BACKGROUND Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common form of brain cancer with an average survival of less than 12 months, is a highly aggressive and fatal disease characterized by survival of glioma cells following initial treatment, invasion through the brain parenchyma and destruction of normal brain tissues, and ultimately resistance to current treatments. Temozolomide (TMZ) is commonl...

The lethal effects of bleomycin and its derivative, peplomycin, were determined for HeLa S3 cells grown in multicell spheroids cocultured with human diploid fibroblasts. Both drugs were less effective for cells in spheroids than for cells grown exponentially in monolayers. However, HeLa cells from spheroids exposed to the drugs in single-cell suspension were more sensitive to the drugs than wer...

This paper provides quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models for predicting the radiosensitization effectiveness of nitroimidazole compounds. A new method, combining a heuristic method and projection pursuit regression, was used to build an advanced QSAR model. Compared to the conventional multi-linear regression model, this model showed better predictive ability and reliabili...

PURPOSE To assess the predictive value of hypoxia imaging by (18)F-FAZA PET in identifying tumors that may benefit from radiotherapy combined with nimorazole, a hypoxic radiosensitizer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Rats of two tumor models (Rhabdomyosarcoma and 9L-glioma) were divided into two treated groups: radiotherapy (RT) alone or RT plus nimorazole. (18)F-FAZA PET images were obtained to evalua...

Single stranded DNA oligonucleotides have been used to direct the correction of point mutations in mammalian cells. The introduction of a single-stranded oligonucleotide sets in motion a cascade of events that eventually leads to a stalling of DNA replication forks, which enables the oligo-mediated correction event to occur more readily. This is due to the fact that cells in S phase are more am...

As our understanding of the molecular pathways driving tumorigenesis improves and more druggable targets are identified, we have witnessed a concomitant increase in the development and production of novel molecularly targeted agents. Radiotherapy is commonly used in the treatment of various malignancies with a prominent role in the care of prostate cancer patients, and efforts to improve the th...

Primary cardiac sarcomas carry a dismal prognosis with no known curative therapy using standard treatment approaches. By its very location, the possibility of a radical complete resection--the underlying principle in the management of any soft-tissue sarcoma--is precluded. While literally in a continuous "blood bath," cardiac sarcomas are associated with a very high rate of hematogenous metasta...

The treatment of localized prostate cancer is expected to become a significant problem in the next decade as an increasingly aging population becomes prone to developing the disease. Recent research into the biological nature of prostate cancer has shown that large localized doses of radiation to the cancer offer excellent long-term disease control. Brachytherapy, a form of localized radiation ...

Differentially regulated expression of activators and inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) modulate cell cycle progression. In normal fibroblasts, these complexes consist of the cdk inhibitor p21WAF1/PCNA/G1 cyclin/cdk. We now show that bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), a thymidine analogue and radiation sensitizer, inhibits growth and activity of cyclin A-cdk2 kinase in metastatic C8161 and...