Running the Race to Cure Cancer From Space

    HOUSTON, TX, October 14, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The race to find answers for cancer is not a sprint, but a marathon. When you participate in charity runs for yourself or your loved ones, it is in pursuit of improved treatments and hopefully a cure. While you are putting one foot in front of the other on the ground, there are researchers running tests aboard the International Space Station in support of this universal cause.

Research done today has roots in studies accomplished as part of the shuttle era during space station assembly, as well as other microgravity science missions. Some investigations have already entered clinical trials on the ground, while others are part of follow-up experiments on the orbiting laboratory. Research goals range from a fundamental understanding of what makes cancer tick, to better pharmaceuticals, to improved delivery for those drugs. Microgravity can give scientists and doctors a leg up in many and sometimes unexpected ways.

One of the ways the microgravity environment helps with the study of cancer cells is by removing the variable of gravity from the equation. This allows scientists to examine cancer-related cells behaving similarly to how they would act inside the human body. Space station researcher Jeanne Becker, Ph.D., wrote on this topic in Nature Reviews Cancer, providing a more detailed look at the history of cancer research in space, from Skylab to the International Space Station. Becker emphasizes the importance of microgravity for future cancer research. In her own pursuits, Becker, a cell biologist at Nano3D Biosciences in Houston, was the principal investigator for the space station CBOSS-01 study, which focused on ovarian cancer cells.

The Micro7 study, which launched to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission this past spring, was another cellular-level look at cancer--specifically the double impact of radiation and microgravity. The long name for the investigation is MicroRNA Expression Profiles in Cultured Human Fibroblast in Space, indicating the goal to see how DNA may alter as it repairs from the damage imposed by radiation. Fibroblasts are the non-dividing cells in the human body, which play a critical role in wound healing. The findings could have implications to help predict the risk of radiation-related cancer for not only astronauts, but also for those on the ground.

Joining in the effort to predict radiation risks, which can lead to many health concerns--cancer included--is the Radi-N2 investigation. This Canadian/Russian collaborative study took place during Expedition 34/35 as a follow on to the 2009 Radi-N investigation. Specifically, the testing examined the impact of neutron radiation in space. This is one of the most severe forms of radiation, accounting for about 30 percent of such exposure for the crew of the space station. While these studies contribute to evaluating human health for long-duration exploration, they also address risks posed by radiation on Earth.

Another radiation-related study planned for this year is Embryo Rad. This investigation may help researchers as they look for trans-generational effects of the radiation exposure in rodents. To do this, they will fly frozen mouse embryos in the radiation environment of the space station. The samples will return to Earth where they will be born to surrogate mothers. Scientists can then study any possible changes in the animals' lifespan, as well as watch for cancer development or gene mutations. This may give insight into the secondary cancer risks involved in ground-based radiation therapy for humans.

The Cellbox-Thyroid study also takes a closer look at the cellular level of cancer. As researchers continue to pace the course towards discovery, they build on the findings from a prior investigation. Cellbox-Thyroid looks at the spherical structure of thyroid cancer cells and how they spread. Since the cells grown in microgravity mimic behavior inside the body, the data could offer an improved grasp on what drives the cells. This information may then factor into treatment designs. Researchers plan to continue the Cellbox-Thyroid research with an additional flight in 2015.

Other cancer related investigations include protein crystal growth studies on cells related to leukemia, breast and skin cancer, and other diseases. Researchers study how protein crystals grow in microgravity to produce larger, better-organized crystals. With these structures, they can determine details that may enable improved drug discovery for treatments.

While some studies looked at the nature of cancer to contribute to tailored treatments, the MEPS-II investigation had the goal of refining treatments already in development on the ground. This provided the parameters needed for microencapsulation researchers to refine the delivery method they were testing. After allowing space to be the "teacher," they were able to develop Earth-based technology to produce these microcapsules for targeted treatments to tumor sites. Doctors and researchers are currently seeking FDA approval to begin clinical trials in humans.

There are implications that microencapsulation also may be useful for delivery of insulin for those suffering from diabetes. Another space station study planned to start this year uses a treatment commonly used for diabetes, Metformin. Called Drug Metabolism, this research looks at the possibility of repurposing Metformin as an anti-cancer agent. The experiments will use yeast as a model organism to test how the drug acts on tumors.

While there are instruments developed specifically to help with delivery of the microencapsulation drugs, they themselves are not space based. The neuroArm surgical tool for treatment of brain tumors, however, did find its origins in space station technology. This robotic assist is already in use for human patients as part of the clinical trials at Calgary's Foothills hospital. The robotic assist enables surgeons to operate inside an MRI, as the tool is free of magnetic metals, similar to the Canadian Space Agency's (CSA) CanadArm, CanadArm2 and Dextre on which developers based the design. NeuroArm is a tremor-free aid for surgeons, offering a high-level of dexterity and even giving doctors a sense of touch while performing delicate procedures. A commercialized second generation model also is in work.

Similar to neuroArm, the Image-Guided Autonomous Robot (IGAR) surgical instrument has roots in CSA's suite of space robots that perform heavy-lift and maintenance capabilities aboard the space station. This tool also is in clinical trials, enabling precise, dexterous and highly accurate procedures for breast cancer patients. IGAR can work within an MRI, as well, offering surgeons greater real-time control during biopsies. Treatments using IGAR additionally aid surgeons with autonomous software control capabilities.

IGAR will be joined in the fight against breast cancer by a new space station study called CYTOSPACE in 2015. This investigation will look at breast cancer cells in two different growth media. Researchers hope to better understand how this impacts the cell shape and the nature of how the cells transition.

As we look towards the decade ahead in orbit, we are in a place to see the space station's role in cancer research yesterday, today and tomorrow. The station is key to providing a long-term microgravity environment for researchers, which fosters breakthroughs, propels continued studies, generates spinoffs and provides benefits for exploration and Earth. The race is nowhere near having been run, but by handing off the baton along the way, everyone can do their part to build on the efforts of others for a better and perhaps cancer-free tomorrow.

By Jessica Nimon
International Space Station Program Science Office
NASA's Johnson Space Center

# # #