Download dowload our cancer 101 power point presentation

Understanding Cancer: Current
Scientific Research on Causes,
Diagnostics, and Treatments.
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In this presentation we’ll cover:
• How cancer develops and the role of genes
and stem cells in its development.
• The effectiveness and limitations of current
standard treatments.
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In this presentation we’ll cover:
• Diagnostic and imaging options that have
been proven to enhance treatment
effectiveness.
• The benefits and misconceptions of clinical
trials.
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This presentation consists of two
key sections:
1. Cancer 101 - Understanding Current
Issues In Cancer
&
2. Ensuring That You Are Making Informed
Choices
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Cancer 101
It is now widely accepted that all cancers
are caused by adult stem cells (or cells with
stem-cell like properties).
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What is an adult stem cell?
• The progenitor (originator) of a group of
cells of a specific type
• Occur in roughly 1 out of 6 million body
cells.
• Used to repair and replace body cells.
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What is an adult stem cell?
• Exist in regions referred to as stem cell niches,
where they remain in a dormant state
(quiescence) until activated.
• Each type of tissue contains it’s own stem cell
niche.
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What is an adult stem cell?
• All stem cells have unique features that
allow them to avoid destruction during
treatment.
• However, it is their ability to exist in a
dormant state (quiescence) until activated,
that is currently inhibiting standard
treatments.
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The 2 stages of stem cell activation
There are two key stages of stem cell
activation:
1. Proliferation.
2. Differentiation.
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The 2 stages of stem cell activation
In The Proliferation Stage:
The stem cell makes multiple copies of itself.
In The Differentiation Stage:
The multiple copies are converted into the
required cell type and given a Hayflick
number.
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The 2 stages of stem cell activation
• The Hayflick number is the number of
times a normal cell will divide before it
stops and dies.
• The important point here is that once a cell
has differentiated, it has a finite lifespan.
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Stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation)
Self renewal
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Mature cell
(differentiation)
Stem cell life cycle
There are two imports points here:
1. A stem cell makes an exact copy of itself,
which remains dormant in the stem cell
niche.
2. A stem cell also produces a large amount of
progenitor cells, which then differentiate
into the required type of cells.
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Stem cells and cancer
The problem with stem cells is that
sometimes, due to mutations, a stem cell is
not provided with the cues for
differentiation and it gets stuck in a never
ending cycle of proliferation, making many
copies of itself.
This is what we call cancer.
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Genes and cancer
1. A gene is the DNA template that is used
to make a protein or enzyme used by the
body.
2. Genes are composed of 4 DNA molecules
referred to as A, T, G and C.
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Genes and cancer
1. The exact order of these 4 DNA
molecules determines the structure of the
gene (and its final product).
2. Changing the order that the DNA
molecules are arranged in can destroy the
function of the gene and is called a
mutation.
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Genes and cancer
1. A carcinogen is anything that can change
the order of the DNA molecules in a
gene.
2. Specific carcinogens can cause mutations
that are specific to each type of cancer.
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Genes and cancer
There are two key types of genes involved
in cancer:
1. Oncogenes.
2. Tumor suppressors.
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Genes and cancer
Oncogenes (tumor causing genes):
1.Cause proliferation.
2. Are turned on (expressed) or over-expressed
in cancers.
3. Are mutated in such a way that causes them
to stay on.
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Genes and cancer
Tumor suppressors (cancer preventing genes):
1. Initiate differentiation.
2. Are inhibited or under-expressed in cancers.
3. There are common mutations and deletions of
tumor suppressors that occur in specific forms
of cancer.
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Normal stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation)
(Oncogenes)
Mature cell
(differentiation)
(Tumor supressor genes)
Self renewal
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Cancer stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation) (Oncogenes)
Mature cell
(differentiation)
(Tumor suppressor genes)
Self renewal
Tumor cells
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Why is this important?
There are hundreds of documented oncogenes
and tumor suppressor genes in your body.
Only four of these genes need to be altered or
mutated for cancer to develop.
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Why is this important?
Therefore, there are many 1000’s of possible
combinations of gene alterations that can lead
to cancer in each individual case.
The genes mutated are not the same for every
person, even if they have the same cancer.
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Why is this important?
In order to treat YOUR cancer effectively, it is
important to target the genes that have been
mutated as they are unique to YOU!
This is why success rates for standard
chemo/radiation can vary so greatly from
one person to another!
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Development of cancer
Now let’s explore how cancer develops once
the unregulated proliferation of stem cells has
begun.
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Metastasis
When a cancer cell is stuck in proliferation
and hasn’t differentiated, it can live almost
anywhere in the body (metastasize)
But, how is it that cancer cells travel throughout
the body?
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Angiogenesis and metastasis
Cancer cells are constantly growing and
therefore, need to consume a lot of resources.
In other words, they require their own blood
supply.
Angiogenesis is a process that cancers use to
recruit their own blood vessels in order to
enable their continued growth.
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Angiogenesis and metastasis
The process of angiogenesis is controlled by
oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.
Oncogenes are responsible for the initiation of
angiogenesis while tumor suppressor genes
inhibit it.
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Summary
• Stem cells remain dormant until activated.
• Cancer is a disease of the stem cells caused
by reduced differentiation and increased
proliferation.
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Summary
• The recruitment of blood vessels
(angiogenesis) allows the tumor to grow and to
metastasize.
• Proliferation, differentiation, and
angiogenesis are all controlled by genes!
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Standard treatment methods
The standardized approach to cancer treatment
utilizes the following three techniques:
1. Surgery: Removes diseased tissues.
2. Radiation: Creates DNA mutations in rapidly
dividing cells.
