The discovery could save thousands of lives a year by providing researchers with the inspiration they need to come up with vital new treatments for the most common form of the disease.

Excitingly, and despite the preliminary nature of the research, the first new drugs could be available in as little as five years.

Crucially, the new medicines would attack the cancer in a different way to existing treatments, meaning they should work where current therapies fail, saving some of the 1,000 lives a month lost to the disease in the UK alone.

The potential implications of the genes – and the surprising place in which they were found – has led the researchers to liken their discovery to stumbling across a chest of gold on the well-trodden paving slabs of Trafalgar Square.

Breast Cancer Incidence
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2010, the American Cancer Society estimated about 207,090 cases of invasive breast cancer and 54,010 cases of carcinoma in situ (the earliest stage) would be diagnosed in the U.S. It’s the second leading cause of cancer death for women (lung cancer is the first). Last year, 39,840 women were expected to die from breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Recurrence
Even when cancer appears to have been successfully treated (i.e., no sign of cancer), there is a risk the disease will return. Recurrence is classified by the spread of the cancer. A local recurrence is cancer that has returned in the area of the original surgery. Regional recurrence is cancer that has spread beyond the breast, but is still nearby, like in the chest muscles and/or lymph nodes. A distant recurrence (metastasis) is cancer that appears far away from the original site. Common sites of breast cancer metastasis are the bones, brain, lungs, and liver.

The organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure, estimates that women who have a lumpectomy, radiation and negative lymph nodes (no sign of cancer) have about a 6.5 percent chance of local recurrence in the five years after diagnosis. Those with positive lymph nodes (cancer in one or more) have about an 11 percent chance of local recurrence.

For women who have had a mastectomy, the risk of local recurrence in five years depends on lymph node involvement. If lymph nodes are negative, the recurrence risk is about 6 percent. For those with one to three positive lymph nodes, risk is about 16 percent. When four or more lymph nodes are positive for cancer, the risk for recurrence is 26 percent.

Early Detection of Recurrence
Follow-up exams are very important for women with breast cancer. Experts say about one-third of recurrences are detected through mammography and one half through a physical exam. Blood tests can also be used to detect markers associated with cancer recurrence. However, these screening tests aren’t perfect. Dan Raftery, Ph.D., Researcher with Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, says the tests may yield false positives, causing women to undergo unnecessary biopsy and worry. In addition, the recurrence still may not be detected until after the cancer has spread. By then, the disease can be more difficult to treat because cancer cells often develop resistance to previously successful chemotherapies.

Researchers are now studying a new tool for predicting breast cancer recurrence, called the VeraMarker-BCR Breast Cancer Test (developed by Matrix-Bio). It’s a blood test that combines two high-tech methods, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry, to screen for biomarkers associated with recurrence. A recent study found in 55 percent of patients, the test correctly predicted breast cancer recurrence about 13 months earlier than standard techniques. Raftery adds, earlier detection of recurrence enables doctors to fight the cancer before it spreads further and becomes resistant to treatment.

The VeraMarker tool is also being tested as a screening tool for early detection of breast cancer and for cancer of the liver, colon and pancreas. Researchers are hopeful the VeraMarker-BCR Breast Cancer Test for breast cancer recurrence will be commercially available late this year.

AUDIENCE INQUIRY
For general information about breast cancer:
American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast
National Cancer Institute, http://www.cancer.gov
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, http://ww5.komen.org
Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization, http://www.y-me.org

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Asiago, V., et al., “Early Detection of Recurrent Breast Cancer Using Metabolite Profiling,” Cancer Research, November 1, 2010, Vol. 70, No. 21, pp. 8309-8318.

Mehnert, A., et al., “Fear of Cancer Progression and Cancer-Related Intrusive Cognitions in Breast Cancer Survivors,” Psychooncology, December 2009, Vol. 18, No. 12, pp. 1273-1280.

Simard, S., et al., “Fear of Cancer Recurrence,” Journal of Cancer Survival, December 2010, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 361-371.

Van den Beuken-van Everdingen, M., et al., “Concerns of Former Breast Cancer Patients about Disease Recurrence,” Psychooncology, November 2008, Vol. 17, No. 11, pp. 1137-1145.

Research compiled and edited by Barbara J. Fister

© 2011 Medstar Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Construction workers and firefighters are particularly at risk of asbestos exposure, as the mineral was used in a variety of construction materials prior to its banning 1989. Whenever asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, be it by renovation, demolition or fire, microscopic fibers are released that can easily be inhaled by anyone in the vicinity. Prolonged asbestos exposure is the leading cause of malignant mesothelioma, and aggressive and incurable cancer that is difficult to detect.

It is difficult to determine how many cases of asbestos-related deaths are due to exposure while on the job because asbestos cancer generally takes decades to develop, making the period and location of exposure difficult to determine.

April 28, 2011, also marks the 40th anniversary of the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA). Since the founding of this Washington, D.C.-based agency, the construction worker fatality rate has dropped by 86% and 76% for manufacturing workers. OSHA inspections, as well as its efforts to make workers and their supervisors more safety conscious have been the key to this marked occupational safety.

