Gene therapy & P53, and Anti-HER-2/neu-targeted therapy

lindaprocopio

This piece of research is really hard to understand, but builds on some earlier research I did on epidermal growth factor type II receptor. This 'factor' can be tested for with fresh tissue samples taken during your hysterectomy, and KNOWING you had this factor would be VERY important information, as there are drugs that can work with this factor. The danger of NOT knowing you have it, is that your survival rate drops about 90% for UPSC patients who have it and do not get the additional chemo drugs that can attack it. (My understanding is that this 'factor' makes your cancer cells resistant to chemo. But the special additional drugs can weaken the cancer cells and make them more 'kill-able'.) Anyway, here's the new stuff, for those of you who can understand it. (If you can, PLEASE explain it to me!!):

FACTA UNIVERSITATIS
Series: Medicine and Biology Vol.13, No 3, 2006, pp. 133 – 138

There are other significant differences between endometrioid carcinomas and papillary serous carcinomas. Women with papillary serous carcinoma tend to be older (median age 65-70), nonobese and parous. Atypical hyperplasia is not a precursor lesion for this disease, these tumors are not associated with estrogen excess, usually do not express ER or PR, but they frequently have p53 mutations and high degrees of aneuploidy. In contrast to endometrioid adenocarcinoma, microsatellite instability, k-RAS and PTEN mutations are uncommon in papillary serous carcinoma (24)

A significant percentage of poorly differentiated tumors, often with serous papillary or clear cell histology, have been found to overexpress the epidermal growth factor type II receptor. Anti-HER-2/neu-targeted therapy might be a novel and attractive therapeutic strategy in patients harboring this biologically aggressive variant of endometrial cancer.

(and here's one more interesting todbit from my morning of research):

GENE THERAPY

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common neoplasm of the female reproductive tract and it accounts for nearly one-half of all gynecologic malignancies. Although usually curable with surgery, sometimes aggressive tumors such as uterine papillary serous carcinomas (UPSC) are seen. Immunohistochemical studies suggest that p53 is aberrant in 50–90% of UPSC tumors in comparison to 10–30% in typical endometrioid adenocarcinomas. In a recent study, adenoviral delivery of p53 or p21 resulted in growth suppression and induction of apoptosis in a UPSC cell line71.

An alternative approach to inhibiting the growth of cervical cancer cells is based on the observation that tumor suppressor p53 functions are downregulated in most cervical cancer cells. The product of HPV oncogene E6 binds to and inactivates p53 by promoting its degradation. p73 is similar to p53 in structure and function but not degraded by the HPV E6 gene product. Das et al. demonstrated growth inhibition of E6-positive cell lines in vitro following infection with Ad-p7369.

california_artist

Gene and p53
Hi, Linda,
You know, I can't say how comforting is to always have your presence here. Anyway, about the gene thing, were you able to get testing done for any of those factors prior to your chemo/rad treatments? I had the hardest time getting anyone to consider testing form my hormone receptor status or anything that was other than the standard treatments. I did, after a year, get just my regular gyno to order a er/pr test on my tissue from the surgery, it was 60%er and 40%pr and also highly p53 mutated. I took this info back to oncologist, and he didn't even want to hear about it. All he can say is let's wait and see if anything is growing. He's content to have me get a ct every few months. He's giving me a headache. My insurance is very minimal. have you found out anything else regarding the gene therapy. And would you mind if you still have the info, giving me the site where you found that stuff. It was very interesting.
I have set up a thread somewhere on here for helpful web sites. So far there's been no interest. I put a referral to one I thought was very helpful on many levels.
Would love to hear from you. I wouldn't mind at all a call, would actually welcome it. I'm not really sure why everyone is so anonymous.
Love and hope,
claudia

Here's my email claudiaallen27@yahoo.com
If you would like to talk, I'll give you my phone number.


