Cancer Research News

OHSU researcher develops first animal model to treat devasting head and neck cancers

Sun, 14 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

An Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute research laboratory has developed a novel mouse model designed specifically to study the often devastating head and neck squamous cell cancers. Xiao-Jing Wang, MD, PhD, and colleagues report their research breakthrough in the May 15 issue of Genes & Development.

Modeling head and neck cancers

Sun, 14 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

In a report to be published in the May 15th issue of G&D, Dr. Xiao-Jing Wang and colleagues at Oregon Health & Science University present a novel model of head and neck cancer, which is expected to become an invaluable tool in the evaluation of biomarkers and therapies to treat this devastating disease.

Large NCI grant will test the effect of Tibetan yoga on women with breast cancer

Fri, 12 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have received a $2.4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study the effects of Tibetan yoga in women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.

Tips from the journals of the American Society for Microbiology

Fri, 12 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Bacteria found in oral cancer tissue and production practices effect antimicrobial resistance in poultry are two of the articles found in the journals of the American Society for Microbiology.

Studies shed new light on why exercise can protect against skin and bowel cancers

Fri, 12 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Two studies published on Saturday 13 May in Carcinogenesis journal show that exercise can protect against skin and bowel cancer, and they identify new mechanisms that could be responsible for this effect.

Carcinogens from parents' tobacco smoke found in their babies' urine

Fri, 12 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

When mom or dad puffs on acigarette, their infants may inhale the resulting second-hand smoke. Now, scientists havedetected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of nearly half the babies of smoking parents.

Exercise can protect against skin cancer

Fri, 12 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Mice exposed to ultraviolet B light - and with continual access to running wheels - took longer to develop skin tumors and developed fewer and smaller tumors than a group of similarly exposed mice that didn't have a gym handy. This is the first time the relationship between skin carcinogenesis and increased activity by voluntary running wheel exercise has been studied in the laboratory.

C-myc required by the immune system

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

C-myc, a gene commonly involved in cancer onset, has been found to have a role in the immune system's 'memory' of previous infections. New cancer therapies that inactivate c-myc are being considered, but these may destroy its vital role in immunity.

High hepatitis B infection rate found among NYC's Asian American community

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Approximately 15 percent of Asians living in New York City are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus, according to a new study by New York University School of Medicine researchers and their colleagues. Chronic hepatitis B infection usually will lead to liver inflammation and can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The reported infection rate is 35 times higher than the rate in the general US population.

ESMO International Symposium on Sarcoma and GIST

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Medical science could soon yield improved therapies for a group of rare and hard to treat cancers known as soft tissue sarcomas, European doctors will hear this month at a highly innovative type of meeting organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Study of nutrients' effects on brain provides insight into appetite regulation

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A cell-signaling pathway in the brain that is linked to the development of cancer and diabetes is also a key part of networks that regulate food intake, say University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers.The finding might one day lead to new ways of helping obese people lose weight, either with new drugs or by carefully designing diets that can activate this pathway.

Fox Chase study sheds light on cancer susceptibility and disease involving bone-marrow failure

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Defective protein production can occur in cellseven when the genes controlling those proteins are normal, according to anew study to be published May 12 in Science. The Fox Chase Cancer Centerresearch sheds light on how genetic defects affecting the control of proteinsynthesis within cells can increase susceptibility to cancer and other humandiseases.

World's tiniest test tubes get teensiest corks

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Now all they need is a really, really small corkscrew. Like Lilliputian chemists, scientists have found a way to "cork" infinitesimally small nano test tubes. The goal is a better way to deliver drugs, for example, for cancer treatment. Scientists want to fill the teeny tubes with drugs and inject them into the body, where they will seek diseased or cancerous cells, uncork and spill their therapeutic contents in the right place.

Protein expression holds promise for head and neck cancer detection

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

The blood of patients with head and neck cancer appears to have unique patterns of protein expression that one day could serve as a screening test for the highly aggressive cancer that is often diagnosed too late, researchers say.

