2011- New Discoveries
Researchers at the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute have sequenced all known human genes in a series of ten pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (also known as islet cell tumors and endocrine tumors). Islet cell tumors of the pancreas are different from adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. These tumors are derived from neuroendocrine cells and tend to be slow growing tumors that are treatable even after they have metastasized. They can produce dramatic symptoms since these tumors may secrete hormones that produce side effects due to excessive secretion of the hormones.
This discovery is important because researchers found that one-sixth of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas have mutations in genes coding for proteins in the mTOR pathway. Currently, there are drugs available that target the mTOR pathway. This suggests that doctors will be able to treat only those with mTOR pathway mutations with the medicine without having other patients endure in a treatment that will not help them.
Researchers also discovered a new cancer pathway by locating mutations in two genes (ATRX and DAXX) that have not been reported before in any tumor. This is important because it helps scientists to learn more about the function of the genes by providing insight into the fundamental biology of neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.
Scientists also found that tumors with the ATRX/DAXX mutations as well as in gene MEN-1 have a significantly better prognosis than tumors that lack these mutations.
I know all these scientific terms can be confusing, but they aren't really terms I can switch out. Hopefully you can read over it a few times and understand why these discoveries are so important. Research never stops. If research stops, the chance for a cure stops. Every discovery is a step in the right direction.
Interesting insights here, Rachel. What's your sense of the most important or most difficult challenges of writing about a scientific topic such as this one? What are strategies you can use to "communicate science" to your audience? You do two things particularly well in this post: (1) providing definitions of some scientific terms and concepts, and (2) discussing the implications of certain findings (such as when you move into your "this finding is important because . . ."). So, keep these writing strategies in mind as you continue blogging about this subject over the course of the next several months. What are other strategies you think might be using in terms of communicating science to your audience? Using metaphors to explain concepts? Simplifying sentences? Breaking down concepts into small parts and then building it back into the larger idea? In case you're interested, here's an interesting website published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on tips for "communicating science." It's written to help engineers and scientists write about their discoveries for the non-scientific public, but it could be useful and interesting for you to take a look at, as well. http://communicatingscience.aaas.org/Pages/newmain.aspx
ReplyDelete