Altered herpes virus used to fight melanoma

Shari Wells vividly recalls sitting with doctors at the University of Louisville’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center and learning that her melanoma was so dangerous and advanced that she likely had less than six months to live.

But then came a clinical trial that she calls “my lifesaver,” in which a modified version of the herpes virus is used to fight the deadliest form of skin cancer, which strikes 70,000 Americans a year, kills 9,000, and is on the rise.

The treatment “saved my life,” said Wells, 56, of Ashland, Ky., whose cancer went into remission. “I was never so thankful in my whole life than for that medicine. Without it, I would be dead.”

Herpes, known for cold sores and misery, is being made into a weapon, the latest example of turning one bane of humanity against another by using viruses to target cancer.

A study involving 436 late-stage melanoma patients at 64 centers around the globe, published in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, shows that those injected with a genetically-modified version of the herpes simplex virus known as T-VEC responded better than a control group. Sixteen percent saw a significant decrease in tumor sizes within the first year of treatment that lasted for at least six months, compared with 2 percent of patients who didn't get T-VEC.

Researchers expect the treatment to yield even better results when combined with another type of immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.

“It appears for many patients that (T-VEC) gives long-term remission and in some cases, cure,” said Rob Coffin, who invented the treatment. “Quite a number of people in that study got a complete response; all their disease went away… I’m a great believer in the concept of using viruses to treat cancer.”

Over the years, scientists have explored altering various viruses, including measles and polio, to combat several types of cancer, including brain tumors, breast cancers and others. A 2013 review in the journal Molecular Cancer concluded that cancer-fighting viruses armed with genes that stimulate the immune system, “are potent therapeutic cancer vaccines.” Such viruses, including T-VEC, will be discussed at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which runs through June 2.

T-VEC, a product of California-based biotechnology company Amgen, is made by removing the gene that causes herpes from the virus and inserting a different gene that revs up the immune system, said researcher Jason Chesney of the University of Louisville, deputy director of the Brown Cancer Center and a co-author on the study. The virus enters cancer cells and “blows them up,” he said, at the same time stimulating the body to fight the cancer.

In the study, patients were injected with viruses once every two weeks. Those with "durable," or lasting, responses saw at least a 50 percent decrease in the size of tumors that were injected and those that weren't. The most common side effects included things like fatigue, chills and nausea.

Wells, whose cancer first appeared in a mole on her left leg, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2007. Seven months later, she said, tests showed it had metastasized and was at Stage 4. She endured numerous procedures, including surgeries, but the cancer raged on — until she was accepted into the T-VEC trial beginning in 2010 and received two-and-a-half years of treatment.

“I was the first one accepted (in Louisville) and the first one in remission,” she said.

Researchers and Amgen have high hopes for T-VEC. Amgen acquired the company Coffin founded, Massachusetts-based BioVex, in a billion-dollar deal in 2011. Examining early results of this Phase 3 sponsored study, an independent advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended T-VEC be approved, and researchers expect word within months from the agency.

FDA staff had initially expressed concerns about T-VEC, saying, among other things, that it was unclear from the study whether the treatment offered improved overall survival benefits to patients. Median overall survival differed by 4.4 months between T-VEC and the control group, the study says.

Researchers and melanoma experts say the best hope for patients may be combining T-VEC with another type of treatment called immune checkpoint inhibitors, which Chesney says “release the brakes in the immune system.” He’s currently testing this combined therapy at Brown Cancer Center.

Richard Daugherty, a 52-year-old patient of Chesney’s from Jeffersonville, Ind., is undergoing this therapy for internal melanoma centered inside his groin and pelvis. When he was diagnosed in March, another doctor gave him up to a year to live. But one treatment with T-VEC reduced the size of tumors where it was injected by about 20 percent — and the only side effect he felt was fatigue.

Upon hearing the results before his second injection this week, “I thought I was imagining things,” he said. “The excitement and hope is amazing. I completely feel like I’ll go into …remission.”

Timothy Turnham, executive director of the Washington, D.C-based Melanoma Research Foundation, agrees that combination therapy seems to be the best approach. He said the results of T-VEC alone were “interesting but not amazing,” but when used with immune checkpoint inhibitors “the numbers you get are much stronger,” and this combined treatment may prove to be a game-changer for melanoma treatment, especially given the relatively mild side effects.

Melanoma patient Mary Kenna Deddens, 66, is currently being injected with T-VEC as part of another study at the Brown Cancer Center and said she hopes the FDA approves it for wide use, because patients with advanced melanoma need more options.

