(American Health Newswire)-- Those suffering from Melanoma may have new hope. A recent study shows that a patient's own cells may reduce advanced melanoma and send the cancer into remission.

Cassian Yee, M.D., a member of the Clinical Research Division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, had a goal to find the ideal cellular environment in which to infuse 15 billion to 20 billion cancer-fighting CD8+ T cells so that they remain for as long as possible in the body to battle the tumors. The cells, which were removed from the patients and multiplied in the lab before re-infusion, are a type of white blood cell that attacks a protein linked to the cancer.

All the participants in this study had progressive metastatic melanoma that was unresponsive to traditional therapy. Before the T-cell infusions, all were treated with high doses of cyclophosphamide to destroy their lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system. This was done to stimulate the production of certain growth factors that help promote additional production of the T cells within the body.

Eight of the 11 patients received low doses of interleukin-2 growth factor after the T cells were infused to further promote cell growth. Among these patients, one showed a complete remission and four patients, who had failed traditional therapy, experienced a temporary non-progression of their disease. The remaining three patients received higher doses of IL-2, which was found to be more harmful to the body. Two of these patients had temporary non-progression of their disease.

In all of the patients-except for the one who attained a complete remission-disease eventually progressed within 12 to 19 weeks of T-cell infusion.

Individual variations between patients with concern to how long the infused T cells persisted within the body probably explained why some responded to treatment better than others. "Certainly there are differences between patients but we think that persistence of the infused T cells in the body has a lot to do with it," Yee was quoted as saying. "It tells us we certainly have a way to go."

"Our results confirm that if we can develop methods to grow these kinds of cells in the lab, then we can give these high-proliferating, helper-independent T cells to all patients for T-cell therapy," Yee, who is a researcher in the Hutchinson Center's immunotherapy program, was quoted as saying. "Fortunately, we have been able to achieve this goal and are in the process of treating patients in an ongoing study with these helper-independent T cells."

Forthcoming studies may use different forms of interleukin growth factor and maybe even vaccines to boost the body's response to the infused cells, Yee said.

SOURCE: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, March 2012.

New discoveries: Alzheimer's disease

New Discoveries: Alzheimer's disease

(IAmerican Health Newswire)-- With the help of mice, researchers have now found that mitochondria in the brain are dysfunctional early on in Alzheimer's disease, even before memory loss.

The team examined mitochondria in three mouse models, each using a different gene shown to cause familial, or early-onset, Alzheimer's disease. The specific mitochondria changes corresponded with the mutation type and included altered mitochondrial movement, structure, and energy dynamics. The changes occurred in the brain even before the mice showed any symptoms such as memory loss. The group also found that the mitochondrial changes contributed to the later loss of mitochondrial function and the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

"One of the most significant findings of this study is our discovery of the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease," Eugenia Trushina, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic pharmacologist and senior investigator on the study, was quoted saying. "We are asking: Can we connect the degree of mitochondrial dysfunction with the progression of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease?"

With the help of a Mayo researcher Petras Dzeja, Ph.D., the team applied a fairly new method called metabolomics, which measures the chemical fingerprints of metabolic pathways in the cell - sugars, lipids, nucleotides, amino acids and fatty acids.

The researchers hope that the panel of metabolomic biomarkers they discovered can eventually be used for early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of Alzheimer's progression.

"We expect to validate metabolomic changes in humans with Alzheimer's disease and to use these biomarkers to diagnose the disease before symptoms appear -- which is the ideal time to start treatment," Dr. Trushina was quoted saying.

The researchers examined neurons of three various genetic animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers applied a mitochondria-specific dye and observed their motion along axons, a process called axonal trafficking. Demonstrating that even in embryonic neurons afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, well before the mice show any memory loss, mitochondrial axonal trafficking is inhibited. Using a panel of techniques that included electron and light microscopy, they determined that in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease, mitochondria tended to lose their integrity, ultimately leading to the loss of function. Importantly, dysfunctional mitochondria were detected at the synapses of neurons involved in maintaining memory.

"We are not looking at the consequences of Alzheimer's disease, but at very early events and molecular mechanisms that lead to the disease," Dr. Trushina was quoted as saying. The next step is looking at the same mitochondrial biomarkers in humans, she says. As the researchers begin to understand more about the mitochondrial dynamics that are altered in Alzheimer's disease, they hope to move on to designing drugs that can restore the abnormal bioenergetics and mitochondrial dynamics to treat the disease.

SOURCE: PLoS ONE, February 29, 2012

GERD Be gone! Magnets treat heartburn

GERD Be Gone! Magnets Treat Heartburn

SAN DIEGO (American Health Newswire) -- Chronic heartburn, also known as GERD, keeps millions of Americans from enjoying the foods they love. It can also lead to a dangerous form of cancer. The painful, burning sensations could only be helped by prescription drugs or a very invasive surgery. But now, tiny magnets are helping these patients find relief.

Mixing, heating and topping. It's all part of the fun for Janet. Whipping up tasty sweets is a passion and a family tradition.

"My mother was a great example," Janet told American Health. "She was a fantastic cook and baker, and she would bake cookies every single day."

She shared her mom's love of baking, but just a couple years ago food, even food that looked great, wasn't appealing.

"I always had a burning sensation. I always felt a discomfort and burning. I would always think about what I ate before I ate it," Janet said.

Janet had severe heartburn known as GERD. It happens when acids leak up from the stomach into the esophagus. The only treatments are drugs that offer short-term relief or a surgery where doctors knot the stomach around the esophagus.

Now, there's a magnetic device that stops acid reflux in its tracks.

"It completely solves their problem. These patients now have family members and friends that want the operation," Santiago Horgan, M.D., chief of minimally invasive surgery at UC San Diego Health System, explained.

In a 20-minute procedure, surgeons place the device around the bottom of the esophagus. Magnetic attraction between the beads helps the esophagus open up when food goes down, then close tightly so acid can't find its way up.

"And when food tries to come back up, it's closed, so nothing comes back up, but things can go through," Dr. Horgan said.

After the procedure, patients like Janet can eat what they want right away.

"I'm just so much happier now that I'm eating," Janet said. "I'm eating the regular food and not feeling discomfort or pain."

Janet has even started a blog, and is sharing all of her favorite recipes. She's a passionate baker who has found a way to once again enjoy her favorite treats.

The band is sized to fit each patient. Clinical trials for the device just wrapped up. Dr. Horgan says he hopes it will be FDA approved soon. He says the procedure is simple to perform and there are no food restrictions. The traditional surgery is complicated and patients had to be on a special diet for six weeks.

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