236 results match your criteria: "VU University Medical Center (VUmc)[Affiliation]"

Neural invasion is one of the most common routes of invasion in pancreatic cancer and it is responsible for the high rate of tumor recurrence after surgery and the pain generation associated with pancreatic cancer. Several molecules implicated in neural invasion are also responsible for pain onset including NGF belonging to the family of neutrophins. NGF released by cancer cells can sensitize sensory nerves which in turn results in severe pain.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Advances in target drugs and immunotherapy for biliary tract cancer.

Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol

October 2024

Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Article Synopsis
  • - There has been significant progress in the treatment of biliary tract cancers (BTC) with the introduction of targeted therapies and immunotherapy, moving past years of stagnation in treatment options.
  • - The overview covers existing therapies like FGFR, IDH, and HER2 inhibitors, along with emerging targets such as KRAS and pathways like MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR, plus newer therapeutic approaches like CAR-T and vaccines.
  • - Challenges include a limited patient pool for targeted therapies, with discussions on how to design clinical trials effectively, along with insights into promising trials that could change BTC treatment practices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Retraction notice to "Dual targeting of TGF-β and PD-L1 inhibits tumor growth in TGF-β/PD-L1-driven colorectal carcinoma" [Life Sci. 328 (2023) 121865].

Life Sci

December 2024

Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; College of Medicine, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala, Iraq; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gene-environmental influence of space and microgravity on red blood cells with sickle cell disease.

NPJ Genom Med

September 2024

Dutch Experiment Support Center (DESC), Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, Amsterdam Bone Center (ABC), Amsterdam UMC Location VU University Medical Center (VUmc) & Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081, LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

A fundamental question in human biology and for hematological disease is how do complex gene-environment interactions lead to individual disease outcome? This is no less the case for sickle cell disease (SCD), a monogenic disorder of Mendelian inheritance, both clinical course, severity, and treatment response, is variable amongst affected individuals. New insight and discovery often lie between the intersection of seemingly disparate disciplines. Recently, opportunities for space medicine have flourished and have offered a new paradigm for study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objective: A survival benefit was demonstrated for patients with low-volume synchronous metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPCa) when local radiotherapy to the prostate was added to androgen deprivation therapy. This study aims to determine the incidence of prostate cancer-related events and treatments in those who received and those who did not receive external beam radiotherapy for mHSPCa.

Methods: The HORRAD trial is a multicentre randomised controlled trial recruiting originally 432 patients with mHSPCa diagnosed between 2004 and 2014.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in a specific gene, resulting in neurological issues like abnormal movement and self-harm, which are hard to treat.
  • - A systematic review of 34 studies found that many had high bias, and there were significant differences in how treatments were applied and evaluated, leading to inconsistent results.
  • - The most researched treatments, such as S-Adenosylmethionine and Deep Brain Stimulation, need more investigation, and there is a pressing need for better study designs to improve the assessment of treatment effectiveness in LND.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is an important protein that helps cancer cells stick together, move, grow, and survive, so targeting it could help treat tough cancers like pancreatic cancer.
  • Researchers tested a new series of special compounds and found one that effectively stopped the growth of different pancreatic cancer cells and reduced their movement.
  • In experiments with mice, this compound not only slowed down tumor growth but also showed it wasn’t harmful, making it a strong candidate for future cancer treatments that target FAK.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The trend toward more target therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Expert Rev Anticancer Ther

July 2024

Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Article Synopsis
  • Even though there have been improvements in cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer is still hard to treat with targeted therapies, so doctors mostly use combinations of chemotherapy.
  • This review looks at different treatments being tested for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), focusing on well-known targets like KRAS and new ones like P53.
  • Experts believe it's going to take time to find better targeted treatments for PDAC, and they suggest using combinations of drugs instead of just one.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Utility of Laboratory Investigations for the Assessment and Management of Rheumatic Immune Related Adverse Events.

Rheum Dis Clin North Am

May 2024

Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8-130 Clinical Sciences Building, 11350 83 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada. Electronic address:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have greatly improved survival of several cancers with historically very poor prognosis. ICIs act by stimulating the patient's own immune system to fight cancer. Simultaneously, this immune activation can lead to immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including rheumatic manifestations (Rh-irAEs).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hydrogen therapy has emerged as a possible approach for both preventing and treating cancer. Cancers are often associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Hydrogen, with its unique physiological functions and characteristics, exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties, making it an attractive candidate for cancer treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unraveling the Connection: Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Schwann Cells.

