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Researchers reported the first evidence recently that cancer cells genetically mutate as the disease progresses, a ‘watershed’ discovery they say holds hope for new treatments.

The researchers completed the world’s first sequencing of the billions of letters in the DNA of a female cancer patient at three different stages, in just weeks. The feat was reported as the cover story in the Oct 8 edition of the science journal, Nature.

Showing how cancer evolves “will lead to a shift in perspective” in how cancer is treated, lead researcher Samuel Aparicio of Canada’s British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) told AFP.

When a cell divides as a normal and lifelong process, the DNA genetic code is copied to each new cell. When mutations cause the new cells to grow out of control, cancer can occur, noted the agency in a statement.

Researchers tracked mutations in the woman’s healthy cells, in addition to a local tumour when her breast cancer was first diagnosed, and in cells nine years later after the cancer spread, or metastasised.

In the metastasised cells, they found 32 DNA mutations, said Aparicio. “When we looked back to see if they were present in the primary tumour, we found only five mutations that could have been present in all cells.”

That just five of the 32 later mutations were originally present was a surprise, the BCCA said.

The mutations, described as “spelling” mistakes in the DNA lettering, were “the criminals that caused the disease to get started in the first place,” the BCCA said. “These five mutations were previously unknown to researchers as playing a role in cancer.”

The agency said that “the ability to analyse both the original and the metastatic cancer cells has given us unprecedented information about how breast cancer develops and progresses”.

“This is a watershed event in our ability to understand the causes of breast cancer and to develop personalised medicines for our patients,” Aparicio stated.

That knowledge will improve cancer tests and treatments, he said, because it shows cells in a tumour are not all the same and each kind of cell may respond differently to treatment.

The agency compared being able to decode billions of DNA letters using new next-generation DNA sequencing technology to the discovery of a “secret book of breast cancer”.

Study co-author Marco Marra, director of the Genome Sciences Centre at the cancer agency, noted the first decoding of the human genome, completed in 2001, “took years and an enormous amount of funding. We were able to sequence the breast cancer genome in weeks and at a fraction of the cost.”

Gene sequencing will cost increasingly less and eventually take “a matter of days,” predicted Aparicio, allowing doctors to tailor future treatment to individual patients.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women worldwide. – AFP

Understanding the lumps and bumps

ALL teenage females need to understand that every change or lump found in their breasts does not mean they have breast cancer, especially as the breasts are growing and changing, they’ll have lumps and bumps anyway.

On average, the final stage of puberty is around 15 years of age and at this time, the child is physically an adult. In the late teens and early 20s, a girl may experience more lumps, bumps and pain in her breasts ­because her body is technically still ­growing.

Lumps can form in a woman’s breasts due to hormonal changes during her ­menstruation cycle and they usually go away at the end of that time of the month.

In her late teens and early 20s, a woman sometimes can have round rubbery type of tumours called fibroadenomas and these are not cancerous.

There are some prevention and screening tips that every woman should read and follow to ensure better health and early detection:

» Get a mammogram yearly after age 40.

» Get a breast physical exam annually.

» Performing a breast self-examination monthly.

» Maintain an ideal body weight.

» Get regular physical exercise.

» Reduce alcoholic beverages (two or more drinks daily doubles the risk).

» Eat a diet rich in soy products such as tofu, olive, canola and other oils rich in ­monosaturated fats and cruciferous ­vegetables such as kale, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage.

If you are a woman, then surely you are already aware that there are certain things you have to do to take care of yourself and your health.

The problem is that women have so much on their plates these days and it is easy to forget how important your health really is.

Even if you are super busy and can hardly find the time to fit a doctor appointment into your schedule, there are five tests in particular that you should not forget about and which can actually be lifesaving.

1. The Mammogram

Mammograms are extremely important tests for women of all ages. A lot of younger women think that mammograms are only for their mothers, women who are older aged, but this is entirely untrue. In fact, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world, and in many cases it develops in younger women, even those in their early twenties.

