Gene Targeted Therapy and Advantages of Gene Targeted Therapy

Gene Targeted  Therapy

Targeted gene therapy: A treatment to remove cancer roots.

Cancer is molecular network disease

Genomic instability not only is the first characteristic of malignant tumor, but also the cause of producing new mutant cell during cell division. It makes the mutant cells traits of different biological feature occur in tumor cells.

Those mutant genes, which are in developed bio-network, have a great quantity and many complicated functions. In a cell, mutant genes mutually intercommunicate with genes/proteins to construct the complex cell-networks, such as signal channel, gene expression regulation network and metabolism network, etc.

The effect to cell-network would be varied to the various statuses of those mutant genes. Meanwhile, different network structures also decide the resists of gene mutation. In this aspect, actually tumor is a disease of molecular network that the abnormality and complexity of molecular network decide the malignant physical sign and individual difference of tumor.

Principle

Targeted gene therapy is using corresponding medicines against the specific carcinogenic sites (those sites could be a protein molecule or a genetic segment in tumor cells). The medicine would take effect by specially combining carcinogenic sites after entering human body, thus tumor cells would die specifically without affecting normal cells around. Briefly, targeted gene therapy aims at a specific gene and eliminates it.
Targeted gene therapy is against disease roots: abnormal genes, this is the fundamental solution for cancer.


Surgical operation

Surgical operation would cause trauma and easily evokes postoperatic complication.

Traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy


It is a toxic therapy with great toxic side effects and would kill both cancer cells and normal cells at the same time.


Targeted gene therapy



Targeted gene therapy is accurately focusing on crucial carcinogenetic sites in tumor cells growth (like enzymes, proteins, receptor, etc.) to stop the growing.

Procedures for Genetic therapy

1.Obtain remedial gene

2.Choose genetic carrier

3.Choose target cells

4.Genetic transmission

5.Choose and identify transducer cell

6.Return to the blood stream

Advantages of gene targeted therapy

1.Targeted gene therapy features high targeting to concentrate medicines on specific tumor.

2.It keeps relative high concentration of medicine in tumor partl

3.Drug acting time is delayed.

4.Lethality to tumor cells rose.

5.mplications the patient suffers.

6.Targeted gene therapy gets the characteristics of non-cytotoxic, effective, harmfulness and high tolerance.

7.Medicine combines with routine therapies (like chemotherapy and radiotherapy), can be given separately or jointly, thus better result would be done.

Photon Knife and the Treatment Advantages

1. What is photon knife?


Photon knife, shorted for photon isotron system, is a medical approach to kill tumor cells by photon radioactive ray. It is named as photon knife due to its equal effects as surgery.
As one of latest high technologies in international radiotherapy community, the biggest advantage for photon knife lies in three dimensional, oriented and conformal radiation. It is capable of precisely and automatically shaping radiation field for irregular tumors to reduce radiation dose to normal tissue surrounding tumor, increase dose for targeted tumor region and to minimize complications.

2.Treatment procedures


Step 1: tumor location -- ---determine exact position and scope of tumor and surrounding vital organs under guidance of dimensional oriented devices, CT scan, MRI, digital subtraction radiography or by three dimensional reconstruction techniques. The process is called three dimensional positioning.
Step 2: plan design-----optimal treatment plan is made including accurately calculated lesion division and dose distribution of surrounding vital organs.
Step 3: accurate therapy---- photon radiation with various energy is applied based on size, location and depth of tumors to make energy accessible to deep layer of tumor. This results in congestion, swelling and necrosis of lesion tissues until dead cells are absorbed, decomposed and excreted by surrounding normal tissues. 


3. Advantages of photon knife therapy


Photon knife Vs. Conventional radiotherapy


Photon knife：

Multiple co-planes are set based on dimensional shape of tumor for an overall attack to tumor tissue.
Accumulated dose of multiple co-plane radiation makes it easy to reach fatal dose to kill tumor.


Conventional radiotherapy：


Tumor is usually surrounded by normal tissues. Therefore, single planar dose will kill tumor as well as normal tissue surrounding tumor when it reaches fatal dose.

Photon knife Vs. Surgery


Photon knife：


Avoid surgery, bleeding, suffering and risks.
 
Photon radioactive ray cause death of tumor tissue inside human body and minimize incidence of infectious complications.
 
It can be applied to many vital sites where surgery is not allowed, such as beside great vessels of the heart, hilum of lungs and recurrent adhesive parts after surgery. 

Surgery：


Must go through bleeding, bitter suffering and risks.

Total resection of tumor can not be achieved in irregularly shaped tumor.

Implanted tumor may occur due to tumor implantation to normal tissue in tumor cutting and removal.

