COTA, Inc. Announces Participation in the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program and DIA 2020 Virtual Global…

BOSTON, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --COTA, Inc., a healthcare technology company that uses real-world data (RWD) to bring clarity to cancer care, is pleased to announce its involvement and participation in two industry leading conferences - the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program taking place May 29-31 and the DIA 2020 Virtual Global Annual Meeting to be held June 14-18. Collectively, the involvement at these two premier events further underscores the importance of RWD's role in clinical research and oncology care delivery.

"As real-world data continues to play an increasing role in clinical research with expanding regulatory applications, COTA is proud to be a leader in the space, and share our expertise and findings at two of the industry's most important meetings," said Mike Doyle, President and CEO of COTA. "Not only are we working to provide clinically relevant insights that might otherwise remain hidden, but we are doing so by collaborating with industry experts, including Friends Of Cancer Research. This work is more important than ever during these unprecedented times, and we look forward to sharing our findings with conference attendees."

ASCO 2020 Areas of Study and Abstracts

The company is proud to announce that five abstracts have been accepted at ASCO's 2020 annual meeting. The key areas of study include the following:

COTA has partnered with leading organizations, life science companies, hospitals, and cancer centers to produce these important findings. Links to the full abstracts and additional author information can be found below:

1. Incorporating molecular markers in standard prognostic models for DLBCL patients using real-world data.

2. Disparities in clinical characteristics and treatment of multiple myeloma in African American patients.

3. Trends in immunotherapy use in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) patients: Analysis of real-world data.

4.Overall survival (OS) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) patients treated with frontline chemotherapy or immunotherapy by comorbidity: A real-world data (RWD) collaboration.

5. Assessing real-world clinical response in patients with multiple myeloma (MM): A survey of the literature.

Industry Thought Leaders to Share Expertise at DIA 2020

In addition to its involvement in ASCO20, the Company will also be participating in DIA 2020, leading panel discussions with industry experts and thought leaders.

"As the value of real-world data becomes more accepted and its use more widely adopted, we are looking forward to speaking with industry leaders with invaluable insights on the topic," saidCK Wang, M.D., COTA's Chief Medical Officer. "With expertise spanning from a past Associate Director of the FDA, to an epidemiologist with over 20 years of healthcare research experience, as well as a pharmacoepidemiologist with 25 years of academic and industry experience, these will be fruitful discussions that can help push the industry forward as it expands its use of RWD."

About COTA, Inc.Founded by doctors, engineers and data scientists, COTA is committed to bringing a patient-first approach to cancer care through the use of real-world evidence. The Company organizes fragmented, often hidden data from the real world to provide clarity in cancer care. Combining clinical expertise in cancer with proprietary technology and advanced analytics, COTA helps inform decisions and action in oncology. COTA partners with providers, payers, and life science companies to ensure that everyone touched by cancer has a clear path to the right care. To learn more about COTA and how to make better decisions with the right data, visit cotahealthcare.com.

For more information, please contact:

Jaimee Ryan

Jessika Parry

COTA, Inc.

Next Step Communications

Jaimeeryan@cotahealthcare.com

COTA@nextstepcomms.com

617-733-5509

781-308-3317

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COTA, Inc. Announces Participation in the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program and DIA 2020 Virtual Global...

Scots mum, 28, who lost newborn baby tragically dies from lung inflammation weeks after cancer all clear – The Scottish Sun

A MUM who lost her newborn baby and battled cancer twice has tragically died.

Danielle Currie, 28, sadly passed away on May 11 - just weeks after being told she could leave Glasgow's Beatson Oncology Centre.

2

The mum, from Drumchapel, had undergone a successful stem cell transplant in February following a second diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Danielle left the Beatson, where she had been treated after the op, on March 23 - but was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with a high temperature two weeks later.

She tragically passed away on May 11, with her loved ones revealing her death certificate states the cause of death as inflammation of the lungs and pneumonitis

A fundraising page has been set up in her name to raise money for her fiance, Derrick McNaught, 28.

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Danielle gave birth to twins Grahame and Sofia McNaught in December 2017, who arrived after just 24 weeks and weighed just one pound, six ounces and one pound, two ounces, respectively.

Heartbreakingly, Grahame died at only 11 days old - but miracle sister Sofia battled against a chronic lung condition to survive.

Home carer Danielle was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona in October 2018, just weeks after her daughter had been allowed to leave hospital.

Cousin Leanne Dawson told the Daily Record: "Danielle and Derrick went through such a hard time after the twins were born. Then came the cancer diagnosis.

"Danielle never said 'why me?' She just got on with it and kept smiling."

"She lost her hair with chemotherapy and often took infections which is horrible, especially for someone of her age.

"She was a new mum and couldn't look after her baby. But she carried on and stayed positive."

