Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mechanisms Of Apoptosis Induced By Actinomycin D In Aerodigestive Tract Cancers, Adeoluwa Ayodeji Adeluola

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Upper aerodigestive tract cancers including cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and lungs are the most prevalent cancers and leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Collectively, over 300,000 new cases and 146,500 deaths are projected within the US in the year 2021. Drug-associated toxicities, as well as resistance to therapy (intrinsic and acquired), are big challenges for successfully treating these cancers. Recent studies have shown that combining low-dose actinomycin D with existing therapies is a promising strategy to reduce toxicity (cyclotherapy) and to overcome resistance. The development of these treatment strategies however requires an understanding of the molecular mechanisms …

Cancer Stem Cells In The Screening Of Anticancer Drugs For Central Nervous System Tumors, Sarah Elizabeth Daron-Mathis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There is a growing need (in the medical field) to design personalized therapy for cancer patients. Decades of cancer research have found no silver bullet that can cure all or even most patients. This study evaluated four patients affected by central nervous system (CNS) tumors (Ependymoma and Glioblastoma), and found that tumors with the same histology had unique responses to treatment. Each sample presented different levels of heterogeneity in expressed biomarkers and responded to drugs at varying levels.

Oncologists conventionally treat cancer patients with drugs tested in large clinical trials. However, often patients do not experience positive outcomes following treatments …