EPHB2 as a New Potential Therapeutic Target for Mesothelioma
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) July 31, 2013 -- Last week, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology published the results of a study looking into the overexpression of the ephrin B2 receptor (EPHB2) in patients with mesothelioma. The researchers at the New York University Langone Medical Center observed that EPHB2 is overexpressed in all malignant mesothelioma cell lines, but not in benign mesothelial cells. In addition, they found that silencing this receptor resulted in a significant increase in certain processes responsible for naturally ridding the body of old and defective cells (including cancerous ones).
The team of researchers who worked on this study includes Dr. Harvey Pass, one of the founders and a former board member of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Dr. Pass has been a leader in the field of mesothelioma and a vocal advocate for mesothelioma patients.
“The mesothelioma community is looking for novel targets for therapy, and the data on the ephrins may provide an opportunity for this,” said Dr. Pass. “Certainly we also must expand our findings to elucidate the prognostic and predictive characteristics of this important pathway,” he added.
Through this study, Dr. Pass and his team concluded that EPHB2 could serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for treatment of mesothelioma, a disease that, currently, has only one FDA-approved treatment and a median survival of 12 months.
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the lining of the lung, abdomen, or heart known to be caused by exposure to asbestos. Medical experts consider it one of the most aggressive and deadly of all cancers. Approximately 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year and an estimated one-third were exposed while serving in the Navy or working in Navy shipyards.
ABOUT THE MESOTHELIOMA APPLIED RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The Meso Foundation is the only 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma and easing the suffering caused by it. The Meso Foundation actively seeks philanthropic support to fund peer-reviewed mesothelioma research; provide patient support services and education; and advocate Congress for increased federal funding for mesothelioma research. The Meso Foundation is the only non-government funder of peer reviewed scientific research to establish more effective treatments for mesothelioma and, ultimately, a cure for this rare, but extremely aggressive, cancer. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $8.2 million to research.
More information is available at http://www.curemeso.org.
Maja Belamaric, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, http://www.curemeso.org, +1 (703) 879-3822, [email protected]
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