Photon knife：


Mulitple fields, multiple angles and comformal radiation are performed exactly to tumor tissue under the control of modernized computer, with low rates for side effects on normal tissues.

Vs. Conventional chemotherapy


Chemo-drugs bear toxic effects and result in damage to blood and lymph node cells of immune defense system and worsen immune system while they kill tumor cells.

4. Clinical applications


It applies to tumors inside skull and neck, thoracic tumors, abdominal tumors, pelvic tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, osteosarcoma and more. It is considered as the optimal choice for patients unable to undergo surgery, with residual tumor or recurrent tumor after surgery, or for those unable to tolerate surgery and with recurrent tumor followed by conventional radiotherapy, chemotherapy.

Cryotherapy and the Advantages of Taking Cryotherapy:

1, What Is Cryotherapy?

　　Cryotherapy is a medical technique both ancient and modern. As early as thousands of years ago, ice was used to treat infected wounds and various knife injuries. Ar-He knife, a kind of cryotherapy, is the first technique employing space rocket guidance technology in the world and the only technique with efficacies of ultra-low temperature and thermotherapy. Ar-He knife is a precise apparatus approved by the U.S. FDA for accurately targeting and killing cancer cells.

2, Treatment Procedures of Cryotherapy

　　It is the most common approach to percutaneously insert freezing needle into tumor and infuse Argon to cause rapid drop in temperature inside tumor and then switch to Helium to heat the ice ball under ultrasound or CT guidance. The procedures of cooling and heating alternate at least 2 cycles. Freezing is supposed not to be suspended until ice ball covers the whole tumor and its surrounding tissue 5 to 10 mm in thickness. Multiple freezing needles should be employed for big tumors. Sometimes, two to three procedures are required when necessary.

　　Ar-He needle is inserted by percutaneous puncture under CT guidance

　　The needle can accurately insert into the tumor tissue

　　Ice ball forms in continuous freezing of Ar-he knife

　　Dressing is applied to minimally invasive incision after cryotherapy finishes. Patients are allowed to go back to their ward for rests.

3, Benefits of Taking Cryotherapy

　　(1) High achievement ratio, few complications

　　(2) Surgery-free, mild bleeding and minimally invasive

　　(3) Physical therapy with low rates of side effects

　　(4) It can be applied to almost all kinds of solid tumors.

　　(5) It can be performed alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiotherapy or surgery.

　　(6) Remarkable therapeutic effects, easily operated, cost-effective and patient-friendly

　　(7) Anti-recurrence: tumor recurrence is often detected after surgery. However, residual tumor after surgery does not tend to grow rapidly in a short time after cryoablation therapy

8 Anti-Cancer Tactics Released by Experts from Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou

This saying of “cancer can be prevented" is common among global doctors. Anumber of research institutions also published a variety of new researches tosubstantiate it. Recently, The Times of India has summaries some simple methodsto help people to fight cancer and make cancer farther away from us.


1. Doing chores at home toreduce the risk of breast cancer

　 　Epidemiologist Professor Tim • Zee ofOxford University and his colleagues have found that, six hours of doing choresa day, brisk walking or gardening vegetables can reduce breast cancer risk by13% for women. 2.5 hours of activity per day can reduce the risk of breastcancer by 8%. But it is worth reminding that a previous study held by U.S.Environmental Protection Agency has found a solvent called perchlorethyleneused in traditional dry cleaning process may lead to liver cancer, kidneycancer and leukemia, therefore, it is recommended to use less dry cleaningduring doing housework, instead, use mild liquid detergent to wash items byhand.

2.Drinking less alcohol to prevent esophageal cancer

　 　The latest study of Sweden Lund University found that if men overthe age of 45 drink less or don’t drink alcohol, therisk of esophageal cancer can be reduced by 5% for them; if further eat morefruits and vegetables, the effect will be more obvious.

　　3.Eating less sausage or barbecue

　 　British scientists found that regular consumption of processed meat,such as bacon, sausage, will greatly increase the risk of intestinal cancerrisk, especially for men. Dr Rachel • Thompsonwho is in charge of World Cancer Research Foundation said: “The weeklyintake of processed meat should be controlled in less than 70g (equivalent tothe weight of three pieces of bacons). If you just want to eat barbecue, it ispreferable to marinate the meat or other foods one hour with lemon juice beforebeing baked.

　　4.Eating less sugar or drinking sweet drinks

　 　Cancer’s favorite “food” is sugar. Astudy in Japan showed that when the blood flows through the tumor, about 57% ofthe blood glucose will be consumed as nutrients supply by the tumor. AmericanClinical Nutrition Journal has also reported that drinking two cups of sweetdrinks every day would face 90% higher risk of pancreatic cancer than who donot.

