Cancer & Treatment Part 1

What are the important drug targets for cancer therapies mentioned in the document

Growth factor receptors

DNA replication

Microtubules

Hormonal pathways

Metabolic pathways,

Targets for biological agents

What are the 12 key drug targets for cancer therapy

The 12 key targets include:

1. Growth factor receptors (e.g., EGFR),

2. DNA replication machinery,

3. Microtubules,

4. Hormonal pathways (e.g., estrogen receptors),

5. Metabolic enzymes (e.g., glycolysis pathways),

6. Angiogenesis factors (e.g., VEGF),

7. Cell cycle regulators (e.g., CDK),

8. Apoptosis pathways (e.g., Bcl-2),

9. Signal transduction proteins (e.g., RAS),

10. DNA repair enzymes (e.g., PARP),

11. Immune checkpoints (e.g., PD-1),

12. Tumor-specific antigens (e.g., HER2).

How do growth factor receptors function as a cancer drug target

"Growth factor receptors (e.g., EGFR) are proteins cancer cells exploit for growth; drugs inhibit their function to halt tumor proliferation."

How is DNA replication targeted in cancer therapy

"DNA replication machinery is targeted to disrupt cancer cell division, using drugs that interfere with DNA synthesis or replication enzymes."

How are microtubules targeted in cancer therapy

"Microtubules, critical for mitosis, are targeted with drugs (e.g., taxanes) that stabilize or destabilize them, halting cancer cell division."

How do hormonal pathways serve as cancer drug targets

"Hormonal pathways (e.g., estrogen or androgen receptors) are inhibited to stop growth and survival of hormone-dependent cancers like breast or prostate cancer."

How are metabolic pathways targeted in cancer therapy

"Metabolic pathways (e.g., glycolysis enzymes) are blocked to starve cancer cells of energy and biosynthetic precursors needed for rapid growth."

How does targeting angiogenesis factors help in cancer therapy

"Angiogenesis factors (e.g., VEGF) are inhibited to prevent new blood vessel formation, starving tumors of nutrients and oxygen."

How are cell cycle regulators targeted in cancer therapy

"Cell cycle regulators (e.g., cyclin-dependent kinases like CDK) are inhibited to arrest cancer cell proliferation at specific cycle checkpoints."

How do apoptosis pathways function as cancer drug targets

"Apoptosis pathways (e.g., Bcl-2 proteins) are modulated to induce programmed cell death in cancer cells, overcoming their survival mechanisms."

How are signal transduction proteins targeted in cancer therapy

"Signal transduction proteins (e.g., RAS) are blocked to disrupt oncogenic signaling pathways driving cancer cell growth."

How are DNA repair enzymes targeted in cancer therapy

"DNA repair enzymes (e.g., PARP) are inhibited to prevent cancer cells from repairing chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, enhancing treatment efficacy."

How do immune checkpoints serve as cancer drug targets

"Immune checkpoints (e.g., PD-1, CTLA-4) are targeted with inhibitors to restore immune system recognition and attack on cancer cells."

How are tumor-specific antigens used in cancer therapy

"Tumor-specific antigens (e.g., HER2) are targeted with antibodies to mark cancer cells for immune destruction or block growth signals."

Why is early diagnosis critical for cancer treatment

"Early diagnosis allows curative surgery or radiotherapy before metastasis, significantly improving treatment success."

What percentage of malignant tumors have metastasized at diagnosis

"About 50% of malignant tumors have already metastasized at diagnosis, limiting curative surgery or radiotherapy options."

How does chemotherapy aid in metastatic cancer cases

"Systemic chemotherapy reduces the risk of further secondary tumor formation and growth in cases where metastasis has occurred."

How do cancer stem cells affect treatment outcomes

"Cancer stem cells can remain dormant at primary or secondary sites post-treatment, potentially causing tumor recurrence months or years later."

Why has early diagnosis led to screening programs

"Recognition of early diagnosis benefits has driven mass screening programs to detect cancer before metastasis for better outcomes."

What is the potential cure rate for early-detected cancers

"Most cancers are potentially curable if identified before metastasis, often with surgery alone, highlighting the value of early detection."

Who is screened for cancer in the UK

"In the UK, screening targets high-risk patients, typically those over 50, as screening everyone is too expensive."

What cancers are routinely screened in UK women

"Cervical and breast cancer screening has been routine for women in the UK for the last 30 years."

How is bowel cancer screened in the UK

"Bowel cancer screening for those over 50 in the UK uses tests for occult blood in feces, conducted every few years."

What advances are expected in cancer screening

"Highly sensitive analytical techniques to detect tumor markers in blood, urine, and saliva are expected to revolutionize early diagnosis in the next decade."

What technologies are being researched for cancer detection

"Technologies detecting circulating cancer cells (CTCs) and tumor cell nucleic acid fragments in blood are active research areas."

What is the role of genetic testing in cancer screening

"Genetic testing, such as for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, is growing in importance to identify hereditary cancer risks."

Why is screening focused on high-risk groups

"Screening targets high-risk individuals (e.g., over 50 or with family history) due to cost and logistical challenges of universal testing."

What are the negatives of prostate PSA screening

"Prostate PSA tests can report false positives due to noncancerous conditions (e.g., prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia), causing unnecessary panic."

Why can aggressive prostate cancers be missed by PSA tests

"Aggressive prostate cancers that don't secrete PSA can result in false negatives, reducing test reliability."

What does the FDA say about genetic cancer risk tests

"The FDA warns that tests like 23andMe assess specific genetic risks (e.g., BRCA1/BRCA2) but not overall cancer risk, and should not guide treatment without physician consultation."

How can BRCA1 mutations be addressed

"BRCA1 mutations can be mitigated with a double mastectomy, an extreme option not requiring haste as risk peaks between 50-60."

What are intraoperative tests in cancer surgery

"Intraoperative tests, like the RD-100i OSNA, are molecular-based tests performed during surgery to assess cancer spread, reducing the need for follow-up operations."

How does the RD-100i OSNA test benefit breast cancer patients

"The RD-100i OSNA test analyzes lymph node biopsies during initial breast cancer surgery, detecting spread in 40 minutes to enable immediate lymph node removal, reducing secondary surgeries."

What does the RD-100i OSNA test detect

"The RD-100i OSNA test amplifies mRNA from sentinel lymph node samples, detecting cytokeratin-19 (CK19) expression, an epithelial marker absent in healthy lymph nodes."

How does intraoperative testing improve treatment timelines

"Faster intraoperative diagnosis allows chemotherapy and radiotherapy to start sooner, reducing patient anxiety and surgical costs."

What is the process of intraoperative testing during surgery

"During surgery, excised tissue is tested (e.g., for lymph node spread) in under an hour, enabling immediate additional procedures if needed while the patient is still under anesthesia."