Lutathera for treating gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved Lutathera (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) for the treatment of a type of cancer that affects the pancreas or gastrointestinal tract called gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). This is the first time a radioactive drug, or radiopharmaceutical, has been approved for the treatment of GEP-NETs. Lutathera is indicated for adult patients with somatostatin receptor-positive GEP-NETs.

GEP-NETs are a rare group of cancers with limited treatment options after initial therapy fails to keep the cancer from growing. GEP-NETs can be present in the pancreas and in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach, intestines, colon and rectum. Lutathera is a radioactive drug that works by binding to a part of a cell called a somatostatin receptor, which may be present on certain tumors. After binding to the receptor, the drug enters the cell allowing radiation to cause damage to the tumor cells.

The approval of Lutathera was supported by two studies. The first was a randomized clinical trial in 229 patients with a certain type of advanced somatostatin receptor-positive GEP-NET. Patients in the trial either received Lutathera in combination with the drug octreotide or octreotide alone. The study measured the length of time the tumors did not grow after treatment (progression-free survival).

Progression-free survival was longer for patients taking Lutathera with octreotide compared to patients who received octreotide alone. This means the risk of tumor growth or patient death was lower for patients who received Lutathera with octreotide compared to that of patients who received only octreotide.

The second study was based on data from 1,214 patients with somatostatin receptor-positive tumors, including GEP-NETS, who received Lutathera at a single site in the Netherlands. Complete or partial tumor shrinkage was reported in 16 percent of a subset of 360 patients with GEP-NETs who were evaluated for response by the FDA.

Patients initially enrolled in the study received Lutathera as part of an expanded access program. Expanded access is a way for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases or conditions who lack therapeutic alternatives to gain access to investigational drugs for treatment use.

Common side effects of Lutathera include low levels of white blood cells (lymphopenia), high levels of enzymes in certain organs (increased GGT, AST and/or ALT), vomiting, nausea, high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia).

Serious side effects of Lutathera include low levels of blood cells (myelosuppression), development of certain blood or bone marrow cancers (secondary myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia), kidney damage (renal toxicity), liver damage (hepatotoxicity), abnormal levels of hormones in the body (neuroendocrine hormonal crises) and infertility.

Lutathera can cause harm to a developing fetus; women should be advised of the potential risk to the fetus and to use effective contraception. Patients taking Lutathera are exposed to radiation. Exposure of other patients, medical personnel, and household members should be limited in accordance with radiation safety practices.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Effects of DNA on dieting

Research in animal models with different genetics shows that one diet really doesn't fit all, and what works for some may not be best for others. The researchers used four different groups of animal models to look at how five diets affect health over a six-month period. The genetic differences within each group were almost non-existent, while the genetics between any two of the groups would translate to roughly the same as those of two unrelated people.

The researchers chose the test diets to mirror those eaten by humans-an American-style diet (higher in fat and refined carbohydrates, especially corn) and three that have gotten publicity as being 'healthier': Mediterranean (with wheat and red wine extract), Japanese (with rice and green tea extract) and ketogenic, or Atkins-like (high in fat and protein with very few carbs).

The fifth diet was the control group who ate standard commercial chow.
Although some so-called healthy diets did work well for most individuals, one of the four genetic types did very poorly when eating the Japanese-like diet, for example. The fourth strain, which performed just fine on all of the other diets, did terrible on this diet, with increased fat in the liver and markings of liver damage.

They measured physical signs, especially evidence of metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of signs of obesity-related problems, including high blood pressure and cholesterol, fatty liver and levels of blood sugar. They also studied any behavioral differences, from how much they moved around to how much they ate.

Perhaps as could be expected, both in earlier research and in anecdotal evidence in humans, the animal models tended not to do great on the American-style diet. A couple of the strains became very obese and had signs of metabolic syndrome. Other strains showed fewer negative effects, with one showing few changes except for having somewhat more fat in the liver.

With the Mediterranean diet, there was a mix of effects. Some groups were healthy, while others experienced weight gain, although it was less severe than in the American diet. The results demonstrated that a diet that makes one individual lean and healthy might have the complete opposite effect on another. It depends very much on the genetics of the individual and there isn't one diet that is best for everyone.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Green tea slimming pills linked to liver damage

Green tea capsules are a popular supplement marketed for their anti-cancer fighting properties, anti-oxidant benefits and as a slimming aid. They are sold in various forms including capsules, tablets, powders and liquids.But experts now say taking the pills on an empty stomach especially may cause the active ingredients to have a more powerful and toxic effect on the liver.

Green tea's active ingredient is a type of antioxidant called catechins. In particular, epigallocatchin gallate (EGCG) – the most abundant catechin appears to be the culprit. Extracts contain these at much higher levels than are found in the brewed version of the popular drink.

The users are advised to stop using the product and seek medical help if they develop yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, sweating, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, unusual tiredness, or loss of appetite, as they may be symptoms of liver problems. There are many cases of liver failure associated with green tea supplements.Pharmacology have linked dozens of cases of liver damage to green tea EGCG.

CBC say at least two deaths have been partially linked to taking the capsules.
Last March, the Norwegian food safety authority issued a similar warning about the supplements.
Mattilsynet acted after it received several reports of adverse events, the majority of which were liver damage. It pointed to higher levels of EGCG as a concern.

Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council, said taking the pills on an empty stomach may be dangerous. The presumption is that people are taking these EGCG-containing supplements on an empty stomach. Concentrated catechins that hit the liver in a fasting state might have an effect that is different than when the liver is metabolising food.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Besponsa for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Food and Drug Administration approved Besponsa for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ALL.

B-cell precursor ALL is a rapidly progressing type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many B-cell lymphocytes, an immature type of white blood cell.

Besponsa is a targeted therapy that is thought to work by binding to B-cell ALL cancer cells that express the CD22 antigen, blocking the growth of cancerous cells.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take Besponsa because it may cause harm to a developing fetus or a newborn baby.

Side effects of Besponsa include low levels of platelets, low levels of certain white blood cells, infection, low levels of red blood cells, fatigue, severe bleeding, fever, nausea, headache, low levels of white blood cells with fever, liver damage, abdominal pain, high levels of bilirubin in the blood,
decrease in blood cell and platelet production, infusion-related reactions and problems with the heart’s electrical pulses.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Less than six months breastfeeding can raise risk of liver disease

Not breast feeding or stopping before six months raises a baby's  risk of having nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) later on in life.

Human breast milk contain various biologically-active constituents with a protective effect upon obesity.

It was also found that being obese at the early stage of pregnancy increased a baby's risk of the disease, which can lead to serious liver damage.

Smoking in the early days of pregnancy also increased the risk of NAFLD later in life.

 Infants should be fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months of life. Researchers performed liver ultrasound on more than 1,100 adolescents aged 17 years, who have been followed from birth.

Then they examined their medical records to see if there was a link between how long they were breastfed, their mothers' weight and smoking habit in pregnancy.

NAFLD was diagnosed in about 15 per cent of the adolescents examined.
It was found 94 per cent had been breastfed as infants.

The duration of breastfeeding before starting supplementary milk was four months in 55 per cent and six months in 40 per cent.

        haleplushearty.blogspot.com