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Brief Description:

Researchers have uncovered an error in immature brain cells that may promote the growth of some brain tumors according to a study by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Transcript:

Akinso: Researchers have uncovered an error in immature brain cells that may promote the growth of some brain tumors according to a study by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. In various laboratory experiments, a breakdown in proper cell development has been shown to cause brain-specific stem cells to become starter seeds for aggressive brain tumors called glioblastoma multiforme. Dr. Howard Fine, Chief of the Neuro-Oncology Branch at the NCI's Center of Cancer Research, talks about the clinical context of the findings.

Fine: The more we understand the mechanisms by which normal cells become tumor cells and how they depend on these abnormal mechanisms then we can develop new treatments, specifically new drugs to target these abnormal pathways. Hopefully in these particular cases make these tumor stem cells behave more like normal stem cells and make them mature and differentiate at which point they would know longer be able to grow and cause tumor growth.

Akinso: According to Dr. Fine, many researchers have come to believe that the activity of a small group of stem-like tumor starter cells, or tumor-initiating cells with stem like properties may be one of the main reasons that cancer develops. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.