effective treatment. "The nice thing about the agent is that it kills at very low doses and it appears to be selective to cancer," O'Brien said. Substances that zero in on cancer are less toxic because they do less harm to healthy cells, O'Brien said. Her lab is now testing the extract in mice with retinoblastoma to look for possible toxic side effects. Source Link: www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070315232604432C604251#
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Links to ites Concerning Retinoblastoma