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ancer researc!
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T!is article is about researc! into cancer, in &eneral. For t!e U'(based c!arity, see
ancer )esearc! U'. For t!e *ournal, see ancer )esearc! +*ournal,.
University of Florida ancer -ospital
ancer researc! is basic researc! into cancer in order to identify causes and develop
strate&ies for prevention, dia&nosis, treatments and cure.
ancer researc! ran&es from epidemiolo&y, molecular bioscience to t!e performance of
clinical trials to evaluate and compare applications of t!e various cancer treatment.
T!ese applications include sur&ery, radiation t!erapy, c!emot!erapy, !ormone t!erapy,
.mmunot!erapy and combined treatment modalities suc! as c!emo(radiot!erapy.
/tartin& in t!e mid(1000s, t!e emp!asis in clinical cancer researc! s!ifted towards
t!erapies derived from biotec!nolo&y researc!, suc! as immunot!erapy and &ene
t!erapy.
ontents
1 1reas of researc!
1.1 ause
1.2 .mportant cell types involved in cancer &rowt!
1.2.1 .n 2itro )esearc! Usin& ell 3ines
1.2.2 Onco&enomics45enes involved in cancer
1.6 Treatment
1.6.1 2accines
1.6.2 Ot!er met!ods
2 .ssues
2.1 Fundin&
2.2 .nnovation
6 7istributed computin&
8 Or&ani9ations
5 )eferences
: ;<ternal lin#s
1reas of researc!
ause
T!is type of researc! involves many different disciplines includin& &enetics, diet,
environmental factors +i.e. c!emical carcino&ens,. .n re&ard to investi&ation of causes
and potential tar&ets for t!erapy, t!e route used starts wit! data obtained from clinical
observations, enters basic researc!, and, once convincin& and independently confirmed
results are obtained, proceeds wit! clinical researc!, involvin& appropriately desi&ned
trials on consentin& !uman sub*ects, wit! aim to test safety and efficiency of t!e
t!erapeutic intervention met!od. .mportant part of basic researc! is c!aracteri9ation of
t!e potential function of mec!anisms of carcino&enesis, in re&ard to t!e types of &enetic
and epi&enetic c!an&es t!at are associated wit! cancer development. T!e mouse is
often used as a mammalian model for manipulation of t!e function of &enes t!at play a
role in tumor formation, w!ile basic aspects of tumor initiation, suc! as muta&enesis, are
assayed on cultures of bacteria and mammalian cells.
=icon> T!is section re?uires e<pansion.
.mportant cell types involved in cancer &rowt!
T!ere are several different cell types t!at are critical to tumor &rowt!. .n particular
;ndot!elial @ro&enitor ells are a very important cell population in tumor blood vessel
&rowt!. T!is findin& was demonstrated in t!e !i&! impact factor *ournals of /cience
+200A, and 5enes and 7evelopment +200B,w!ic! also s!owed t!at ;ndot!elial
@ro&enitor ells are critical for metastasis and t!e an&io&enesis.=1>=2> T!is importance of
endot!elial pro&enitor cells in tumour &rowt! and an&io&enesis !as been confirmed by a
recent publication in ancer )esearc! +1u&ust 2010,. T!is seminal paper !as
demonstrated t!at endot!elial pro&enitor cells can be mar#ed usin& t!e .n!ibitor of 7C1
Dindin& 1 +.71,. T!is novel findin& meant t!at investi&ators were able to trac# endot!elial
pro&enitor cells from t!e bone marrow to t!e blood to t!e tumour(stroma and even
incorporated in tumour vasculature. T!is findin& of endot!elial pro&enitor cells
incorporated in tumour vasculature proves t!e importance of t!is cell type in blood
vessel development in a tumour settin&. Furt!ermore, ablation of t!e endot!elial
pro&enitor cells in t!e bone marrow lead to a si&nificant decrease in tumour &rowt! and
vasculature development. T!erefore endot!elial pro&enitor cells are very important in
tumour biolo&y and present novel t!erapeutic tar&ets.=6>
.n 2itro )esearc! Usin& ell 3ines
.n vitro assays allow scientists to conduct studies under reasonable conditions in t!e lab.
