RxPG News : Cancer

Surgeons can now spot 'invisible' cancer cells in real time

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:13:36 PST

Washington, Aug 25 - Cancer surgeons are virtually groping in the dark in determining whether they have removed all of the diseased tissue - the key to successful surgery. But a new imaging technique developed by researchers enables surgeons to more readily see and remove cancerous tissues, minimising damage to normal tissue.

New method to overcome multiple drug resistant diseases developed by Stanford researchers

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

Many drugs once considered Charles Atlases of the pharmaceutical realm have been reduced to the therapeutic equivalent of 97-pound weaklings as the diseases they once dispatched with ease have developed resistance to them.

Scientists trying out new ways to trick cancer cells

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:30:46 PST

Washington, Aug 13 - Chemists are trying out news ways to trick cancer cells into dropping their guard, like using ruthenium, a metal, as a a catalyst, which enlists the help of oxidants for the purpose.

Heavy ions can help eliminate tumour cells

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:24:28 PST

Washington, Aug 11 - Hadrontherapy, or the use of fast ions, enables destruction of tumours more effectively than conventional radiation treatments, according to a new study.

Survey on PSA screening in young men

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:48:13 PST

A new analysis finds that one in five men in their 40s has had a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test within the previous year and that young black men are more likely than young white men to have undergone the test. The study, published in the September 15, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, provides valuable information as experts discuss possible changes to prostate cancer screening recommendations.

Obese men, unwitting victims of aggressive cancers

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:41:31 PST

Washington, Aug 8 - Testing for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen may be biased against obese men whose PSA levels tend to be deceptively low.

PSA screening may be biased against obese men, leading to more aggressive cancers

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

DURHAM, N.C. -- Testing men for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood -- the gold standard screening test for prostate cancer -- may be biased against obese men, whose PSA levels tend to be deceptively low. And this bias may be creating more aggressive cancers in this population by delaying diagnosis, according to a new study led by investigators in the Duke Prostate Center and the Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center.

UGA researchers win $9.2 million stem cell grant from NIH

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PST

A research group led by Stephen Dalton, professor and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar of Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia, has been awarded $9.2 million as part of a major new research grant by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Methadone - promising treatment for cancer

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:13:17 PST

Researchers in Germany have discovered that methadone, an agent used to break addiction to opioid drugs, has surprising killing power against leukemia cells, including treatment resistant forms of the cancer.

Plasma DNA is a reliable marker of recurrent oesophageal cancer

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:51:12 PST

New research published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows elevated plasma DNA is a reliable marker of recurrent esophageal cancer. The study also suggests that plasma DNA levels rise before clinical evidence of cancer recurrence in the majority of patients.

American Cancer Society receives $8.5M contribution

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

The American Cancer Society, the nation's largest voluntary health organization, has received a gift of $8.5 million from a single anonymous donor. The contribution, one of the largest individual scientific research gifts in the Society's 95-year history, will be earmarked for targeted investigation into a genetic disorder that leads to a high lifetime risk of several types of cancer, most often thyroid cancer.

Better lymph node examination in cancer centres translates to increased survival

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:34:12 PST

New research from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that cancer patients have more lymph nodes examined for the spread of their disease if they are treated at hospitals performing more cancer surgeries or those designated as comprehensive cancer centers.

UC San Diego launches Institute of Engineering in Medicine to accelerate health care tech

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

The world's top engineers, physicians and scientists are joining forces to conceptualize, develop and bring to reality the future tools and treatments of 21st century health care through UC San Diego's new Institute of Engineering in Medicine. Nanoparticle bombs to kill cancer, molecular-sized bridges to repair damaged hearts, and scarless surgery techniques are now on the frontier of medical innovations in California with the new Institute leading the way.

With $2M NIH grant, FSU becomes 1 of world's top imaging centers

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- At Florida State University, the collective strength of biomedical research and the scientists who lead it has earned a $2 million High-End Instrumentation (HEI) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The one-year award will help FSU buy a state-of-the-art robotic electron microscope to advance cutting-edge studies of HIV/AIDS, heart disease, hypertension and cancer.