Danielle went into remission in March 2019 but the cancer returned a few months later in July.

Leanne, 38, said: "Danielle never said 'why me?' She just got on with it and kept smiling.

"Planning her wedding to Derrick and getting better for Sofia was a good focus for her.

"If anything, she always worried about everyone else, which just summed her up."

After getting the all clear for a second time in March, Danielle headed home the shield with at-risk daughter Sofia.

But in April, she was admitted to hospital and sadly passed away in May.

Leanne, from West Lothian, said: "Her lungs were damaged and had to be drained of liquid, which doctors said could have been a result of the stem cell transplant. It was a horrible time."

Heartbroken Derrick, who cannot work due to his Epilepsy, is now caring for Sofia. But the tot was among the many loved ones who couldn't attend Danielle's funeral this week due to lockdown restrictions.

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A GoFundMe page set up to support Derrick and Sofia has well surpassed the original target of 2,000 and has raised more than 5,600.

Over 180 people have donated money to the family during this tragic time.

To donate to the page, click here.

We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5300

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Scots mum, 28, who lost newborn baby tragically dies from lung inflammation weeks after cancer all clear - The Scottish Sun

"COVID-19: Treatment or vaccines? What seems more likely, and what could be more beneficial?" – Kalkine Media

According to WHO data, as on 29 May 2020 (at 7:02 PM CEST), there were more than 5.7 million confirmed cases, and over 357k deaths recorded worldwide. COVID-19 has taken lives, shut down economies, and has made people cocooned to their respective homes. However, for the healthcare sector, COVID-19 has presented one of the most significant financial opportunities. What the world currently needs is a potent medicine for treating the virus or an effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19 from affecting people. The struggle lies whether to create a treatment or develop a vaccine. Lets dig dipper on this situation.

COVID-19 and its current treatments

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 acts as a pneumonia-like illness as it creates shortness of breath affecting lungs. However, over time, it has been found that the virus affects the other organs as well, such as kidneys, liver, skin, and brain. At present, the treatments primarily consist of existing antivirals or drugs approved for other indications. Doctors are also using EUA drugs to treat people suffering from SARS-CoV-2 induced disease. A EUA or emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows doctors to use the drug for medication without following proper FDA approval process.

Currently, the FDA has assigned emergency use authorization (EUA) to three drugs Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine indicated for Malaria, remdesivir indicated for Viral and a sedation drug to be used with FDA.

Sorrento Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SRNE) recently announced that it had developed an antibody drug that had shown positive results in early testing by blocking the COVID-19 strain. According to the company, the drug can be used for treatment as well as to prevent infection.

In Australia, many companies are developing COVID-19 treatments using various platforms

Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB) and Cynata (ASX:CYP) are using stem cell therapies and have launched clinical trials to see if the overactive inflammatory response of the body can be reduced.

Cancer biotech Noxopharm (ASX:NOX) has submitted a pre-IND (Investigational New Drug) for Veyonda clinical trial for treating inflammation caused by COVID-19. Antiviral condom lube maker Starpharma (ASX:SPL) claimed its active ingredient acted positively against COVID-19 infection in the lab. However, the efficacy and safety of the drugs still need to be ensured. And hence, there is a delay in proper approved treatments entering the markets.

According to industry experts, COVID-19 is expected to become a seasonal disease every year, making treatments an essential need, and thus, a viable opportunity for pharmaceutical and biotech companies to invest in developing the treatment.

ALSO READ:COVID-19 Treatment: Developments in Australia

While treatment is the need of the hour, vaccines will go a long way

A vaccine protects people to build immunity against an antibody or SARS-CoV-2 in case of COVID-19. A virus will have no effect on vaccinated people. According to WHO, as on 27 May 2020, there are 10 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under clinical assessment and 115 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in pre-clinical stage.

Currently, Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) is testing its messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine in a phase I clinical trial in Seattle, Washington. Moderna is expected to start a phase II study of its vaccine in May 2020 and a phase III clinical trial in July. FDA has agreed to fast-track review upon phase III clinical trial success of the vaccine.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:INO) has also quickly developed a potential vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 with phase I clinical trial enrollment completed in late April. The company is expected to start a phase II/III clinical trial in the summer.

The University of Queensland in Australia has a research team which is developing a vaccine by growing viral proteins in cell cultures. The group began pre-clinical testing stages in early April. Pharmaceutical companies, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi are also developing vaccines of their own.

However, according to the director of NIH, Dr Anthony Fauci, a vaccine meant for widespread use will take almost 12 to 18 months to enter the market.

Bottomline

Medicines and vaccines reside side by side. COVID-19 has presented the healthcare sector with an opportunity to serve the people worldwide and rake in big money by creating the right medicine for the treatment of the coronavirus disease, or by developing an effective vaccine to prevent it from affecting people. As per UNICEF Australia, vaccines do assist in building up public health and bring down death rates stemming from various diseases. However, vaccines are not 100% effective, and the vaccination rate per country also varies, creating an earnest need for prescribed medicines to beat the novel coronavirus.

