Cancer tumour biology

Carol Box Tumour Biology and Metastasis, Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, McElwain Laboratories, The Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, UK... 

The actual biological significance of aromatase activity in breast cancer tumours is not clear. Studies have shown that there is no correlation between aromatase activity and oestrogen receptor concentrations in breast tumours... 

G.M. Tozer and S.A. Everett, Nitric oxide in tumour biology and cancer therapy. Part 1 Physiological aspects, Clin. Oncol., 9 (1997) 282. 

Vaupel P, Mayer A (2005) Effects of anaemia and hypoxia on tumour biology. In Bokemeyer C, Ludwig H (eds) Anaemia in Cancer, 2ndedn. Elsevier, Edinburgh, London, pp 47-66... 

Limonoid aglycones have been shown to possess certain biological activities such as the inhibition of cancerous tumour growth in laboratory animals (Lam et al. 1989 a,b Miller et al. 1989) and antifeedant activities against insects (Alford and Bentley 1986 Liu et al. 1990). Recently, the glucoside of limonin, limonin 17-P-d-glucopyranoside, was found to possess anticancer activities as well (Miller et al. 1992). 

Linton KM, Hey Y, Saunders E, et al. Acquisition of biologically relevant gene expression data by Affymetrix microarray analysis of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumours. Br. J. Cancer 2008 98 1398-1402. 

In other cases, the widespread application of a biopharmaceutical may be hindered by the occurrence of relatively toxic side effects (as is the case with tumour necrosis factor a (TNF-a, Chapter 9). Finally, some biomolecules have been discovered and purified because of a characteristic biological activity that, subsequently, was found not to be the molecule s primary biological activity. TNF-a again serves as an example. It was first noted because of its cytotoxic effects on some cancer cell types in vitro. Subsequently, trials assessing its therapeutic application in cancer proved disappointing due not only to its toxic side effects, but also to its moderate, at best, cytotoxic effect on many cancer cell types in vivo. TNF s major biological activity in vivo is now known to be as a regulator of the inflammatory response. 

Interferons induce a wide range of biological effects. Generally, type I interferons induce similar effects, which are distinct from the effects induced by IFN-y. The most pronounced effect of type I interferons relates to their antiviral activity, as well as their anti-proliferative effect on various cell types, including certain tumour cell types. Anti-tumour effects are likely due not only to a direct anti-proliferative effect on the tumour cells themselves, but also due to the ability of type I interferons to increase NK and T-cytotoxic cell activity. These cells can recognize and destroy cancer cells. 

J. D. Martinez, E. D. Stratagoules, J. M. LaRue, A. A. Powell, P. R. Gause, M. T. Craven, C. M. Payne, M. B. Powell, E. W. Gerner and D. L. Earnest, Different bile acids exhibit distinct biological effects the tumour promoter deoxycholic acid induces apoptosis and the chemopreventive agent ursodeoxycholic acid inhibits cell proliferation, Nutr. Cancer, 1998, 31(2), 111. 

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