Special COVID-19 Christopher Magazine

Antonio Giordano, MD, PhD. explains what COVID is and how to contain the infection, pointing also to what will require attention next. Please see this special release at http://online.fliphtml5.com/qlnw/zgau/#p=1  

Hijacking cancer cells with a virus while blocking cells’ antiviral defenses could knock out mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a very aggressive cancer mainly caused by exposure to asbestos, against which no curative modalities exist, although many different strategies have been attempted so far. Research Alert A study exploring a new combination of therapeutic agents, dl922-947, an oncolytic adenovirus, and  AZD1775, an inhibitor of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase WEE1, …

Biomarker Candidates for Potential Early Diagnosis of Mesothelioma Reveal Mechanism of Tumor Escape from Immunosurveillance

Prof. Antonio Giordano with his collaborators from the National Cancer Institute of Naples, Pascale Foundation Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer mainly caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is generally diagnosed at an already advanced stage and none of the therapeutic strategies  tried so far is able to eradicate the disease. So new biomarkers …

International Mesothelioma Researcher Recognized for Her Work with the National Cancer Institution of Naples and Sbarro Health Research Organization

Francesca Pentimalli, PhD Held in Locri, Italy on Saturday, August 8 in the enchanting Riviera dei Gelsomini, the Women of Talent Award ceremony recognized the achievements of Francesca Pentimalli, PhD, a frequent collaborator on research with the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO). The awards were presented by the Cenacle of Culture and Sciences, an association …

Avoiding Covid-19 Only to Die of Cancer? The Shadow Curve of Other Diseases

If this “hidden” curve is ignored, the consequence could mean a higher rate of death from cancer than from Covid-19 By Antonio Giordano Soon after its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic urged public health authorities to adopt measures to minimize the virus spread. Among them, limiting in-person visits to urgent matters only, and encouraging patients to postpone non-essential screenings …

Key Immune System Genes Identified to Explain High COVID Deaths and Spread in Northern Italy Versus Fewer Cases and Deaths in the South

Not long after the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in China, Italy was hard-hit by the infection and rapidly became one of the countries with the highest mortality rate. The disease was first detected on February 20 in Lombardy, a region in the Northern area, and rapidly spread throughout the country. The Southern regions and the …

Despite Promising Lab Results, Most Precision Medicine Therapies for Mesothelioma Fail in the Clinical Setting

Researchers discuss the case of SRC family kinase inhibitors pointing to new directions to tackle translational challenges Newswise — Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a lethal cancer mainly caused by exposure to asbestos, for which, unfortunately, no current treatment has proven effective, despite the identification of several promising therapeutic targets over the years. SRC, the first …

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that is caused by inhaled asbestos fibers and forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart. Symptoms can include shortness of breath and chest pain. The life expectancy for most mesothelioma patients is approximately 12 months after diagnosis. Treatment may improve prognosis and can include surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. What Is Mesothelioma? …

Targeting Receptor EphA2 Reduces Bladder Cancer Tumor Growth and Increases Chemotherapy Effectiveness

An international team of investigators has recently discovered that the receptor tyrosine-kinase EphA2 activated by the growth factor progranulin is a tumorigenic driver of bladder cancer progression. The study, “Progranulin/EphA2 axis: A novel oncogenic mechanism in bladder cancer,” has been recently published in the international-peer-reviewed journal Matrix Biology. The paper describes how EphA2 depletion severely blunted …

‘Genetic Shield’ May Explain Lower COVID Mortality in Southern Italy Compared to North

“A 'genetic shield' may have protected southern Italy from the Sars-CoV-2 tsunami that swept the northern regions,” says Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University, and Professor of Pathology at the University of Siena, Italy. “The hypothesis needs to be studied before …

Genetics May Explain High COVID-19 Mortality in Italy, Inform Global Pandemic Response

Newswise — On March 11th 2020 the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic. In a few weeks the infection spread across the globe causing hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. Italy was the first European country to be hard-hit by the infection and among the countries with a higher mortality rate. During …