Do Read: How Healthcare and Research Companies are coming up with Ground-Breaking Technologies to Deal with COVID-19

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"COVID-19: Treatment or vaccines? What seems more likely, and what could be more beneficial?" - Kalkine Media

Intravenous infusion of human umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a potential treatment for patients with COVID-19…

On February 7, 2020, a 54-year-old man presented to Yanggu Peoples Hospital, Shandong, with a 4-day history of cough, chest tightness, and fever. Apart from a 2-year history of diabetes, the patient had no other specific medical history. The physical examination showed a body temperature of 38.0C, blood pressure of 141/87mmHg, and pulse of 81 beats per minute. A blood routine examination was arranged urgently, and throat swabs were collected. The result revealed that the white cell count and absolute lymphocyte count were 7.59109/L (reference range 3.5~9.5109/L) and 0.24109/L (reference range 1.1~3.2109/L), respectively; C-reactive protein (CRP), 59.64mg/L (reference range 0~10mg/L); influenza A and B virus antigen (); and routine anti-inflammation and antivirus therapy were given for supportive treatment.

On February 9, 2020, the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay confirmed that the patients specimen tested positive for COVID-19. Then, the patient was admitted to an airborne isolation unit in Liaocheng Infectious Disease Hospital for clinical observation.

On February 11, 2020, the patient felt severe shortness of breath, and the oxygen saturation values decreased to as low as 87.9%. Related laboratory results showed PH (7.46), PCO2 (26mmHg), PO2 (50mmHg), HCO3 (18.4mmol/L). The doctors decided to change the diagnosis to COVID-19 (critically severe type), and the patient was admitted to the ICU of Liaocheng Peoples Hospital for better treatment.

On February 12, 2020, the shortness of breath even got worse under the oxygen supplementation. The doctor speeded up the oxygen airflow to 45L per minute. Chest computerized tomography (CT) clearly showed evidence of pneumonia and ground-glass opacity, in the right and left lungs (Fig.1A-1A-4). According to the guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 [14], the patient was treated with antiviral therapy of lopinavir/ritonavir, IFN- inhalation, and also intravenous injection of levofloxacin, tanreqing capsule, xuebijing, thymosin 1, methylprednisolone, and immunoglobulin. During this time, the patient received antipyretic therapy. More treatments were conducted consisting of electrocardiograph monitoring, potassium chloride sustained-release tablets (oral, 1g per time, 2 times per day), plasma exchange and regulated intestinal microflora of patient, etc. Finally, the discomfort was released, and the oxygen saturation increased to 98%.

Chest computerized tomography (CT) images of the COVID-19 patient. A-1A-4 On February 12, ground-glass opacity (GGO) and pneumonia infiltration occurred in both the left and right lungs. Several GGO regions in each of the 5 lung lobes, and some with traction bronchiectasis; in the left lower lobe, crazy-paving pattern (GGO with superimposed inter- and intralobular septal thickening) with a few scattered consolidation and vascular dilatation were observed. B-1B-4 CT images on February 22 indicate the symptoms of the patient are slightly relieved, but the pneumonia was still significant. There were reduced regions of initial GGO, with a new area of subpleural consolidation. C-1C-4 Cell transplantation was performed on February 24. On March 1, the pneumonia infiltration faded away very much. Most of the ground-glass opacity lightened, or even disappeared. The partial area of consolidation was still observed

On February 13 to 21, the patients vital physical signs remained largely stable, apart from the development of intermittent fevers and shortness of breath.

On February 22, the patient took a turn for the worse (Fig.1B-1B-4). Considering the severe organ injury caused by an inflammatory response, hWJC adoptive transfer therapy was proposed under the advice and guidance of the specialist group. The family member and patient agreed to try hWJC adoptive transfer therapy. The therapeutic scheme was then discussed and approved by the ethics committee of the hospital, and consent forms were signed by the family member before the therapy. On February 24, the patient receives hWJC transfusion.

On March 1, the patient felt much better. The shortness of breath was significantly recovering. The CRP decreased to 27.2g/L, the absolute lymphocyte count rose to 0.66109/L, and the inflammatory factors reduced to normal levels, which indicated that the patient was recovering rapidly. On March 2, the patient meets the discharge standard, and the medical observation is canceled

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Intravenous infusion of human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a potential treatment for patients with COVID-19...

Viracta Therapeutics to Host Key Opinion Leader Call on the Treatment of EBV-Associated Lymphoma – PRNewswire

SAN DIEGO, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Viracta Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company"), a precision oncology company targeting virus-associated malignancies, today announced that it will host a key opinion leader (KOL) call discussing the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphoma on Friday, June 5th at 12 P.M. Eastern Time.

