Is there a brain tumor virus?

Is There A Brain Tumor Virus?
By By Jeneen Interlandi | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jan 11, 2009 - 12:42:27

Thanks to the efforts of a relentless neurosurgeon, we may be closer to understanding what causes one of the most deadly cancers.



HealthNewsDigest.com) - In 2002, UCSF neurosurgeon Charles Cobbs published a novel finding in a prominent cancer journal: nearly all of the two-dozen brain tumors he had analyzed were teeming with a common herpes virus called cytomegalovirus, or CMV. Normally, CMV is harmless—it lies dormant in roughly 80 percent of the population—but in Cobbs's tumor samples, the virus appeared to be actively replicating, even as it remained dormant in nearby healthy tissue. "When I first saw the data, I couldn't sleep for a week," says Cobbs. "I kept asking myself, 'can this be?'" If his findings were correct, they might shed light on the causes of brain cancer, or better yet, provide a new target for battling—maybe even preventing—the disease.

But by 2004, at least two labs had tried and failed to replicate Cobbs's results. That might have been the end of the story, were it not for the young neurosurgeon's audacity. Convinced that his methodology was better than his colleagues, he offered to show both research teams his technique. One group, led by Duke University neuro-oncologist Duane Mitchell, accepted. Last year they published the first peer-reviewed confirmation of Cobbs's work. "We have enough evidence now to say that this merits serious attention," says Mitchell. As the journal Science wrote last week, a flurry of papers exploring a possible link between CMV and brain cancer have caught the attention of at least some experts, spurring the first conference on the subject last October and touching off a handful of clinical trials.

The findings have opened a new avenue of inquiry for one of the most intractable cancers—Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive brain tumor, diagnosed in 10,000 new patients every year and fatal in virtually all cases. (Sen. Ted Kennedy was stricken with the disease last year). The alleged link between CMV and brain cancer may also represent the latest reversal of a decades-old consensus that generally speaking, viruses don't cause cancer. While some scientists are urging caution in interpreting this growing body of evidence, others say that a bias against "cancer-virus" research highlights a major flaw in the way science works. Ideas that challenge the conventional wisdom are often shunned in favor of "safer" hypotheses that stand a better chance of gaining acceptance and securing research dollars. "The powers that be are really opposed to funding this kind of research," says Cobbs who is now at California Pacific Medical Center. "They would rather put their money on more discreet projects where the outcomes are clear."

Today we know that at least three cancers are virus-induced: cervical cancer (Human Papiloma Virus, or HPV), liver cancer (Hepatitis B), and lymphoma (Epstein-Barr virus). But many questions still need answers before scientists can add brain cancer and CMV to that list. Chief among them is whether the virus actually triggers tumor growth. Cobbs thinks this may be the case, but he says the virus's influence is probably indirect. "It's not like a typical virus—disease relationship," he says. "The cancer may stem from chronic inflammation that is triggered by the virus and persists for years and years." If he's right, scientists may one day be able to develop a vaccine that prevents brain cancer by targeting CMV, much like Merck's Gardasil protects against cervical cancer by inoculating against certain strains of HPV.

more at the link
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Cancer_Issues_660/Is_There_A_Brain_Tumor_Virus.shtml

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Seems like people with compromised immune systems, including very old and young, are at most risk from getting sick from it. Interesting that they are finding a possible correlation as I think that some type cancers can be set up by viruses. I don't think a virus "causes" cancer, but can set you up to develop a certain type MUCH more readily.

I wonder what impact this may have on HIV/CMV studies.



http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/cytomegalovirus.html


http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/facts.htm

homegrown variety.


1: Clin Transplant. 2008 Mar-Apr;22(2):245-9.Click here to read Links
Cytomegalovirus infection and new-onset post-transplant diabetes mellitus.
Leung Ki EL, Venetz JP, Meylan P, Lamoth F, Ruiz J, Pascual M.

Transplantation Center, Institute of Microbiology, and Service of Endocrinology, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland.

We analyzed data from all consecutive kidney transplant patients at our institution between April 2003 and October 2006. We found 15 cases of late-onset cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, two of which developed concurrent post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM). In these two cases, PTDM was transient and normal glucose tolerance was achieved after an eight-wk therapeutic course of oral valganciclovir. These findings suggest that CMV infection after organ transplantation may be associated with concurrent PTDM. The distinct causative relationship is yet to be determined.

I'd think it's unlikely there's causation, but you never know. EBV I think is even more ubiquitous can result in Burkitt's lymphoma, most commonly in areas where malaria is also present, but the percentage of infected people who get lymphoma is not that high. So it's possible if it's a similar case of a very low percentage of those infected having tumors then there could be something there, I guess more research will tell us.

.... when the tumor starts the virus spreads .... but then again I am much
better w/ oak trees than human health ... :rofl:

I just read your post, looked at the oak trees then at your username again and thought "Ah, Botany, that's why they know more about oak trees." Then I opened a digest email from a mailing list and the only message in it was titled "Botany."

Meaningless coincidences are the spice of life!

One lived in Connecticut one in Florida. One was 68 the other only 62. One smoked the other did not. One had diabetes the other did not. One ate healthy the other did not. We in the family have been trying to figure what the connection could be.

:(

that allow viruses to grow - i.e. sugar and refined foods.

