This summer I had written a post about angiogenesis and Dr. Judith Folkman who had come up with the theory in the early sixties. Angiogenesis is a normal process in growth and development, as well as in wound healing. However, this is also the process that forms new blood vessels for cancer cells to survive and grow.

Angiogenesis and its complexities are still being studied so that new drugs can target the cancer's cells ability to receive a blood supply and grow. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health were studying a protein that regulates the maturation of blood cells and instead discovered a new part of the mechanism of angiogenesis.

The tests showed that a gene that makes a compound call NK-B can inhibit angiogenesis in four different ways which could be a promising way to halt tumor growth.

Emery Bresnick, the senior author on the study says "we have discovered a new peptide that clearly suppresses angiogenesis via a novel multi-component mechanism."

An announcement last Wednesday revealed an overall decline in cancer death rates -- probably due to reduced exposure to tobacco, early detection, and better treatment. But the announcement also revealed a surprising jump in cases of thyroid cancer for women.

Between the years 1981 and 1993, incidence rates among women climbed 2.2 percent each year. Between the years 1993 and 2000, they rose 4.6 percent per year. And between 2000 and 2003, there was a 9.1 percent increase each year. This could be a result of better diagnosis but scientists are wondering if there is an unknown risk factor contributing to this startling finding. And it will take at least two more years to determine whether this is a random fluctuation or a true trend. The rate of thyroid cancer in men has also increased but not as much as for women.

The silver lining in this cancer cloud is that trends -- such as those showing increases in cancer incidences and death rates -- often fuel the fight against cancer because researchers are alerted to look for causes which ultimately results in better detection and better prevention.