　　5. Use cell phone as less as possible

　 　International Cancer Research Agency subsided by World HealthOrganization announced that after sorting out the scientific documents or datarelated to mobile phone use and brain tumor, they classified radio frequencyelectromagnetic fields used by mobile phone as “probable carcinogen“. Themobile phone users are encouraged to use the headset as much as possible toavoid phone close to the head for a long time.

　　6.Avoid unnecessary radiation checks

　 　Medical physicists David • Brenner ofColumbia University has published papers in the New England Medicine Journal,and the papers have demonstrated that up to 2% of cancer cases in the UnitedStates may be caused due to the radiation of the CT scan. Long-term radiationaccumulation will bring greater health hazard.

　　7. Lemon tea preventing skin cancer

　 　Researchers of Rutgers University found that adding pericarp ofcedrate fruits when making tea, the possibility for drinkers suffering fromcutaneous squamous cell skin cancer will be reduced by about 70%. Citric acidcontained in lemon has a role of preventing and eliminating skin pigmentation.It needs to be noted that tea shall be remained hot as cold tea is weaker inanti skin cancer than that of hot tea.

　　8.Adding a little garlic to your foods if suitable

　 　Professor Earl Harrison of Cancer Center of Ohio University said: “throughurinalysis, we discovered that more garlic intake, less potential carcinogencontent in human body." However, high temperature will destroy the mostimportant anti-cancer substance of garlic- alliin, therefore, it is suggestedto crush garlic first and then place these garlic spread for 15 minutes beforecooking.


For more information about cancer prevention, cancer diets, cancer diagnosis, cancer treatments and so on, please link our website: www.asiancancer.com.

Diet Tips for Patients with Breast Cancer before and after surgery

Some people are unfortunately suffered from breast cancer and need to undergo surgery. What should they pay attention to before and after surgery? Here are some tips following published in www.asaincancer.com

Reasonable diets for patients with breast cancer can play a supporting role for the treatment, especially before operation, and can promote the smoothly undergoing of treatment and also lay a foundation for postoperative recovery. Patients and their families need to know the relevant dietary notice. With improper diet, it will influence the effect of operation.

The first Dietary Tip

Taking carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can provide sufficient heat energy for patients to reduce the consumption of protein, preventing hypoglycemia and also protecting liver cells from damage by anesthetic. In addition, carbohydrates can also strengthen body’s resistance, increase heat energy, so as to make up for the heat consumption caused by insufficient food intake after operation.

The Second Dietary Tip

Taking high-protein food. Patients with breast cancer must have adequate intake of protein, because deficient intake of protein can cause nutritional edema, which is harmful to postoperative wound healing and recovery. High-protein diet can relieve excessive over consumption of protein caused by certain diseases, reducing the postoperative complications so as to boost recovery of patients with breast cancer as soon as possible.

The Third Dietary Tip

Taking food rich in vitamins. Vitamin A can promote tissue regeneration and wound healing. Vitamin K is primarily involved in the coagulation process and can reduce hemorrhage during and after operation. Deficiency of Vitamin B can cause metabolic disorders and affect wound healing; vitamin C can reduce capillary permeability, reduce bleeding, promote tissue regeneration and wound healing. Therefore, patients with breast cancer must eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins or take vitamin tablets.

Other points that patients need to pay attention to

Diet should adjust in accordance with treatment, patients with breast cancer should try to dine and supplement nutrition before and after operation. During radiotherapy, patients should eat light and palatable diet, while greasy and highly seasoned food should not be eaten too much.

After finished the treatment plan, patients with breast cancer should properly choose food that is good for preventing the reoccurrence of breast cancer. The following is the recommended food for the patients:

　 Seafood: jellyfish, sea cucumber, seaweed, kelp, mussels, oysters, etc.

　　Bean: mung bean, red bean, mungbean sprouts and others.

　　Vegetables: taro, water chestnut, water bamboo, Chinese watermelon, dried mushroom, hericium erinaceus, mushroom, tomato, etc.

　　Fruit: orange, apple hawthorn, fresh kiwi, etc.

　　Others: soft-shelled turtle, snakehead, Coix Seed, jelly fungus.

Common Symptoms of Lung Cancer

1. Cough: there are about two thirds of patients have cough, which is the most common symptom of early lung cancer. It can be manifested as mild dry cough, severe cough, cough with high frequency or cough at night.

2. Hemoptysis (Coughing up blood): it is also a symptom of early lung cancer and it is more obvious in male smokers. It is manifested as coughing up phlegm with blood or intermittent bloody sputum, and having repeated infections somewhere in the region of lungs.