Significant vaccine-enhanced immune response in malignant brain tumour

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:21:44 PST

Researchers conducting a clinical trial of a dendritic cell vaccine designed to fight malignant brain tumors called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) have found a correlation between the "intensity" of a patient's immune response and clinical outcome, according to an article in the July 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.

15 human genomes each week

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has sequenced the equivalent of 300 human genomes in just over six months. The Institute has just reached the staggering total of 1,000,000,000,000 letters of genetic code that will be read by researchers worldwide, helping them to understand the role of genes in health and disease. Scientists will be able to answer questions unthinkable even a few years ago and human medical genetics will be transformed.

New clinical trial for patients with asbestos-associated lung cancer

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (June 26, 2008) - The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is now recruiting patients for a clinical research study of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol for pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

NCI grant launches clinical trials for colon cancer screening

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

EVANSTON, Ill. --- A Northwestern University biomedical engineer who has developed optical technology shown to be effective for the early detection of colon cancer has received a $7.5 million grant over five years from the National Cancer Institute to further study an instrument that potentially could become a routine colon cancer screening test and to launch large-scale clinical trials.

Study links vitamin D to colon cancer survival

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON--Patients diagnosed with colon cancer who had abundant vitamin D in their blood were less likely to die during a follow-up period than those who were deficient in the vitamin, according to a new study by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Radiation therapy prolongs life in men with recurrent prostate cancer

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

Men whose tumors recur after prostate cancer surgery are three times more likely to survive their disease long term if they undergo radiotherapy within two years of the recurrence. Surprisingly, survival benefits were best in men whose new tumors were growing fastest, according to results of a look-back study of 635 men by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions researchers reported June 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Molecular insight begins Trofex Ph. 1 trial for detection of metastatic prostate cancer

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPI) announced today that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial for its Trofex molecular imaging program for the detection and staging of metastatic prostate cancer. The trial is designed to investigate two small molecule radiopharmaceutical candidates that target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), MIP-1072 and MIP-1095, in order to select a lead candidate for further development and commercialization. Molecular Insight is conducting the study under an exploratory Investigational New Drug (IND) application submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Experts highlight gaps in knowledge on caring for survivors of teenage and young adult cancers

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: Over 95% of patients with testicular cancer are cured nowadays, but this success has produced a new problem for cancer survivors, the medical profession and national governments, a cancer expert will tell Teenage Cancer Trust's Fifth International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine, which is meeting in London on Monday and Tuesday (June 9 and 10).

'Cancer was one of the best things to happen to me... but I worry about the future'

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: For Dan Savage, surviving testicular cancer has been a spur to him making the most of his life and taking more adventurous decisions, and he says, that in retrospect, it was probably one of the best things that has happened to him. But as he approaches the end of his fifth year in remission from the disease, when he will be signed off as cured by the medical profession, he worries that from now on he will have no regular medical checks that might pick up early signs of the cancer returning. It will be down to him to contact the cancer clinic if he is worried about any new symptoms.

'Addicted' cells provide early cancer diagnosis

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

Scientists at the Institute of Food Research have detected subtle changes that may make the bowel more vulnerable to the development of tumours.

Anti-estrogen drug therapy reduces risk of invasive breast cancer in older women

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

New analysis of a drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment has provided definitive evidence that the medication is also effective as a breast cancer preventative for certain cancers. Women who took the drug raloxifene were less likely to develop invasive, estrogen-receptor (ER) positive breast cancer compared with women who did not take the drug. The results of the randomized controlled trial will be published in the June 10 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Family history and screening for colorectal cancer

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

A new study indicates that African Americans with a family history of colorectal cancer are less likely to be screened than African Americans at average risk for the disease. There is also some evidence to indicate that AA with a family history are less likely to be screened than their white counterparts. The study is published in the July 15, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Cancer incidence and mortality in young people decreases with increasing deprivation

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: Results of research into the associations between cancer and socio-economic deprivation and affluence have shown that, in contrast to cancers in older people, the numbers of new cases and deaths from the disease in teenagers and young adults (TYAs) decrease with increasing deprivation.

