| Reuters Study Points to the Discovery of Prostate Cancer Stem Cell |
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Reuters Study Points to the Discovery of Prostate Cancer Stem Cell In a study published in early September 2009, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center reported to Reuters Health that they found a new type of stem cell that may cause some types of prostate cancer. The findings, which were in mice, not humans, are still very preliminary and experimental, but may prove to open the door to new treatments in the future. Stem cells are "master cells" that grown into various types of cells in the body, in this case prostate cancer cells. In a way, they are like the "root" of the cancer, and researchers believe that this discovery may eventually lead to treatments that focus on the root cause rather than the result, or the actual tumors. This shows promise for patients dealing with recurrent cases of prostate cancer that do not respond to traditional treatment options. The prostate gland is responsible for producing semen. In a healthy prostate, the newly discovered stem cells are responsible for regenerating the tissue that lines the inside of the gland. When the genes that limit growth become damaged, the cells can turn into prostate tumors. According to Britain's Prostate Cancer Charity spokesperson Dr. Helen Rippon, researchers have been speculating about the role of stem cells in prostate cancer development for a while. The doctor indicates that the new stem cells discovered in the study do not rely on androgens. These male sex hormones are responsible for the growth of the prostate. Many men with late stage prostate cancer find that the disease becomes resistant to hormone-based treatments, which attempt to control prostate cancer growth by limiting androgens. The fact that the recently discovered stem cells do not rely on androgens may be the reason for this resistance. Dr. Rippon did not participate in the actual research being reported but did feel that the new discovery could promote research that will actually be able to prevent the disease from developing. The new stem cells were given the name CARNs, which stands for castration-resistant Nkx3.1-expressing cells, by Michael Shen and colleagues of Columbia University Medical Center. Prior to the discovery, researchers believed the tumors came from basal cells, which are located in a different layer of the prostate gland. Again, the research into CARNs is still preliminary, but Shen believes that the new research may show that CARNs are a possible origin for prostate cancer. Both basal cells and CARNs may prove to be responsible for different types of prostate cancer as further research is performed. Further research is required to determine whether or not this new finding will have an impact on prostate cancer treatment and prevention, or if it will have any affect on human patients. However, it is a promising first step towards finding a cause for this common disease, the second most common type of cancer in men. Every year, over 250,000 men worldwide are killed by this disease, making research like this crucial as the medical world works to combat this killer. |