Have a wonderful Mother's Day, although, I don't know if you are a mother or not. But in some way, as women, we are all mothers to the world.

daisy366

california_artist said:

Gene and p53
Hi, Linda,
You know, I can't say how comforting is to always have your presence here. Anyway, about the gene thing, were you able to get testing done for any of those factors prior to your chemo/rad treatments? I had the hardest time getting anyone to consider testing form my hormone receptor status or anything that was other than the standard treatments. I did, after a year, get just my regular gyno to order a er/pr test on my tissue from the surgery, it was 60%er and 40%pr and also highly p53 mutated. I took this info back to oncologist, and he didn't even want to hear about it. All he can say is let's wait and see if anything is growing. He's content to have me get a ct every few months. He's giving me a headache. My insurance is very minimal. have you found out anything else regarding the gene therapy. And would you mind if you still have the info, giving me the site where you found that stuff. It was very interesting.
I have set up a thread somewhere on here for helpful web sites. So far there's been no interest. I put a referral to one I thought was very helpful on many levels.
Would love to hear from you. I wouldn't mind at all a call, would actually welcome it. I'm not really sure why everyone is so anonymous.
Love and hope,
claudia

Here's my email claudiaallen27@yahoo.com
If you would like to talk, I'll give you my phone number.


Have a wonderful Mother's Day, although, I don't know if you are a mother or not. But in some way, as women, we are all mothers to the world.

My doctor said he was going to order a review of my pathology from surgery last Sept to see if I would respond to hormone therapy. I haven't heard about results yet. When I asked how long they keep tissue samples, he gave me the impression it was for quite a while.

Mary Ann

california_artist

Hormone therapy
It took only three weeks, maybe less to get results once my doctor ordered the hormone receptor tests. I unfortunately didn't ask for the her2 test that linda mentioned.
You might want to ask your doctor again. Maybe you could show him/her Linda's info to encourage him/her. I have found that if a doctor knows that his decisions are being discussed on a cancer board, especially one associated with the American Cancer Society, that they tend to be a bit more careful of how they treat you.
Best of luck to you.
Hope you had a lovely day.
Love and hope,
Claudia

judim

UPSC
I was diagnosed in Dec 2008. Had surgery 12.26.08. Had an itraperitoenal port inserted in Jan 2009. Began chemo 2.18.09 with IV Taxol followed by IP infusion of cisplatnim. Had such a violent reaction that the port is no longer used. Having IV cisplatnim to be followed by Taxol then radiation. Have had difficulty maintaining adequate hydration and a normal blood count. Found your info on a genetic component very interesting. Gives me new info to present to the oncologist. Thank you

lindaprocopio

judim said:

UPSC
I was diagnosed in Dec 2008. Had surgery 12.26.08. Had an itraperitoenal port inserted in Jan 2009. Began chemo 2.18.09 with IV Taxol followed by IP infusion of cisplatnim. Had such a violent reaction that the port is no longer used. Having IV cisplatnim to be followed by Taxol then radiation. Have had difficulty maintaining adequate hydration and a normal blood count. Found your info on a genetic component very interesting. Gives me new info to present to the oncologist. Thank you

Welcome, Judy! I'm interested in the itraperitoenal port
Hi, Judy! Sorry that the itraperitoenal port was too much for your body to handle. When I started chemo, I hadn't heard of this option, or I may have asked to try it. Since that time, I've learned from the Ovarian Cancer Discussion Board on this site what a EFFECTIVE option it can be,...IF your body can tolerate the harshness of it. With aggressive cancers, pumping the chemo right into the site can give you an edge. But you are certainly not alone in suffering with an unacceptable reaction to the infusions done this way. But if I ever have a recurrance (God forbid!) I will see if itraperitoenal infusions are a chemo option for me.

Do you have extreme nausea and vomiting that is making it hard to stay hydrated? ((((Judy))))) That would be horrible. There are some really good anti-nausea drugs out there that should help you if your oncologist will prescribe them. There isn't much you can do personally to help with your blood counts. I ate an iron-rich high-fiber diet throughout my chemo rounds and still had blood count problems for my last 3 rounds. I had 2 blood transfusions that really helped with my red counts, and I had 1-week delays in my chemo 3 different times that really allowed my platelet counts to climb to a safer level, and I had a Neulasta shot when my white count really tanked. I had my surgery in early October 2008, so you are 2 1/2 months behind me in the initial treatment protocol. (I finished my chemo in late March and am currently in the radiation phase of treatment.) If I can help you in any way with my experiences, please stay in touch! We will all be here for you. If you have the time, please read through the long longest thread on this discussion board that was initiated in late 2008. (Warning: it is over 300 posts and loads SLOW.) It includes most of the research that we all did on UPSC when this Discussion Board initially started, and reads like a fascinating BOOK for UPSC patients, and IMHO, is the best and most current resource on the web on UPSC.