Organizers of cancer clinical trials are neglecting teenagers and young adults

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: Teenagers and young adults with cancer are being failed by medical researchers who are not designing clinical trials with the 13-24 age group in mind and who are not recruiting sufficient numbers of young people to those trials that do exist, according to new figures announced today (Monday).

Young patient waited ten months before being diagnosed with cancer

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: A specialist cancer nurse will tell Teenage Cancer Trust's Fifth International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine today (Monday) how a young man waited for ten months before doctors correctly diagnosed him as suffering from Hodgkin lymphoma, after he was delayed by the referral pathway and hospital system.

Teenagers and young adults with cancer can face long delays before finally being diagnosed

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: Three studies to be presented at Teenage Cancer Trust's Fifth International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine today (Monday) have thrown light on the extent of delays that teenagers and young adults (TYAs) can face before being diagnosed with cancer, and on some of the reasons why this happens.

Metformin increases pathologic complete response rates in breast cancer patients with diabetes

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO - Metformin, the common first-line drug for type 2 diabetes, may be effective in increasing pathologic complete response rates in diabetic women with early stage breast cancer who took the drug during chemotherapy prior to having surgery, paving the way for further research of the drug as a potential cancer therapy, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

MIT confirms link between inflammation, cancer

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

Chronic inflammation of the intestine or stomach can damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer, MIT scientists have confirmed.

USC researchers identify genetic markers that predict efficacy of novel cancer drug

Wed, 28 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

Chicago, Ill.--Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified genetic markers in cancer cells that predicted the benefit of a novel cancer drug prior to chemotherapy.

Weill Cornell team identifies new cancer stem cell driving metastatic tumors

Tue, 27 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (May 27, 2008) -- The molecular profile of cancer stem cells that initiate metastatic colon tumors is significantly different from those responsible for primary tumors, according to new research from a team at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Estrogen helps drive distinct, aggressive form of prostate cancer

Tue, 27 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (May 27, 2008) -- Using a breakthrough technology, researchers led by a Weill Cornell Medical College scientist have pinpointed the hormone estrogen as a key player in about half of all prostate cancers.

New opportunities for intervention in cancer patients

Mon, 26 May 2008 04:52:44 PST

Pinpointing new targets for cancer treatments is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, yet a University of Rochester team has discovered an entire novel class of genes they believe will lead to a greater understanding of cancer cell function and the next generation of effective and less harmful therapies for patients.

Stabilizing cancer-fighting p53 can also shield a metastasis-promoter

Thu, 22 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - Efforts to protect the tumor-suppressor p53 could just as easily shelter a mutant version of the protein, causing cancer cells to thrive and spread rather than die, according to research by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported in the current issue of the journal Genes and Development.

Data re-analysis shows drug finasteride reduces risk for most prostate cancers

Tue, 20 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (May 20, 2008) -- A re-analysis of data from the landmark Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) finds that finasteride reduces the risk for prostate cancer without boosting the odds of aggressive tumors.

M. D. Anderson nurse addresses lymphedema in breast cancer patients and survivors

Sat, 17 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

PHILADELPHIA - A poster session presented today by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center at the Oncology Nurses Society 33rd Annual Congress, found that early nursing intervention and implementation of effective strategies can lead to a decrease in the incidence of lymphedema, better management of chronic lymphedema and improved quality of life in breast cancer patients.

Iressa shows promise for treatment of metastatic breast cancer when combined with hormonal therapy

Fri, 16 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - Gefitinib, the once-promising drug formerly approved as a second line treatment for lung cancer, also known as Iressa, enhanced the effectiveness of hormonal therapy for the treatment of specific types of metastatic breast cancer, according to a Phase II clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

U of Minnesota researcher discovers the starting point of sun-induced skin cancer

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

According to a new study from the University of Minnesota, the earliest event in the development of sun-induced skin cancer may have been identified. The researchers found that the point of entry for skin cancer in response to sun exposure is in receptor molecules, molecular hooks on the outer surface of cells that also pull cannabinoid compounds found in marijuana out of the bloodstream. The research appears in the May 15 issue of Cancer Research.

