Good News for patients of Thalassemia

Chinese Group Develops Multicolor Melt Curve Test for Non-Deletional Alpha-Thalassemia Mutations.

In an ethically charged first, Chinese researchers have used gene editing to modify human embryos obtained from an in vitro fertilization clinic.

The 16-person scientific team, based at the Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China, set out to see whether it could correct the gene defect that causes beta-thalassemia, a blood disease, by editing the DNA of fertilized eggs.

The team’s report showed the method is not yet very accurate, confirming scientific doubts around whether gene editing could be practical in human embryos and whether genetically engineered people are going to be born anytime soon.

The authors’ report appeared on April 18 in a low-profile scientific journal called Protein & Cell. The authors, led by Junjiu Huang, say there is a “pressing need” to improve the accuracy of gene editing before it can be applied clinically—for instance, to produce children with repaired genes.

The researchers did not try to establish a pregnancy and say that for ethical reasons they did their tests only in embryos that were abnormal.

“These authors did a very good job pointing out the challenges,” says Dieter Egli, a researcher at the New York Stem Cell Foundation in Manhattan. “They say themselves this type of technology is not ready for any kind of application.”

 

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Signs And Symptoms Of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma 

Mesothelioma is cancer that develop from the mesothelium the line covers internal organs of the body caused by exposure to asbestos ( a highly heat resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics , and is used in brake linings and fire resistant and insulating material) . 

Symptoms 

Duration ;

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure.

Common Symptoms 

• Shortness of breath
• cough and pain
• plueral effusion or liquid accumulation around the chest
• fatigue
• anemia
• wheezing , hoarseness
• blood in sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis) 

In sever cases person may have tumor masses . the individual may develop pneumothorax or collapse of lung. disease may metastasize  (spread to others part of body).

Tumor (Abdominal Cavity) 

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at late stage symptoms include 

• abdominal pain
• ascites or abdominal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
• a mass in the abdomen
• problem with bowel function
• weight loss 

Sever Condition 

In sever cases of disease , the following signs and symptoms may be present 

• blood clots in the veins , which may cause thrombophlebitis (blockage of veins)
• disseminated intravascular coagulation , a condition which causes sever bleeding in many organs of the body 
• jaundice 
• low blood sugar level
• pleural effusions
• pulmonary emboli or clots in arteries of lungs 
• severe ascites (accumulation of fluid in peritoneal cavity 

The disease do not spread to organs such as 

• Brain
• Bone
• Adrenal Glands

Tumors are found only in the sides of lungs 

Pericaridial Mesothelioma 

It is not well characterized, but observed cases have include cardiac symptoms specially 

• constrictive pericarditis 
• heart failure
• pulmonary embolism (clots in arteries of lungs)
• cardiac tamponade (compression of heart because of accumulation of surrounding fluids)

They also include the non specific symptoms including substernal pain , orthopnea (shortness of breath) and cough . these symptoms are caused by the tumors encasing or infiltrating the heart. 

                                             

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Mesothelioma, Asbestos Cancer and the Law

Mesothelioma law

From the 1930s through the 1970s, tens of thousands of individuals, including union workers, were exposed to asbestos, mostly in the workplace. Those with jobs such as shipbuilder, construction worker, contractor, insulator, welder, oil refinery worker, chemical plant employee, railroad engineer, auto mechanic, and a host of other occupations were regularly exposed to asbestos on the job. As a result, many hardworking individuals developed serious asbestos diseases, including mesothelioma, a tough-to-fight cancer that continues to claim lives.

Those who worked with asbestos were rarely informed that the material was toxic and that their health was being compromised, despite the fact that executives at companies nationwide knew that hazardous asbestos was making their employees sick. Hence, no protection was provided and workers regularly breathed in dangerous asbestos fibers. Years later, many of these individuals would discover they had asbestosis - or worse - mesothelioma cancer.

The willing exposure of people to known toxins such as asbestos is, in the end, a matter of gross negligence. Employers who allowed exposure to this hazardous material were literally stealing the good health of their workers, resulting in the loss of quality of life for many individuals who would eventually be affected by mesothelioma. Furthermore, spouses, children, and other family members would also face the risk of acquiring mesothelioma through secondhand exposure. Those who grew up near asbestos plants or mines may have also suffered from exposure, not recognizing until years later that their close relationship with toxic asbestos would make them gravely ill.