The call will feature presentations by Key Opinion Leaders Ronald Levy, MD (Stanford University) and Pierluigi Porcu, MD (Thomas Jefferson University), who will discuss the current treatment landscape and unmet medical need in EBV-associated lymphoma. The call will be followed by a question and answer session with Drs. Levy and Porcu. Dial-in and webcast information for the call is shown below.

Dial-in and Webcast Information

Domestic:

1-877-705-6003

International:

1-201-493-6725

Conference ID:

13704262

Webcast:

Click Here For Webcast

On the call, Viracta's management team will also provide an update on the clinical development of the company's lead program, nanatinostat in combination with the antiviral valganciclovir as an oral combination therapy in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of EBV-associated lymphoma.

About the KOLs

Dr. Ronald Levy is a Professor of Medicine and former Chief of the Division of Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Levy is widely known as a pioneer in the use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer. His research efforts have focused on the treatment of lymphoma and he played a key role in developing Rituximab, a drug that has revolutionized lymphoma treatment world-wide. Among many other honors, Dr. Levy was a recipient of the King Faisal International Prize in Medicine.Dr. Levy's current research concentrates on the development of therapeutic vaccine approaches for the treatment of lymphoma and other cancers.

Dr. Pierluigi Porcu is a Professor of Medical Oncology and Director of the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the Department of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University, and a member of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC).Dr. Porcu's Lab at the SKCC is focused on studying the role of the EBV in a subset of T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas, epigenetic mechanisms of T-cell and NK-cell transformation, new targets of therapy in EBV-associated T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas, and predictive biomarkers of response to epigenetic therapy in lymphoma. For the past 10 years, Dr. Porcu has been listed among the U.S. News & World Report's Top Cancer Doctors in America, Newsweek's Top Hematology Doctors, and since moving to Philadelphia he has been on Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors list.

About Nanatinostat

Nanatinostat (VRx-3996) is an orally available histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor being developed by Viracta.Nanatinostat is selective for specific isoforms of Class 1 HDACs which is key to inducing latent viral genes in EBV-associated malignancies. The nanatinostat and valganciclovir combination is being investigated in EBV-associated lymphomas in an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial [NCT03397706].

Viracta has received Fast Track designation from the FDA for the nanatinostat and valganciclovir combination in relapsed/refractory lymphomas, as well as Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, plasmablastic lymphoma, and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

About EBV-Associated Cancers

Approximately 95% of the world's adult population is infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Infections are commonly asymptomatic. Following infection, the virus remains latent in a small subset of lymphatic cells for the duration of the patient's life. Under certain circumstances, such cells may undergo malignant transformation and become lymphoma. In addition to lymphomas, EBV is associated with a variety of solid tumors, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric cancer.

About Viracta Therapeutics, Inc.

Viracta is a precision oncology company targeting virus-associated malignancies. The Company's proprietary investigational drug, nanatinostat, is currently being evaluated in combination with the antiviral agent valganciclovir as an oral combination therapy in a Phase 2 clinical trial for Epstein-Barr virus positive lymphomas. Viracta is pursuing application of this Kick and Kill platform approach in other EBV associated malignancies, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and other viral related cancers.

For additional information please visit http://www.viracta.com.

Media and Investor Contact:Joyce AllaireLifeSci Advisors[emailprotected](212) 915-2569

SOURCE Viracta

http://www.viracta.com/

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Viracta Therapeutics to Host Key Opinion Leader Call on the Treatment of EBV-Associated Lymphoma - PRNewswire

As Japan reopens, coronavirus testing slowed by bureaucracy and staff shortages – Physician’s Weekly

By Ju-min Park and Kiyoshi Takenaka

TOKYO (Reuters) At the beginning of April, a young Japanese sumo wrestler known as Shobushi came down with a fever. His coaches tried calling a local public health centre to get him a coronavirus test, but the phone lines were busy.

For four days, he was turned away by clinics in Tokyo overwhelmed during a surge of COVID-19 cases. He was finally admitted to hospital on April 8 when he began coughing up blood, but died of the disease on May 13, the Japan Sumo Association said.

Shobushis death caused a public outcry over Japans testing limitations and reliance on overstretched public health centres at a time when most experts say widespread virus checks are crucial to contain the pandemic.

With Japan lifting its state of emergency and reopening its economy this week, its pandemic response has been hailed as an unlikely success. In a global death toll of more than 300,000, Japan has confirmed around 800 deaths from 16,000 cases.

Yet at the same time, Japan ranks the second lowest in its testing among OECD countries.

As of May 20, Japan conducted 3.4 tests per 1,000 people, far below Italys 52.5 and 39 in the United States, according to Oxford University data. South Korea has carried out tests on 15 people per 1,000 people.