M. D. Anderson nurses find empowerment in PACTs

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

PHILADELPHIA - According to nurse-researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, participation among nurses in the institution's unique Professional Action Coordinating Teams (PACTs) has increased 50 percent in one year.

Drug therapy to bolster immune system cells found effective toward childhood cancer

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

CINCINNATI, OH - Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have found a possible approach to therapy that may make cancer cells more sensitive to attack by immune system cells while making the immune system cells more powerful.

Study takes a step toward better defining fatigue

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

PHILADELPHIA - In an effort to better define and ultimately address fatigue more effectively, a qualitative study from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has identified three primary themes - loss of strength or energy, major effects of fatigue and associated sensations - among patients being treated with standard radiation therapy.

Partnership of academic centers and community hospitals effective model for disseminating advances

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- A quality-control audit of community hospitals associated with Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia suggests that a partnership between a major academic cancer center, where most new treatment protocols are created, and community hospitals, where most care is provided, is a highly effective model for quickly and effectively disseminating advances in cancer treatment.

Celebrex shows benefit in first-of-its-kind lung cancer chemoprevention trial

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - Celecoxib, the anti-inflammatory medication also known by the trade name Celebrex, has proven to be safe and reduces a specific proliferation measurement of precancerous lesions in the lung, according to a study from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. This finding demonstrates the significance of COX-2 inhibition toward preventing lung cancer in individuals at higher risk of developing the disease.

2nd ESMO symposium on soft tissue carcinomas and GIST

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

Experts in treating a rare group of cancers that affect tissues such as muscle, fat, nerves and the gastrointestinal wall are meeting in Milan, Italy on 13-14 May to discuss the latest information on how these diseases develop and potential new avenues for therapy.

Previously unseen switch regulates breast cancer response to estrogen

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

A tiny modification called methylation on estrogen receptors prolongs the life of these growth-driving molecules in breast cancer cells, according to research by scientists at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute.

Virus mimics human protein to hijack cell division machinery

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

MADISON - Viruses are masters of deception, duping their host's cells into helping them grow and spread. A new study has found that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can mimic a common regulatory protein to hijack normal cell growth machinery, disrupting a cell's primary anti-cancer mechanism.

Researchers find way to make tumor cells easier to destroy

Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

Tumors have a unique vulnerability that can be exploited to make them more sensitive to heat and radiation, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.

Cells lining milk ducts hold key to spread of common form of breast cancer

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON--When a form of cancer that begins in the milk ducts of the breast invades neighboring tissue to spread to other parts of the body, the cause lies not in the tumor cells themselves but in a group of abnormal surrounding cells that cause the walls of the duct to deteriorate like a rusty pipe, according to a new study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers.

Cancer immunotherapy shows long-term promise in lung cancer

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

New, long-term results from a clinical trial presented today at the 1st European Lung Cancer Conference jointly organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the International Association of the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) show that MAGE-A3 ASCI (Antigen-Specific Cancer Immunotherapeutic), an immune-boosting treatment for lung cancer patients, reduces the risk of relapse after surgery -- to the same extent as chemotherapy but without the side-effects of chemotherapy.

New lymphoma therapies targets diverse and difficult cancer

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (April 24, 2008) -- The fifth leading cause of cancer in the United States, lymphoma is made up of more than 40 rare and highly diverse diseases that target the body's lymphatic system. Lymphomas include both one of the fastest growing cancers -- Burkitt's lymphoma, which can double in size in as little as a day -- and one of the slowest, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

$450,000 sweetener in colon cancer battle

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

UK-based Association for International Cancer Research this week announced it will fund a Griffith University project led by Dr Joe Tiralongo to further develop a potential anti-cancer treatment that had shown promising results in lab tests.

