New treatment approach for leukemia renders cancer genes powerless

Mainz: In leukemia cells it is often the case that genes are reactivated that, in physiological terms, mediate the self-renewal of blood stem cells. In a common subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, this abnormal activation of such self-renewing genes is apparently caused by structural modifications of the DNA packaging. In turn, these modifications are caused by two specific proteins of the so-called chromatin regulator group, on which leukemia cells are dependent. These discoveries were made by oncologist Dr. Michael Kühn from the Department of Internal Medicine III, which is a part of the University Center for Tumor Diseases (UCT) at the Mainz University Medical Center, in a collaborative effort with researchers from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Harvard University in Boston.

New types of blood cancer discovered in children

Lund University: Through a detailed study of leukaemia cells from more than 200 children, a research group at Lund University in Sweden has discovered two new types of childhood leukaemia. Using next-generation sequencing technology (NGS), the researchers were able to study the genome of cancer cells, which is how they discovered the new types of cancer. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a rare disease, but the most common form of cancer in children. Today the treatment is very successful, but requires heavy interventions at the risk of causing many side effects. There is therefore a need to distinguish between different types of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, in order to adapt the treatment according to the severity of each case, and to detect possible relapse.

Leukaemia study reveals therapy clues

Edinburgh: Genes that act as brakes to stop the development of an aggressive form of leukaemia have been identified by researchers. Scientists have found that two molecules - Hif-1alpha and Hif-2alpha - work together to stop the formation of leukemic stem cells in an aggressive type of blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). The cancer occurs when production of new blood cells by the bone marrow goes awry. This leads to the formation of leukemic stem cells, which fuel the disease and provide a constant flow of abnormal leukaemia cells.

Could avocados hold the key to treating leukaemia?

NHS: "Avocados could hold the key to helping beat rare form of leukaemia," The Independent reports; specifically acute myeloid leukaemia, which is an uncommon and aggressive cancer of the white blood cells. The headline may give readers the impression that eating avocados may help fight leukaemia, which is not the case. Researchers were actually looking at a compound found in avocado seeds that is not eaten, called avocatin B, which appears to be effective against leukaemia cells in the laboratory. The researchers tested 800 compounds against human leukaemia cells. Avocatin B was the most effective compound to cause the leukaemia cells to die. It did not have an effect on normal blood cells.