medical news: Hypoxia Could Drive Cancer Growth

Hypoxia Could Drive Cancer Growth

"Low oxygen levels in cells may be a primary cause of uncontrollable tumor growth in some cancers, according to a new University of Georgia study. The authors' findings run counter to widely accepted beliefs that genetic mutations are responsible for cancer growth.......

Abstract/full free access: The distribution of the therapeutic monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and trastuzumab within solid tumors

In research/technical:

Conclusions

Cetuximab (Erbitux) and trastuzumab (Herceptin) distribute slowly, but at higher doses achieve a relatively uniform distribution after about 24 hours, most likely due to their long half-lives in the circulation. There remains poor distribution within hypoxic (hypoxia - a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body) regions of tumors.