Temsirolimus, a kinase inhibitor, blocks the action of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a protein that regulates cell growth, which can slow tumor growth. It’s used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma.

But researchers in Austria have found that temsirolimus also may slow the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma cells. Mesothelioma, a cancer that is usually caused by exposure to asbestos and may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure, frequently resists chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

The researchers found that temsirolimus strongly blocked mTOR-mediated signals and had a cytostatic, or growth-stopping, effect on all mesothelioma cells. However, mesothelioma cells that were resistant to cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapy drug, showed hypersensitivity against temsirolimus.

That suggests that mTOR inhibitors like temsirolimus might be a promising treatment strategy either in combination with chemotherapy or as second-line treatment after chemotherapy failure.

“Malignant mesothelioma is a severe human malignancy characterized by a very bad prognosis, with a mean patient survival time of less than one year,” said Professor Walter Berger, PhD, of the Institute of Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna. “This unacceptable situation is mainly caused by late diagnosis combined with a distinct resistance to all forms of systemic therapy available so far. Mesothelioma is frequently caused by asbestos exposure and unfortunately — based on the long latency period — the incidence peak lies, despite the ban on asbestos, still ahead. Consequently, novel therapeutic options for this devastative disease are urgently needed.

“In our preclinical study, published in the JTO, we were able to demonstrate that inhibition of the major oncogene mTOR is active against human mesothelioma especially after development of chemotherapy resistance both in vitro and in vivo,” Berger said. “These results suggest the initiation of clinical trials involving mTOR inhibitors as a novel anti-mesothelioma strategy.”

Approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the U.S.  Many are workers who were exposed to asbestos dust in the workplace decades ago. Symptoms typically don’t appear for 20 to 40 years after exposure.

In a pre-clinical study, cancer researchers at the Medical University of Vienna say that  a drug called temsirolimus may slow the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that often resists chemotherapy and radiation.

Temsirolimus works by blocking the action of a protein that regulates cell growth, including cells in cancerous tumors. The drug is commonly used to treat patients with advanced kidney cell carcinoma.

The researchers said that temsirolimus, a kinase inhibitor, had a growth stopping effect on all mesothelioma cells by inhibiting the major oncogene known as mTOR.  Oncogene are genes that cause the transformation of normal cells into cancerous tumor cells.

They said the mesothelioma cells that resisted the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, showed hypersensitivity to temsirolimus. That offers the potential that it may be a promising treatment strategy in combination with chemotherapy or as a second-line treatment.

Professor Walter Berger, of the Institute of Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna told the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer that the results suggested that clinical trials should be undertaken on drugs that inhibit mTOR as a new mesothelioma treatment strategy.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Normally when we sleep, the throat muscles keep our airway open so we can breathe in plenty of oxygen. When people suffer from sleep apnea, the airway narrows dangerously either because the throat muscles relax too much, the tongue and tonsils are too large in relation to the windpipe, or extra tissue from being overweight thickens the windpipe wall, narrowing the airway. Sleep apnea can also happen when the brain does not communicate well with the muscles that need to keep the airway open.

The result is a vibration caused by the unsuccessful effort to pull in air – the telltale snoring of sleep apnea sufferers. Eventually, when oxygen intake becomes too low, your brain will wake you up to prevent you from dying in your sleep. For people with severe sleep apnea, this can happen hundreds of times a night.

Why Is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Beyond making you and your partner miserable and exhausted, sleep apnea is a major cause of high blood pressure and can lead to inflammation and clogging in your arteries. Over the long term, it often results in irritability and depression, and in some instances, can kill someone in their sleep.

What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

* Daytime sleepiness
* Loud snoring at night
* Interruptions in nighttime breathing
* Abrupt awakenings followed by shortness of breath
* Acid reflux
* Frequent nighttime urination
* Headaches
* Memory loss
* Large neck size (over 17 inches for men and 16 for women)

Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and surgery are used to treat sleep apnea. Medicines typically aren’t used to treat the condition.

The goals of treating sleep apnea are to:

* Restore regular breathing during sleep
* Relieve symptoms such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness

Treatment may improve other medical problems linked to sleep apnea, such as high blood pressure. Treatment also can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

If you have sleep apnea, talk with your doctor or sleep specialist about the treatment options that will work best for you.

Lifestyle changes and/or mouthpieces may be enough to relieve mild sleep apnea. People who have moderate or severe sleep apnea may need breathing devices or surgery.

If you continue to have daytime sleepiness despite treatment, your doctor may ask whether you’re getting enough sleep. (Adults should get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep; children and adolescents need more.)

If treatment and enough sleep don’t relieve your daytime sleepiness, your doctor will consider other treatment options.
Lifestyle Changes

If you have mild sleep apnea, some changes in daily activities or habits may be all the treatment you need.

* Avoid alcohol and medicines that make you sleepy. They make it harder for your throat to stay open while you sleep.
* Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Even a little weight loss can improve your symptoms.
* Sleep on your side instead of your back to help keep your throat open. You can sleep with special pillows or shirts that prevent you from sleeping on your back.
* Keep your nasal passages open at night with nasal sprays or allergy medicines, if needed. Talk with your doctor about whether these treatments might help you.
* If you smoke, quit. Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking.