You should get a mammogram at least once every couple of years, and always check for lumps in your breasts. The best idea is to check in circular motions around the area of both your breasts every time that you are in the shower. Not only does the warm water help you to relax but as well it helps you to remember to examine yourself. This is a very important process because breast cancer sufferers have an incredibly high success rate as long as the cancer is caught early, and this means keeping on top of the situation on your own time.

Mammograms are recommended once a year for women over the age of 40.

2. Cholesterol Test

It is always important to keep the health of your heart at the top of your priority list. After all, without a healthy heart you are in serious danger, so it is important that you never let the health of your heart take a backseat. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women these days, which is obviously a quite frightening statistic. Six times more women die from heart disease then breast cancer each year, and most of these cases were due to the fact that the women avoided getting the right tests.

The best way to know where you stand in terms of the health of your heart is to get a cholesterol test. Remember that there is both good and bad cholesterol, but by getting a simple test your doctor will be able to inform you if your cholesterol levels are at a dangerous level. They will also test your blood pressure because high blood pressure or hypertension as it is medically known is a condition which can be very harmful, even potentially deadly.

Cholesterol tests are recommended at least once every 5 years starting at the age of 20.

3. Pap Test

Another test that you do not want to forget about is the Pap test. Many women mistakenly think that just because they do not have an STD or otherwise are not experiencing any problems that they simply do not need to get a Pap test, but this is actually completely untrue. In fact, there are many women who have developed conditions such as cervical cancer out of nowhere, and so whether you are presently experiencing any problems or not, it is vital that you get in and get a Pap test as often as is recommended, which is usually every six months to a year.

This test can detect any abnormal changes that could lead to cervical cancer, as well as various other health conditions. In fact, the American Cancer Society recommends that the Pap test be taken by all women at least once annually until the age of thirty, and if no problems arise until that point then they can begin taking the test only once every two or three years.

Cervical cancer is a major killer not only in the United States but all around the world, and although there are a variety of causes, one of the leading causes is the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV as it is more commonly known. This is one of the leading STDs in the world, and most women do not even realize that they have the disease until months, even years later, if at all.

4. Skin Check

Skin cancer is something that very few women think about, even though it is one of the leading causes of death among women around the world. Even if you stay out of the sun and take proper care of your skin you can still develop skin cancer, so it is important that you take the appropriate tests in order to stay on top of this and make sure that you do not have a skin cancer problem.

Every woman should start taking these tests after the age of eighteen, and this means having a skin exam at your dermatologists every 3 years, and once a year for women above 40. They will typically do an all over examination of your skin, checking for any abnormal pigmentations, red or brown spots, in particular moles that are larger than normal or irregularly shaped.

5. The Katie Couric Test

Colon cancer is not just something that men have to worry about, even though many people once thought this. The colonoscopy, which Katie Couric has now made famous, is a test that all people, both men and women, need to be concerned with. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 75,000 women alone will be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer this year, and so it is critical not only for you to take this test as recommended but also to keep your colon as clean and healthy as possible.

The colonoscopy is a test that allows a doctor to closely inspect the patient’s rectum, during which they will check for any signs of cancer, polyps, or even small growths that may continue to grow and eventually become cancerous. The test is quite simple, and the patient will first be given a medication that allows them to relax and not tense up, as this can make the examination of the rectum much more difficult. The scope is then inserted slowly into the rectum, and on this scope is a tiny video camera, the pictures from this which are sent to a television monitor in the room that the doctor can use to examine the rectum better.

Colon cancer is totally preventable and treatable if found early, so it is important that you stay on top of this.

Other Physical Exams

Dental checkups – Every six months to a year for exam and regular cleaning.

Hearing tests – Once during adolescence, no need after that, unless problems appear.

Eye exams – Every 2 years if you wear glasses or contacts, and if you have good vision, start every 2 years after the age of 40.
Blood pressure tests – At least once every other year. More often if you’re overweight or have a family history.

Fecal occult blood test – Once a year after 50.

Bone density – Soon after menopause, if considering hormone replacement therapy or bone-building drugs.