If you or a loved one is suffering from an asbestos cancer such as malignant mesothelioma, you need the support and proven results of a firm like Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney and Meisenkothen. Skilled in presenting the facts, ELSM attorneys know the ins and outs of mesothelioma litigation and will strive to produce the kind of results that can help relieve the burden of a life with mesothelioma.

As with your mesothelioma treatment, time is also of essence when filing an asbestos-related lawsuit. Though laws vary from state to state, statutes of limitations may prohibit any legal action after a fixed period of time. Once an individual is diagnosed with mesothelioma, prompt action is required in order to stage a successful lawsuit against those who were responsible for your exposure to this hazardous mineral. Individuals considering filing a lawsuit should act quickly, increasing their chances for obtaining the compensation they deserve.

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Roswell Park Scientists Advance Findings about Novel, Low-Toxicity Anticancer Agent

BUFFALO, NY — Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) have found that a new formulation of a promising anticancer agent, the small chemical molecule FL118, is even more effective in controlling two types of cancer than a version reported in PLOS ONE six months earlier proved to be. Additional evidence also suggests that the agent may successfully treat other solid tumors as well.  

In their previous research, a team led by Fengzhi Li, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology in RPCI’s Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, demonstrated that FL118 eliminated human colon and head-and-neck tumors in animal models without relapse but was limited in that it could be delivered only by intraperitoneal (IP) administration.

This new study, to be published in the April 8 issue of the American Journal of Translational Research, compares the earlier formulation of the agent to a new version that can also be administered intravenously, translating to much wider potential clinical application.

Comparing the antitumor efficacy and therapeutic index, or relative toxicity, of FL118 in its new intravenous (IV) formulation with the earlier form, the researchers found that maximum tolerated dose increased three- to seven-fold, depending on dosing schedule. While the original formulation contained Tween 80 or polysorbate 80, a solvent commonly included in drug formulations, the agent in its new composition is free of Tween 80, resulting in significantly lower toxicity.

FL118 is a targeted therapy that selectively inhibits the expression of four major cancer-survival gene products: survivin, Mcl-1, XIAP and/or cIAP2. While both studies tested the agent’s effectiveness against models of head-and-neck and colon tumors, other research from Dr. Li’s lab suggests that mesothelioma, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, and potentially other solid tumors, may also be good targets for treatment with FL118.  

“This work represents a significant move forward,” notes Dr. Li, senior author on the study. “We’re targeting four of the most resilient and pervasive cancer survival mechanisms, and because the findings from preclinical testing have been so striking, we’re anxious to see FL118 tested in the clinical setting.”

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Mesothelioma A Rare Form Of Cancer

Mesothelioma 

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of internal organs of the body . Mesothelioma is mainly caused by exposure to asbestos ( a soft grey mineral that does not burn , that was used especially as building material in the past) the most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is pleura (outer protective lining of lungs and internal chest wall ) , but it can also rise in peritoneum (the lining of abdominal cavity ), the pericardium (the sac that surrounds heart) and tunica veginalis (a sac that surrounds testis) .


Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked with careers such as mining , where they inhale or ingest ( oral route) asbestos fibers or were exposed to airborne dust and fibers in other ways. washing the clothes of family member who worked with asbestos can create risk of development of mesothelioma .

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and chest wall ) chest wall pain and constitutional signs such as weight loss. The diagnosis may b suspected based on chest X-rays and CT scan finding, but must be confirmed either by examining serous effusion ( serous refers to pale yellow fluid that fill inside body ), cytology (examining cells) and biopsy (removing the sample of the suspicious tissue). A thorocoscopy (inserting a tube with camera into the chest ) can be used to acquire bisopsy material , and allow the introduction of substances such as talc to wipe off the plueral  space (pleurodesis) , preventing more fluid form accumulating and pressing on the lung . Despite treatment with chemotherapy , radiation therapy or sometimes surgery . Mesothelioma carries poor prognosis ( foreseeing). Research about screen tests for early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing. 

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