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Neural Stem Cells May Aid in the Fight Against Cancer
SAN FRANCISCO (April 11, 2000) -- Preliminary studies suggest that the transplantation of neural stem cells into the brains of mice with cancer may offer new hope for the treatment of patients with brain tumors. Karen S. Aboody, MD, a neuroscientist working in the lab of Evan Snyder, MD, PhD, at Children's Hospital in Boston, will present the preliminary results of recent experiments examining the properties of neural stem cells and their potential applications to combat some types of brain cancer at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), on Monday, April 10, 2000. (Dr. Aboody is this year's recipient of the AANS' subspecialty Section on Tumors Young Investigator's Award).
In these pilot studies, mice were injected with neural stem cells (NSCs), immature cells found in the developing central nervous system that have the capability of differentiating into a variety of cell types. Within a couple of weeks of transplantation, NSCs appeared to distribute themselves rapidly and extensively throughout the tumor bed, as well as follow aggressively advancing tumor cells as they migrated into surrounding healthy tissue.
When the neural stem cells were injected into a distant site from the main tumor mass, the cells also appeared to hone in and target the tumor, suggesting an attraction for the tumor or the surrounding brain damage it causes.
"Malignant brain tumors remain virtually untreatable and are inevitably lethal, despite surgical excision and radio- and chemo-therapy," said Dr. Aboody. "This new tumor targeting ability, if reliably reproducible, could result in novel and more effective therapies for previously intractable brain tumors."
In addition to the apparent tumor- targeting ability of neural stem cells, these pilot studies also suggested the delivery of therapeutic genes to tumor foci might elicit an anti-tumor killing effect and/or stop the tumor cells from dividing. These preliminary observations open up new possibilities for delivering or targeting gene therapy to previously refractory brain tumors.
"These early studies suggest that neural stem cells can serve as vehicles for gene delivery in the adult brain," said Dr. Aboody. "Future studies in this area are necessary to assess the potential clinical applications of this technology. If they prove effective in delivering toxic compounds to migrating cancer cells, physicians may have a potent new weapon against brain cancer."
Joseph M. Piepmeier, MD, Chair of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors agreed, adding, "One of the problems in treating malignant brain tumors is that these lesions are not confined. They infiltrate into the surrounding brain tissue. Consequently, novel ideas are needed to enable neurosurgeons to deliver therapy that can reach these isolated tumor cells. The innovative work demonstrated by the application of neural stem cells introduces a technique that can be tremendously helpful in this regard. This research results from the convergence of developmental neurobiology with a clinical problem and illustrates how neurosurgeons are meeting the challenges of treatment for brain tumors."
A brain tumor is a cluster of abnormal cells growing in the brain. Brain tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). They can start growing in the brain -- a primary tumor, or they can be formed when cancer cells from another part of the body travel to the brain -- a metastatic brain tumor. Approximately one-half of all primary brain tumors are malignant, as are all metastatic brain tumors.
More than 110,000 people are diagnosed each year with a brain tumor. Approximately 80,000 of these tumors are metastatic. There are more than a dozen different types of brain tumors and they are classified by level of malignancy, size and degree to which the cancer has spread.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 5,500 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are Board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spine, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.
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Media Representatives: The Annual Meeting press kit can be found in the Media Center Section of the AANS Web site at: http://www.neurosurgery.org/aans.
If you would like to cover the meeting or interview a neurosurgeon - either on-site or via telephone - please contact an AANS Public Relations representative at (847) 692-9500 or call the Annual Meeting Press Room beginning Sunday, April 9 at (415) 978-3715 (3716).
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