In more than a dozen interviews with Reuters, public health officials, doctors and experts warned Japans slow scaling up of tests could mask the scale of infections and make its population vulnerable to future outbreaks.

Critics say vested interests and bureaucracy inside Japans health ministry caused bottlenecks at overworked public health centres, and officials waited too long to allow private labs to run tests.

It is true that announced figures for infection and deaths are low, but those are based on the tests that were curbed, said Yasuharu Tokuda, the director of the Muribushi Okinawa Center for Teaching Hospitals. It is clear that there are quite a few (cases) that have fallen through the cracks.

Even the governments top advisor, Shigeru Omi, told parliament nobody knows whether the true number of coronavirus cases could be 10 times, 12 times or 20 times more than reported.

Omis panel of experts has called on the government to speed up testing, including of people with mild symptoms.

The health ministry said it is ramping up the use of private labs to reduce the workload on public health centres.

Our stance that tests should be conducted on people in need has been consistent from the beginning. We have had testing capacity increased continuously, Takuma Kato, a senior health ministry official, told Reuters.

NOT ENOUGH TESTS

Public health centres are at the forefront of Japans response to the pandemic. While South Korea bolstered its public health system in the wake of past epidemics, Japan has halved the number of public health centres since the 1990s.

Struggling with overworked staff and flooded with calls, public health centres have asked the government to allow more private clinics to administer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Japan says it can run up to 22,000 PCR tests a day, but less than a third around 6,000 tests are actually conducted on a daily basis. About 75% of tests have been processed through public health centres and government institutions, according to the health ministry.

In a previously unreported May 6 letter, the association of public health centre directors urged Katsunobu Kato, the minister of health, to overhaul Japans testing policy.

Currently, there are not enough PCR tests conducted for the coronavirus, they wrote in the letter seen by Reuters.

Some regional governments have begun running temporary testing stations with the help of local medical associations in April, bypassing public centres.

IDLE LABS, UNUSED MACHINES

While public health centres are overwhelmed, university labs are sitting idle.

Shinya Yamanaka, a Nobel Prize-winning stem cell biologist at Kyoto University, has offered his lab to boost testing capacity.

If we can make good use of resources at places like university labs, PCR testing can exceed 100,000 (per day), far more than 20,000, Yamanaka said in an internet TV debate with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 6.

The health ministry welcomed his proposal, but said further considerations were needed.

We are grateful for their offer of help at this time of emergency. We want to work together, carefully matching our needs to their offer, Masami Sakoi, the assistant health minister, told Reuters.

Critics say testing was limited, in part, by health ministry technocrats who wanted to maintain a tight grip on information, rather than cooperate with private institutions.

Kenji Shibuya, who heads the Institute for Population Health at Kings College London, said officials wanted to gather high-quality research data using public health centres.

The health ministry denies suggestions that ministry technocrats are intentionally curbing testing, and say their approach has proven successful so far.

Sakoi from the health ministry said it was important to carry out PCR tests that doctors deemed necessary, and pointed out Japans public insurance system started covering the tests in March as part of the governments effort to make them more accessible.

When we think about using the test results to form policy measures, the current method needs to be maintained for the time being though concerns that it lacks flexibility for boosting the number of tests is understandable, Sakoi said.

Still, the approach is alarming some experts.

Its safer to assume that Japan has just been lucky than to believe it has taken the right steps, said Tokuda, the epidemiology expert.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Antoni Slodkowski, Ami Miyazaki, Sakura Murakami; Editing by Mari Saito and Lincoln Feast.)

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As Japan reopens, coronavirus testing slowed by bureaucracy and staff shortages - Physician's Weekly

VICTORY BELL: GMC’s Coach Williams reaches remission | News – The Union-Recorder

Ring this bell three times well. Its toll to clearly say, my treatments done, this course is run and I am on my way!

With the reading of those words and the ceremonial ringing of the bell at Emorys Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, longtime Georgia Military College head football coach and Athletic Director Bert Williams celebrated the completion of his chemotherapy treatment last week for mantle cell lymphoma. He is in remission from the rare cancer he was diagnosed with back in December, which now gives one of junior college footballs winningest coaches an off-the-field victory to add to his career total.

It was a very exciting and emotional moment, Williams said of ringing the bell. We had been on the other side of that numerous times as others completed their treatment at Emory. Everybody just stops what theyre doing patients, doctors, nurses, the whole bunch its a very humbling and emotional experience, to say the least. That was a moment Ill never forget.

Williams oldest son Parker posted the video of his father ringing the bell on Twitter Friday and it had reached nearly 100,000 views as of Tuesday afternoon. Current and former GMC players, fellow coaches and many others replied with their congratulations and well wishes for the head coach as he reached the milestone. The celebration continued Friday when Williams was greeted inside his home by his two sons, Parker and Zach, who were each packing their own confetti cannons.

