Innovative Approaches

airway resistance – Mechanical factors which limit the access of inspired air to the alveoli, or air sacs.

apoptosis – Or programmed cell death, is a normal component of the development and health of multicellular organisms. During apoptosis, cells die in response to a variety of stimuli in a controlled, regulated fashion. This makes apoptosis distinct from another form of cell death, called necrosis, in which uncontrolled cell death leads to lysis of cells and inflammatory responses.

bevacizumab – A drug used to treat several types of cancer, including certain types of colorectal, lung and kidney cancers and glioblastoma. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Bevacizumab binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. It is a type of antiangiogenesis agent and a type of monoclonal antibody. Also called Avastin®.

blood-brain barrier – A protective network of blood vessels and tissue that protects the brain from harmful substances.

brain metastases – Cancer that has spread from the original site to the brain.

cancer stem cells – Rare populations of malignant cells believed to be responsible for the growth, recurrence and metastasis of tumors.

endocytosis – A process by which cells absorb molecules by engulfing them.

esterases – A hydrolase enzyme that splits esters into an acid and an alcohol in a chemical reaction with water called hydrolysis.

HER2+ – Positive for HER2/neu, a protein involved in normal cell growth. It is found on some types of cancer cells, including breast and ovarian. Cancer cells removed from the body may be tested for the presence of HER2/neu to help decide the best type of treatment. HER2/neu is a type of receptor tyrosine kinase. Also called c-erbB-2, human EGF receptor 2, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.

homeostasis – To maintain stability and internal equilibrium.

lenalidomide – A drug that is similar to thalidomide, and is used to treat multiple myeloma and certain types of anemia. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Lenalidomide belongs to the family of drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. Also called CC-5013 and Revlimid.

locally recurrent – Cancer that has come back at, or near, the same place as the original tumor, usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected.

malignant glioma – A cancer of the brain that begins in glial cells (cells that surround and support nerve cells).

megakaryocytic hyperplasia – An abnormal increase in the number of normal cells in an organ or tissue.

metastatic – Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from the place where it started to other places in the body.

myeloproliferative disease – A disease of the bone marrow in which excess cells are produced. Also called myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN).

neutropenia – A condition in which there is a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell).

oligonucleotide – A short chain of nucleotides, the molecules that when joined together make up the structural units of DNA and RNA.

paclitaxel – A drug used to treat breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma. It is also used together with another drug to treat non-small cell lung cancer. Paclitaxel is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It blocks cell growth by stopping cell division and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of antimitotic agent. Also called Taxol.

pharmacodynamics – The effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action in the body.

pharmacokinetics – The movement of drugs in the body over a period of time, including the processes by which drugs are absorbed, distributed in the body, metabolized, and excreted.

primary brain tumors – Cancer that has started in the brain.

prodrug – A class of drugs, initially in inactive form, that are converted into active form in the body by normal metabolic processes.

progression-free survival (PFS) – The length of time during and after treatment that a patient lives without their disease (or cancer) getting worse.

quiescent cell – A cell that is not at that time undergoing repeated cell division cycles but that might be stimulated to do so later.

relapse – A relapse is when cancer returns after a period of improvement.

senescence – Cell aging process of normal cells.

somatic cell – Any of the cells in the body that compose the tissues, organs, and parts of that individual other than the germ cells (cells which form the gametes, e.g. ova and sperm).

synergistic – In medicine, describes the interaction of two or more drugs when their combined effect is greater than the sum of the effects seen when each drug is given alone.

telomerase – An enzyme that enables cells to replicate indefinitely. Telomerase is highly active in the majority of cancers and is critical for tumor growth, but is not present in most normal cells.

thrombocytopenia – A condition in which there is a lower-than-normal number of platelets in the blood. It may result in easy bruising and excessive bleeding from wounds or bleeding in mucous membranes and other tissues.

thrombocytosis – The presence of high platelet counts in the blood. Also called thrombocythemia.

transcytosis – The process by which various macromolecules are transported across the interior of a cell.

trastuzumab – A monoclonal antibody that binds to HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), and can kill HER2-positive cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the laboratory and can locate and bind to substances in the body, including on cancer cells. Trastuzumab is used to treat breast cancer that is HER2-positive and has spread after treatment with other drugs. It is also used with other anticancer drugs to treat HER2-positive breast cancer after surgery. Trastuzumab is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Also called Herceptin®.

xenograft model – Transplant of cells, tissues or organs to another species, e.g. human tumor cells in a rat.