“It would help a lot of people,” she says. “It’s another tool in the toolbox.”

Reporter Laura Ungar, who also covers public health for USA Today, can be reached at (502)582-7190 or on Twitter @laura_ungar.

The bouncer inside your mind

Picture this.

You’re planning for a party. It may be your birthday celebration, a brand new Years Eve party, an finish-of-the-world party, an “I’m alive” party — no matter exactly what the excuse to celebrate is you realize is it’s destined to be epic. Fun. Pleasure. Celebration. Dancing. Hooking up with individuals you like. Frolicking …

This is everything you can actually want inside a party. And you're able to create it. (You epic party-planner, you.)

Consider the sorts of people you need to arrived at the party. What type of individuals are they? Would you let just anybody participate in? Any Joe Blow from the street? Most likely not. You’re likely to be selective, right? You most likely won’t invite individuals those who are super negative, always worrying about something, judgmental, angry at existence, right? You’re most likely likely to invite individuals individuals to your party whom you really feel, great around, who're positive, with awesome attitudes, useful, exciting, fun, funny and overjoyed by existence. Right?

Well, I acquired news for you personally: There is a party happening inside your mind … at this time. What type of a celebration could it be? Who've you let in to the party of the mind? How's that affecting you, your associations as well as your existence?

Again, you choose which ideas and values enter into the mind. Individuals ideas and values determine your attitude. Take a listing from the visitors inside your party. Would you like them there? Could they be adding towards the type of party you're wanting? Exist a couple of visitors at the party who're fighting with one another and therefore are getting everybody else lower? Exist a couple of visitors who are attempting to convince the rest of the visitors this party is lame and stupid?

Odds are, if these visitors happen to be destroying your party, it really implies that the bouncer for the party has fallen asleep.

Yes, your bouncer. (Also called your awareness.)

Time for you to awaken your bouncer. There is a party to see!

Here’s another position about this concept of being selective by what we let into the brain.

Close your vision and envision an illusion lover on your own. (Yes, I am talking about it. Do it. This is a lot more enjoyable should you choose.)

Which among the following are you currently imaging about?

A. Somebody that turns yourself on, excites you, enables you to smile, has you feeling ALIVE
… OR …
B. Somebody that you’re absolutely unattracted to and offended by?

I’ve requested this to some couple of people and also the reaction almost always is “Duh, obviously I’d fantasize concerning the most popular, most amazing person I possibly could! It’s my imagination!” Yes, if you can fantasize about ANYTHING, why don't you create the kind of fantasy in your head that you simply enjoy?

A lot of people decide to fantasize regarding their lives in ways which has them feeling downtrodden, cleaned up, numbed out, sad. You may be saying “I’m not selecting to consider these ideas. It’s only the truth.” Observe that even that statement is really a belief that could be just the one thing that’s stopping you moving forward from truly feeling the pleasure of the existence. It’s a concept you have been thinking again and again again to the stage where it’s become established like a belief. Values tend to be harder to shake than ideas are. It requires work. It requires awareness. It requires readiness to behave in a different way. Despite the fact that certain existence conditions can’t change, ideas and values certainly can.

To return to the initial metaphor, values which are getting you are feeling lower relating to this party known as your existence are simply individuals negative people at the party who've overstayed their welcome. Time for you to kick ‘em out. Awaken your bouncer.

Existence is only one large, glorious party. What party would you like to have?

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Partner stated they didn’t have herpes. How did I recieve it?

This can be a question we have seen a great deal on the Herpes Chance message boards. “How did I recieve herpes? My lady stated they didn’t get it. How's this possible?”

