Highlights of Issue 40/14

The Pillar of Medical Wisdom

Cancer treatments from Hippocrates to the Middle Ages

The history of the treatment of cancer as described by leading physicians of Greek antiquity is discussed in a Review in this issue. Karpozilos and Pavlidis examine medical texts beginning with Hippocrates (ca. 460-370 B.C.) - "The Pillar of Medical Wisdom" - through to the seventh century A.D. "The theoretical considerations remained basically unaltered and the same prescriptions - in essence - were transmitted from one medical collection to another, from Greek Antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages", they concluded.

Novel proteomic techniques to identify Cytochrome P450 enzymes

Novel mass spectrometry-based proteomic techniques are used in this issue to identify Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in human colorectal metastases and normal liver tissue. 14 distinct CYP enzymes were identified; 13 in the liver and 12 in the tumour samples. Three of the metastatic samples had mostly the same expression pattern of CYPs as the surrounding liver. According to the authors, "The CYP expression profile in an individual tumour is likely to be an important determinant in predicting the outcome of cancer chemotherapy".

CAM use in children with cancer

Conventional and alternative medical therapies (CAM) are used by 31-84% of children with cancer, Dr. Kara Kelly (Columbia University, USA) reports in this issue. Regulation of CAM therapies varies worldwide and they can also interact with conventional medicines. They are often used to treat the side-effects of therapy and only rarely as conventional therapy. Further research is needed before biologically-based CAM therapies can be recommended in conjunction with conventional therapies, she said.