MSKCC received record gift of $100 million from Mortimer B. Zuckerman for cancer research facility

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

MSKCC today announced a major commitment from publisher, real estate developer, and MSKCC Board member Mortimer B. Zuckerman of $100 million from his charitable trust toward Memorial Sloan-Kettering's new cancer research facility, including a 23-story laboratory structure that opens this month.

Research at University of British Columbia receives historical recognition

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

The groundbreaking research of chemist Neil Bartlett proving that the noble gases are not inert will be designated an International Historic Chemical Landmark in a special ceremony at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver on May 23. The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, sponsors the Landmarks program.

New treatment for specific type of leukemia

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia (CEL), a specific form of leukemia, is currently treated with Glivec. However, recent research has shown that prolonged usage can cause resistance to Glivec, rendering this chronic form of leukemia untreatable. Researchers from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected to the Catholic University of Leuven have now discovered that another drug, Sorafenib (Nexavar), works on patients that have developed this resistance.

OHSU study says stem cell 'fusion' occurs in tumors

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Oregon Health & Science University research is adding credence to an increasingly popular theory that fusion is what bonds stem cells with bone marrow cells to regenerate organ tissue. Scientists found transplanted cells derived from adult bone marrow fuse with intestinal stem cells of both normal and diseased tissue comprising the cellular lining of intestinal walls. The findings point to bone marrow-derived cells' role in not only regeneration of damaged tissue, but also disease progression.

Summer sun safety

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Fifty years of medical studies show that sun exposure is a primary component in the development of melanoma, the most serious and deadly type of skin cancer, report leading dermatologists in the April 2006 issue of Dermatology Surgery.

M. D. Anderson: Setting the benchmark in brain tumor treatment

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

The molecular revolution that has led to improvements in treating other cancer types is well under way at the institute's Brain Tumor Center. For the first time in decades, new therapies are bringing hope to patients and physicians. And at long last, glioblastoma, the most common and deadly of brain tumors, is finally giving up some secrets.

NYU algorithm enhances ability to detect cancer genes

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have developed a new algorithm that enhances the ability to detect a cancer gene, and have applied their algorithm to map the set of tumor-suppressor genes involved in lung cancer. The algorithm uses data from Affymetrix's gene-chips that can scan hundreds of patients' genomes to find gains and losses in gene-copies. The findings will appear in the July issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Increase in thyroid cancer in US attributed to improved early detection

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Although the incidence of thyroid cancer has more than doubled in the past 30 years, the rise is being attributed to improved diagnostic techniques of previously undetected disease, rather than a true increase in the occurrence of thyroid cancer, according to a study in the May 10 issue of JAMA.

SNM's 53rd Annual Meeting: Research brings new world of diagnosing, treating illness

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A biological and technological evolution in imaging has allowed the examination of the molecular root of diseases and the exploration of new paths for managing and treating illnesses.and many of these scientific breakthroughs will be reported during SNM's 53rd Annual Meeting June 3-7 at the San Diego Convention Center.

Genetic insights may explain retinal growth, eye cancer

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered the role of several key genes in the development of the retina, and in the process have taken a significant step toward understanding how to prevent or cure the potentially deadly eye cancer retinoblastoma.

Knowledge of dendritic cells branches out

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A new type of cell that generates crucial cells of the immune system has been discovered at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. With this new knowledge, medical researchers can begin to consider the development ofcustomized immune therapies using this new cell to target specific infections such as HIV, malaria and influenza; certain cancers; and even autoimmune diseases.

C-myc required by the immune system

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

High hepatitis B infection rate found among NYC's Asian American community

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

ESMO International Symposium on Sarcoma and GIST

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Study of nutrients' effects on brain provides insight into appetite regulation

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Fox Chase study sheds light on cancer susceptibility and disease involving bone-marrow failure

Thu, 11 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

World's tiniest test tubes get teensiest corks

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Protein expression holds promise for head and neck cancer detection

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

MSKCC received record gift of $100 million from Mortimer B. Zuckerman for cancer research facility

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Research at University of British Columbia receives historical recognition

