TeachableMedicalNews article 02272024
Teachable moment in classrooms:
- cellular basis of life chapter – cell cycle, and phases of mitosis
- cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
- cellular basis of life chapter – enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions
- nervous tissue chapter – functions of the neuroglial cells
The news item: Recently this reporting appeared online:
Novartis drug combo shows promise in childhood brain cancer
An oral drug combination by Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis showed promise in treating a subgroup of patients suffering from a common childhood brain cancer in a trial.
The article describes a new drug combination for the treatment of childhood brain cancer, namely low grade glioma. The article states that about 1000 children are diagnosed yearly with this brain cancer, and that the study participants were between the ages 1 and 17. The new treatment slowed the cancer progression more than standard chemotherapy.
So, Why Do I Care?? Brain cancer in children is very disruptive to their development and education, and even worse, it can end their lives. In addition, parents, siblings, relatives, classmates all suffer emotional trauma. New treatments that slow the progression of these gliomas promise fewer disruptions and longer survival.
Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what a glioma is. Inside our brain and spinal cord there are cells called neuroglia. They support the working of neurons. When mutations cause the neuroglial cells to divide continually, then an abnormal accumulation of neuroglial cells results, thus a glioma forms. The most frequent mutations in gliomas are the ones that activate MEK kinase and the BRAF kinase enzymes. The normal function of these enzymes is to act inside the cells to add phosphate groups to proteins. Those phosphorylated proteins stimulate the start of cell division.
Second, let’s talk about how mutations of the MEK and BRAF kinases contribute to glioma development. Under normal circumstances the kinases are active only during interphase when a growth stimulating