3. Chest pain: it is a symptom in about 30 percent of people with lung cancer. If the tumor is close to lung membrane, the pain can be dull or vague and cough intensifies when breathing or coughing. If cancer has invaded lung membrane, persistent pain can be caused.

4. Fever: fever due to lung cancer is a kind of cancerous heat which is mostly caused by inflammation that tumor blocks bronchus of lung, causing inadequate drainage. The fever is generally below 38 degree, ineffective to antibiotic treatment, and tends to develop repeatedly.

5. Chest distress and shortness of breath: they are most common symptoms of early lung cancer. They usually result from a blockage to the flow of air in part of the lung, collection of fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), or the spread of tumor throughout the lungs.

6. Clubbed finger: known as drum hammer finger, it is manifested as enlargement of the first joint of fingers and toes, protruded and curved of nails, and pain. If you find yourself having those signs, you need to pay attention to prevent lung cancer.

7. Arthritis: it is manifested as wandering and burning pain of the joint of elbow, knee, ankle, wrist, and finger, inability to use the hand or walk.

Experts from Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou remind: once these suspected symptoms of lung cancer are found, you should go to regular hospital for further check and treatment.

What is Radioactive Particle Implantation?

There are many comments of radioactive particle implantation:

Non-invasive, bloodless

　　Painless, low rates of side effects

　　Increase life expentancy and quality of life

Three-dimensional radioactive seed implants (internal radiation system): Iodine implants are 0.8 mm in thickness, about 0.4 cm in length.

Then what is radioactive particle implantation? Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou (www.asiancancer.com ) will introduce it following.

　　1. Treatment principle

　　125I seeds implant are an energy radionuclide which can give off continuous, short-range γ-ray to kill tumor cells. It can achieve the same internal radiation effects on tumor as surgery does. Hence, it is called seeds knife.

Benefits

　　Radiation is limited to inside tumor and avoid damage to normal tissue.
　　Effectively kill tumor by continuous and effective exposure up to 180 days.
　　Relieve pain and increase survival rate and quality of life
　　2. Procedures
　　Tumor size from CT and MR results is input into three-dimensional treatment planning system (TPS) to construct a dimensional image with the same size as that of actual tumor. The number of I seed implants, location of each implant and overall treatment plan depends on tumor location, shape and size.
　　Under CT or ultrasound guidance, I 125 seed implants are directly placed into the tumor by a special set of equipment or placed into residual tumor bed and possible paths of metastatic lymph node spread. These implants keep emitting γ-ray within tumor, as "land mines" targets tumor cells accurately.
　　3. How you feel after implantation
　　125I seed implantation has fewer complications and mild side effects. Thus it will not lead to severe organ dysfunctions. Therefore, most patients feel nothing special after the procedure.
　　4. Indication
　　It applies to a variety of primary and metastatic tumors.
　　5. the number of I seeds to implant
　　Bigger the tumor is, more I 125 seeds are needed implanting. Sometimes even one implantation procedure could eliminate all of the tumor. More I seeds can be implanted if an insufficient number of seeds is detected in follow-ups.
　　6. Duration of therapeutic effect
　　Effective radiation effect of 125I seeds can be present for about 180 days due to its 60.1-day half-life period and gradual attenuation of radiation dose.
　　7. Can radioactive seed implantation therapy prevent cancer recurrence?
　　Radioactive seed implantation is a local therapy for tumor coming into being and to kill cancer cell in implants site. It can effectively and thoroughly kill cancer in conjunction with other treatments , such as A -He cryotherapy.
　　8. How to verify therapeutic effect of I seeds implants?
　　125 I seed implants in human body can continuously emit γ-ray to attack cancer cells. Radiation energy accumulated to a certain extent could lead to gradual necrosis of cancer cells through continuous radiation. Therefore, radioactive implants action is a continuous and slow process until cancer cells are killed. Generally speaking, necrosis of cancer cells is remarkable in 2 to 3 months after I seeds implantation. The resulted shrinkage of tumor is visible for body surface tumor whereas resulted shrinkage or necrosis has to be presented by CT or ultrasound.
　　9. Cautions
　　Effective range of 125 I seeds implants is 1.7cm. There is no concern about radiation safety because radiation damage to doctors and patients is far lower than national protection standards.
　　Patients with seeds implants should not have close contact with pregnant women or children under three years old within the first 2 months after the procedure. Two months later, patients can return to normal life as the radiation fades.
　　Outer shell of radioactive seed implants is made of titanium which is not subjected to magnetic fields action. Patients are allowed to take CT, MRI,X ray and ultrasound after radioactive seed implantation.

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