.n order to study t!e communication between a tumor cell and a !ost cell in vitro assays
!ave been created. T!e use of fra&mented c!ic#en !eart cells as a !ost was developed
by Mareel.=8> -oltfreter=5> discovered a met!od of #eepin& t!e c!ic#en !eart cells from
stic#in& to t!e @etri dis!. .n one study,=:> t!e ob*ective was to see !ow t!e tumor cell
would communicate wit! t!e !ost cellEs metabolism by studyin& t!e &ap *unction
between t!e !ost cell and t!e tumor cell. Tumor cells were &rown and t!en individually
mi<ed wit! t!ose from a c!ic#enFs !eart. T!e purpose of t!e c!ic#en !eart cells was to
provide t!e cancer cells wit! somet!in& to attac! to or in t!is case invade. T!e cells
were &rown in wells w!ic! were called @-F or pre(cultured !eart fra&ments. Five cancer
cell lines were used D.)4M1)#, :, ;MT:4)o, 3, and -e3a. T!e different cell lines
were put t!rou&! a series of tests includin& electrop!ysiolo&ical measurements and
!istolo&y usin& a li&!t microscope to collect ultrastructural data. .n t!e multicell tumor
sp!eroids, most of t!e tumor cell lines s!owed ti&!t pac#in& e<cept for D.)4M1)#(MT/
+multicell tumor sp!eroids,. D.)4M1)#(MT/ cells appeared to be loosely pac#ed and
lar&e in si9e. Once t!e tumor cells were mi<ed wit! t!e @-F cells were observed to see
if t!ey were invaded, and t!e time to cell invasion was recorded.
1fter t!e timed incubation periods D.)4M1)#, :, and ;MT:4)o s!owed invasion of
@-F wit!in a s!ort period of time via &ap *unctions. ;ac! cancer cell was able to invade
t!e !ostFs cell and destroy it. .n t!e case of t!e -e3a cells and 3 cells, t!ere were no
advancement into t!e @-F, e<cept after a few days -e3a cells were able to invade and
destroy t!e !ost cell. T!ou&! t!e !ost cell was not destroyed t!e cancer cells eac!
surrounded t!e !ostFs cell, but only after many !ours. T!is means t!at it is possible for
t!e process of tumor cell invasion due to !eterolo&ous intercellular communication. T!e
-e3a cells too# a lon& time to invade t!e cell. T!is could be due to t!e over &rowt! of
-e3a cells created over time. /ince t!ere were so many -e3a cells surroundin& t!e @-F
it believed t!at t!e lac# of space created a competition for nutrients=B> T!us allowin& t!e
-e3a cells to, in a sense win, and over ta#e t!e @-F. .n t!e case of t!e 3 tumor cells,
t!ey were not able to invade t!e @-F. T!ou&! -e3a cells were able to accomplis!
invasion after several !ours t!e 3 cells are structurally different renderin& t!em
inade?uate. T!e 3 cells !ave muc! more intercellular free space and do not surround t!e
!ost cell as ti&!tly as -ela cells. .t was concluded t!at wit! a ti&!t &ap *unction nutrients
cannot enter t!e cell allowin& t!e cancer cells to invade. "it! t!is information about t!e
&ap *unction process between !ost cell and t!e tumor cell, furt!er studies were
conducted in cancer &ene t!erapy wit! t!e use of -ela cells and t!e !erpes virus.=A>
Onco&enomics45enes involved in cancer
Main article% Onco&enomics
/ee also% 7atabases for onco&enomic researc!