We still have confetti floating all over the house, Williams said laughing. Note to reader: Do not use inside.

The ability to laugh at confetti scattered throughout his home and a strong family support system are two things that have served Williams well in his battle.

Weve been very positive and upbeat the whole time, he said. Its certainly a challenge you think youre never going to have to deal with until you do. Theres high points and low points. We didnt have many low points, but sometimes you start thinking about things and get the bigger picture without question. Id get up in the morning with the mindset to fight every day and do every little thing I could do from dieting to getting what activity I could get to keep working to do all the things I needed and wanted to do. My wife and kids support that, and have from the start.

The GMC head football coach of more than 20 years now is glad to be off medication for a while, but his fight is not over. Mantle cell lymphoma is not yet curable, so the next step is to harvest stem cells (possibly in mid-July) for a stem cell transplant to keep the cancer in remission for as long as possible while a cure is hopefully worked out.

They dont know how to cure it yet, but I fully expect to be the first one and set the standard, Williams said.

Outpatient chemotherapy has done little to keep Williams away from his job as a junior college football coach and athletic director. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way most everyone works, so hes been able to handle his duties from home and even attend Zoom meetings while receiving his treatments. The pandemic canceled spring football practices along with the Bulldogs annual intra-squad scrimmage, but signing day still came and went like normal. Junior college programs like GMC often get guys whose grades do not qualify them to enroll at the big universities they were initially recruited to, but the NCAA has relaxed some of its eligibility criteria due to COVID-19. That means that five or six guys Coach Williams and his staff were expecting to come to Milledgeville now will not be. GMCs recruiting efforts always go into the summer anyway though, so the Bulldog coaches will just have a few more roles to fill than normal.

If conditions allow the 2020 football season to occur as planned, Williams hopes to be on the Davenport Field sideline coaching his guys up. His status will depend heavily on how his stem cell transplant goes.

I may be a couple weeks delayed, he said. I wouldnt call it a likelihood, but it is a possibility at this time. Theres a lot of decisions my family and I have to make about what we do and how we do it. Youll see me out there hollerin and trying to get some wins at some point though.

Finally, Coach Williams wanted to take the opportunity to thank the local community for continually having his back throughout this process.

I would like to thank the GMC family and the Milledgeville/Baldwin County community. As a whole, they have been unbelievable. The cards and notes I've received since January from people letting me know theyre rooting for me have really been a blessing. I cant tell you how much my wife and I and my family appreciate that constant outpouring of care, concern and prayers that have gotten us to the point where we are today.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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VICTORY BELL: GMC's Coach Williams reaches remission | News - The Union-Recorder

DKMS-BMST Foundation India completes one year of operation in India – Express Healthcare

Celebrates milestone with registration of over 42,000 potential life savers in same time period in country

This World Blood Cancer Day, DKMS-BMST celebrates a milestone of registering over 42,000 potential lifesavers in a time period of one year in India. This group comprises of individuals who range from 18-50 years of age and have pledged to donate their blood stem cells to a blood cancer patient in need.

Focussed on helping patients with blood cancer and other blood disorders, DKMS-BMST has been able to save28unique lives in this period of one year including children diagnosed with blood cancer and other blood disorders like thalassemia.

Patients affected by blood cancer or thalassemia need a blood stem cell donation. Worldwide, only 30 per cent of them can find a match within their families and hence there is a dire need to find an unrelated donor. We started our operations in India last year with an intent to add potential blood stem cell donors of Indian ethnicity to the global database, so that patients (especially from this unique ethnicity) living in different parts of the world have a fair chance of finding a match and probably gain a second chance at life. We cannot thank enough, the people who are on-board and are helping us spread the word to add more and more people to this database,said Paul Patrick, CEO, DKMS BMST Foundation India.

Sharing his experience Mohd Saifulla, father to a 4-year-old thalassemia survivor said We went to multiple doctors trying to assess the problem our child had and thereafter to find a matching donor who could save her life. Receiving this transplant was the only chance of life for my daughter and we can never thank Debojyoti, a 28 year old software professional, enough, who donated his blood stem cells that matched our daughter. It is only because of organisations such as DKMS-BMST that people are coming forward to donate blood stem cells and save a life. My entire family is indebted to them for lifetime. Today my daughter is living a happy and healthy life and we are preparing to celebrate her fifth birthday this year that seemed like a dream to us up till a few years back.

Last year on World Blood Cancer Day, DKMS, one of the largest international blood stem cell donor centres in the world dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders joined forces with Bangalore Medical Service Trust (BMST), a centre of excellence in blood banking, transfusion and immunohaematology adding India to the largest global repository of potential blood stem cell donors in the world. Every year, over 100,000 people in India are diagnosed with blood cancer or a blood disorder such asthalassemia or aplastic anaemia. Such life-threatening conditions can be managed by infusing a set of healthy blood stem cells from a suitable match. Since,ethnicity plays a crucial role in finding a matching donor, the ratio of potential blood stem cell donors from India needs to rise significantly, said Dr Latha Jagannathan, Director, DKMS BMST Foundation India.

