yulius hermanto
New Hope for Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer is malignant growth of breast tissue usually within milk ducts. Breast is sensual part of women, that part of their attractiveness, and increase women confidence. But the bad news is breast is the common place for cancer to growth. From the stastisic, breast cancer rank about top incidence cancer in women. And also rank as top leading cause of death in cancer patients.
With the development of current knowledges and researchs by scientists, there is an improvement in health care, diagnostic procedures, treatment options for breast cancer.
Cancer Growth
Cancer is genetic disease, since the main problem is located in cell nuclei. Cell begin to growth out of control, and demand more nutrient compare to other tissues. There are lot of theory explaning cancer growth. Cancer cell is not an instant process eventhough they growth so fast.
Cancer cell usually need a serial of DNA damaged as initiation, beside this they also need a promotor for their growth during early phase. At this phase, cancer cell also difficult to detect, and cause no symptoms. But after serial of replication their gaining more capabilities and behave more aggresively. Thus make cancer grows bigger and invasive to other tissues.
Metastasis as part of cancer characteristics that differentiate it from benign tumor. Metastasis is a capability of cancer cell to migrate and growth at different site from the primary site.
Cancer which has already metastasis, has worse prognosis compare to none. Commonly the patient with metastasis is in terminal stage, and the patient mostly treated palliatively.
New Hope in Breast Cancer
As, I describe above about the cancer growth. Cancer deaths about 90% are due to the spread of breast cancer. Commonly metastasis of the breast cancer cell is located in the lungs.
Nowadays, a breakthrough in knowledge, that the researchers have discovered the switch that enables breast cancer cells to travel to and be received in the lungs.
Metastasis was long thought a late event in cancer progression, but now is have been shown to be an early event that is dependent on HIF-1. HIF-1 itself a protein that controls genes that enable cells to survive in low oxygen, like cells in solid tumors.
In order for breast cancer cells to spread to lungs, they must leave the breast, enter blood vessels that lead to the lungs, and exit those same vessels. Blood vessels are pretty tight, a cell has to work pretty hard to get through the vessel wall. HIF-1 triggers the lung tissue to prepare for arriving breast cancer cells, and it also has role in helping cells to get access to blood vessels for their migration.
Lastly, a few years ago, John Hopkins research team found that digitalis/digoxin, commonly used to treat irregular heartbeats, can block HIF-1 production and can stop liver and prostate cancer cells from growing. And from their research they conclude that digitalis/digoxin could be use in treatment of breast cancer, since it has role in blocking HIF-1 and slow breast cancer growth and metastasis.
Eventhough, the research isn't finished yet. But, the hope that it bring for future, maybe could improve human health. Innovation is needed, we can't keep doing with same methods and hoping the different result.
We can't rely our life on dream or hope without efforts, but the people who has dream are innovative ones.
With the development of current knowledges and researchs by scientists, there is an improvement in health care, diagnostic procedures, treatment options for breast cancer.
Cancer Growth
Cancer is genetic disease, since the main problem is located in cell nuclei. Cell begin to growth out of control, and demand more nutrient compare to other tissues. There are lot of theory explaning cancer growth. Cancer cell is not an instant process eventhough they growth so fast.
Cancer cell usually need a serial of DNA damaged as initiation, beside this they also need a promotor for their growth during early phase. At this phase, cancer cell also difficult to detect, and cause no symptoms. But after serial of replication their gaining more capabilities and behave more aggresively. Thus make cancer grows bigger and invasive to other tissues.
Metastasis as part of cancer characteristics that differentiate it from benign tumor. Metastasis is a capability of cancer cell to migrate and growth at different site from the primary site.
Cancer which has already metastasis, has worse prognosis compare to none. Commonly the patient with metastasis is in terminal stage, and the patient mostly treated palliatively.
New Hope in Breast Cancer
As, I describe above about the cancer growth. Cancer deaths about 90% are due to the spread of breast cancer. Commonly metastasis of the breast cancer cell is located in the lungs.
Nowadays, a breakthrough in knowledge, that the researchers have discovered the switch that enables breast cancer cells to travel to and be received in the lungs.
Metastasis was long thought a late event in cancer progression, but now is have been shown to be an early event that is dependent on HIF-1. HIF-1 itself a protein that controls genes that enable cells to survive in low oxygen, like cells in solid tumors.
In order for breast cancer cells to spread to lungs, they must leave the breast, enter blood vessels that lead to the lungs, and exit those same vessels. Blood vessels are pretty tight, a cell has to work pretty hard to get through the vessel wall. HIF-1 triggers the lung tissue to prepare for arriving breast cancer cells, and it also has role in helping cells to get access to blood vessels for their migration.
Lastly, a few years ago, John Hopkins research team found that digitalis/digoxin, commonly used to treat irregular heartbeats, can block HIF-1 production and can stop liver and prostate cancer cells from growing. And from their research they conclude that digitalis/digoxin could be use in treatment of breast cancer, since it has role in blocking HIF-1 and slow breast cancer growth and metastasis.
Eventhough, the research isn't finished yet. But, the hope that it bring for future, maybe could improve human health. Innovation is needed, we can't keep doing with same methods and hoping the different result.
We can't rely our life on dream or hope without efforts, but the people who has dream are innovative ones.