T!e &oal of onco&enomics is to identify new onco&enes or tumor suppressor &enes t!at
may provide new insi&!ts into cancer dia&nosis, predictin& clinical outcome of cancers,
and new tar&ets for cancer t!erapies. 1s t!e ancer 5enome @ro*ect stated in a 2008
review article, Ga central aim of cancer researc! !as been to identify t!e mutated &enes
t!at are causally implicated in onco&enesis +cancer &enes,.G=0> T!e ancer 5enome
1tlas pro*ect is a related effort investi&atin& t!e &enomic c!an&es associated wit!
cancer, w!ile t!e O/M. cancer database documents ac?uired &enetic mutations from
!undreds of t!ousands of !uman cancer samples.=10>
T!ese lar&e scale pro*ects, involvin& about 650 different types of tumour, !ave identified
H160,000 mutations in H6000 &enes t!at !ave been mutated in t!e tumours. T!e
ma*ority occurred in 610 &enes of w!ic! 2A: were tumour supressor &enes and 66
onco&enes.
/everal !ereditary factors can increase t!e c!ance of cancer(causin& mutations,
includin& t!e activation of onco&enes or t!e in!ibition of tumor suppressor &enes. T!e
functions of various onco( and tumor suppressor &enes can be disrupted at different
sta&es of tumor pro&ression. Mutations in suc! &enes can be used to classify t!e
mali&nancy of a tumor.
.n later sta&es, tumors can develop a resistance to cancer treatment. T!e identification
of onco&enes and tumor suppressor &enes is important to understand tumor pro&ression
and treatment success. T!e role of a &iven &ene in cancer pro&ression may vary
tremendously, dependin& on t!e sta&e and type of cancer involved.=11>
5enes and protein products t!at !ave been identified by at least two independent
publications as bein& involved in cancer are%=0>
1D.1, 1D32, 1/3:, 1F1I, 1F5I61 +also #nown as M;F,, 1'T1, 1)CT, 1/@/)1,
1TF1, 1T., D310, DF-7, D.)6, DM@)11, DT51, DF12T1, DF12T6, DFD,
C71, 72, 7'8, -.2, -C1, O@;D, OJ:, TCCD1, K37, 77D2,
77.T6, 7;', ;if8a, ;.F812, ;@/15, ;)2, ;)6, ;)5, ;)5, ;T28, ;T2:,
;"/)1, ;JT1, ;JT2, F1C, F1C5, F5F)1O@, F5F)6, F-, F.@131, FU/, 51/B,
51T11, 5M@/, 5O3515, 5@ +&ene,, 5@-C, -./T1-8., -)1/, -/@1, .321),
..)F8, ')1/2, 31/@1, 3@1, 3-F@, 3MO2, 3K31, M17-8, M;./1, M3F1, M3-1,
M33T6, M33T:, MC1T1, M/F, M/-2, M/C, MUTK-, MK, CO18, CF2, C@M1,
C)1/, @1JA, @D7, @75FD, @-OJ2D, @.M1, @3'2, @CUT31, @OU2F1, @@1)5,
@), @)'1D, @)'1)11, @T;C, @T@C11, )1D;@1, )175131, )1@157/1, )1)1,
)D1, );T, )-O-, )@322, /D7/, /7-D, /;@T.C:, /;T, /-6531, //1A31, //J1,
//J2, //J8, /T1T6, T1F15, TF12, T311, TF;6, TF;D, TF5, TF@T, TF),
TCF)/F:, T@56, T@M6, T@M8, T).@11, 2-3, "1/, "T1, LCF10A, LCF2BA, LCF6A8,
LCFC111
Treatment
Main article% ancerMTreatment
urrent topics of cancer treatment researc! include%
Doostin& t!e immune system
1nti(cancer vaccine N based on e<posin& some cancer cells e<tracted from a tumour
to U2 rays for 28 !rs t!en in*ectin& t!em bac# into t!e or&anism, t!is approac! !as
already been successful on rats.
!emot!erapy
5ene t!erapy=12>
@!otodynamic t!erapy
)adiation t!erapy
)eoviridae +)eolysin dru& t!erapy,
Tar&eted t!erapy
2accines
-D2 !epatitis GDG virus w!ic! leads to liver cancer.
-@2 vaccine !uman papillovirus -@2(1:, -@2(1A for cervical cancer, &enital warts,
anal, vulvar, va&inal, penile, and -@2 oral cancers.
anine Melanoma 2accine=16>
Oncop!a&e=18>
Ot!er met!ods
=icon> T!is section re?uires e<pansion.