Harsh, a blood stem cell donor registered with the foundation said,With very limited knowledge about blood stem cells I believed they were present only in the bone marrow and extracting them was a complex process. But to my surprise, the process is very similar to blood platelet donation. I strongly feel that anyone who is made aware that a simple process with zero complications can give you a chance to save a life will not hesitate from committing themselves towards the cause.

Capturing the challenges, the NGO faced in the country,Patrick said,We realised very early in India that a decision of this nature is not alone of the donor, but also involves his / her family. Hence, explaining the process, inculcating right awareness to break myths, updating people on the technological advances of blood stem cell donation and counselling them with medical experts has been our modus operandi in the country. Thus far, we have been able to conduct many physical drives to reach out to people urging them to register as potential donors. We plan to expand our reach to many more regions this year so that we are able to add potential donors from varied population groups in the country.

DKMS-BMST has organised over 1000donor registration drives in one year across various organisations such as corporates, educational institutes, hospitals and defence forces to spread awareness about blood stem cell donation and enroll more potential donors. Few names where physical drives have been conducted includes Mindtree, HSBC, HP enterprises, Christ University, RV College of Engineering, apart from public drives at Orion Mall Bengaluru, Lalbagh Botanical Garden etc.

In the current lockdown situation, the team is working tirelessly to ensure that patients whose donations were scheduled do not face any challenges and are organising awareness sessions through webinars and calling for registrations through the online portal:www.dkms-bmst.org/register.

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DKMS-BMST Foundation India completes one year of operation in India - Express Healthcare

World Blood Cancer Day 2020: Bring down your risk of this condition with easy diet tips – TheHealthSite

Bloodcanceris one of the most common types of cancer that generally affects people of all age groups. According to a report published by WHOs International Agency for Research on Cancer, India has the third-highest number of haematologicalcancers,popularly known as blood cancer. There was a time when cancer was considered an incurable disease, but over the recent years, the situations have changed drastically with the evolution in medical technology. This has made cancer treatments possible with up to 90 per cent survival chances. The World Blood Cancer Day is observed every year on May 28th around the world to show support for blood cancer patients. According to experts, early diagnosis in cancer, especially blood cancer, increases the chance of survival, thanks to evolved treatment modalities of the modern times. Also Read - World Blood Cancer Day 2020: Understanding the types and symptoms

Mostly, heamatological cancers originate in bone marrow, where blood is produced. This condition occurs when faulty blood cells affect the function of the normal ones that fend off infections and generate new cells. There are three types of blood cancers leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. In leukaemia, your body develops too many abnormal white blood cells (leukocytes) and makes it tough for your bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Lymphoma occurs when in the lymphocites while myeloma has its origin in the plasma cells of the blood. These are white blood cells produced in your bone marrow. Also Read - Researchers discover role of mutation in blood cancers

The prominent symptoms of blood cancer include chills, fatigue and weakness, night sweats, pain in the bones and joints, and swollen lymph nodes. It takes a toll on your immunity, making you susceptible to various infections and other conditions. Cancer also affects the rate at which your blood clots. So, small cuts or injuries may tend to bleed for a longer period of time. You may also experience unusual bruising, bleeding of the gums, and blood in stool. Women may go through heavy bleeding during their periods. Also Read - Today health tips: 6 lifestyle modifications to bring down your breast cancer risk

Experts are of the opinion that lymphoma in adults is 80-90 per cent curable and acute leukaemia in adults can be 40-50 per cent curable. However, many of the myeloma cases are incurable. The treatment for blood cancer mostly depends on the type of cancer, age of the patient and the severity of the cancer. On the basis of these factors, doctors may suggest chemotherapy, supportive care, stem cell transplantation, etc.

According to the guidelines of the American Oncology Institute, one can decrease the risk of blood can by following certain lifestyle measures. They include exercising regularly, eating healthy, avoiding exposure to herbicides, insecticides and radiations. Here are some simple dietary tips to bring down your chance of falling prey to this condition.

Eat generous amounts of vegetables and fruits, salads, beans and cereals in your diet. This will try increase your immunity.

These acids have anti-cancer properties. The best food sources could be fish, walnuts, soya bean, so on and so forth. You can also opt for fish oil supplements.

An antioxidant known as lycopene is present in tomatoes. It comes with cancer fighting properties. The best way to get lycopene from tomatoes is to heat them well. So, tomato soup can be a good option. You can also have it with other anti-oxidant rich veggies in the form of a salad.

