targeting cancer stem cells

new_direction · March 2015

If anyone comes across anything about how to target cancer stem cells post it here.

Knowing conventional treatment does not kill cancer stem cells it would be helpful to find evidence of what works instead.

http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/v33/n36/full/onc2013411a.html

'distinct functional and molecular properties of CSCs may constitute therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be exploited for the development of novel combination strategies (Table 1). These CSC properties include self-renewal, lack of differentiation, quiescence, a distinct epigenetic state, deregulation of apoptotic/survival pathways, metabolism and interactions with the microenvironment'

under metabolism:
'a series of studies has demonstrated that the metabolic drug metformin exhibits anti-CSC activity and improves the efficacy of chemotherapy. In an initial study, metformin reduced the CSC fraction in four genetically distinct breast cancer cell lines and potently suppressed relapse after doxorubicin therapy in vivo.¹¹⁸ Further studies extended these results to patient-derived breast cancer cells and revealed that metformin could also improve the efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin in vivo.¹¹⁹ Interestingly, the anti-CSC activity of metformin in breast cancer is specifically attributable to the inhibition of an inflammatory transformation signature.'

It makes no sense that metformin is not administered to everyone already?

Denise-G · March 2015

http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/news/broccoli-and-breast-cancer10.shtml

new_direction · March 2015

Thank you so much!

"This work has not been tested in patients, and patients are not encouraged to add sulforaphane supplements to their diet at this time."

I wonder if broccolis are safe

new_direction · March 2015

http://stemcellres.com/content/5/5/116 Curcumin
Curcumin inhibits breast cancer stem cell migration

new_direction · March 2015

http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/130828/srep02530/full/srep02530.html
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA, also called Tretinoin) and the PPARγ agonist Poiglitazone (ACTOS) emerged as drug candidates that are negatively associated with CSC-enriched gene expression signatures. Since PPARγ agonists have been withdrawn from market but Tretinoin and drugs such as bexarotene (Targretin) with properties overlapping ATRA are in clinical use^{24, 25}, we evaluated the ability of ATRA in ameliorating CSC properties.

new_direction · March 2015

http://www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/index.php?journal=oncotarget&op=view&page=article&path%5B%5D=3174
These five classes of mitochondrially-targeted antibiotics include: the erythromycins, the tetracyclines, the glycylcyclines, an anti-parasitic drug, and chloramphenicol.

new_direction · March 2015

http://www.mcancer.org/news/archive/breast-cancer-clinical-trial-looks-targeting-cancer-stem-cells
The phase Ib study will test reparixin, which is taken orally, along with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel in women with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

So it seems everything but chemo works? Happy SickTired

JohnSmith · March 2015

I'm emailing the researchers who authored last years research on Curcumin & CSC's.

I imagine our "by the book" oncologist at Stanford University will not entertain this topic, so might as well go to the source of the research to probe on the possible benefits.

Heidihill · March 2015

I had broccoli sprouts daily for a whole summer, plus ate raw broccoli frequently. Then I developed a benign nodule on my thyroid. Maybe the sprouts killed some cancer stem cells but I decided nodules were not healthy either so I quit my sprout habit. They still monitor my nodule and it has shrunk since.

There is also some research on Vitamin D and breast cancer stem cells. It induces apoptosis in lab experiments. The title of one study is:

Role of mitochondria and caspases in vitamin D-mediated apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA. Journal of Biological Chemistry (Impact Factor: 4.6). 04/2001; 276(12):9101-7. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M006876200

Killing existing cancer stem cells sounds good but may not be the whole answer. Reversing genetic mutations or epigenetic changes might be needed, I would think, to stop creating new stem cells, if certain genes or factors are indeed producing them. Just my 2 cents.

new_direction · March 2015

John and Heidi - thank you- john please write if you get some useful answers

being by the book is the easiest and safest. I really don't think most doctors even know these things but if they knew I hope it would make it harder for some.

I want to start taking metformin but im quite sure i will get the "it cannot be recommended, we don't know enough". A potentially deadly disease helps taking a "risk" and i guess thats why chemo is still around.

JohnSmith · March 2015

There's numerous reasons they won't prescribe metformin. I don't want you to get any more paranoid than you might possibly be, but watch this eye opening video: http://www.survivingterminalcancer.com/ which discusses why.

The video focused on terminal brain tumors, but the subject is easily transferable to everyone here. It's long... over two hours. It's easy to follow and crammed with lots of good data. If you're a good researcher, you will want to stop and start the video constantly to jot down the names of the researchers, patients, etc for further due diligence.

ihatesnowihatesnow · March 2015

https://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/forum_thread.php?id=3653&sort=5

new_direction · March 2015

John thank you for a info packed video - i love the feeling of hope it leaves me with

ihatesnow - a lot of links that needs to be explored. Thanks.

new_direction · March 2015

by the way - metformin seems easy to get a hold of without a prescription. Only downside is the price is much lower when prescribed.

Jessi212982 · March 2015

I've heard that Vitamin D is amazing in helping to treat cancer cells. My coworkers husband has cancer and he will take large quantities of Vit. D and he goes into remission. Every time it comes back they take Vit. D in large amounts. It has also helped a friend's father with his colon cancer.

Jessi212982 · March 2015

I've heard that Vitamin D is amazing in helping to treat cancer cells. My coworkers husband has prostate cancer and he will take large quantities of Vit. D and he goes into remission. Every time it comes back they take Vit. D in large amounts. It has also helped a friend's father with his colon cancer. In this link is states that both of those as well as breast cancer are at a higher risk when a person has lower levels of Vitamin D. Here is another source

new_direction · March 2015

I forget if it was in the video mentioned in this thread but I remember seing a video where countries around equator were mentioned as having much lower cancer rates.

ihatesnowihatesnow · April 2015

https://news.ku.edu/2015/04/02/breakthrough-research-finds-molecules-block-previously-undrugabble-protein-tied-cancer

ihatesnowihatesnow · April 2015

http://new.labroots.com/trending/id/885/new-cancer-drug-could-result-from-6-molecules-that-block-hur/cancer

dlb823 · April 2015

Came across this today while trying to understand the difference between cancer stem cells and "T" cells, and thought it looked worth sharing here...

http://www.stembook.org/about

And here's the new research/article that prompted my search...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-ne...

dlb823 · May 2015

Just came across this fascinating video... Body's "serial killers" captured on film destroying cancer cells...

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/bodys-serial-ki...

new_direction · June 2015

thank you all for the links

I feel like the answers are for sure right here in front of us we just have to find them in a gigantic hay-stack.

dlb - i recently heard about how to kickstart the immune system by fasting - ever heard of that? It will be a hard one for me... I especially like my copper rich foods Scared

dlb823 · June 2015

new_direction, yes! Dr. Longo out of USC has long been a proponent of fasting to reboot our immune systems. His original research was centered around fasting prior to chemo as a way of increasing the efficacy of chemo drugs. More recently, he's been researching fasting to jump start our immune systems. Here's an article on his research.

https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-c...

And here's a little bit about him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valter_Longo