Study finds cisplatin less effective than standard treatment for patients with anal cancer

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - When administered before chemoradiation, the common anti-cancer drug cisplatin neither improved disease-free survival nor reduced the number of colostomies needed when compared to the standard treatment for patients with anal canal cancer, according to a study published in the April 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Mammography may be beneficial to all women, regardless of age

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - According to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, mammography, the gold-standard for breast cancer screening and early detection, has shown to significantly reduce the risk of being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer in women over the age of 80, an age group currently without clear guidelines recommending regular screenings.

Report describes first targeted therapy to produce remission of metastatic melanoma

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON--In a demonstration that even some of the most hard-to-treat tumors may one day succumb to therapies aimed at molecular weak points, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report the first instance in which metastatic melanoma has been driven into remission by a targeted therapy.

Interleukin-12 indicates survival prospects for melanoma patients

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

SAN DIEGO - Higher blood levels of an immune system protein predict poor survival prospects for melanoma patients with advanced disease, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Research collaboration seeks blood test for aggressive breast cancer

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Research collaboration seeks blood test for aggressive breast cancer Well-documented breast cancer tissue collection meets high throughput proteomics to find aggressive-tumor markers in blood

USC study finds evidence of gender-related differences in development of colon cancer

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Los Angeles, April 15, 2008 -- A new study by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) has found evidence that supports gender-related differences in the development and survival of metastatic colon cancer.

Stopping hormone therapy did not reduce cancer risk for African-Americans

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

The decreased incidence of invasive breast cancer in the United States seen in 2002 and 2003 did not extend to women of African ancestry, researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center report at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in San Diego.

Calorie restricted diet prevents pancreatic inflammation and cancer

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

SAN DIEGO - Prevention of weight gain with a restricted calorie diet sharply reduced the development of pancreatic lesions that lead to cancer in preclinical research reported today by researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

Sunitinib slows tumor growth and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:01:16 PST

Treatment with sunitinib slows tumor growth and reduces the risk of metastasis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, an aggressive cancer of the liver, researchers report.

Calorie restriction limits and obesity fuels development of epithelial cancers

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

SAN DIEGO - A restricted-calorie diet inhibited the development of precancerous growths in a two-step model of skin cancer, reducing the activation of two signaling pathways known to contribute to cancer growth and development, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report today at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

Mouth may tell the tale of lung damage caused by smoking

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

SAN DIEGO - Cells lining the mouth reflect the molecular damage that smoking does to the lining of the lungs, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

In lab study, researchers find molecule that disrupts Ewing's sarcoma oncogene

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have found a small molecule they say can block the action of the oncogene that causes Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer found in children and young adults. If further studies continue to prove beneficial, they say the novel agent could be the first targeted therapy to treat the disease, which can produce tumors anywhere in the body.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (USFNA) of the lymph nodes is -a useful preoperative staging for breast cancer

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:09:03 PST

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (USFNA) of the lymph nodes is a safe, useful, and minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing metastatic disease in patients who are undergoing preoperative staging for breast cancer, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Rhode Island Hospital/Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, RI.

Screening mammography in elderly patients beneficial

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Although guidelines keep changing regarding screening mammography in elderly patients, those older than 70 years old continue to benefit from this exam, showing that with frequent mammograms breast cancers can be found sooner, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Jacobi Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in Bronx, NY.

Indian American develops tool to image tumours

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:30:58 PST

New York, April 1 - A team of researchers led by Indian American Sanjiv Gambhir has developed a new type of imaging system capable of picturing tumours to a precision of a trillionth of a meter.

Needle-size device created to track tumors, radiation dose

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Engineers at Purdue University are creating a wireless device designed to be injected into tumors to tell doctors the precise dose of radiation received and locate the exact position of tumors during treatment.

Combination therapy improves survival time for patients with more advanced liver cancer

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Combining a type of chemotherapy with radiothermal therapy resulted in longer survival time for patients with advanced liver cancer, compared to receiving the therapies alone, according to a study in the April 9 issue of JAMA.

Blood pressure enzyme can have tumor-sensing role

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

By increasing production of a blood pressure-regulating enzyme in mice, researchers have found they can enhance the mouse immune system's ability to sense tumor growth.