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

New treatment for specific type of leukemia

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

OHSU study says stem cell 'fusion' occurs in tumors

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Summer sun safety

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

M. D. Anderson: Setting the benchmark in brain tumor treatment

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

NYU algorithm enhances ability to detect cancer genes

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Increase in thyroid cancer in US attributed to improved early detection

Tue, 09 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

SNM's 53rd Annual Meeting: Research brings new world of diagnosing, treating illness

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Genetic insights may explain retinal growth, eye cancer

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Knowledge of dendritic cells branches out

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Gender may impact lung function in patients with lung cancer

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

New research in the journal Chest shows that many women recently diagnosed with lung cancer have normal lung function and perform better on lung function tests compared with their male counterparts.

Long-term estrogen therapy linked to breast cancer risk

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Long-term estrogen therapy may be related to a higher risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women who have had a hysterectomy, according to an article in the May 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Genetic variants and breast cancer risk, genetics and suicidal behavior, and more

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Approximately 5 percent of patients with breast cancer have a strong family history of the disease and it is known that rare variants of particular genes are responsible for the high susceptibility of many of these women to it. However, little is known about the inherited genetic factors for women with a more moderate family history of breast cancer.

White blood cells from cancer-resistant mice cure cancers in ordinary mice

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

White blood cells from a strain of cancer-resistant mice cured advanced cancers in ordinary laboratory mice, researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine reported today.

Lobular breast cancer can be managed as ductal cancer

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

the study reveals that when compared to ductal carcinoma, which is far more common, there is no difference in the success rate of BCT or the number of surgical procedures for patients with invasive lobular breast cancer.

Young men with prostate cancer benefit from radiation therapy

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A study reveals that external beam radiation therapy is as effective in younger prostate cancer patients as it is in older patients with same stage, localized disease.

Scientists discover new regulating mechanism in cells

Sun, 07 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers here have discovered a new mechanism used by cells - and manipulated by retroviruses - to control the making of certain essential proteins, including some involved in cancer. The mechanism uses an enzyme called RNA helicase A (RHA), which is made by the cell.

Should older men be screened for prostate cancer?

Tue, 02 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Although guidelines suggest men 75 years or older may not benefit from prostate cancer screening, surveys continue to show high rates of screening in this population. A population-based cohort study published in the May issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers followed men 75 to 84 who had been diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer. Results reinforce concerns that men 75 years and older may not benefit from prostate cancer screening because of adverse outcomes from aggressive treatment.

Combining PET and CT scans makes cancer treatment more accurate

Mon, 01 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Doctors have discovered that combining images derived from positron emission tomography and computed tomography in the planning and delivery of radiation treatment for patients with head and neck cancer leads to more accurate delivery of the radiation dose and an increased chance for survival. The study was published in the May 2006 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Immune systems in breast cancer survivors who suffer from fatigue fail to shut off after therapy

Mon, 01 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Breast cancer survivors who suffer from persistent, debilitating fatigue years after their diagnosis have something in common: their immune systems don't shut down following treatment, according to researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center.

Inflammation markers identify fatigue in breast cancer survivors

Mon, 01 May 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have defined conditions associated with disabling fatigue that persists for years in almost a third of breast cancer survivors, according to a study in the May 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

Almost 1/3 of colon cancer patients stop chemotherapy, leading to double the death rate

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

New research from Columbia University Medical Center has found that as many as 30 percent of patients with stage III colon cancer who were prescribed six months of chemotherapy stopped their treatment prematurely. Stopping chemotherapy for colon cancer prematurely was shown to be equivalent to receiving no treatment at all. The findings add to the arsenal of reasons why colon cancer patients, and all cancer patients, need to complete their chemotherapy regimens whenever possible.

Choice of chemotherapy before liver metastasis surgery matters for some patients

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Patients and their physicians should be careful when selecting a chemotherapy drug to treat colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Arthritis drug might reduce fatigue in cancer patients

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers here have found evidence that combining a drug typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis with chemotherapy might help reduce fatigue and muscle wasting that often afflicts cancer patients. The findings of the preliminary study with 24 patients are reported in the April 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Secret herb in tests to stop breast cancer patients' hot flushes and night sweats

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers at the University of Manchester are testing a secret herb in a bid to stop the severe hot flushes that besiege breast cancer patients on hormone treatment.

