New US Patent Issued

A new U.S. patent related to radiotherapy and chemotherapy has just been issued to us. 

Title: Small Molecules and Methods of Reducing Injuries Caused by Radiation or Chemicals

Patent No.: 11,236,056

Date of patent: February 1, 2022

If you are interested in learning more, please visit the US Patent and Trademark Office at 

https://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22shaw,+jiajiu%22&OS=%22shaw,+jiajiu%22&RS=%22shaw,+jiajiu%22

It is very much appreciated that you spend your time reading my blog. In addition to sharing the technical/non-technical info about cancer, I am still doing research on improving methods of treating cancer. The issuance of this patent is just another small step forward. There is still a long way to go in order to continue the development of this agent.

Again, thank you very much for your attention.  

Radiotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 1 - Introduction

PART II

Chapter 1

Introduction (cont'd)

Radiotherapy has been used for both curative and adjuvant cancer treatment for many years. Adjuvant therapy refers to auxiliary/additional treatment for cancer; adjuvant radiotherapy is usually given after surgery or in conjunction with chemotherapy when a potential risk of relapse remains. Radiotherapy can also be given before surgery to reduce the mass of tumor to be removed.

Roughly speaking, 60% of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy, thus, radiotherapy might not be necessary for all cancer cases. For example, according to a scientific report in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was indicated that children with the most common form of leukemia can safely forego radiation therapy if they are treated with chemotherapy regimens tailored to their individual needs. The conclusion was based on a clinical trial involving 498 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  Nearly 94 percent of the patients were still alive 5 years after treatment, a result that compares favorably with other treatment studies.

An overly simplified schematic representation of how radiation works is shown in Fig. 2.1. Basically, radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells and hampering these cells from replicating. The damage to cancer cells is caused by radiation, which directly or indirectly breaks up the DNA chain. The indirect damage comes from free radicals including hydroxyl radical (HO^·), superoxide  (O₂^-), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), peroxyl (ROO^·) and alkoxyl (RO^·) radicals, collectively called reactive oxygen species (ROS).  

Fig. 2.1   Schematic representation of how radiation works

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2020

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen. 

Carcinogens: Radiation

Technically speaking, radiation is the emission and/or transmission of energy; it includes electromagnetic radiation (radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and g rays) and particle radiation (α, β, and neutron radiation).

Radiation comes from many different sources.  In our everyday lives, sunshine probably provides the most radiation to us.  Although appropriate exposure to the sunshine provides a lot of beneficial effects, too much exposure of sunshine could increase the risk of cancer.  For example, on a high mountain or in a flight, one could be subject to more UV light; overexposure to UV light could increase the risk of skin cancer.

Another source of radiation is radon, which is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas emitted from radioactive materials in soil and underground water.  It is somewhat surprising that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.

Other type of radiation exposure, including x-ray medical examination and radiotherapy, might also increase the risk of cancer.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015 

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.