Cancer tumor origin

Lung cancer is a solid tumor originating from bronchial epithelial cells. This chapter distinguishes between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) because they have different natural histories and responses to therapy. 

Modem cancer chemotherapy originated in the 1940s with the demonstration that nitrogen mustard possessed antitumor activity against human lymphomas and leukemias. Approximately 10 types of human cancer have 40 to 80% cure rates using chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus surgery or radiation (Table 55.1). For this purpose cure is defined as the disappearance of any evidence of tumor for several years and a high actuarial probability of a normal life span. 

A great number of tissue-specific promoters has been isolated and characterized, and some of these have been used in experimental cancer gene therapy (see Table 1). Obviously, tissue-specific promoters are also active in the normal tissue from which the tumor originated. Unless the loss of these normal cells is acceptable (as in the case of melanocytes), additional specificity mechanisms need to be considered to make the resulting vector useful for a systemic delivery. This can be achieved, for example, by introducing an additional level of specificity, such as a specificity for proliferating cells or a selectivity for other conditions that are characteristic of tumor cells (see later). 

Buckhaults P, Zhang Z, Chen YC, et al. Identifying tumor origin using a gene expression-based classification map. Cancer Res. 2003 63 4144-4149. 

Identification of the primary anatomical site of tumor origin is very important for proper treatment of cancer of unknown origin. It is estimated that 4% of cancer patients present with metastatic tumors for which the origin of the primary tumor has not been determined [55]. To address this issue, Su et al. developed a multiclass molecular classification scheme based on genes whose expression was specific to tumor tissues of each anatomical site. The classifier showed 85% accuracy on test set predictions and 75% accuracy on metastasis sample predictions. Of note, an 11-gene classifier could predict the anatomical origin of up to 91% and 83% of the training and blinded tumor samples, respectively [56]. 

Peng P, Yan Y, Keng S. Exosomes in the ascites of ovarian cancer patients origin and effects on anti-tumor immunity. Oncol Rep. 2011 25 749-62. 

Most penile metastases originate from the genital apparatus or from the lower urinary tract (Belville and Cohen 1992). In the past, bladder tumor was considered the major source responsible for penile metastases, but a relatively recent revision of the literature pointed out that most secondary penile tumors originate from prostate cancer (Perez et al. 1992). Tumors from different organs, however, can be involved, such as renal, testicle, bowel and rectum, lung, skin and bone malignancies. The reason why penile metastases are rare despite rich penile vascularization remains unexplained. 

Simaroubaceae are broadly used against dermatological conditions from bacterial origin (furuncles, superinfected wounds, erysipelas, acne, abscesses), parasitic origin (leishmaniasis), related to the presence of dermatophytes (ringworm), to those described as warts or cancerous tumors of the skin, tropical ulcers, and... 

Hydrazine sulfate [10034-93-2] N2H4 H2SO4, originally advanced by the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute for treatment of cancerous cachexia and tumor inhibition (221), now has Investigational New Dmg (IND) status in the United States. Clinical evaluations are under way at various institutions such as Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (222) and the Mayo Clinic. After extensive trials, hydrazine sulfate has been approved as an anticancer dmg in Russia (223). Chemical stmctures for estabUshed dmgs in the United States may be found in Reference 224. 

Metastasis Metastasis is the spread of a disease (usually cancer) from an original site of infection to other parts of the body. This usually happens when cancer cells break off from the original tumor and travel through the blood vessels to a new site. This kind of cancer is called malignant, meaning that it is life-threatening and usually fatal. 

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