Re: Study sheds light on how Down's prevents cancer...what about leukemia

[Guest guest]

Thank you for this articel.

I am a " new " mom here and have a question regarding cancer. I read

that children with Downs are more prone to leukemia. How does this

fit into the cancer outlook for them?....however, I might be miss-

informed.

Simone

mother to Ana 20 months.

>

> y Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with Down's syndrome suffer cancer

less than

> most other people and a study in mice published on Wednesday gives

one

> possible explanation -- they produce higher levels of a certain

protein.

>

> The protein may keep tumours from growing, and this finding may

help in the

> development of new cancer drugs, the team at s Hopkins

University in

> Baltimore reported.

>

> Dr. Reeves of s Hopkins and colleagues found a gene

called Ets2

> protected mice from colon cancer. Writing in the journal Nature,

Reeves and

> colleagues said they used mice bred to develop colon cancer at

extreme

> rates, and genetically engineered them to produce extra amounts of

Ets2.

>

> They said the more Ets2 the mice had, the less likely they were to

develop

> colon cancer.

>

> The secret lies in having an extra copy of chromosome 21. People

with Down's

> syndrome, also known as Down syndrome, have three copies of the

chromosome

> instead of the usual two.

>

> That gives them extra copies of all the genes on chromosome 21 and

of the

> proteins that these genes produce.

>

> The effects are well known -- people with Down's suffer from mental

> retardation, have distinct facial and other physical

characteristics and a

> higher risk of some diseases.

>

> But not cancer, said Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer expert at

Children's

> Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Ets2, which is

found on

> chromosome 21, may help explain why.

>

> " They are protected against cancer and also atherosclerosis and

diabetic

> retinopathy, " Folkman, who was not associated with the research,

said in a

> telephone interview.

>

> Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness in people with diabetes

and, like

> atherosclerosis, is associated with blood vessel function.

>

> STARVING TUMORS

>

> Folkman discovered a protein called endostatin that kick-started a

field of

> cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. They starve a tumour

by

> stopping it from creating blood vessels to nourish itself.

>

> The basic biological mechanism, which affects blood vessel

function and

> growth, may also underlie other so-called vascular diseases such as

> atherosclerosis, Folkman said.

>

> Folkman and other researchers believe people with Down's produce

extra

> endostatin naturally, but also that other genes play an important

role. Ets2

> appears to be one of them.

>

> " It is turning out to be very important because it gives a strong

clinical

> clue that suggests some humans may be protected against cancer, "

Folkman

> said.

>

> " Down syndrome is always considered a tragedy for families. But on

the other

> hand, they bring this huge clinical clue, " Folkman said. The genes

that

> protect against cancer appear to be separate from the genes known

to cause

> mental retardation, he added.

>

> " In medical school in 1953 we were taught -- 'oh, by the way, Down

syndrome

> individuals are protected against cancer'. Everybody asked why and

they

> said, 'We think it is because they don't live long enough (to

develop it),' "

> Folkman said.

>

> But now Down's patients live into their 70s and they still develop

cancer at

> a lower rate, he said.

>

> Dr. Threadgill of the University of North Carolina agreed

that Ets2

> might be used as the basis of a drug, but said far more research

is needed

> because the protein also appears to help cancer spread, or

metastasize, when

> it does develop.

>

> " So therapeutic use of potential drugs with Ets2-like activity to

reduce

> tumour incidence may have limited value, because a side effect of

such drugs

> could be increased efficiency of metastasis, " Threadgill wrote in a

> commentary. (Editing by Alan Elsner)

>

> http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0264850120080102?sp=true

>

[Guest guest]

From what I understand, the cancers that the article is speaking

about are ‘solid tumor’ types of cancer (breast, brain, colon, etc)

and the protein that is produced in higher levels in people with Ds seem to

protect against those kinds of cancers.

Leukemia, on the other hand, is a blood based cancer, and from

what I understand, the reasons for a higher incidence in Ds are poorly

understood…

All types of cancer except leukemia and testicular cancer have

much lower rates in the Ds population.

And welcome to the listserv…glad you joined us!

KathyR

From:

Down Syndrome Treatment

[mailto:Down Syndrome Treatment ] On Behalf Of Simone

Mueller-

Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 1:06 PM

Down Syndrome Treatment

Subject: Re: Study sheds light on how Down's

prevents cancer...what about leukemia

Thank you for this articel.

I am a " new " mom here and have a question regarding cancer. I read

that children with Downs are more prone to leukemia. How does this

fit into the cancer outlook for them?....however, I might be miss-

informed.

Simone

mother to Ana 20 months.

>

> y Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with Down's syndrome suffer cancer

less than

> most other people and a study in mice published on Wednesday gives

one

> possible explanation -- they produce higher levels of a certain

protein.

>

> The protein may keep tumours from growing, and this finding may

help in the

> development of new cancer drugs, the team at s Hopkins

University in

> Baltimore reported.

>

> Dr. Reeves of s Hopkins and colleagues found a gene

called Ets2

> protected mice from colon cancer. Writing in the journal Nature,

Reeves and

> colleagues said they used mice bred to develop colon cancer at

extreme

> rates, and genetically engineered them to produce extra amounts of

Ets2.

>

> They said the more Ets2 the mice had, the less likely they were to

develop

> colon cancer.

>

> The secret lies in having an extra copy of chromosome 21. People

with Down's

> syndrome, also known as Down syndrome, have three copies of the

chromosome

> instead of the usual two.

>

> That gives them extra copies of all the genes on chromosome 21 and

of the

> proteins that these genes produce.

>

> The effects are well known -- people with Down's suffer from mental

> retardation, have distinct facial and other physical

characteristics and a

> higher risk of some diseases.

>

> But not cancer, said Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer expert at

Children's

> Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Ets2, which is

found on

> chromosome 21, may help explain why.

>

> " They are protected against cancer and also atherosclerosis and

diabetic

> retinopathy, " Folkman, who was not associated with the research,

said in a

> telephone interview.

>

> Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness in people with diabetes

and, like

> atherosclerosis, is associated with blood vessel function.

>

> STARVING TUMORS

>

> Folkman discovered a protein called endostatin that kick-started a

field of

> cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. They starve a tumour

by

> stopping it from creating blood vessels to nourish itself.

>

> The basic biological mechanism, which affects blood vessel

function and

> growth, may also underlie other so-called vascular diseases such as

> atherosclerosis, Folkman said.

>

> Folkman and other researchers believe people with Down's produce

extra

> endostatin naturally, but also that other genes play an important

role. Ets2

> appears to be one of them.

>

> " It is turning out to be very important because it gives a strong

clinical

> clue that suggests some humans may be protected against cancer, "

Folkman

> said.

>

> " Down syndrome is always considered a tragedy for families. But on

the other

> hand, they bring this huge clinical clue, " Folkman said. The genes

that

> protect against cancer appear to be separate from the genes known

to cause

> mental retardation, he added.

>

> " In medical school in 1953 we were taught -- 'oh, by the way, Down

syndrome

> individuals are protected against cancer'. Everybody asked why and

they

> said, 'We think it is because they don't live long enough (to

develop it),' "

> Folkman said.

>

> But now Down's patients live into their 70s and they still develop

cancer at

> a lower rate, he said.

>

> Dr. Threadgill of the University of North Carolina agreed

that Ets2

> might be used as the basis of a drug, but said far more research

is needed

> because the protein also appears to help cancer spread, or

metastasize, when

> it does develop.

>

> " So therapeutic use of potential drugs with Ets2-like activity to

reduce

> tumour incidence may have limited value, because a side effect of

such drugs

> could be increased efficiency of metastasis, " Threadgill wrote in a

> commentary. (Editing by Alan Elsner)

>

> http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0264850120080102?sp=true

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Simone,

Welcome to the list!! My brother with DS is almost 3 years old.

Kids with DS are more prone to Leukemia. They also are more prone to gettting the AML form rather than the ALL form. In kids without DS AML is worse, because the children don't respond to the treatment very well. But, in kids with DS, they respond to the treatment for AML much better than kids without DS.

It is also true that people with DS have less of a chance of getting other cancers than the general population, as this study shows.

So, they have an increased risk of getting leukemia (due to certain other gene overexpressions), but they have less of a chance of getting other cancers because of the overexpression of the this gene Ets2.

Does that make sense?

Qadoshyah

Book ~ Down Syndrome: What You CAN Dowww.gotdownsyndrome.net/Book/whatyoucandobook.html

Re: Study sheds light on how Down's prevents cancer...what about leukemia

Thank you for this articel.I am a "new" mom here and have a question regarding cancer. I read that children with Downs are more prone to leukemia. How does this fit into the cancer outlook for them?....however, I might be miss-informed.Simonemother to Ana 20 months.>> y Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor> > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with Down's syndrome suffer cancer less than> most other people and a study in mice published on Wednesday gives one> possible explanation -- they produce higher levels of a certain protein.> > The protein may keep tumours from growing, and this finding may help in the> development of new cancer drugs, the team at s Hopkins University in> Baltimore reported.> > Dr. Reeves of s Hopkins and colleagues found a gene called Ets2> protected mice from colon cancer. Writing in the journal Nature, Reeves and> colleagues said they used mice bred to develop colon cancer at extreme> rates, and genetically engineered them to produce extra amounts of Ets2.> > They said the more Ets2 the mice had, the less likely they were to develop> colon cancer.> > The secret lies in having an extra copy of chromosome 21. People with Down's> syndrome, also known as Down syndrome, have three copies of the chromosome> instead of the usual two.> > That gives them extra copies of all the genes on chromosome 21 and of the> proteins that these genes produce.> > The effects are well known -- people with Down's suffer from mental> retardation, have distinct facial and other physical characteristics and a> higher risk of some diseases.> > But not cancer, said Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer expert at Children's> Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Ets2, which is found on> chromosome 21, may help explain why.> > "They are protected against cancer and also atherosclerosis and diabetic> retinopathy," Folkman, who was not associated with the research, said in a> telephone interview.> > Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness in people with diabetes and, like> atherosclerosis, is associated with blood vessel function.> > STARVING TUMORS> > Folkman discovered a protein called endostatin that kick-started a field of> cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. They starve a tumour by> stopping it from creating blood vessels to nourish itself.> > The basic biological mechanism, which affects blood vessel function and> growth, may also underlie other so-called vascular diseases such as> atherosclerosis, Folkman said.> > Folkman and other researchers believe people with Down's produce extra> endostatin naturally, but also that other genes play an important role. Ets2> appears to be one of them.> > "It is turning out to be very important because it gives a strong clinical> clue that suggests some humans may be protected against cancer," Folkman> said.> > "Down syndrome is always considered a tragedy for families. But on the other> hand, they bring this huge clinical clue," Folkman said. The genes that> protect against cancer appear to be separate from the genes known to cause> mental retardation, he added.> > "In medical school in 1953 we were taught -- 'oh, by the way, Down syndrome> individuals are protected against cancer'. Everybody asked why and they> said, 'We think it is because they don't live long enough (to develop it),'"> Folkman said.> > But now Down's patients live into their 70s and they still develop cancer at> a lower rate, he said.> > Dr. Threadgill of the University of North Carolina agreed that Ets2> might be used as the basis of a drug, but said far more research is needed> because the protein also appears to help cancer spread, or metastasize, when> it does develop.> > "So therapeutic use of potential drugs with Ets2-like activity to reduce> tumour incidence may have limited value, because a side effect of such drugs> could be increased efficiency of metastasis," Threadgill wrote in a> commentary. (Editing by Alan Elsner)> > http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0264850120080102?sp=true>

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1208 - Release Date: 1/3/2008 3:52 PM

[Guest guest]

THank you for your answers!!! This makes sense....and I guess I am a

bit relieved. I love my daughter so much and sometimes it is hard to

think of thouse other things that she might have to go through. She

is already in the process of overcoming a rare form of Epilepsy.

I will write more about that another time.

Thanks,

Simone

mother of Ana 20 months, overcoming Infantile Spasms.

> >

> > y Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

> >

> > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with Down's syndrome suffer

cancer

> less than

> > most other people and a study in mice published on Wednesday

gives

> one

> > possible explanation -- they produce higher levels of a certain

> protein.

> >

> > The protein may keep tumours from growing, and this finding may

> help in the

> > development of new cancer drugs, the team at s Hopkins

> University in

> > Baltimore reported.

> >

> > Dr. Reeves of s Hopkins and colleagues found a gene

> called Ets2

> > protected mice from colon cancer. Writing in the journal

Nature,

> Reeves and

> > colleagues said they used mice bred to develop colon cancer at

> extreme

> > rates, and genetically engineered them to produce extra amounts

of

> Ets2.

> >

> > They said the more Ets2 the mice had, the less likely they were

to

> develop

> > colon cancer.

> >

> > The secret lies in having an extra copy of chromosome 21.

People

> with Down's

> > syndrome, also known as Down syndrome, have three copies of the

> chromosome

> > instead of the usual two.

> >

> > That gives them extra copies of all the genes on chromosome 21

and

> of the

> > proteins that these genes produce.

> >

> > The effects are well known -- people with Down's suffer from

mental

> > retardation, have distinct facial and other physical

> characteristics and a

> > higher risk of some diseases.

> >

> > But not cancer, said Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer expert at

> Children's

> > Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Ets2, which is

> found on

> > chromosome 21, may help explain why.

> >

> > " They are protected against cancer and also atherosclerosis and

> diabetic

> > retinopathy, " Folkman, who was not associated with the

research,

> said in a

> > telephone interview.

> >

> > Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness in people with

diabetes

> and, like

> > atherosclerosis, is associated with blood vessel function.

> >

> > STARVING TUMORS

> >

> > Folkman discovered a protein called endostatin that kick-

started a

> field of

> > cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. They starve a

tumour

> by

> > stopping it from creating blood vessels to nourish itself.

> >

> > The basic biological mechanism, which affects blood vessel

> function and

> > growth, may also underlie other so-called vascular diseases

such as

> > atherosclerosis, Folkman said.

> >

> > Folkman and other researchers believe people with Down's

produce

> extra

> > endostatin naturally, but also that other genes play an

important

> role. Ets2

> > appears to be one of them.

> >

> > " It is turning out to be very important because it gives a

strong

> clinical

> > clue that suggests some humans may be protected against

cancer, "

> Folkman

> > said.

> >

> > " Down syndrome is always considered a tragedy for families. But

on

> the other

> > hand, they bring this huge clinical clue, " Folkman said. The

genes

> that

> > protect against cancer appear to be separate from the genes

known

> to cause

> > mental retardation, he added.

> >

> > " In medical school in 1953 we were taught -- 'oh, by the way,

Down

> syndrome

> > individuals are protected against cancer'. Everybody asked why

and

> they

> > said, 'We think it is because they don't live long enough (to

> develop it),' "

> > Folkman said.

> >

> > But now Down's patients live into their 70s and they still

develop

> cancer at

> > a lower rate, he said.

> >

> > Dr. Threadgill of the University of North Carolina agreed

> that Ets2

> > might be used as the basis of a drug, but said far more

research

> is needed

> > because the protein also appears to help cancer spread, or

> metastasize, when

> > it does develop.

> >

> > " So therapeutic use of potential drugs with Ets2-like activity

to

> reduce

> > tumour incidence may have limited value, because a side effect

of

> such drugs

> > could be increased efficiency of metastasis, " Threadgill wrote

in a

> > commentary. (Editing by Alan Elsner)

> >

> > http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0264850120080102?

sp=true

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> --------------------------------------------------------------------

----------

>

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1208 - Release Date:

1/3/2008 3:52 PM

>

[Guest guest]

You're welcome, not a problem !

Yes, sometimes those other things can be scary to think of. There are things you can do to try to help improve their immune system and their health and hope that these other problems will be prevented and not happen.

Qadoshyah

Book ~ Down Syndrome: What You CAN Dowww.gotdownsyndrome.net/Book/whatyoucandobook.html

Re: Study sheds light on how Down's prevents cancer...what about leukemia

THank you for your answers!!! This makes sense....and I guess I am a bit relieved. I love my daughter so much and sometimes it is hard to think of thouse other things that she might have to go through. She is already in the process of overcoming a rare form of Epilepsy.I will write more about that another time.Thanks,Simonemother of Ana 20 months, overcoming Infantile Spasms. > >> > y Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor> > > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with Down's syndrome suffer cancer > less than> > most other people and a study in mice published on Wednesday gives > one> > possible explanation -- they produce higher levels of a certain > protein.> > > > The protein may keep tumours from growing, and this finding may > help in the> > development of new cancer drugs, the team at s Hopkins > University in> > Baltimore reported.> > > > Dr. Reeves of s Hopkins and colleagues found a gene > called Ets2> > protected mice from colon cancer. Writing in the journal Nature, > Reeves and> > colleagues said they used mice bred to develop colon cancer at > extreme> > rates, and genetically engineered them to produce extra amounts of > Ets2.> > > > They said the more Ets2 the mice had, the less likely they were to > develop> > colon cancer.> > > > The secret lies in having an extra copy of chromosome 21. People > with Down's> > syndrome, also known as Down syndrome, have three copies of the > chromosome> > instead of the usual two.> > > > That gives them extra copies of all the genes on chromosome 21 and > of the> > proteins that these genes produce.> > > > The effects are well known -- people with Down's suffer from mental> > retardation, have distinct facial and other physical > characteristics and a> > higher risk of some diseases.> > > > But not cancer, said Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer expert at > Children's> > Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Ets2, which is > found on> > chromosome 21, may help explain why.> > > > "They are protected against cancer and also atherosclerosis and > diabetic> > retinopathy," Folkman, who was not associated with the research, > said in a> > telephone interview.> > > > Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness in people with diabetes > and, like> > atherosclerosis, is associated with blood vessel function.> > > > STARVING TUMORS> > > > Folkman discovered a protein called endostatin that kick-started a > field of> > cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. They starve a tumour > by> > stopping it from creating blood vessels to nourish itself.> > > > The basic biological mechanism, which affects blood vessel > function and> > growth, may also underlie other so-called vascular diseases such as> > atherosclerosis, Folkman said.> > > > Folkman and other researchers believe people with Down's produce > extra> > endostatin naturally, but also that other genes play an important > role. Ets2> > appears to be one of them.> > > > "It is turning out to be very important because it gives a strong > clinical> > clue that suggests some humans may be protected against cancer," > Folkman> > said.> > > > "Down syndrome is always considered a tragedy for families. But on > the other> > hand, they bring this huge clinical clue," Folkman said. The genes > that> > protect against cancer appear to be separate from the genes known > to cause> > mental retardation, he added.> > > > "In medical school in 1953 we were taught -- 'oh, by the way, Down > syndrome> > individuals are protected against cancer'. Everybody asked why and > they> > said, 'We think it is because they don't live long enough (to > develop it),'"> > Folkman said.> > > > But now Down's patients live into their 70s and they still develop > cancer at> > a lower rate, he said.> > > > Dr. Threadgill of the University of North Carolina agreed > that Ets2> > might be used as the basis of a drug, but said far more research > is needed> > because the protein also appears to help cancer spread, or > metastasize, when> > it does develop.> > > > "So therapeutic use of potential drugs with Ets2-like activity to > reduce> > tumour incidence may have limited value, because a side effect of > such drugs> > could be increased efficiency of metastasis," Threadgill wrote in a> > commentary. (Editing by Alan Elsner)> > > > http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0264850120080102?sp=true> >> > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------> > > No virus found in this incoming message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1208 - Release Date: 1/3/2008 3:52 PM>

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1209 - Release Date: 1/4/2008 12:05 PM