In the Pancreas, Common Fungi May Drive Cancer (nytimes.com) 17
A new study found that certain fungi can settle in the pancreas, where they spur the growth of tumors. From a report: By now, you've probably heard that your body is teeming with bacteria. Some 100 trillion of them live on your skin, in your mouth and in the coils of your intestines. Some protect against infections and help you digest food, while others can make you seriously ill. Fungi, viruses and protozoa call your body their home, too. Your fungal residents are less numerous than your bacteria by orders of magnitude, but as researchers are learning, these overlooked organisms play an important physiological role -- and when their numbers get out of whack, they can modify your immune system and even influence the development of cancer.
A new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, found that fungi can make their way deep into the pancreas, which sits behind your stomach and secretes digestive enzymes into your small intestine. In mice and human patients with pancreatic cancer, the fungi proliferate 3,000-fold compared to healthy tissue -- and one fungus in particular may make pancreatic tumors grow bigger. Researchers were surprised by the presence of fungi in the typical pancreas and immense increase in their numbers in disease. "The pancreas was considered a sterile organ until a couple years ago," said Dr. George Miller, a surgical oncologist at the New York University School of Medicine who led the study. But recent research from Dr. Miller's lab and others had indicated that some microorganisms, such as bacteria, could sneak past a muscle called the sphincter of Oddi, which separates the pancreas from the rest of the gut. Perhaps fungi could also colonize the pancreas the same way.
A new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, found that fungi can make their way deep into the pancreas, which sits behind your stomach and secretes digestive enzymes into your small intestine. In mice and human patients with pancreatic cancer, the fungi proliferate 3,000-fold compared to healthy tissue -- and one fungus in particular may make pancreatic tumors grow bigger. Researchers were surprised by the presence of fungi in the typical pancreas and immense increase in their numbers in disease. "The pancreas was considered a sterile organ until a couple years ago," said Dr. George Miller, a surgical oncologist at the New York University School of Medicine who led the study. But recent research from Dr. Miller's lab and others had indicated that some microorganisms, such as bacteria, could sneak past a muscle called the sphincter of Oddi, which separates the pancreas from the rest of the gut. Perhaps fungi could also colonize the pancreas the same way.
I will be surprised if that direct a cause/effect (Score:2)
I would expect that the same mutation, that allows the fungi to proliferate, also keeps the body from eliminating the cancer
Re: (Score:2)
The body is a complex system. I expect it is probably more complex. Chances are the Mutation that Allow the fungi to proliferate, causes the fungi to release a toxin, that triggers the body to react to it, in which cancer cells become common.
Sphincter of Oddi? (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds like the Monty Python team have been involved in anatomical naming.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Is it Pirates? (Score:2)
Fungi-Infested Humans (Score:2, Interesting)
A hundred years from now future humans will look back at us, with baldness, dairy allergies, ezcema, jock itch, and now apparently pancreatic cancer, as nasty humans who wouldn't take on their fungi nemesises.
While at the same time largely ignoring other fungi that can cure biological and mental imbalances, despite the available science. Laws abound to prevent all of these treatments.
Re:Fungi-Infested Humans (Score:5, Interesting)
I have wondered about human fungi-biome for some time
One particular area for concern has been the devastation of tropical frogs due to fungi. [the-scientist.com] The story always seems to be, 'Researchers find trove of rare tropical frogs, then return later and find the population decimated by fungi"
I think that any reasonable person would ask, "did the researchers introduce the fungi?", but that is never asked, they just dig around for another unspoiled place... and then the fungi kills those frogs as well...
Schrodinger would ask if the observer was the influencer
Re: (Score:3)
Global warming is probably to cause, no I am not trying to be sarcastic. Many life forms have a narrow range of temperatures which they survive, die, and grow and reproduce. Having Global Temperatures averaging a degree or two above normal, means for some life forms, that they get an extra week where they can grow and reproduce, and and extra week that temperatures are not killing them off.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, I am familiar with this concept, I just have to wonder if the researchers are blind to their own potential influence as a vector for the fungi
Laws? (Score:2)
But I'm sure future generations will look back at us the same way we look back at people who didn't understand what germs were. Hindsight's always 20/20
Re: (Score:3)
Thalidomide played a huge role in firming up FDA approaches to testing of new drugs and their side effects.
My ex-wife was affected by thalidomide, so we spent some time in court cases and getting familiar with the circumstances.
Thalidomide was a by-product of Boric Acid production process utilized by the Nazis. One of the scientists who testified in court kept referring to his superiors as 'officers'.
They noted some 'calming effects' of exposure, then concocted a 'rat in a shaker cage' test post-war to demo
Re: (Score:2)
A hundred years from now future humans will look back at us, with baldness, dairy allergies, ezcema, jock itch, and now apparently pancreatic cancer, as nasty humans who wouldn't take on their fungi nemesises.
Yep. You tell doctors you're concerned about systemic fungal infection and they look at you like you're crazy, even though authorities acknowledge the scale of the problem [theconversation.com]. The doctors don't want to have to learn something new, I guess, but reality doesn't give a shit what they want. It will kill you regardless. Or... make you crazy.
anti-cancer properties of turkey tail fungi? (Score:2)
To support your second point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
"At the end of his TEDmed talk he shared that one day his mother came up to him and said her left breast was five times the size of the right one. Having never been to a doctor before she did not know what to do. After being told in hospital she may not have long to live, maybe three months to live, and the second worst account of breast cancer they have seen, and may need strong treatments, Paul went out on a wing and spoke to a doctor about hi
Re: (Score:2)
"The study team injected two cancer patients with “the highest possible dose” of an engineered measles virus. (Past research had shown the virus was capable of killing myeloma-infected plasma cells while sparing normal tissue.) Both patients responded to the treatment and showed reductions in bone marrow cancer and myeloma protein. One of the patients, Stacy Erholtz, experienced complete remission and has been cancer-free for 6 months."
So it's not the usual measles vaccine designed to stop measl
This whole article makes me itch (Score:2)
Pinoy Tv (Score:1)