Monday, May 5, 2014

Around the Web

{Hey, I never said this was a fashion blog}
I've been thinking of doing this for awhile, providing links here to news that gets me excited about the latest in cancer research or blog entries that move me or basically anything that catches my attention and I think you might enjoy, too. I had my scan today, so this post is also serving to take my mind off of that a little. I hope you find it informative and interesting, too.

Here are a few of the most fascinating cancer-related things I've seen around the web the last couple of weeks.

Researchers at Purdue University may have found a way to speed up cancer death.

Researchers are awesome.

"Hall said understanding Cdc14's role in DNA repair and how the enzyme binds to its substrates could be used to develop more effective chemotherapeutic weapons against cancer. Many chemotherapeutic drugs work by producing such extensive DNA damage in cancer cells that they kill themselves. Designing a chemical that mimics the features of a Cdc14 substrate would help block Cdc14 from repairing damaged DNA in cancer cells, speeding their death."

Chemo wreaks havoc on more than just cancer, sadly.

"The findings suggest that even though women want to get back to work as soon as they can, chemo may be changing their lives more than they think."

A former DWTS co-host was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In the article I read in People Magazine (don't judge), Samantha Harris said she opted for the double mastectomy (versus a lumpectomy) even though she wouldn't be able to hold her children afterward, to which I say: dear woman, I wish you the best, and you will be able to hold your kids again, sooner than you might think.

Cool things continue to happen in Seattle, naturally.

"In a new study published in Cell Reports, scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center demonstrate that mice lacking one copy of a gene called CTCF have abnormal DNA methylation and are markedly predisposed to cancer. CTCF is a very well-studied DNA binding protein that exerts a major influence on the architecture of the human genome, but had not been previously linked to cancer."

And Johns Hopkins is pretty full of awesome, too.

“In our experiments, our nanoparticles successfully delivered a test gene to brain cancer cells in mice, where it was then turned on,” says Jordan Green, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “We now have evidence that these tiny Trojan horses will also be able to carry genes that selectively induce death in cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells healthy."


Have some exciting news you think I should link here? Please email me (jen dot campisano at gmail) or leave a note in the comments.

4 comments:

  1. Go science go! And I wish you the best of results with your scan.

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  2. a clever and informative diversion, Jen. good for you! I am sending you the BIGGEST hope I can muster that all will be well with your scan, and lots of warm hugs so you know you are not alone.

    much love,

    Karen xoxo

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    Replies
    1. The support from all of you got me through this week. Thank you for being with me. Much love right back.

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