/ome researc! may indicate a connection between 2itamin 7 deficiency and cancer.
=15>
.ssues
Cewswee# ma&a9ine publis!ed an article criticisin& t!e use of lab rats on cancer
researc! because even t!ou&! researc!ers fre?uently mana&e to cure lab mice
transplanted wit! !uman tumors, few of t!ose ac!ievements are relevant to !umanity.
=1:> Oncolo&ist @aul Dunn, from t!e .nternational 1ssociation for t!e /tudy of 3un&
ancer=1B> said% G"e put a !uman tumor under t!e mouseEs s#in, and t!at
microenvironment doesnEt reflect a personEsNt!e blood vessels, inflammatory cells or
cells of t!e immune systemG.=1:> Fran 2isco founder of t!e Cational Dreast ancer
oalition completed%G"e cure cancer in animals all t!e time, but not in people.G=1:>
Fundin&
Most fundin& for cancer researc! comes from ta<payers and c!arities, rat!er t!an from
profit(ma#in& businesses. .n t!e U/, less t!an 60O of all cancer researc! is funded by
commercial researc!ers suc! as p!armaceutical companies.=1A>
@er capita, public spendin& on cancer researc! by ta<payers and c!arities in t!e U/ is
seven times as muc! as public spendin& by ta<payers and c!arities in t!e ;uropean
Union.=1A> 1s a percenta&e of 57@, t!e non(commercial fundin& of cancer researc! in
t!e U/ is four times t!e amount dedicated to cancer researc! in ;urope.=1A> -alf of
;uropeEs non(commercial cancer researc! is funded by c!aritable or&ani9ations.=1A>
/ome substances, li#e dic!loroacetate +71,=10> cannot be patented and t!us would
not &arner t!e investment interest towards researc! from t!e p!armaceutical industry,
t!ou&! in t!e case of 71 it would be c!eap and easy to manufacture.
.nnovation
T!e or&ani9ational be!avior of t!e lar&e institutions and corporations t!at researc!
cancer, may unduly favor low(ris# researc! into small incremental advancements, over
innovative researc! t!at mi&!t discover radically new and dramatically improved t!erapy.
=20>=21>
7istributed computin&
One can s!are computer time for distributed cancer researc! pro*ects li#e -elp on?uer
ancer.=22> "orld ommunity 5rid also !ad a pro*ect called -elp 7efeat ancer. Ot!er
related pro*ects include t!e Foldin&P!ome and )osettaP!ome pro*ects.
Or&ani9ations
ancer or&ani9ations
1merican 1ssociation for ancer )esearc!
1merican Drain Tumor 1ssociation
1merican /ociety of linical Oncolo&y
1ustralian ancer )esearc! Foundation
Dat! ancer )esearc! Unit
Drain Tumor Foundation of anada
Drain Tumor FundersE ollaborative
11
anadian ancer /ociety
ancer )esearc!
ancer )esearc! Foundation
ancer )esearc! .nstitute, .nc.
ancer )esearc! U'
!ild!ood ancer )esearc! 5roup
7amon )unyon ancer )esearc! Foundation
7ana(Farber4-arvard ancer enter
;(Foundation for ancer )esearc!
Friends of ancer )esearc!
5ateway for ancer )esearc!
5erman ancer )esearc! enter
5rassroots ancer )esearc! Foundation
.nstitute of ancer )esearc!
.nternational 1&ency for )esearc! on ancer
.nternational ancer 5enome onsortium
.srael ancer )esearc! Fund
$ames /. Mc7onnell Foundation
$immy 2. Foundation
$oe 1ndru99i Foundation
3ance 1rmstron& Foundation
3udwi& .nstitute for ancer )esearc!
Memorial /loan('etterin& ancer enter
Cational Drain Tumor /ociety
Cational ancer .nstitute
Cational Foundation for ancer )esearc!
Cational .nstitute of -ealt!
