NO MORE MUCKING AROUND. This is serious. An immediate help in detecting breast cancer. With much promise for annihilating the MUC1 protein that goes awry and resistant to other means of destroying the killers.
MUC1 (pronounced muck one) -- a protein that is present on the cells that line most organs. It lubricates and protects them. That's the GOOD news.
When cells become malignant, the MUC1 protein changes and signals tumor cells to multiply. The DARK side.
In experiments on mice vaccines failed to rev up the immune system to fight back. The tumors instead continued to grow.
Find a way to block that signal and allow the immune cells to kill. Develop an antibody from one's immune cells that will act like a smart bomb and kill MUC1 cells, leaving the healthy cells alone. (Sound familiar HER2 ladies??)
What is the role of MUC1 in the development of cancer?
"...for now, they are focused on producing a blood test to help diagnose breast cancer. They chose this because of the potential they see to help the 40 percent of women whose dense breast tissue causes mammograms to often miss cancers. They believe the BLOOD TEST, as an adjunct to mammography, could help detect breast cancer earlier, when it’s easier to treat.
In October, the OncoTab laboratory got registered, meaning it can begin selling the blood test. It will be available to doctors, and to patients with prescriptions, in February atwww.oncotab.com. The cost is about $150 per test.
Read more here:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/liv...#storylink=cpy
MUC1 Expression Correlates with Metastasis
In many tumor types, MUC1 expression correlates with aggressive, metastatic disease, poor response to therapy and poor survival. While MUC1 expression is limited to the apical surface of most ductal epithelium, in metastatic disease, MUC1 is overexpressed and becomes localized throughout the cell.7 This has perhaps been most intensively studied in breast cancer, in which MUC1 expression has been evaluated clinically at the level of immunohistochemistry,8,9 RNA,10 shed MUC1 in sera, expression on circulating tumor cells (discussed below) and biochemically,11 and has correlated with poor disease-free and overall survival, as well as axillary node metastases.9 MUC1 expression is seen in all subtypes of breast cancer, including luminal, HER2+ and basal, although in each of these cancer types, expression is highest in those tumors that have metastasized.9,12
After unlikely move to UNC Charlotte, scientist makes cancer breakthrough | The Charlotte Observer
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