Histone diacetylase inhibitors

Another recent development is the use of a histone diacetylase inhibitor (designated FK228), which is said to not add or delete DNA, but rather to normalize the existing DNA. The work has been carried out at the National Cancer Institute, and is described 

With regard to using a histone dicetylase inhibitor for lymphoma treatment, a contact at the NCI is Robin Frye, RN, at (302) 402-5958, and is available at many cancer centers in the United States. A contact for treating thyroid cancer with histone diacetylase inhibitors has been reported to be Deborah Draper, RN, BSN, at (301) 435-8525. 

A section called Cancer Markers was furnished in Chapter 5, which emphasized the references by David Sidransky and others that appeared in the November 7, 1997, issue of Science. The references cited were more at the DNA level, however, but here the continuing and vital concern is the use of more prosaic markers to monitor the initiation, progress, and remission of cancer. Some are in routine use, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer, and white blood cell count for leukemia. 

A newer angle is presented in an article by Mitch Jacoby in the March 29,2004, issue of Chemical and Engineering News, a weekly publication of the American Chemical Society. Titled Breath Analysis for Medical Diagnosis, many volatile organic chemicals carried in a person s breath are associated with a particular disease. These chemicals may be present only in extremely minute or picomolar-level concentrations. The challenge is to routinely and accurately analyze and correlate the breath chemistry to the disease. 

It is certainly preferable that the means sought for monitoring the course of cancer be on a near-instantaneous basis, which translates to a near-continuous basis, if so needed. 

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