Bones- The Missing Link

By Anika Logan

Science is always searching for answers and the missing link to age-old medical questions and when one is found it is always something worth acknowledging and heralding. In early 2001 scientists found a missing link between a rare disease known as Fanconi anemia (FA) and a variety of inherited types of breast Cancer. Fanconi anemia is one of the most rare of all diseases on Earth and it is an inherited form of anemia that eventually brings about bone marrow failure (also known as aplastic anemia). Fanconi anemia is a disorder that is recessive in nature which means that if a child has both parents that carry a defective or mutated FA gene then the child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting the gene from both his or her parents. In this case the child is almost guaranteed to develop Fanconi anemia.  There are believed to be approximately 13 Fanconi anemia genes and these include A, B, C, D1 (BRCA2), D2, E, F, G, I, J, L, M and N.

A new pathway was found to a gene called BRCA1 which when it becomes defective is one of the most common causes of breast Cancer that is inherited. The genes connected to Fanconi anemia are able to link to a pathway to the gene BRCA1. If BRCA1 or any of the other Fanconi genes are defective or abnormal this can greatly increase the risk that Cancer will develop.

In 2004 a missing link was found by scientists that connected Cancer to a number of chronic infections. These findings came from the University of California located in San Diego and they were discovered by a man by the name of Michael Karin, PhD. It was the finding concerning bones and the missing link that made the cover of the August 6^th issue of Cell.

This missing link involved infections and inflammation. It is believed that infections bring about an immune response in the human body and a portion of this is comprised of inflammation. Tissues that are inflamed become red and swollen and they seep fluids that are full of chemicals and send a strong message to the immune system. This link between inflammation and Cancer was discovered as far back as 2,00 years ago when the Greek doctor Galen made note of its existence. In fact the modern day word tumor derives from the Latin root “tumere” which means to swell up.

These monumental and groundbreaking findings help to fill in the missing piece of a puzzle as it illustrates the strong connection that exists between inflammation and Cancer and specifically how the former can promote the development of the latter. It is estimated that one in five cancers across the globe is connected to infections that are long term in their duration. As an example, viruses that are to blame for hepatitis do not have any genes that cause Cancer related to them however they are closely connected to an inflamed liver which can in turn increase an individual's possibility of developing liver Cancer. Researchers are optimistic about this finding and believe that if it is possible to decrease the level of inflammation that takes place in connection with Cancer this knowledge can then be used to prevent approximately 20 percent or more of a variety of kinds of Cancer.

Take Care of Your Bones

In order to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis it is important to eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and to engage in plenty of exercise on a regular basis. Weight bearing exercises in particular are most beneficial.  Other excellent physical activities to engage in for healthy bones include baseball, basketball, football, jogging, dancing, bicycling, swimming, skiing, jumping rope, bowling, rowing a canoe, weight-training, skateboarding, inline skating, karate, ballet and hiking. The healthy habits you develop as a young person can play an important role, as you get closer to your middle age and then senior years. For example women are more prone to osteoporosis than are men and women who have a thin frame and are small bones are at a higher risk. Women who engaged in yo-yo dieting as teenagers or young women are also more likely to run a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.

 The body contains 206 living bones and these bones are continually going through a process called remodeling whereby bones are built up and then broken down.  Approximately 75 to 85 percent of bone mass is developed before puberty begins. Females around the age of 25 to 30 years have reached their peak body mass while for men they reach their peak bone mass around the age of 25 to 30 years. A person's genes account for how much peak bone mass they end up with. As a person ages, the remodeling process becomes much more breakdown of bone then buildup and once a person reaches their latter middle age their Bone Density becomes less and the calcium that the body has taken from bone to aid with heartbeats, blood clotting and the contracting of muscles. This is why it is so important to develop strong healthy bones when you are young because those healthy habits set the pattern of bones fro your entire life.

Some excellent food choices for healthy bones include grain products, vegetables, fruits, milk products, meat and beans, fats, oils and sweets and mixed dishes. Some examples are found below-

Grain Products: waffles, pancakes, calcium-fortified bread, corn tortilla

Vegetables: collards, turnip greens, kale, bok choy, Broccoli, carrot

Fruits: calcium-fortified orange juice, dried figs, orange, kiwi, strawberries

Milk Products: nonfat milk (calcium fortified), yogurt, cheese, milk (whole, 2%, 1% and skim), cheese, cheese spread, pudding, frozen yogurt, cottage cheese

Meat and Beans: calcium-processed tofu, dry-roasted almond, scrambled eggs, baked beans with sauce, black-eyed peas

Fats, Oils and Sweets: 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar

Mixed Dishes: cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwich, lasagna, chili con carne with beans, soups made with milk, taco with cheese, tuna salad sandwich, chicken noodle soup

To learn more about the missing links check out these websites- http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/pressarchive/021501.asp

http://www.webmd.com/Cancer/news/20040805/missing-link-ties-Cancer-to-chronic-infecti...

To learn more about Fanconi anemia go to-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanconi_anemia

For more information on healthy bones visit-

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/bone_health.cfm

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/697_bone.html