Células cancerosas causan caos en su código genético

POR LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | MARZO 10, 2013

Científicos de Cancer Research UK y el Instituto del Cáncer en el University College de Londres, han descubierto que el cáncer literalmente crea caos en el código genético, que es lo que permite que se multiplique. El hallazgo fue publicado esta semana en la revista Nature.

La mayoría de las células del cuerpo humano tienen 46 cromosomas, pero, en cambio, algunas células cancerosas pueden tener más de 100 cromosomas. Este hecho, sin embargo, es incompatible cuando se analizó un grupo de células de la misma región, pues cada una puede tener un número de cromosomas diferente.

Esta diversidad es lo que permite que los tumores se adapten y sean intratables lo que les permite colonizar otras partes del cuerpo, dijeron los científicos a la BBC.

Durante una investigación para tratar de encontrar respuestas a la diversificación de los tipos de cáncer, encontraron que en el caso del cáncer de colon hay “pocas evidencias” de que cuando la célula cancerosa se divide para crear nuevas células los cromosomas se dividan por igual.

Como explicó Charles Swanton, uno de los autores del estudio, el problema observado se originó en las copias del código genético del cáncer. Los cánceres son alentados a hacer copias de sí mismos. Sin embargo, cuando las células cancerosas agotan sus propias materias primas o el ADN, estos desarrollan lo que se llama “estrés de replicación del ADN.”

En este sentido, el estudio les demostró que este estrés conduce a cometer errores y la diversificación de los tumores. “Es como construir un edificio sin ladrillos o concreto suficientes en su fundación”, dijo Swanton. “Sin embargo, si usted puede proporcionar el ADN o las materias primas, es posible reducir el estrés en la diversificación y limitar la duplicación de los tumores, lo que puede ser terapéutico”, agregó.

El experto admitió que “parece simplemente incorrecto” proporcionar combustible para el cáncer, pero que sus observaciones prueban que ese suministro puede limitar la forma y la rapidez con la que el cáncer se extiende.

Swanton destaca que su técnica ha demostrado que el problema del estrés replicación y su hallazgo pueden ayudar a aportar ideas en cuanto a cómo atacar el cáncer.

Además, Swanton y su equipo identificaron que normalmente se pierden tres genes en la diversificación de las células de cáncer intestinal, lo que fue crítico para que el cáncer sufra de estrés en la replicación del ADN.

Todas las células se encuentran en la región del cromosoma 18. Esta región, dice Nic Jones, del Cancer Research UK, se “pierde” en muchos tipos de cáncer “, lo que sugiere que este proceso no es exclusivo de cáncer de colon”.

“Los científicos pueden ahora empezar a buscar la manera de evitar que esto ocurra o que trastornos de inestabilidad se conviertan en un factor que ayude en la lucha contra el cáncer”

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As células cancerosas causam caos no seu código genético

POR LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | MARÇO 10, 2013

Cientistas do Cancer Research UK e o Instituto do Câncer da Universidade College de Londres, descobriram que o câncer cria literalmente o caos no código genético, o qual permite que se multiplique aceledaramente. A descoberta foi publicada esta semana na revista Nature.

A maioria das células humanas têm 46 cromossomos, mas, algumas células cancerosas podem ter mais de 100 cromossomos. Este fato, no entanto, é inconsistente quando analisado um grupo de células da mesma região, porque cada uma pode ter uma contagem de cromossomos diferentes.

Esta diversidade é o que permite que os tumores se adaptem e sejam intratáveis. Assim eles podem colonizar outras partes do corpo, como os autores explicaram à BBC.

Durante uma investigação para tentar encontrar respostas para a diversificação dos tipos de câncer, cientistas descobriram que, no caso de câncer de cólon há “poucas provas” de que uma célula cancerosa possa criar novas células com cromossomos divididos igualmente.

Como explicado por Charles Swanton, um dos autores do estudo, o problema foi observado nas cópias do código genético do câncer. Cânceres são incentivados a fazer cópias de si mesmos. Quando as células cancerosas esgotam o seu DNA, elas desenvolvem o que é chamado de “estresse de replicação do DNA.”

