Control of growth of vestibular schwannomas with low-dose Gamma Knife surgery.

Object: The treatment of solitary vestibular schwannomas by performing Gamma Knife surgery is well established. It has been reported that decreasing the surface dose reduces patient morbidity, especially facial weakness and numbness. The authors of this retrospective study examine patient data from a single center to determine if low-dose (< or = 14 Gy) GKS controls tumor growth as effectively as higher doses (> 14 Gy).

Activation of the cholesterol pathway and Ras maturation in response to stress.

All cells depend on sterols and isoprenoids derived from mevalonate (MVA) for growth, differentiation, and maintenance of homeostatic functions. In plants, environmental insults like heat and sunlight trigger the synthesis of isoprene, also derived from MVA, and this phenomenon has been associated with enhanced tolerance to heat. Here, we show that in human prostate adenocarcinoma PC-3M cells heat shock leads to activation of the MVA pathway.

Phenylacetate and phenylbutyrate as novel, nontoxic differentiation inducers.

Phenylacetate and analogs represent a new class of pleiotropic growth regulators that alter tumor cell biology by affecting gene expression at both the transcriptional and post transcriptional levels. Based on these findings, NaPA and NaPB entered clinical trials at the National Cancer Institute. Ongoing phase I studies with NaPA, involving adults with prostate and brain cancer, have confirmed that therapeutic levels can be achieved with no significant toxicities, and provide preliminary evidence for benefit to patients with advanced disease (Thibault et al.

Gamma knife for glioma: selection factors and survival.

Purpose: To determine factors associated with survival differences in patients treated with radiosurgery for glioma.

Methods And Materials: We analyzed 189 patients treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery for primary or recurrent glioma World Health Organization (WHO) Grades 1-4.

Conclusion: The median minimum tumor dose was 16 Gy (8-30 Gy) and the median tumor volume was 5.

Transcriptional upregulation of gamma-globin by phenylbutyrate and analogous aromatic fatty acids.

Phenylbutyrate has been shown recently to induce fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production in patients with sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia. We have now examined related aromatic fatty acids in order to define the range of active structures and identify plausible mechanisms of action. Structure-function analysis revealed that for effective stimulation of HbF in erythroid precursors: (1) the ideal length for the aliphatic side chain is four carbons; (2) oxygen or sulfur substitutions in the carboxylic chain are allowed, as evidenced by the equal or increased activity of phenoxypropionate, benzylthioglycolate, and benzyloxyacetate compared with phenylbutyrate; and (3) blocking the carboxylate group by conversion to the amide form greatly reduces potency.