Researchers learn how signaling molecule orchestrates breast cancer's spread

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK, April 3, 2008 -- A study led by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) has uncovered how breast tumors use a particular type of molecule to promote metastasis -- the spread of cancer cells. Metastasis is the cause of approximately 90 percent of all cancer-related deaths. The study is published in the April 4, 2008, issue of Cell.

Enzyme complex could be key to new cancer treatments

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Penn State scientists are the first to observe in living cells a key step in the creation of adenine and guanine, two of the four building blocks that comprise DNA. Also called purines, the two building blocks are essential for cell replication. The findings, which will be published in the 4 April 2008 issue of the journal Science, could lead to new cancer treatments that prevent cancer cells from replicating by interfering with their abilities to make purines.

Genetic variations raise lung cancer risk for smokers and ex-smokers

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - Two common inherited genetic variations are associated with increased risk of lung cancer for smokers and former smokers, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports April 2 in the online edition of Nature Genetics.

Nano-sized technology has super-sized effect on tumors

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Anyone facing chemotherapy would welcome an advance promising to dramatically reduce their dose of these often harsh drugs. Using nanotechnology, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have taken a step closer to that goal.

Families of children with cancer support human tissue research, study finds

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Families of children with cancer support research using tissue samples left over after operations, a new study has found.

Hormone replacement therapy linked to cancer recurrence

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:32:07 PST

London, March 26 - Hormone replacement therapy - for pre and post menopausal women increases the chances of recurrence in breast cancer survivors, according to a study.

Mounting evidence shows red wine antioxidant kills cancer

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Rochester researchers showed for the first time that a natural antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core energy source, or mitochondria, and crippling its function. The study is published in the March edition of the journal, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.

Multi-institutional study identifies new form of inherited risk of cancer

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (March 25, 2008) -- Like the subtext of a novel, the human genome sequence harbors more information than appears just in its letters of A, C, T and G. Since DNA is a data-packed molecule passed from generation to generation, comparing genome sequences among individuals also holds clues to ancestry.

Targeting aggressive breast cancers by putting them to sleep

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

It is well established that Id1, a gene normally produced only in embryonic development, is reactivated in many 'solid' cancers, or carcinomas.

Stanford researchers unmask proteins in telomerase, a substance that enables cancer

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

STANFORD, Calif. - One of the more intriguing workhorses of the cell, a protein conglomerate called telomerase, has in its short history been implicated in some critical areas of medicine including cancer, aging and keeping stem cells healthy. With such a resume, telomerase has been the subject of avid interest by basic scientists and pharmaceutical companies alike, so you'd think at the very least people would know what it is.

Stanford researchers unmask proteins in telomerase, a substance that enables cancer

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Neuronal regulators offer potential targets for cancer

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Boston, Mass. (March 19, 2008) -- Being too brainy can be a bad thing in a junior high cafeteria, where the social hierarchy favors other traits. Braininess also causes problems for cells. When a breast cell begins making the proteins normally produced in neurons, for example, it can acquire cancerous properties.

Researchers develop method to rapidly ID optimal drug cocktails

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

UCLA researchers have developed a feedback control scheme that can search for the most effective drug combinations to treat a variety of conditions, including cancers and infections. The discovery could play a significant role in facilitating new clinical drug-cocktail trials.

Cancer detected earlier, faster, with new medical imaging, Stanford study finds

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

STANFORD, Calif. - Doctors may one day be able to detect early stages of colon cancer without a biopsy, using a new technique developed by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Obesity causes breast cancer to be aggressive

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:03:17 PST

Women with breast cancer have more aggressive disease and lower survival rates if they are overweight or obese, according to findings published in the March 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Body Mass Index may serve as prognostic tool for advanced, aggressive breast cancers

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON - Body Mass Index (BMI), the measure of a person's fat based on their height and weight, may be an effective prognostic tool for specific types of breast cancer, according to research from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Multimodality approach beneficial even in advanced cancers