3. Chemotherapy: Chemical interference of
rapidly dividing cells.
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Limitations of surgery
Surgery is localized:
• Limited to treatment of localized disease.
• Potential to miss stem cells, cells that are in
pre-cancerous stages, or cells that have
already metastasized.
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Limitations of radiation
Radiation is localized:
• Non-selective, affects all rapidly dividing
cells and is very toxic.
• Radiation can create new DNA mutations
that may lead to more aggressive cancers.
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Limitations of radiation
Radiation is localized:
• Angiogenesis (cancer cell recruitment of
blood vessels) occurs directly after
treatment.
• Only affects reproducing cells during
course of treatment (not dormant cancer
causing stem cells).
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Limitations of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (generalized):
• Non-selective, affects all rapidly dividing
cells and is very toxic.
• Chemotherapy can create new DNA
mutations that may lead to more aggressive
cancers.
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Limitations of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (generalized):
• Angiogenesis occurs directly after
treatment.
• Only affects active cells during course of
treatment (not dormant cancer causing
stem cells).
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Radiation and chemotherapy
The main difference between radiation
and chemotherapy is that radiation is used
locally and limited to specific regions of
the body, while chemotherapy affects all of
the cells in the body.
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Additional concerns:
Surgery & Radiation
In order for surgery and radiation to be
effective, the following concerns need to be
addressed:
• Doctors need to target the stem cell niche as
well as the malignant tissue (tumor).
• Doctors need to ensure they have accurate
imaging prior to surgery and treatment to
differentiate between normal and tumor
tissues.
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Making informed choices:
DIAGNOSTICS
Before your cancer to be effectively treated,
two important things MUST be determined!
1. The exact location of all of your tumors.
2. The unique genetic mutations that drive
your cancer.
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Making informed choices:
DIAGNOSTICS
This requires two diagnostic approaches:
1. Accurate imaging of your tumors.
2. Sequencing of your tumor DNA.
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Making informed choices: Imaging
PET/CT
• Combines CT imaging with positron
emission tomography.
• Shows biological activity within organs and
detects cancer in the earliest stages.
• Uses a cancer-specific glucose solution and
a radioactive tracer agent that lights up
cancerous hot spots.
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Making informed choices: Imaging
Imaging: PET-CT
According to the BC Cancer Agency;
In 87 % of cases in which a patient has had
a PET-CT scan, the results of the test lead
to changes in the initial decisions made by
oncologists for planned cancer treatment.
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Making informed choices: Imaging
Imaging: PET-CT
In other words, without a PET-CT scan,
current detection methods are only accurate
13% of the time!
PET-CT not only ensures proper targeting of
the tumor during surgery and radiation
treatments, it helps avoid over-treatment or
under-treatment.
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Imaging: Normal CT scan
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Imaging: PET/CT
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CT Alone
PET/CT
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Making informed choices: Imaging
NEW! PET-MRI
• Better imaging of soft tissues compared to
CT.
• Combines the benefits of MRI and PET
without the radiation exposure found in
PET-CT.
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Making informed choices:
Sequencing Of Tumor DNA
Recall that genes are encoded in DNA by the
order of the DNA molecules (A, T, C, and G).
Changes in the specific order of the DNA
molecules are called a mutations and affect
how the protein or enzyme functions.
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Making informed choices:
Sequencing Of Tumor DNA
DNA sequencing is the process of
determining specific mutations in genes by
comparing the genes found in your tumor to
those found in normal functioning versions
of the same genes.
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Making informed choices:
Sequencing Of Tumor DNA
Once we have identified the genes that are
mutated in your cancer, then we can make a
genetic map that provides you with a roadmap
to your recovery!
This what we call “Targeted Therapy”!
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Making informed choices:
Example - Genetic Map
Available from www.kegg.jp
Why is this important?
Having a genetic map of YOUR tumor allows
us to identify targeted drugs that will destroy
ANY cell in your body with the specific
mutation that the drug was designed to
target.
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Why is this important?
The benefits of this approach is highly
effective destruction of tumor cells without
the harsh effects of standard chemoradiation as the drugs will not affect normal
cells that do not have the cancer specific
mutation.
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Why is this important?
Furthermore, having a genetic map allows us
to identify “off label drugs”, or drugs that
were designed for a different condition or type
of cancer, but happen to target the genetic
mutations identified in YOUR cancer.
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Why is this important?
And finally, having a genetic map of your
tumor allows us to identify diet and
supplements that have a scientifically proven
role in regulating the genes mutated in
YOUR cancer.
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Why is this important?
You are probably asking yourself;
“But what if I can’t afford the drugs that
the DNA sequencing has identified”?
In just about every case we have looked at,
targeted drugs were available via FREE
clinical trials.
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Clinical trials:
• Clinical trials represent leading-edge
medical science. However, less than 5% of
adults diagnosed with cancer each year are
enrolled in clinical trails.
• While there are a number of various
treatment approaches being offered through
clinical trials, 8 out of 10 patients are not
aware that this is a viable option for them.
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Benefits of clinical trials
• In order to be offered to the human
population, each clinical trial must show
that the approach being tested is superior to
standard treatment.
• Patients are also provided with superior
imaging and diagnostics not typically
offered in public medical facilities.
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Benefits of clinical trials
• Most do not replace standard treatment,
they are a form of adjunct therapy, and as
such are offered as an additional treatment to
standard treatment.
• In most clinical trials the standard treatment
for the type of cancer is typically used in
place of the placebo (control group).
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Benefits of clinical trials
• Clinical trials are typically FREE.
• But best of all, their success depends
on your survival!
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How we can help you
• Personalized options plan (POP)
• Consulting
• Advocacy
• Education
How we can help you
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