Some info:

There is another aspect to the coronary heart disease picture. This is related to the initiation of the atheromas that are reported to be blocking arteries. Recent research shows that there is a causative role for the herpes virus and cytomegalovirus in the initial formation of atherosclerotic plaques and the reclogging of arteries after angioplasty. (New York Times 1991)

What is so interesting is that the herpes virus and cytomegalovirus are both inhibited by the antimicrobial lipid monolaurin, but monolaurin is not formed in the body unless there is a source of lauric acid in the diet. Thus, ironically enough, one could consider the recommendations to avoid coconut and other lauric oils as contributing to the increased incidence of coronary heart disease.

Chlamydia pneumoniae, a gram-negative bacteria, is another of the microorganisms suspected of playing a role in atherosclerosis by provoking an inflammatory process that would result in the oxidation of lipoproteins with induction of cytokines and production of proteolystic enzymes, a typical phenomena in atherosclerosis (Saikku 1997).

Some of the pathogenic gram-negative bacteria with an appropriate chelator have been reported to be inactivated or killed by lauric acid and monolaurin as well as capric acid and monocaprin (See above, Bergsson et al 1997 and Thormar et al 1999).

However, the microorganisms most frequently identified as probable causative infecting agents are in the herpes virus family and include cytomegalovirus, type 2 herpes simplex (HSV-2), and Coxsackie B4 virus. The evidence for a causative role for cytomegalovirus is the strongest (Ellis 1997, Visseren et al 1997, Zhou et al 1996, Melnick et al 1996, Epstein et al 1996, Chen & Yang 1995), but a role for HSV-2 is also shown (Raza-Ahmad et al 1995).

All members of the herpes virus family are reported to be killed by the fatty acids and monoglycerides from saturated fatty acids ranging from C-6 to C-14 (Isaacs et al 1991), which include approximately 80% of the fatty acids in coconut oil.

In spite of what has been said over the past four or more decades about the culpability of the saturated fatty acids in heart disease, they are ultimately going to be held blameless. More and more research is showing the problem to be related to oxidized products. One protection man has against oxidized products is the naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil.

Next time I'm growing 14 flasks of virus I'll add some sterilized refined food so they can grow faster. Screw that expensive media!

that duplicate those of the body? I guess not.

Effects of Refined Sugar on Vitamin C

In the 1970's researchers found that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so they could "phagocytize" (the cellular process of eating, the purpose of which is to eliminate debris and pathogen, as opposed to taking in fuel for cellular processes) viruses and bacteria. Inside the white blood cells it is required to have 50 times the concentration of Vitamin C as outside of the white blood cell. The white blood cells have to accumulate Vitamin C.

The "phagocytic index" tells you how rapidly a particular "macrophage" (macrophages phagocytose (engulf and then digest) cellular debris and pathogens either as stationary or mobile cells, and stimulate lymphocytes and other immune cells to respond to the pathogen) can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell.

Did you know that Glucose and Vitamin C have similar chemical structures? What happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete with each another upon entering the cells. The determining factor which allows the entry of glucose into the cells is the same factor that determines the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If you have more glucose in your system, there will be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the "phagocytic index" by 75%. When you eat sugar, your immune system slows down to a crawl.

I'm impressed. :rofl:

how many people know you're supposed to provide a SOURCE for anything you copy & paste from the web?

I don't believe it is safe.

It tried to DL a snapshot of my ActiveX controls.

You'd think with this valuable information they have about the REAL cause of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, and probably dandruff, they'd PROMOTE the hell out of it and not use such weasel language to protect their asses!

That's all I need to know.

treat my condition to have the same disclaimer.

Are the Merck haters going to pitch a fit like they did over Gardasil?

And can be used for those afflicted who don't have time to repair their health.

The best thing is to prevent the affliction.

Steer clear of processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

If there is, and I am wrong, please post the pubmed number of the study so that I may read it.

Just google

sugar cancer.

You implied that there is a link between those products and brain cancers.

It is up to you to prove that you are not blowing smoke.

Even if "A lot of people are doing research..." that does not prove your point.

There are a lot of crack pots who do research and make claims. Unless you have some actual findings--preferably published in a peer reviewed journal--then your crack pot opinion is no more valuable than any of the other crack pot opinions.

Seriously, how do I know that you are not making this shit up as you go along? Why is your story believable? How am I supposed to determine the truth of your posts? You've given me nothing but conjecture.

was so that YOU could do your own work.

I have spent hours and hours doing my own research.

I had a medical condition that two doctors could not resolve.
I have resolved it by doing my own research - hours of it.
I have sorted out the good from the bad, until I found something that worked.

I think you are just making that shit up.

Your fantasy is not proof, it is not even evidence,

Searching on Google = scholarly medical research. Especially when you start from the assumption that any study in a reputable publication was actually entirely funded by a big evil pharmaceutical company and therefore false, but a website that tells you what you want to believe is automatically true!

Telling you to check Google is simply how they learned the truth!

doctors will not tell you this, but....
or, doctors all do/avoid this, they just don't tell their patients....

That's how you KNOW it's true!

It's sad when people believe everything they read on the internet.

And it is even more sad when they believe that a dietitian is a more credible source than an MD or a research scientist.

They forget that the "lunch lady" in the school cafeteria was a dietitian. Would you take critical medical advice from the "lunch lady"?