Targeting Cell Pathway may Prevent Relapse of Leukemia

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100325151342.htm


About 40 percent of children and up to 70 percent of adults in remission from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) will have a relapse. In recent years, doctors have come to believe that this is due to leukemia stem cells, endlessly replicating cancer cells that generate the immature blood cells characteristic of leukemia and are resistant to typical cancer treatments. Now, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have found a possible way to kill off these cells, and prevent them from initiating a relapse. The study, published online March 26th in the journal Science, shows that leukemia stem cells cannot thrive without a particular cell pathway, known as the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, suggesting that targeting this pathway may prevent the growth and development of AML.

Scott Armstrong's (senior author of the study) work is funded in part by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Week of 4/5/2010 in Review

Sorry, I'm a bit late in posting this.  Here's last week's training log:


Monday 4/5
Tuesday 4/6
Wednesday 4/7
Thursday 4/8 - Loops at Veloway and Autobahn - 18.2 miles
Friday 4/9
Saturday 4/10 - Group Riding Skills on the Autobahn with Team in Training - 34.3 miles
Sunday 4/4

Total mileage: 52.5 miles

Week of 3/29/10 in Review

Last week's training log:

Monday 3/29
Tuesday 3/30
Wednesday 3/31 - Ride out to Southwest Parkway - 16.8 miles
Thursday 4/1
Friday 4/2
Saturday 4/3 - Manor Ride with Team in Training - 45.3 miles
Sunday 4/4

Total mileage: 62.1 miles

Rosedale Ride 2010

 

http://www.rosedaleride.org

This past Saturday we rode in the Rosedale Ride, their sweet 16.  We did the 42.4 mile route -- and finished!  It's our longest ride to date.

For me, it was actually a little bit easier than I thought it would be.  Don't get me wrong, it was a looooonnng ride, but we settled into a steady 10-12 mph pace and just went.  Miles 25-30 were the hardest for me - the saddle and I were not getting along.  But after the last rest stop, I just got back on the bike and felt pretty fresh again.

Chris did well until about mile 35.  He had to push through the last 7 miles or so.  We think he might not have had enough to eat during the ride.  It's crazy how many variables you have to manage on a ride that long.  Make sure you hydrate, make sure you get enough calories so you won't run out of glucose, keep your cadence quick and steady, stay on top of what gear you're in and managing shifting, etc., etc.  We're getting better and better and keeping on top of it all.

Bikes have to brush their teeth too -
cleaning the bike the night before

Quick rest before finishing out the last leg of the ride

Finish line, sweet finish line!

Week of 3/22/10 in Review

Last week's training log:

Monday 3/22
Tuesday 3/23 - Ride out to the Autobahn and back - 18.3 miles
Wednesday 3/24
Thursday 3/25 - Around the neighborhood - 10 miles
Friday 3/26
Saturday 3/27 - Rosedale Ride - 42.4 miles
Sunday 3/28

Total mileage: 70.7 miles

Blocking Cancer in its Path: New Cellular Defect Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100316152520.htm

UCSF researchers have discovered that a key cellular defect that disturbs the production of proteins in human cells can lead to cancer susceptibility. The scientists also found that a new generation of inhibitory drugs offers promise in correcting this defect. According to the study team, this discovery has broad clinical implications in the fight against cancer and could affect treatment of lymphoma and many other forms of the disease, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, brain cancer and multiple myeloma. 

The findings are featured as the cover story in the March 16, 2010 issue of the scientific journal Cancer Cell. The discovery was made in the laboratory of UCSF faculty scientist Davide Ruggero, PhD, whose lab team is doing research in the burgeoning field of study on how defects in protein synthesis can lead to cancer susceptibility. 

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Ruggero is a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar.

St. Patty's Day!

I'm a little bit behind in posting these.  We received $450 in donations from Operation: Leprechaun, just under half of our challenge.  To celebrate, I got some colored hair spray for some temporary green hair (had we hit the $1000, I would have done the leave-in "temporary" dye).  I also thought about coloring only half of my hair, but that proved too difficult to apply.

"Hair dye" of choice,

Still had to fit in a workout. Had tried some green stripes.

Ready to head out to Sherlock's.

Met up with some friends.

It's not St. Patty's without a green beverage!

Good times with good friends!