BBC News - 'Anti-cancer virus' shows promise

BBC News - 'Anti-cancer virus' shows promise:

he blood, can selectively target cancer cells throughout the body in what researchers have labelled a medical first.

The virus attacked only tumours, leaving the healthy tissue alone, in a small trial on 23 patients, according to the journal Nature.

Researchers said the findings could one day "truly transform" therapies.

Cancer specialists said using viruses showed "real promise".

Using viruses to attack cancers is not a new concept, but they have needed to be injected directly into tumours in order to evade the immune system.

Smallpox to cancer

Scientists modified the vaccinia virus, which is more famous for being used to develop a smallpox vaccine.

The virus, named JX-594, is dependent upon a chemical pathway, common in some cancers, in order to replicate.

It was injected at different doses into the blood of 23 patients with cancers which had spread to multiple organs in the body.

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I believe that some day, viruses and other biological therapies could truly transform our approach for treating cancer”

Prof John BellUniversity of Ottawa

In the eight patients receiving the highest dose, seven had the virus replicating in their tumours, but not in healthy tissue.

Prof John Bell, lead researcher and from the University of Ottawa, said: "We are very excited because this is the first time in medical history that a viral therapy has been shown to consistently and selectively replicate in cancer tissue after intravenous infusion in humans.

"Intravenous delivery is crucial for cancer treatment because it allows us to target tumours throughout the body as opposed to just those that we can directly inject."

Infection prevented further tumour growth in six patients for a time. However, the virus did not cure cancer. Patients were given only one dose of the virus as the trial was designed to test the safety of the virus.

It is thought that the virus could be used to deliver treatments directly to cancerous cells in high concentrations.

Prof Bell acknowledges that the research is still in the very early stages, but he said: "I believe that some day, viruses and other biological therapies could truly transform our approach for treating cancer."

Cancer Research UK's Prof Nick Lemoine, also director of Barts Cancer Institute, said: "Viruses that multiply in just tumour cells - avoiding healthy cells - are showing real promise as a new biological approach to target hard-to-treat cancers.

'via Blog this'

Slip, Slide, Duck for longevity in the game of Boxing and Life

Boxing is a metaphor for the existential stuggles a man suffers during his earthly existence.

Training Day

George Bellows painting of Dempsey vs Firpo

Medical Associations are generally not in favor of boxing, whatever the age.

http://www.kgoam810.com/rssItem.asp?feedid=116&itemid=29716809

Teen Boxing Is Too Dangerous, Doctors Say

(CHICAGO) -- Youth boxing may be too risky, doctors say. The amount of risks presented by the sport is simply too great, according to a policy statement released by pediatrician groups in the U.S. and Canada.

"Children and adolescents should not be participating in boxing because of the risk of head and facial injuries," statement co-author Laura Purcell, MD says, according to WebMD.

Previous research has proven that brain injury is the biggest risk posed by boxing, with more than half of boxing injuries being concussions, WebMD reports.

Purcell tells WebMD, "There is no evidence that headgear prevents concussions."

Because children's brains are more susceptible to physical harm such as concussions, pediatricians are urging health care professionals to "vigorously oppose boxing for any child or adolescent," citing longer recovery in children.

And doctors are not only worried about risk of brain and facial injury. The process of "making weight," or any practice employed to qualify for competition in a certain weight class could lead to unhealthy habits of eating or fluid restriction, according to child care physicians.

The two groups, the Canadian Pediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics, joined efforts in authoring the policy statement published in the journal Pediatrics, updating a 1997 statement by U.S. doctors. The Canadian Pediatric Society is addressing youth boxing for the first time, according to WebMD.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Good Fight

  

Povetkin is a worthy champion who was the 2004 Olympic heavyweight champion.   He is a well-skilled  boxer and has Teddy Atlas as his trainer.  This pairing could lead to a long and illustrious career and many interesting fights.  Eliminate the K's and you have a wide open division again with plenty of great fights ahead.  Think Chris Areola as a leading contender and an exciting fighter in this new division.



Povetkin,  remains undefeated after 22 fights (15 KOs), and becomes the mandatory challenger for Klitschko.

(Photo: Canadian Press)

Alexander Povetkin of Russia defeated Ruslan Chagaev by unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBA heavyweight title on Saturday. The title was Wladimir Klitschko's following the Ukrainian's victory against England's David Haye by unanimous decision in Hamburg last month, but was declared vacant when the WBA elevated Klitschko to "super champion" status.

http://www.boxnews.com.ua/en/photo/31714/Alexander-Povetkin-vs-Ruslan-Chagaev

Chagaev landed some telling blows in the fight.

P.S. Evander Holyfield is putting himself front and center looking to be Povetkin's first Title Defense.