C.(desi&nated ancer enter
Cort!ern alifornia ancer enter
Iuality 1ssurance )eview enter
)adiolo&ical @!ysics enter
/ave 1 Drain Foundation
Terry Fo< Foundation
T5en 7ru& 7evelopment
T5en
Tower ancer )esearc! Foundation
United 7evices ancer )esearc! @ro*ect
University of Florida ancer -ospital
U/11
University Luric! -ospital
"al#er ancer )esearc! .nstitute
)eferences
Q 5ao 7 et al. +200A,. G;ndot!elial @ro&enitor ells ontrol t!e 1n&io&enic /witc! in
Mouse 3un& MetastasisG. /cience 610 +5A:0,% 105R10A. doi%10.112:4science.1150228.
@M.7 1A1AB:56.
Q Colan 7$ et al. +200B,. GDone marrow(derived endot!elial pro&enitor cells are a
ma*or determinant of nascent tumor neovasculari9ationG. 5enes S 7evelopment 21 +12,%
158:R155A. doi%10.11014&ad.86:60B. @M 1A01861. @M.7 1B5B5055.
Q Mellic# 1s, @lummer @C et al. +2010,. GUsin& t!e Transcription Factor .n!ibitor of
7C1 Dindin& 1 to /electively Tar&et ;ndot!elial @ro&enitor ells Offers Covel /trate&ies
to .n!ibit Tumor 1n&io&enesis and 5rowt!G. ancer )esearc! B0 +1A,% B2B6RB2A2.
doi%10.115A4000A(58B2.1C(10(1182. @M 605AB51. @M.7 20A0BA1A.
Q Mareel, MT 7e Druyne, 5.'.T 2andesaode, c.T Ora&onctti, c. +10A1,.
G.mmuno!istoc!emical study of embryonic c!ic# !eart invaded by mali&nant cells in
t!ree(dimensional cultureG. .nvasion Metastasis 22% 105R208. @M.7 B00518:.
Q -oltfreter, $o!annes +1088,. G1 study of t!e mec!anics of &astrulationG. Lool 05%
1B1R212. doi%10.10024*e9.1800050206.
Q Driiuner., T!omasT 7ieter F. -ulser +1000,. GTumor ell .nvasion and 5ap $unctional
ommunicationG. .nvasion Metastasis 10% %61R8. )etrieved 6 1pril 2012.
Q 5abber +10A5,. Mec!anisms of tumor invasion% evidence from in vivo observations.
ancer Metastasis. 8. pp. 206R600. doi%10.100B4DF0008A008.
Q Mesnil, M.T @iccoli, .Tiraby, 5.,"illenc#e '., Kamasa#i,-. +Marc! 100:,. GDystander
#illin& of cancer cells by !erpes simple< virus t!ymidine #inase &ene is mediated by
conne<insG. Medical /ciences 06 +5,% 1A61R1A65. @M 60A:B. @M.7 AB00A88.
)etrieved : 1pril 2012.
Q a b Futreal @1, oin 3, Mars!all M, 7own T, -ubbard T, "ooster ), )a!man C,
/tratton M) +2008,. G1 census of !uman cancer &enesG. Cat. )ev. ancer 8 +6,% 1BBRA6.
doi%10.106A4nrc1200. @M 2::52A5. @M.7 18006A00.
Q Forbes /, lements $, 7awson ;, Damford /, "ebb T, 7o&an 1, Flana&an 1,
Tea&ue $, "ooster ), Futreal @1, /tratton M) +200:,. GO/M. 2005G. Dr $ ancer 08
+2,% 61AR22. doi%10.106A4s*.b*c.::0202A. @M 26:1125. @M.7 1:82150B.
Q 2la!opoulos /1, 3o&ot!eti /, Mi#as 7, 5iari#a 1, 5or&oulis 2, Loumpourlis 2.T!e
role of 1TF(2 in onco&enesis.Dioessays. 200A 1prT60+8,%618(2B.
Q G5ene T!erapy, ancer('illin& 2iruses 1nd Cew 7ru&s -i&!li&!t Covel 1pproac!es
To ancer TreatmentG. Medical Cews Today. )etrieved 1pril 28, 200B.