Neste sentido, o estudo mostrou que esse estresse leva a cometer erros e a diversificação de tumores. “É como construir um prédio sem tijolos ou concreto suficientes na sua fundação”, disse Swanton. “No entanto, se você pode fornecer DNA como matéria-prima, é possível reduzir o estresse na diversificação e limitar a duplicação de tumores, o que pode ser terapêutico”, acrescentou.

O especialista admitiu que “parece simplesmente incorreto” fornecer combustível para o câncer, mas que suas observações mostram que  esse fornecimento pode limitar a forma e rapidez com que o câncer se espalha.

Swanton diz que esta técnica mostrou que o problema e relacionado ao estresse na replicação e que pode ajudar a criar novas formas de  atacar o câncer.

Além disso, Swanton e sua equipe identificaram que três genes são normalmente perdidos na diversificação de células de câncer intestinal, o que foi fundamental para que o câncer sofresse de estresse na replicação do DNA.

Todas as células estavam localizadas na região do cromossomo 18. Esta região, como explicado por Nic Jones do Cancer Research UK, e “perdida” em muitos tipos de câncer “, sugerindo que este processo não é exclusivo para o câncer de cólon.”

“Os cientistas podem agora começar a procurar maneiras de evitar que isso ocorra e tornar a instabilidade em um fator que ajude a lutar  contra o câncer.”

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Study: Moderate link between processed meat consumption and early death

By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | MARCH 7, 2013

Everything in moderation is good, right? How about when the moderate adjective is given to the chance of death at an early age?

According to a new study published on the BMC Medicine Journal, the relation between consumption of processed meats is moderately related to early deaths in humans. The study concluded that diets high in processed meats were linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer and early deaths.

Along with the findings about consumption of processed meat and early death, researchers also discovered that people who ate a lot of processed meat were also more likely to smoke, be obese and have other behaviours that damage their health.

If a person ate more than 160g of processed meat a day, which is equal to two sausages and a slice of bacon, they were at least 44% more likely to die over the next 12.7 years. People who in contrast ate about 20g a day had much lower chances of suffering an early death.

For the span of the study, nearly 10,000 people died from cancer and 5,500 from heart problems as a consequence of abusive processed meat consumption.

Previous studies had already hinted at the relation between eating a lot of red processed meat and serious health problems. Back in in 2007 a study performed by the World Cancer Research Fund showed strong evidence that eating processed meat, such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, salami and some sausages, increased the risk of getting bowel cancer. According to Dr. Rachel Thompson, there would be 4,000 fewer cases of bowel cancer if people ate less than 10g of processed meats a day.

The study by analyzed 448,568 men and women who did not suffer from prevalent cancer, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Researchers evaluated their diet, and habits such as smoking, physical activity and body mass index. Those men and women were between 35 and 69 years old. Scientists used a method known as Cox proportional hazards regression to examine the association of meat consumption with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

By mid 2009, June 2009, 26,344 deaths were identified as consequence of consuming large amounts of processed red meat. After carefully analyzing the data, researchers determined that a high consumption of red meat “was related to higher all-cause mortality”. An interesting revelation of the study is that men and women who consume larger amounts of processed meat actually eat less fruits and vegetables than people who intake less meat. This may be the reason why people who feed themselves according to the Mediterranean diet while eating considerable amounts of meat and exercising regularly do not suffer from serious health problems.

“The results of our analysis support a moderate positive association between processed meat consumption and mortality, in particular due to cardiovascular diseases, but also to cancer,” concluded the study.

The study published on the BMC Medical Journal points to a National Institutes of Health-American report which found positive associations between both red and processed meat consumption with risk for all-cause mortality. In that report, the association was stronger between red meat intake and early death than for processed meat consumption and health problems.

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Cancer cells cause Mayhem in your Genetic Code

By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | MARCH 4, 2013

Scientists from Cancer Research UK and the Cancer Institute at the University College of London, have discovered that cancer literally creates chaos in the genetic code which is what allows it to multiply. The finding was published in the Journal Nature.

Most human body cells have 46 chromosomes but, instead, some cancer cells may have more than 100 chromosomes. This fact, however, is inconsistent when analyzed as a group of cells of the same region, as each may have a different chromosome count.

This diversity is what allows tumors to adapt to be intractable and can colonize other parts of the body, as the authors have explained to the BBC.