Listed here are a couple of possible solutions to think about …

“How did I recieve herpes? My lady stated they didn’t get it. How's this possible?”Your lover had herpes, but didn’t get examined, presuming they didn’t have herpes simply because they never saw any herpes breakouts or signs and symptoms.
This can be a large assumption many people make around their reproductive health, which is dependant on the west of denial. Not so many people are very positive about getting examined after/before new sexual partners. Many people just assume should they have something, then they’ll begin to show signs and symptoms for this. They believe when there aren’t any signs and symptoms, they mustn't come with an STD. Wrong! This really is one of the reasons why 70-80% of people that have herpes aren’t aware they have it! Also, realize that 20% of people that have herpes won't ever develop any visual signs and symptoms, however that herpes continues to be spreadable via asymptomatic viral losing.Your lover had herpes, visited get examined, requested to become examined for “everything” but wasn’t really examined for herpes.
Yes, this occurs a great deal, surprisingly. The CDC doesn’t see herpes like a social health risks, so it isn't incorporated within the standard STD panel. Then when people request to become examined for “everything,” they have to add “… including herpes.” Many people have undergone with obtaining a “full” STD test (that didn’t test for herpes), then obtaining a obvious bill of health, and (improperly) think that it normally won't have STD, much more reality they are doing have herpes but simply unknowingly wasn’t examined for this.Your lover had herpes, and also got a bloodstream test for herpes inside the 3-month window that herpes antibodies take to get at noticeable levels.
Bloodstream tests won’t provide you with a precise result if you've been uncovered to herpes within 3 several weeks of giving the exam. That’s because normally, it requires 3 several weeks for your system to develop enough antibodies within the bloodstream stream the herpes bloodstream tests can really get. This is whats called a “false negative” result. You are able to really have the herpes simplex virus within your body, however your antibodies aren’t numerous enough for that text to see them. The exam doesn’t search for the particular herpes simplex virus it searches for the antibodies.You'd herpes before new partner, but weren’t conscious of it (due to the reason why pointed out above) and just had an episode now once you had sex with this particular new partner.
The timing of when individuals have herpes breakouts differ based on lots of things: What strain of herpes you have (HSV-1 or HSV-2), how healthy of the defense mechanisms you've, in which you were initially uncovered to herpes in your body (the thinner your skin membrane, the greater permeable it's towards the virus), etc. Many people have no idea understand that their first herpes outbreak was a real outbreak (they might assume it had been an in-grown hair or simply an scratchy pimple). Many people possess a first outbreak inside the first couple of days of exposure, however for others (myself incorporated) it will take a long time between exposure as well as an actual outbreak.

Ultimately, as it pertains lower into it, trying to puzzle out the way you got herpes could drive you crazy and result in lots of possible conclusions. When you are baffled and spinning your wheels, best factor to complete is believe that you have it, and determining just how you first got it won’t change this. You've herpes. Now begins the entire process of accepting it and moving forward together with your existence. Speaking about this with individuals who understand yourself on our Herpes Chance message boards is greatly useful. And when you’re ready to accept next thing of healing, consider attending our next Herpes Chance weekend workshop.

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Natural Herpes Cure that is Safe and Effective is Now Available from Resolve Herpes

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Resolve Herpes, a company that offers all-natural mineral formulations, has just announced the launch of a new and effective herpes treatment. Called ResolveHerpes, the product is designed to help boost the body's immune system, which in turn can help it naturally clear out the herpes viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140611/117174

As anyone who has dealt with the often-painful and embarrassing herpes symptoms knows quite well, it can be a very difficult condition to treat. While topical creams and drugs can make people feel better for a short time, they do not help to remove the virus from the body. During an outbreak, creams and antiviral drugs like Valtrex, Famivir and Acyclovir will help relieve the itching and burning and other symptoms, but the contained virus inside the person's cells will continue to multiply.

Through an innovative two-step process, ResolveHerpes goes well beyond simply putting a figurative band-aid over a herpes outbreak and goes deep into the body where the herpes simplex virus is living and multiplying. The formula, which some customers have called the "herpes solution," allows the body to effectively eliminate the viruses, fungi and toxins from the cells.

During Step One, which takes 36 days, people slowly increase their dosage of ResolveHerpes to 20 mls, 3 times a day. As the minerals push the virus out from the cells, people often experience minor symptoms such as pimples and a runny nose. This is actually proof that the mineral supplement is working and is nothing to be concerned about.

"The final part of the detox consists of concentrated minerals that are taken three times a day for 14 days," a spokesperson for ResolveHerpes noted, adding that this final part of the detox has the effect of allowing the body to expel any free viruses that remain in the body.

People who would like to learn more about ResolveHerpes are welcome to visit the company's website; there, they can read in-depth articles about the product and why it is so effective. The website also features a variety of positive customer testimonials from people who have had great success using the product.

"Last year I returned positive for Herpes types 1 and 2," wrote a customer named Brett, who said he then took the ResolveHerpes formula.

"I have just received the results for the exact same STD screen that I took last year, and the results for both Herpes type 1 and type 2 have come back negative. The test now states there is no evidence of myself ever being exposed to HSV."