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:50:13 PST

The article published in volume 14 issue 6 of World Journal of Gastroenterology reports on one patient who presented to Dr Cosimo Sperti of University of Padua, Padova, Italy, in 2001 after an exploratory laparotomy performed in another hospital for an unresectable pancreatic cystic mass that had infiltrated the portal vein

Combined stenting and photodynamic therapy may improve survival rates in liver cancer

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:40:58 PST

A combined therapeutic approach of stenting and photodynamic therapy may improve survival rates for patients suffering from advanced liver bile duct cancer, according to a study published this month in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

USC researchers find benefit for lymphoma patients in combined PET-CT scanning

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Los Angeles, March 12 --Combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) imaging of lymphoma patients is a more effective method to evaluate response to radiation therapy, and may help patients avoid unnecessary follow-up treatments, a study by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggests.

Why tumour cells are herceptin resistant

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:47:45 PST

UC Davis Cancer Center researchers have discovered a likely reason why some tumor cells are inherently resistant — or become resistant over time — to the popular breast cancer drug trastuzumab, commonly referred to by the brand name Herceptin.

Lombardi Cancer Center's Toretsky awarded prestigious Burroughs Wellcome Fund Award

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

Jeffrey A. Toretsky, M.D., a pediatric oncology physician and researcher at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a prestigious Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF). The $750,000 award, one of only 13 given in 2008, is intended to support established, independent physician-scientists who are dedicated to translational research -- the two-way transfer between laboratory research and patient treatment -- and mentoring physician-scientist trainees.

PET/CT planning beneficial for head and neck cancer patients

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

Using a combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography for radiation therapy treatment planning in head and neck carcinoma patients provides for excellent, local and regional disease control when compared to CT alone, according to a study in the March 1 issue of the International Journal for Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

WHI follow-up study: Risks of long-term hormone therapy continue to outweigh benefits

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

New results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that the health risks of long-term use of combination (estrogen plus progestin) hormone therapy in healthy, postmenopausal women persist even a few years after stopping the drugs and clearly outweigh the benefits. Researchers report that about three years after women stopped taking combination hormone therapy, many of the health effects of hormones such as increased risk of heart disease are diminished, but overall risks, including risks of stroke, blood clots, and cancer, remain high. The WHI is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Short RNA strand helps exposed skin cells protect body from bacteria, dehydration and even cancer

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

Every minute, 30,000 of our outermost skin cells die so that we can live. When they do, new cells migrate from the inner layer of the skin to the surface of it, where they form a tough protective barrier. In a series of elegant experiments in mice, researchers at Rockefeller University have now discovered a tiny RNA molecule that helps create this barrier. The results not only yield new insight into how skin first evolved, but also suggest how healthy cells can turn cancerous.

Arsenic likely to be powerful imaging agent in detecting cancers

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:33:01 PST

Arsenic linked to a drug that binds to the blood vessels of cancerous tumors provides a powerful imaging agent that could one day allow physicians to detect hard-to-find tumors and more closely monitor cancer’s response to therapy, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

Mouse model tightly matches pediatric tumor syndrome, will speed drug hunt

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

Frustrated by the slow pace of new drug development for a condition that causes pediatric brain tumors, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis decided to try to fine-tune the animal models used to test new drugs.

Which is better-Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab? International study to answer this

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:36:33 PST

Two targeted medications designed to treat an aggressive form of breast cancer are being tested in a new study involving 8,000 participants in 50 countries across six continents -- a clinical trial that investigators hope will provide a new model for global cancer research. This trial, dubbed ALTTO (Adjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimization study), will be one of the first global initiatives in which two large, academic breast cancer research networks covering different parts of the world have jointly developed a study in which all care and data collection are standardized, regardless of where patients are treated.

Gene expression differences between Europeans and Africans affect response to drugs, infections

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

Differences in gene expression levels between people of European versus African ancestry can affect how each group responds to certain drugs or fights off specific infections, report researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center and the Expression Research Laboratory at Affymetrix Inc. of Santa Clara, CA.