Mouthpieces

A mouthpiece, sometimes called an oral appliance, may help some people who have mild sleep apnea. Your doctor also may recommend a mouthpiece if you snore loudly but don’t have sleep apnea.

A dentist or orthodontist can make a custom-fit plastic mouthpiece for treating sleep apnea. (An orthodontist specializes in correcting teeth or jaw problems.) The mouthpiece will adjust your lower jaw and your tongue to help keep your airways open while you sleep.

If you use a mouthpiece, tell your doctor if you have discomfort or pain while using the device. You may need periodic office visits so your doctor can adjust your mouthpiece to fit better.
Breathing Devices

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is the most common treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea in adults. A CPAP machine uses a mask that fits over your mouth and nose, or just over your nose. The machine gently blows air into your throat.

The air presses on the wall of your airway. The air pressure is adjusted so that it’s just enough to stop the airways from becoming narrowed or blocked during sleep.

Treating sleep apnea may help you stop snoring. But not snoring doesn’t mean that you no longer have sleep apnea or can stop using CPAP. Sleep apnea will return if CPAP is stopped or not used correctly.

Usually, a technician will come to your home to bring the CPAP equipment. The technician will set up the CPAP machine and adjust it based on your doctor’s prescription. After the initial setup, you may need to have the CPAP adjusted on occasion for the best results.

CPAP treatment may cause side effects in some people. These side effects include a dry or stuffy nose, irritated skin on your face, dry mouth, and headaches. If your CPAP isn’t adjusted properly, you may get stomach bloating and discomfort while wearing the mask.

If you’re having trouble with CPAP side effects, work with your sleep specialist, his or her nursing staff, and the CPAP technician. Together, you can take steps to reduce these side effects. These steps include adjusting the CPAP settings or the size/fit of the mask, or adding moisture to the air as it flows through the mask. A nasal spray may relieve a dry, stuffy, or runny nose.

There are many types of CPAP machines and masks. Tell your doctor if you’re not happy with the type you’re using. He or she may suggest switching to a different type that may work better for you.

People who have severe sleep apnea symptoms generally feel much better once they begin treatment with CPAP.
Surgery

Some people who have sleep apnea may benefit from surgery. The type of surgery and how well it works depend on the cause of the sleep apnea.

Surgery is done to widen breathing passages. It usually involves shrinking, stiffening, or removing excess tissue in the mouth and throat or resetting the lower jaw.

Surgery to shrink or stiffen excess tissue in the mouth or throat is done in a doctor’s office or a hospital. Shrinking tissue may involve small shots or other treatments to the tissue. A series of such treatments may be needed to shrink the excess tissue. To stiffen excess tissue, the doctor makes a small cut in the tissue and inserts a small piece of stiff plastic.

Surgery to remove excess tissue is done in a hospital. You’re given medicine that makes you sleep during the surgery. After surgery, you may have throat pain that lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.

Surgery to remove the tonsils, if they’re blocking the airway, may be very helpful for some children. Your child’s doctor may suggest waiting some time to see whether these tissues shrink on their own. This is common as small children grow.

Although sleep apnea is treatable, it often goes unrecognized. Untreated sleep apnea can be dangerous and detrimental to your health, so it’s important to see a doctor if you suspect that you or a loved one might have it. Read on to learn the warning signs of sleep apnea, how to distinguish it from normal snoring, the medical treatments available, and what you can do to help yourself.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea affects the way you breathe when you’re sleeping. In untreated sleep apnea, breathing is briefly interrupted or becomes very shallow during sleep. These breathing pauses typically last between 10 to 20 seconds and can occur up to hundreds of times a night.

Untreated sleep apnea prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep. When breathing is paused, you’re jolted out of your natural sleep rhythm. As a consequence, you spend more time in light sleep and less time in the deep, restorative sleep you need to be energetic, mentally sharp, and productive the next day.

This chronic sleep deprivation results in daytime sleepiness, slow reflexes, poor concentration, and an increased risk of accidents. Sleep apnea can also lead to serious health problems over time, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and weight gain. But with treatment, you can control the symptoms, get your sleep back on track, and start enjoying what it’s like to be refreshed and alert every day. Sleeping Apnea

What causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs primarily due to the following reasons:

* Central Sleep Apnea occurs when the brain fails to trigger the respiratory muscles. It occurs when the brain fails to transmit the impulses necessory to fire the muscles responsible for the breathing/respiration. Fortunately, this type of Sleep Apnea does not occur that frequently.
* Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the airflow gets restricted either due to a mechanical or a structural problem in the upper respiratory airway.

Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring could also be caused by nasal allergy, upper respiratory track infection, structural deformity, and/ or infections and enlargement of tonsils and adenoids.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea may also occur if:

* Throat muscles and tongue relax and block the airway.
* The muscles at the base of the tongue and the uvula sag and block the air-way,
* The airway is blocked due to an exessive amount of tissue present in the airway. This usually results because of obesity.