During an investigation to try to find answers to the diversification of the types of cancer, they found that in the case of colon cancer there is “little evidence” that when a cancer cell divides to create new cells the chromosomes are divided equally.

As explained by Charles Swanton, one of the authors of the study, it was observed that the problem originated in the copies of the genetic code of cancer. Cancers are encouraged to make copies of themselves. But when cancer cells deplete their own raw material or DNA, they developed what it is called “DNA replication stress.”

In this sense, the study showed that this stress leads them to make mistakes and diversification of tumors. “It’s like building a building without bricks or concrete enough at its foundation,” said Swanton. “However, if you can supply raw material DNA, it is possible to reduce stress on diversification to limit the duplication of tumors, which can be therapeutic,” he added.

The expert admitted that “it seems simply incorrect” to provide fuel for therapeutic cancer to grow, but that their observations are that such supply may limit the way and quickness with which cancer spreads.

Swanton notes that this technique has proven that the problem was about replication stress and that the finding can help provide news ideas as to how to attack the cancer.

In addition, Swanton and his team identified three genes that are normally lost in the diversification of intestinal cancer cells, which was critical for cancer suffering from stress in DNA replication.

All cells were located in a region of chromosome 18. This region, as explained by Nic Jones from Cancer Research UK, is “lost” in many cancers, “suggesting that this process is not unique to colon cancer.”

“Scientists can now start looking for ways to prevent this disorder from occurring or turning that instability into a factor that fights the cancer.”

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World Health Organization warns about rise in cancer cases due to Fukushima radiation

By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | FEBRUARY 28, 2013

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday that there is an increased risk of some types of cancer among Japanese who were most affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident that took place in March 2011. Since exposure after the disaster has been continuous, the effects of the radiation have been wide spread not only in Japan, but the rest of the world.

The UN agency has published a report put together by international experts on the health risks linked to the Fukushima tragedy caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the region in Japan on March 11, 2011.

These experts have concluded that for the general population, both in Japan and in the rest of the world, in general, the risk of higher rates of cancer should be low, but some kinds of cancer may experience higher rates as a result of the exposure, especially in the weeks after the explosion at the nuclear plant. But the damage is not concentrated to people who live in Japan or the rest of the world.

Nuclear material has leaked into the ground and to the sea, which makes much if not all of the seafood and fish captured near that side of the Japanese coast unfit for consumption.

The report is clear that “the estimated risk for some specific cancers in certain strata of the population of Fukushima has increased”, hence the need to have “long-term continuous monitoring and medical examinations of these people.”

The Director of Public Health and Environment at the WHO, Maria Neira, explained that “the breakdown of the data on the basis of age, sex and proximity to the nuclear plant shows an increased risk of cancer for people living in most polluted areas. ”

“Out of them, even in the Fukushima prefecture, it is not anticipated to have increases in the incidence of cancer,” she explained. Thus, according to WHO figures, it is forecast that the population will experience a 4 percent increase of all cancers among women and children who were exposed, and overall a 6 percent increased risk of breast cancer. These figures are debated by other studies which conclude that the risk of cancer is much higher, even in areas far away from ground zero.

This population will also have a 70 percent greater chance of getting thyroid cancer – usually the risk of this cancer is 0.75 percent -. As for the men who were exposed to the nuclear accident while in their infancy, they will have a 7 percent increased risk of developing leukemia.

As for the workers of the emergency services who worked at the plant after the tragedy, it is estimated that “about two thirds” of them are at risk for cancer as likely as the rest of the population, while the remaining third have a higher risk. The one third found to be at a higher risk are those who worked closer to the disaster area.

Moreover, the report, which consists of 200 pages, notes that it is expected to have an increase in the number of abortions, stillbirths and other mental and physical problems that can affect newborns after the accident due to radiation.

The experts have also analyzed the psychosocial impact that the disaster could have on the health and welfare of the victims. In this regard, WHO has stressed that this aspect should not be ignored in the context of the overall response.

According to Neira, “it is necessary to carry out a long-term health monitoring of people at increased risk, and that these people need to be afforded the necessary medical monitoring and support services.”

“In addition to strengthening medical support services, environmental monitoring is required, including food and water, in order to reduce the potential radiation exposure in the future,” stated the director of the Food Safety at WHO, Angelika Tritscher.

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