Jan 5, 2006

Breakthrough In Stem Cell Research For Breast Cancer

Are we witnessing a new breakthrough for breast cancer? That's what Francois Vaillant and colleagues are claiming. These Australian researchers say that they have discovered the stem cells responsible for growth of the mammary gland. They were able to grow new breasts in mice and claim that this could lay foundation for all new treatment options for breast cancer.

Scientists were successful in growing skin tissue from single stem cells in the past. This is the first time a complex organ like the mammary gland was grown from a one single stem cell. This study is published in the recent issue of the journal Nature.

Other researchers say that this study that comes from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne is a breakthrough in understanding how normal breast tissue develops and could revolutionize the way how we treat breast cancer and other cancers.

What does it mean to you and me? Knowing the pathways of normal growth of the stem cells into the mammary gland could lead to development of new medications to treat breast cancer. Also it may be possible in future to develop a technique to grow new breast in women who had mastectomy. Researchers say that it may take next 10 or 20 years before we may develop new medications to treat breast cancer based on this new discovery.

It's a puzzle among scientific community, why women who had all the breast cancer cells eliminated by using chemotherapy could experience a recurrence of breast cancer. If all the factors controlling the growth of the stem cells go in a regulated fashion the stem cell would grow in to a normal breast tissue, but a combination of genetic errors and other external influences could cause it to generate faulty cells.

Sherin      

Do You Read All Of Our Cancer Blogs?

Do you read all of the blogs published by medicineworld.org? Many of our bloggers are busy keeping you updated on the various health related topics. We publish the following blogs at this time.

Cancer blog: I manage the cancer blog with lots of help and support form other bloggers. Through this cancer blog my friends and I try to bring stories of hope for patients with cancer. The cancer blog often republishes important blog posts from other cancer related blogs at Medicineworld.org. If you are searching for a blog that covers wide variety of cancer topics, this may be the one for you.

Breast cancer blog: Breast cancer blog is run by Emily and other bloggers and they bring you the latest stories, news and events that are related to breast cancer. Increasing awareness about breast cancer among women and in the general population is the main goal of this breast cancer blog.

Lung cancer blog: Lung cancer blog is managed by Scott with the help of other bloggers. Through this blog Scott and his friends constantly remind the readers about the dangers of smoking. It's a never-ending struggle against this miserable disease with which a social stigma of smoking is associated.

Colon cancer blog: Colon cancer blog is run by Sue and other bloggers. Sue brings a personal touch to the colon cancer blog since her mother died of colon cancer few years ago. She writes about stories, research news and advances in treatment related to colon cancer.

Prostate cancer blog: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men. American Cancer Society estimates that over 230,000 new cases of prostate cancer occur in the United state every year. This important blog about prostate cancer is run by Mark and other bloggers. This blog brings news, stories, and other personal observations related to prostate cancer.

Medicineworld.org publishes a diabetes watch blog and this blog is run by JoAnn other bloggers. This diabetes watch blog brings you the latest in the field of diabetes. This includes personal stories, advances in diagnosis and treatment, and other observations about diabetes. Improving awareness about diabetes is an important mission of this group.

Janet      

Breast cancer
Every year, more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. Breast cancer ranks second as the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. Until recently breast cancer topped the list of leading causes of cancer deaths in women, but lately lung cancer has claimed the top position. If skin cancer is excluded, breast cancer is the commonest cancer among American women.