A heating and freezing process known as dual thermal ablation can kill pancreatic cancer cells, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University at New York.
The collaborative study, conducted by researchers from academia and industry and funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, used pancreatic cancer cells to investigate the effect of heating and freezing on cell death. The research was conducted by Robert Van Buskirk and John Baust, professors of biological sciences and directors at Binghamton University’s Institute of Biomedical Technology, and Kenneth Baumann, a graduate student studying biology.
“How do we solve the problem of pancreatic cancer when it comes to trying to get rid of the tumor, when chemo and radiation just simply doesn’t work?” said Van Buskirk. “The whole idea is, can one come up with a different surgical intervention that’s less invasive and more effective?
“In order to figure that out, you can commercially obtain pancreatic cancer cells and grow them on specialized plasticware,” Van Buskirk said. “The basic question is, are both freezing and heat in combination more effective than freezing or heat alone? If you freeze pancreatic cancer cells like you do in cryoablation, a lot of them die, but some will survive and regrow. If you heat them, they’ll die, but again some will come back. But with dual-thermal ablation, for reasons that we do not yet understand, more die and don’t come back. In fact, over time, cells that survive the initial insult continue to die.”
“What we’ve observed is that we are able to achieve complete cell death using a combination of heating and then freezing at temperatures that alone would not be lethal to kill pancreatic cancer cells,” said Baumann.
Researchers heated and froze cancer cells and looked at the effect, using various technologies to determine the level of cell death, on regrowth as well as which cell stress pathways were activated.
“Using a variety of assays, we are able to determine the initial level of cell death as well as to what extent the surviving population is able to regrow,” Baumann said. “We were also able to determine the specific paths of cell death activated as a result of the dual thermal exposure.”
“When cells are disturbed—which means they are frozen or they see heat—various cell stress pathways are activated,” said Van Buskirk. “The interesting thing about cells, especially cancer cells, is that they will activate pathways to protect themselves. The objective of this line of molecular-based research is to find out which stress pathways are activated in pancreatic cancer cells so that we can better understand why dual-thermal ablation appears to be more effective.”
“Current studies are focused on elucidating which stress pathways specifically cause these cells to die or what is keeping them alive. That way, we can optimize this treatment to be as effective as possible against pancreatic cancer,” Baumann said.
According to Van Buskirk, modulating these stress pathways is the key to making the heating and freezing ablation process more effective. This could lead to the development of a new way to remove cancerous pancreatic tumors.
In addition to the cell molecular research, several members of the study team are working on developing new catheter technologies to deliver this ablative therapy to patients. “If a very thin catheter can be developed to target the tumor, and if we understand how pancreatic cancer responds to ablation at the molecular level, then we may be able to develop a new therapy to approach something that has been completely unapproachable, the targeted killing of a tumor in a very difficult place: the pancreas,” said Van Buskirk.
Learn more: NEW RESEARCH COULD LEAD TO IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PANCREATIC CANCER
The Latest on: Pancreatic cancer
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Pancreatic cancer” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Pancreatic cancer
- Researchers find difference in pancreatic cancer cells, offering new hope for immunotherapy effectivenesson May 1, 2024 at 6:32 am
A new study has found that pancreatic cancer cells are different based on their location in the pancreas, providing new information about tumors that could lead to better targeted treatments.
- Pancreatic Cancer: Successful Trial Against Pancreatic Cancer with Defence Therapeutics' ARM-002 Anti-Cancer Vaccineon May 1, 2024 at 12:15 am
Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: DTC) (OTCQB: DTCFF) (FSE: DTC), ("Defence" or the "Company"), a Canadian biopharmaceutical company developing novel immune-oncology therapeutics and drug delivery ...
- Study highlights differences in pancreatic cancer cells based on locationon April 30, 2024 at 9:47 pm
A new study has found that pancreatic cancer cells are different based on their location in the pancreas, providing new information about tumors that could lead to better targeted treatments.
- PanCAN Purplestride United Celebrities, Survivors, Caregivers and Supporters Nationwide at The Ultimate Walk to End Pancreatic Canceron April 30, 2024 at 10:09 am
Lisa Niemi Swayze, Eric Idle, Miss America Madison Marsh, Family of the late Jerry Springer, Team “Trek”, Little House on [...] READ MORE ...
- Gaza protests in Denver cancel pancreatic cancer fundraiseron April 29, 2024 at 2:12 pm
Pro-Palestine protests against the Israel-Hamas war canceled a Denver fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research. FOX31's Greg Nieto hears about the impact to the event as protest continues at Auraria ...
- PurpleStride Pittsburgh charity walk raises money for pancreatic cancer researchon April 27, 2024 at 5:01 pm
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network held Purple Stride Pittsburgh, where survivors, families, caregivers, researchers and supporters raise money through the walk. KDKA-TV's Kristine Sorensen served ...
- Long Island man who survived pancreatic cancer raises funds for PurpleStride walkon April 26, 2024 at 2:55 pm
After 48 years of marriage, three kids, and grandchildren the Stein family's lives were nearly shattered after Howie, a 71-year-old lawyer, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
- “Star Trek ”Actress Kitty Swink Had a 4% Survival Rate After Pancreatic Cancer — It's Been 20 Years (Exclusive)on April 25, 2024 at 8:44 am
"Seventeen days later, I came out of Cedars-Sinai with half my stomach, half my pancreas, my gallbladder gone, two feet of my intestines removed out, 28 lymph nodes removed and a 4% chance of ...
- Scottsdale pancreatic cancer survivor under the influence of hopeon April 23, 2024 at 12:10 am
The 55-year-old from Scottsdale had to undergo months of radiation, chemotherapy, then surgery. Now, he’s under the influence of hope. It wasn’t his first instinct. “I changed my mind this year,” ...
- What Is Pancreatic Cancer?on April 22, 2024 at 5:30 am
Pancreatic cancer develops when abnormal cells in the pancreas grow uncontrollably, causing symptoms like fatigue, jaundice, and urinary changes.
via Bing News