About Resolve Herpes:

Resolve Herpes is a small, innovative company that is fortunate to have the benefit of a hardworking, inventive, and ingenious practitioner who for over 20 years refined a combination of all-natural and supremely pure minerals that could infiltrate every cell in the body and allow the body itself to do what it was naturally designed to do -- rid itself of most types of harmful toxins and viruses. The company features a product called ResolveHerpes that can help push toxins and viruses out of the body. For more information, please visit http://www.resolveherpes.com/

Media Contact: Customer Support, Resolve Herpes, (760) 742-5190, info@resolveherpes.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

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Neonatal herpes: what is it?

Just as the symptoms of genital herpes vary with the location of the infection, so do the signs of neonatal herpes.

In some unusual cases, herpes is already present at birth. Since infection usually begins at the time of birth, however, it typically takes several days to a couple of weeks to become evident.

The most common herpes infection in newborns is on the skin. The skin sore looks much like a sore on an adult - a single vesicle (blister) or cluster of vesicles.

Occasionally, herpes begins as a red or purplish rash.

Because many very mild skin rashes of infancy mimic herpes, it is important to ask a doctor's opinion when a skin rash develops in a newborn. Genuine herpes sores may be found anywhere on the skin, especially on the head of a baby born head first, the buttocks of a baby born rear first, and so on.

Figure 1 shows a newborn who was delivered feet first. However, skin lesions in a newborn are not always or only found at the site of first contact with the virus. Figure 2 shows the recurrent herpes on the hand of a baby that had neonatal herpes at birth.

Neonatal herpes on foot

Neonatal herpes on hand

Another common site of herpes of the newborn is the eyes. Most babies receive either silver nitrate or an antibiotic ointment in their eyes at birth to prevent eye infections caused by certain types of sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonnorhea. However, this does not provide protection from herpes in the eyes. Herpes infection of the eye is often detectable only by an examination by an ophthalmologist (eye specialist). Talk to your doctor or your baby's doctor if you have concerns about a herpes infection in your baby's eyes.

Most studies suggest that many newborns who develop genital herpes never develop skin lesions at all. The more severe neonatal herpes syndrome is infection of the central nervous system (the brain). This infection spreads by being carried in the blood and distributed in many parts of the body. Brain infection tends to appear at 1 to 4 weeks of age.

An affected baby may suddenly lose his or her active behaviour and become lethargic. The baby may stop caring about things such as feeding, or may do just the opposite and become very irritable. This, of course, is a very common thing in normal babies as well, but an irritable baby should be assessed to make sure it is nothing more than "just colic." Shaking, twitching, or fits - like epileptic fits - should be checked out by a physician without delay. Babies with herpes infection of the nervous system may have skin sores, but very often a baby with serious herpes infection shows no skin problem whatsoever.

The same is true for disseminated herpes (herpes infection found in many parts of the body) - skin sores may or may not be present. Disseminated herpes appears a bit earlier, often within the first 7 days of life. In most cases, herpes is present at birth, implying that herpes infected the baby inside the womb. There is no known specific method for prevention of womb infection.

Most babies with disseminated herpes have nonspecific symptoms, including apparent sluggishness, going off feeding, and vomiting. An affected baby may become gravely ill very rapidly. Jaundice (yellow skin) is very common in infants. Jaundice may be the result of herpes or it may be caused by many other things. Sometimes a baby with herpes gets pneumonia, has difficulty breathing, or has apnea - spells with no breathing at all. These are serious problems that require intensive investigation in hospital. If the mother has herpes, the pediatrician needs to know in order to consider this possibility.

All of the scenarios discussed above, with the possible exception of skin sores, have nonspecific symptoms. This is the problem. So many things - some infectious, some noninfectious; some very serious, some very minor - show themselves in exactly the same way. Even if your baby gets all of these symptoms, herpes is unlikely. Neonatal herpes is exceedingly unlikely to occur and is highly preventable. Furthermore, if it happens in spite of efforts at prevention, it is treatable. In fact, the problem with treatment is less the difficulty of finding a useful medication and more the delay that often occurs before the diagnosis is made. If the first sign of something serious is nonspecific, it may take days to find the correct diagnosis. The delay makes treatment more difficult. If your infant becomes ill, get medical attention. Herpes can be diagnosed only if it is looked for. Tell your physician about your herpes to make sure he or she considers herpes as a possibility for your baby. You should not attempt to make your own diagnosis for your baby.