J Clin Med

March 2024

Department of Medical Oncology, Lab of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal solid malignancies, characterized by its aggressiveness and metastatic potential, with a 5-year survival rate of only 13%. Progress in the management of metastatic disease has been modest. A robust connection between nervous system and tumor progression exists, with prominent neural alterations having been observed during pancreatic cancer's progression, including neural hypertrophy, neural density, and neural remodeling.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Treatment resistance poses a significant obstacle in oncology, especially in biliary tract cancer (BTC) and pancreatic cancer (PC). Current therapeutic options include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Resistance to these treatments may arise due to diverse molecular mechanisms, such as genetic and epigenetic modifications, altered drug metabolism and efflux, and changes in the tumor microenvironment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Exploring the therapeutic potential of focal adhesion kinase inhibition in overcoming chemoresistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Future Med Chem

February 2024

Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase often overexpressed in PDAC. FAK has been linked to cell migration, survival, proliferation, angiogenesis and adhesion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

'Wait…, let me tell you, if I worked for a boss, I would be on sick leave': A Qualitative Study of Self-Employed Workers in Physically Demanding Jobs in the Netherlands.

J Occup Rehabil

September 2024

Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center (VUMC), Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of self-employed workers with a physically demanding job on work participation.

Methods: We interviewed self-employed workers with a physically demanding job, using semi-structured interviews, which were audio recorded. The main topic addressed was the workers' health in relation with their work participation, work demands, and preventive measures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis, prompting research into new biomarkers for early diagnosis and survival prediction using RNA and microRNA sequencing alongside machine learning.
  • Analysis of gene expression from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and survival data identified 23 genes and several microRNAs that affect PDAC progression and patient survival.
  • Machine learning techniques, particularly Gradient Boosting Machines, were successful in pinpointing key genes and microRNAs, such as CTSW, which could serve as novel genetic markers for earlier detection of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nortopsentins as Leads from Marine Organisms for Anticancer and Anti-Inflammatory Agent Development.

Molecules

September 2023

Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, PA, Italy.

The marine environment is an excellent source of molecules that have a wide structural diversity and a variety of biological activities. Many marine natural products (MNPs) have been established as leads for anticancer drug discovery. Most of these compounds are alkaloids, including several chemical subclasses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Within-individual changes in physical work demands associated with self-reported health and musculoskeletal symptoms: a cohort study among Dutch workers.

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

November 2023

Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate changes in physical work demands in association with self-rated health and musculoskeletal symptoms.

Methods: Data from five waves over the period 2019-2021 of the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey COVID-19 were available for 7191 participants aged 19-64 years who worked (partly) on-site during at least two consecutive waves. Logistic generalized estimated equations (GEE) were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for changes (increase or decrease compared to no change) in physical work demands between two waves and poor self-rated health and musculoskeletal symptoms in the following wave, adjusted for the health outcome at the first wave, age, educational level, working hours and hours worked from home.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common cancer associated with poor outcomes, underscoring a need for the identification of novel prognostic and therapeutic targets to improve outcomes. This study aimed to identify genetic variants and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using genome-wide DNA and RNA sequencing followed by validation in a large cohort of patients with CRC. Whole genome and gene expression profiling were used to identify DEGs and genetic alterations in 146 patients with CRC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: T cell receptors play important roles in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Their involvement has been reported in inflammatory autoimmune diseases. However, their role in predicting RA is still under exploration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Extracellular vesicles: Emerging mediators of cell communication in gastrointestinal cancers exhibiting metabolic abnormalities.

Cytokine Growth Factor Rev

October 2023

Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; College of Medicine, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala, Iraq,; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address:

There is a complex interaction between pro-tumoural and anti-tumoural networks in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Throughout tumourigenesis, communication between malignant cells and various cells of the TME contributes to metabolic reprogramming. Tumour Dysregulation of metabolic pathways offer an evolutional advantage in the TME and enhance the tumour progression, invasiveness, and metastasis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme has been shown to be expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its dysregulation is linked to tumor progression and a poor prognosis. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of targeting CYP450 using lopinavir/ritonavir in CRC. The integrative systems biology method and RNAseq were utilized to investigate the differential levels of genes associated with patients with colorectal cancer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Role of exosomes in transferring chemoresistance through modulation of cancer glycolytic cell metabolism.

Cytokine Growth Factor Rev

October 2023

Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam U.M.C., VU. University Medical Center (VUMC), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per La Scienza, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address:

Chemoresistance constitute a major obstacle in cancer treatment, leading to limited options and decreased patient survival. Recent studies have revealed a novel mechanism of chemoresistance acquisition: the transfer of information via exosomes, small vesicles secreted by various cells. Exosomes play a crucial role in intercellular communication by carrying proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites, influencing cancer cell behavior and response to treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF