Evaluation and Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Noncardiac Surgery: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association



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Shocking! California Man Dies From Unusual Lung Cancer Spread By Another Person: Is Cancer Contagious?

Is Cancer Contagious? California Man Dies from Rare Person-to-Person Lung Cancer Transmission. Read on to know how cancer transmits from one individual to another! California Man Dies From Unusual Lung Cancer Spread by Another Person: Is Cancer Contagious?

California News: In a rare medical case, a California man has tragically died from lung cancer that is believed to have been transmitted from another individual. This type of cancer transmission, known as "cancer metastasis from person to person," is incredibly uncommon, with only a handful of similar cases documented in medical history.

According to reports, the 41-year-old California man had chronic liver disease and had undergone a liver transplant recently. Records say that his donor who died in 2001 (a 63-year-old man) was suffering from undetected lung cancer.

"The donor died in 2001 after suffering a stroke and had no known history of cancer. So, the transplant process was carried out without any second thought. However, after the transplant was done, an autopsy report revealed that the donor was suffering from metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma -- a rare type of lung cancer that is hard to detect," the doctors were quoted as saying. They further added that the cancer was so small that it didn't show up in standard pre-transplant imaging.

What Symptoms of Lung Cancer Did The Man Suffer From?

While most of the time lung cancers go undetected due to the lack of clear signs, the California man developed certain symptoms that indicated something was going terribly wrong inside his lungs. "After a few months from the liver transplant, the man developed abdominal pain, vomiting, and a feeling of fullness. When we ran a few tests on the man, we could detect the development of the metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma - the same type of cancer."

Talking about the man's gradual health deterioration, the doctors said that a few months after the detection, he developed fluid buildup and a blood clot in his legs. "Though he was immediately admitted to the hospital for treatment, he died within 24 hours."

What Is Cancer Metastasis From One Person To Another?

Cancer metastasis from person to person is an exceptionally rare phenomenon where cancer cells spread from one person to another. This unusual occurrence only happens during organ transplantation, where cancer cells may be transferred from a donor to a recipient. It can also happen in very rare cases during surgical procedures, although such events are extremely unusual. The transmission of cancer between individuals through casual contact or other means is not a recognized form of cancer spread.

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What Makes The Lungs A Hotspot For Cancer Metastasis?

Amino acid aspartate helps make the lungs a common site for cancer metastasis, offering new insights for potential treatments. Researchers from Prof. Sarah-Maria Fendt's lab at VIB-KU Leuven have discovered that the availability of the amino acid aspartate contributes to the lung's frequent role as a site of metastasis. Their findings, published in Nature, enhance our understanding of cancer biology and lay the groundwork for potential new therapies targeting metastatic diseases (1✔ ✔Trusted SourceAspartate signalling drives lung metastasis via alternative translationGo to source). 'Did You Know?Metastasis is when cancer spreads beyond the place where it started to other areas of body. Nearly all cancers have the potential to metastasize. #medindia #cancer #metastasis'

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Lung Metastasis: A Common Challenge in Cancer More than half of cancer patients in whom the cancer spreads beyond the primary site have lung metastases. What makes the lungs such a tempting place for cancer cells?

To find out, the team of Prof. Sarah-Maria Fendt and colleagues investigated the gene expression in cells from aggressive lung metastases. They found evidence for an alternative 'translation program.' What does this mean? Translation is the process that uses our genetic code as a blueprint to make proteins in cells. A change in the translational program results in a set of different proteins that allow cancer cells to grow easier in the lung environment.

But what starts this alternative translational program in aggressive metastases?

Ginevra Doglioni, Ph.D. Student at the Fendt lab and first author of the study says "We found high levels of aspartate in the lungs of mice and patients with breast cancer compared to mice and patients without cancer, which suggests that aspartate may be important for lung metastasis".

Aspartate is an amino acid (a protein building block) that has very low concentrations in blood plasma but, surprisingly, very high concentrations in the lungs of mice with metastatic breast cancer.

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Hypusination: A Key Driver of Cancer Cell Aggressiveness Many proteins in our bodies can affect the translation process, among them the so-called initiation factors. One such initiation factor is eIF5A, which kickstarts translation. In the cells of cancer cells within lung metastases, the researchers found an activating modification to eIF5A called 'hypusination', which was associated with higher cancer aggressiveness of lung metastases.

Does aspartate have something to do with this?

Yes, it does! The researchers discovered that aspartate triggered this modification on eIF5A through an unexpected mechanism. Surprisingly, aspartate was not taken up by the cancer cells. Instead, it activated a cell surface protein called an NMDA receptor in cancer cells, leading to a signaling cascade that, eventually, triggered eIF5A hypusination. This subsequently drives a translational program that enhances the ability of cancer cells to change their environment and make it more suitable for aggressive growth.

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NMDA Receptor Subunit Expression in Lung Metastases Looking at human lung tumor samples from patients with metastatic breast cancer, the scientists noted a similar translational program as in mice and an elevated expression of the NMDA receptor subunit that binds aspartate compared to metastases from other organs. Potential for Targeted Therapies in Lung Metastasis Prof. Fendt explains, "This correlation emphasizes the relevance of the findings in a clinical context and suggests that aspartate signaling may be a common feature of cancer cells growing in the lung. Moreover, there are drugs available to target the mechanism we identified and thus with further research a translation toward a clinical setting might be possible."

Reference:

  • Aspartate signalling drives lung metastasis via alternative translation - (https://www.Nature.Com/articles/s41586-024-08335-7)
  • Source-Eurekalert

    Top Lung Cancer Stories In 2024

    CURE compiled the top stories in the lung cancer space, including treatment updates and the potential of cancer vaccines.

    Text Top Stories typed on retro typewriter: © MP Studio - stock.Adobe.Com

    Throughout 2024, CURE covered a variety of stories in the lung cancer space, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

    We compiled a list of the top stories in lung cancer, some of which focus on new treatment strategies like cancer vaccines.

    Lower Keytruda Doses May Be as Effective as Standard Doses for Stage 4 NSCLC

    Study findings have indicated that one-year survival rates were comparable in patients with stage 4 NSCLC receiving either a standard or reduced dose of Keytruda (pembrolizumab), thereby justifying continued enrollment in the NVALT-30 trial.

    The study found no significant difference in overall survival between treatment groups. The one-year overall survival rates were 57.7% and 55% for the standard-dose and reduced-dose groups, respectively. Median overall survival was 17 months in the standard-dose group and 13.9 months in the reduced-dose group.

    The reduced-dose group showed a slightly longer median progression-free survival (7.6 months) compared to the standard-dose group (6.9 months).

    Glossary:

    Overall survival: the time from diagnosis or the start of treatment when a patient with cancer is still alive.

    Progression-free survival: the time during and after treatment when a patient with cancer lives with the disease without worsening.

    Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy: a precise form of radiation therapy that delivers very high doses of radiation to small, well-defined tumors.

    Interstitial lung disease: a large group of diseases that cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs.

    Cancer Vaccine for NSCLC Could Be Paradigm-Changing

    New study results show that some patients with lung cancer and skin cancer maintained immune responses for 30 weeks after treatment with the mRNA-4157 cancer vaccine.

    The phase 1 KEYNOTE-603 study, published in Cancer Discovery, showed that the combination of mRNA-4157 and Keytruda (pembrolizumab) produced anti-tumor responses in patients with resected NSCLC (four patients) and cutaneous melanoma (12 patients), providing insight into the potential of neoantigen therapies like mRNA-4157, according to a researcher speaking with CURE.

    Radiation a Curative-Intent Option in NSCLC and Interstitial Lung Disease

    Research suggests that stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is a viable curative treatment option for some patients with early-stage NSCLC and interstitial lung disease.

    The study demonstrated a one-year overall survival rate of 79% and a median overall survival of 25 months. Median progression-free survival was 19 months, with a two-year local control rate of 92%.

    Side effects included mild or moderate (grade 1-2) events in 30.8% of patients (12 patients), severe (grade 3) events in 10.3% (four patients) and fatal (grade 5) events due to respiratory deterioration in 7.7% (three patients).

    'Never Give Up': Treatment Breakthroughs Arrive for SCLC

    In the fall issue of CURE, the feature focused on treatment options and experiences in patients with SCLC. In particular, it highlights recent advancements in treatment, including the approval of Imdelltra (tarlatamab-dlle) and the positive results of the ADRIATIC trial. It also discusses the challenges of treating SCLC, such as its aggressive nature and the frequency of relapses. The feature emphasizes the importance of clinical trials and the hope that new treatments offer for patients.

    FDA Approves Tepmetko for Metastatic NSCLC Subtype

    In February 2024, Tepmetko (tepotinib) received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of adults with metastatic NSCLC characterized by MET exon 14 skipping alterations.

    Having received accelerated approval in 2021 based on the VISION trial, Tepmetko's approval for this patient population was converted to traditional approval following additional follow-up to assess duration of response, the FDA reported.

    For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don't forget to subscribe to CURE®'s newsletters here.






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