Several studies have associated high intake of olive oil with cancer risk reduction. You can have this oil in your salads or sprinkle it on cooked veggies too. Also, try using olive oil while marinating your meat, fish or poultry.

Published : May 28, 2020 12:30 pm | Updated:May 28, 2020 1:17 pm

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World Blood Cancer Day 2020: Bring down your risk of this condition with easy diet tips - TheHealthSite

Studying the development of ovarian cancer with organoids – Science Codex

Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers at the Hubrecht Institute have modeled the development and progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer in mini-versions of the female reproductive organs of the mouse. They found out that the cells of the oviduct, the equivalent of fallopian tubes in humans, are more prone to develop into tumors than those of the ovarian surface epithelium, the outer layer of the ovaries. In the future, such mini-versions, or organoids, of human tissue may be used to better understand how this disease, that is often diagnosed very late, develops. The researchers published their results in the scientific journal Nature Communications on the 27th of May.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (hereafter referred to as simply "ovarian cancer") is the most common type of ovarian cancer and has the lowest rate of survival. It is often only diagnosed when it has already spread within the pelvis and abdomen, making it harder to treat. Because the early stages of ovarian cancer are not often observed, much is still unknown about the early development of the disease. We do know that ovarian cancer cells often have mutations, or mistakes, in certain genes, such as Trp53, a gene that is often mutated in many types of cancer, Brca1, a gene often mutated in breast cancer, Nf1 and Pten.

Organoids

Researchers in the group of Hans Clevers at the Hubrecht Institute used mini-versions of two parts of female reproductive tract of mice to study the early development of ovarian cancer. They grew mini-versions, or organoids, of the oviducts (in humans called the fallopian tubes) that transport the egg from the ovary to the uterus, and of the ovarian surface epithelium, the outer layer of the ovaries, in the lab from small pieces of tissue from mice. In these organoids, they recreated the mutations found in ovarian cancer. Using the state-of-the-art CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approach, they mutated the genes Trp53, Brca1, Nf1 and Pten to study how these genes contribute to the development of a tumor.

Mutations

When mutations were introduced in three of the four genes, namely Trp53, Brca1 and either Nf1 or Pten, the organoids acquired characteristics of tumors, such as more densely packed cells and changes in chromosome number. In addition, when these organoids were transplanted back into mice, they developed into tumors that are similar to ovarian cancer tumors in humans.

The researchers found out that organoids from the oviduct were more likely to develop into tumors, grew faster and grew into larger tumors than the organoids from the ovarian surface epithelium. This suggests that ovarian cancer is more likely to originate in the oviduct, or the fallopian tube in humans, compared to the ovarian surface epithelium.

Earlier diagnosis and preventive care

Studying the development and progress of ovarian cancer in such organoid models may help to better understand how ovarian cancer develops in the body. Researchers in the group of Hans Clevers have previously shown that organoids can also be made from the human fallopian tube and the human ovarian surface epithelium. In the future, the researchers may also introduce the specific mutations found in ovarian cancer in these human organoids to further study the development of this disease.

Patients with a mutation in one of the Brca genes are at a high risk of ovarian cancer and can receive preventive treatment. This includes radical surgery in which both ovaries as well as the fallopian tubes are removed, leading to premature menopause in these women. The results in this study support the emerging view that the fallopian tube, not the ovarian surface epithelium around the ovaries, are the main origin for ovarian cancer, which may direct future changes in (preventive) treatment. For example, the Dutch Gynecological Oncology Group recently launched a clinical trial to study whether early removal of only the fallopian tubes and later removal of the ovaries can improve the quality of life for these patients, while also reducing the risk of ovarian cancer.

Knowing more about the development and progression of ovarian cancer may help doctors to better recognize ovarian cancer in the future, enabling earlier treatment and a higher chance of survival.

Publication

Assessing the origin of high-grade serous ovarian cancer using CRISPR-modification of mouse organoids. Kadi Lhmussaar*, Oded Kopper*, Jeroen Korving, Harry Begthel, Celien P. H. Vreuls, Johan H. van Es, Hans Clevers. Nature Communications 2020.

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Hans Clevers is group leader at the Hubrecht Institute and the Princess Mxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, professor of Molecular Genetics at the UMC Utrecht and Utrecht University, and Oncode Investigator.

About the Hubrecht Institute

The Hubrecht Institute is a research institute focused on developmental and stem cell biology. It encompasses 23 research groups that perform fundamental and multidisciplinary research, both in healthy systems and disease models. The Hubrecht Institute is a research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), situated on Utrecht Science Park. Since 2008, the institute is affiliated with the UMC Utrecht, advancing the translation of research to the clinic. The Hubrecht Institute has a partnership with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). For more information, visit http://www.hubrecht.eu.

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Studying the development of ovarian cancer with organoids - Science Codex