Archive for 2010

Benchmarks articles from the selected year appear below. To view articles from previous years, use the links to the left, and select the year you wish to see.

HPV Infection and Transformation [Animation]

HPV can infect normal epithelial cells. The human papilloma virus is housed in a protective shell made of a protein called L1. As the virus enters a cell, the L1 protein coat degrades, leading to the release of the virus’ genetic material in a cell’s nucleus. In the nucleus, the DNA from the virus is transcribed by messenger RNA, which carries viral DNA snippets to the cellular DNA, where it is integrated and eventually translated into proteins called E6 and E7, which can lead to cancer.

Studies Uncover Associations between Human Papillomavirus and Oral Cancer

Release of HPV genetic material in a cell’s nucleus.

NCI-supported research is contributing to the understanding of how the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes oral cancer. These research efforts are identifying factors and behaviors that may put some people at high risk for the disease. While oral cancer caused by tobacco use has declined over the past 30 years, oral cancers associated with HPV have [...]

Scientists Develop Model that Advances Understanding of the Process of Cancer Metastasis

Tumor cells were delivered to mice by tail-vein injection.

Metastasis of a tumor from its primary site to other parts of the body continues to be the main reason why people die from cancer. In a new technical advance, NCI scientists have successfully designed, implemented, and validated a model that allows scientists to explore—in real-time—the progression of cancer as it metastasizes in the mouse lung. Understanding the mechanisms of how metastasis works is an important step in stopping its progression.