Sound Medicine -- July 27, 2002
- Barbara Lewis and Dr. Ora Pescovitz talk to physicians and researchers
about:
Hormone replacement therapy
A
promising "Trojan horse" cancer therapy
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Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy has been controversial for years, but
controversy turned to chaos after a large national study was halted
before completion because researchers found that some menopausal women
are at higher risk of breast cancer if they take a combination of estrogen
and progesterone.
Six million American women are taking the combination of progesterone
and estrogen, and many others are taking different hormone replacement
treatments.
To shed light on the issue we talk with Ann Zerr, MD, co-director of
the Center
for Excellence in Women's Health at the Indiana University School
of Medicine. In her practice she treats many women who look to her for
guidance as they enter menopause.
Dr. Zerr discusses the halted Women's Health Initiative research study
-- its purpose, its findings, and how it corroborates other studies.
She talks about the specific risks involved in hormone replacement therapy
(HRT) -- blood clots, breast cancer, and heart disease -- as well as
protective benefits -- bone strength and reduced risk of colorectal
cancer.
Dr. Zerr also addresses using HRT in the short term for treating symptoms
of menopause and recommends an annual risk-benefit assessment with a
physician. She also discusses alternative drugs and delivery methods
to alleviate menopause symptoms.
- Resources
 The
Administration
on Aging links to many authoritative Web sites that cover the
the topic.
- The MEDLINEplus
encyclopedia links to the most recent articles written about hormone
replacement therapy for women.
- We especially
like the non-commercial North
American Menopause Society Web site. Medical professionals and
the general public will find excellent up-to-date information here.
A promising "Trojan horse" cancer therapy
At a lab based in Purdue's
Research Park, preliminary studies in mice have shown that some
cancer cells will fall for the Trojan horse trick.
It's known that many cancer cells have a taste for folate, a water-soluble
B-vitamin. In fact, cancer cells can capture folate better than normal
healthy cells. With this knowledge, researchers at Endocyte Inc. have
been working to attach anti-cancer markers to folate. Once consumed
by cancer cells, the markers then guide the body's normal healthy cells
to destroy the cancer cells. Study results have been very positive.
We talk about these studies with Chris Leamon, PhD, vice president
of research at Endocyte. Dr. Leamon is also director of biology and
biochemistry for Endocyte.
Dr. Leamon explains that ovarian, kidney, breast, and lung cancers
in mice models are particularly susceptible to the treatment his company
has developed. He walks us through the treatment process: The mouse
is first vaccinated with immunity against a safe yellow dye, then given
folate, which delivers the dye to the cancer cells. Folate binds to
the tumor and coats it with dye, to mark it. Then the body's natural
antibodies fight the cancer cells. The treatment prompts the immune
system to fight the tumor.
Dr. Leamon discusses the nature of folate, how cancer cells use it,
and explains why there's no toxic effect on normal cells that take
in folate. He relates the amazing success of the treatment, curing 100% of the mice of their cancerous
tumors. He predicts Endocyte will be approved for human clinical trials
by the end of the year.
Resources
- Visit
the Endocyte Inc. Web site for
more information about its research and findings.
- The NIH
Clinical Center has plenty of information
about folate and how it relates to cancer.
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Medical Group,
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and Wishard Health Services.
We're taking questions for an upcoming program:
We discuss HPV, a common sexually transmitted disease that is thought
to cause cervical cancer.
Sound interesting? Send us your questions:
email: soundmed@iu.edu
phone: (317) 274-IU4U
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Health Quiz —
Male menopause
Women near the end of their childbearing years go through the infamous
"change of life" called menopause, the cessation of menstruation.
Men too go through hormonal changes as they age. Male menopause, sometimes
called andropause, is gaining more recognition in the medical community.
Which of the following symptoms do men exhibit when they enter THEIR change
of life:
a. loss of sex drive
b. bone fractures
c. varicose veins
d. memory loss
e. all of the above
Find out!
Medical mystery —
Human subjects and genetic research
The United States is home to many of the world's best scientists in
the field of genetics. Most Americans, however, are not likely to participate
in genetics research anytime soon.
But one national group is intimately involved in genetics research.
This group, 275,000 strong, is providing some of the most detailed information
about their genetic makeup, medical histories, and related data ever
collected. Who are these people?
Find out!
Weekly Notebook — Findings of the Women's Health Initiative
study
Here are the specific findings of the study, comparing the estrogen
plus progestin group of women with the placebo group.
• A doubling of rates of venous thromboembolism (blood clots)
• A 41 percent increase in strokes
• A 29 percent increase in heart attacks
• A 26 percent increase in breast cancer
• A 37 percent reduction in cases of colorectal cancer
• A one-third reduction in hip fracture rates
• A 24 percent reduction in total fractures
• No difference in total mortality (of all causes)
Source: The National Institutes of Health Heart
Lung and Blood Institute
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