Q 3iao $, 5re&or @, "olc!o# $7, Orlandi F, raft 7, 3eun& , -ou&!ton 1C,
Der&man @$. +200:,. G2accination wit! !uman tyrosinase 7C1 induces antibody
responses in do&s wit! advanced melanomaG. ancer .mmun. :% A. @M 10B:2B:.
@M.7 1::2:110.
Q !ttp%44www.anti&enics.com4product4oncop!a&e.s!tml
Q G2itamin 7 casts cancer prevention in new li&!tG. 5lobe and Mail. 200B(08(2A.
)etrieved 200B(08(20.
Q a b c !ttp%44www.newswee#.com4id415B58A4pa&e46
Q !ttp%44www.uc!sc.edu4news4brid&e420064October4bunnaslc.!tml
Q a b c d ;c#!ouse, /.T /ullivan, ). +200:,. G1 /urvey of @ublic Fundin& of ancer
)esearc! in t!e ;uropean UnionG. @3o/ Medicine 6 +B,% e2:B.
doi%10.16B14*ournal.pmed.00602:B. @M 1516085. @M.7 1:A82021. edit
Q G!eap, EsafeE dru& #ills most cancersG. Cew /cientist. 200B(01(1B. )etrieved 2012(
02(2B.
Q 'olata, 5ina +1pril 26, 2000,. G1dvances ;lusive in t!e 7rive to ure ancerG. T!e
Cew Kor# Times. )etrieved 2000(12(20.
Q 'olata, 5ina +$une 2B, 2000,. G5rant /ystem 3eads ancer )esearc!ers to @lay .t
/afeG. T!e Cew Kor# Times. )etrieved 2000(12(20.
Q G-elp on?uer ancerG. 200B(11(10. )etrieved 200B(11(10.
;<ternal lin#s
1 list of ancer T!erapeutic Tar&ets at /ino Diolo&ical
ancer 5enome 1natomy @ro*ect P T!e C.-
ancer )esearc! 5enetics
ancer )esearc! $obs
D 7i&ital 1rc!ives R ancer )esearc!% T!e anadian Iuest for a ure
'olata, 5ina. GForty KearsF "arG. T!e Cew Kor# Times. )etrieved 2000(12(20.
G1rticles in t!is series... e<amine t!e stru&&le to defeat cancer.G
7ana(Farber4-arvard ancer enter
.s t!e cure for cancer a virusU at -ow/tuff"or#s
/tanfordEs .nstitute for /tem ell Diolo&y and )e&enerative Medicine
T!e .nte&rative ancer Diolo&y @ro&ram P Cational ancer .nstitute
=!ide>
v
t
e
@at!olo&y% Tumor, Ceoplasm, ancer, and Oncolo&y +00R78A, 180R260,
onditions
Deni&n tumors
-yperplasia
yst
@seudocyst
-amartoma
Mali&nant pro&ression
7ysplasia
arcinoma in situ
ancer
Metastasis
Topo&rap!y
-ead4Cec# +Oral, Casop!aryn&eal,
7i&estive system
)espiratory system
Done
/#in
Dlood
Uro&enital
Cervous system
;ndocrine system
-istolo&y
arcinoma
/arcoma
Dlastoma
@apilloma
1denoma
Ot!er
@recancerous condition
@araneoplastic syndrome
/ta&in&4&radin&
TCM
1nn 1rbor
@rostate cancer sta&in&
5leason 5radin& /ystem
7u#es classification
arcino&enesis
ancer cell
arcino&en
Tumor suppressor &enes4onco&enes
lonally transmissible cancer
Oncovirus
ancer bacteria
Misc.
)esearc!
3ist of oncolo&y(related terms
-istory
ancer pain
M% C;O
tsoc, mr#r
tumr, epon, para
dru& +31i41e4206,
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omplete
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. am !i&!ly #nowled&eable about t!is topic +optional,
ate&ories%
ancer or&ani9ations
ancer researc!
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