Stephen L. Sacks, MD, FRCPC, with revisions by the MediResource clinical team

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Genital Herpes 101

Genital herpes is an incredibly contagious sexually transmitted diseases, one spread through skin-to-skin contact that affects one in five adults in the United States — about 45 million people in all.

Herpes infects as many as one million new patients each year. It is viral in nature, caused by the herpes simplex viruses (HSV) type 1 and type 2. Most genital herpes results from HSV type 2.

Genital Herpes Transmission and Symptoms

The herpes virus infects people by passing through a break in the skin during vaginal, oral sex, or anal sex. These tiny skin breaks are caused by typical levels of friction during sex and are not visible to the naked eye. HSV also can enter the body through the moist membranes of the sexual organs, urinary opening, cervix, or anus. The virus can be transmitted even if the infected person has no blisters, sores, or other visible signs of an outbreak. However, there is no evidence that it can be picked up through contact with a toilet seat, hot tub, or other objects.

Genital herpes can be transmitted to other parts of the body, including the lips, tongue, gums, eyes, and fingers. For example, during oral sex, herpes can pass from the genitals to the mouth, and vice versa. Infection can also occur if a person touches a herpes sore and then rubs or scratches another part of the body.

Many people who are infected with genital herpes show no symptoms most of the time, and may not even be aware they are infected. When symptoms do occur, they vary from mild to severe depending on the person.

Symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak can include:

Blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. When the blisters break, they leave behind tender ulcers that may take two to four weeks to heal.Pain, itching, and burning in the genital area.Vaginal discharge.Flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen glands.

The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks after transmission. After the first outbreak, most people will have four or five more outbreaks within the year. The outbreaks of blisters occur less frequently over time.

HPV and Cervical Cancer

Diagnosing Genital Herpes

Doctors often can diagnose genital herpes by looking for physical signs of an outbreak and using a swab to take a sample from any open sores. Blood tests designed to find herpes antibodies — released by the immune system to fight the virus — can be used to verify infection during times between outbreaks, when the virus is dormant.

Treatment for Genital Herpes

There is no cure for genital herpes. Once infected, patients will have the virus in their bodies for the rest of their lives, regardless of whether they ever experience outbreaks. Prescription drugs are available that can shorten outbreaks, decrease their severity, or keep them from happening at all.

These drugs include:

8 Ways to Prevent HPV

Preventing Genital Herpes

During a herpes outbreak, patients can stay more comfortable and prevent transmission of the virus to other parts of their body or other people by:

Keeping the sores clean and drySteering clear of any contact with the soresWashing their hands after any contact with soresAvoiding any sexual activity until the sores have completely healed

In between outbreaks, the herpes carrier should always practice safe sex to avoid transmitting the virus to other people. The person with herpes should use a condom during sex. Drugs like Valtrex also can decrease the risk of transmission, but they are no substitute for the protection provided by condoms.

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The Evolutionary Origins of Herpes: Virus Infected Humans Before They Were Human

Scientists have uncovered the evolutionary origins of human herpes: chimpanzees. (Photo : Flickr)

Scientists have uncovered the evolutionary origins of human herpes: chimpanzees. It turns out that the human herpes simplex virus (HSV) -1 and -2 infected hominids before their evolutionary split from chimps about 6 million years ago and jumped from chimpanzees to our ancient ancestors about 1.6 million years ago.

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About two-thirds of the human population is infected with at least one herpes simplex virus. This virus is commonly presented as cold sores on the mouth or lips or blisters on the genitals. In fact, humans are the only primates that have two herpes simplex viruses.

In order to learn more about the herpes virus, the researchers compared the HSV-1 and HSV-2 gene sequences to the family tree of simplex viruses from eight monkey and ape host species. They used advanced models of molecular evolution to estimate ancient viral divergence times. This allowed them to determine when HSV-1 and HSV-2 were introduced into humans.

"The results help us to better understand how these viruses evolved and found their way into humans," said Joel Wertheim, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Animal disease reservoirs are extremely important for global public health. Understanding where our viruses come from will help guide us in preventing future viruses from making the jump into humans."

In the end, the researchers found that HSV-2 was far more genetically similar to the herpes virus found in chimpanzees. This seemed to indicate that humans must have acquired it from an ancestor of modern chimps about 1.6 million years ago, prior to the rise of modern humans about 200,000 years ago. In contrast, HSV-1 has been present in humans for far longer.

"Comparing virus gene sequences gives us insight into viral pathogens that have been infecting us since before we were humans," said Wertheim in a news release.

The findings are published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.

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