Better model of deadly brain cancer

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers have created a mouse model that closely mimics human medulloblastoma, the most common type of childhood brain tumor. The new model, which was created by knocking out a key component of the DNA repair machinery, will aid in exploring the genetic roots of this deadly brain cancer.

Stanford scientists identify protein involved in fast-spreading cancers

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a protein that may explain why tumors in a low-oxygen environment are more deadly.

Predicting success

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute, headed by Prof. Hadassa Degani of the Biological Regulation Department, has come up with a non-invasive, magnetic resonance imaging- (MRI-) based method for predicting possible problems with chemotherapy drugs. The findings of their studies on animals, which appeared in the journal Cancer Research, may, in the future, influence treatment regimes for millions of cancer patients.

Study finds novel vaccine curbs brain tumor growth, increases survival

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

A novel vaccine has significantly increased life expectancy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most dangerous type of brain tumor, a researcher from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is reporting at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).

Terahertz imaging may reduce breast cancer surgeries

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers have reported on a promising new technique to ensure complete tumor removal at breast cancer excision. Using light waves in a newly explored region of the electromagnetic spectrum -- the terahertz region -- the researchers examined excised breast tissue and determine if the removed tissue margins were clear of cancer, with good results. This technology has the potential to eliminate the need for multiple surgeries and tissue samples to get clear surgical margins.

Nanotechnology may find disease before it starts

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Nanotechnology may one day help physicians detect the very earliest stages of serious diseases like cancer, a new study suggests. It would do so by improving the quality of images produced by one of the most common diagnostic tools used in doctors' offices - the ultrasound machine.

Chemotherapy gel may fight breast cancer and reduce breast deformity

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed a polymer-based therapy for breast cancer that could serve as an artificial tissue filler after surgery and a clinically effective therapy. The treatment could be applicable to women with breast deformities from breast cancer surgery followed by radiation therapy. The findings, based on mouse studies, will be presented on Tuesday, April 25 at the World Congress on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

Non-smokers with lung cancer respond better to treatment than smokers, study says

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lung cancer patients who have never smoked before in their life have better overall survival rates and respond better to chemotherapy than current or former smokers.

Many breast cancer survivors not getting recommended mammograms

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

A new study finds use of annual mammography among breast cancer survivors, who are at increased risk of a recurrence or a new malignancy in the other breast, dropped off after a few years.

Clues to breast cancer hidden inside stem cells

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

In the human breast, up to 20 per cent of all tumours are now suspected to originate in stem cells. Now scientists from the Icelandic Cancer Society and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland have grown three-dimensional breast cell cultures to reveal unexpected subtleties about these stem cells that could explain why they spawn malignancies.

Legume compounds may help cancer treatment

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research (CILR) has lodged a complete patent application for compounds to treat cancer. CILR researchers screened legumes (plants which obtain useable nitrogen from soil bacteria in their roots) for biological activity and they identified a number of compounds which could potentially prevent the formation of a blood supply to tumours. Without an adequate blood supply tumours stop growing and ultimately can regress

Newer chemotherapies improve outcomes for some types of breast cancer

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Research studies, based at the University of Pennsylvania, demonstrate that biodegradable nano-particles containing two potent cancer-fighting drugs are effective in killing human breast tumors. The unique properties of the hollow shell nano-particles, known as polymersomes, allow them to deliver two distinct drugs, paclitaxel, the leading cancer drug known by brand names such as Taxol, and doxorubicin directly to tumors implanted in mice. Their findings, presented online in the journal Molecular Pharamaceutics, illustrate the broad clinical potential of polymersomes.

Appetite-Inducing Hormone Receptor Found Active in Breast Cancer

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

A hormone receptor with regulatory roles as diverse as food intake, fear response, and cardiovascular function may also be involved in breast cancer, according to UC researchers.

Hormone Use Linked To Increased Breast Cancer Risk Among Black Women

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Hormone therapy appears to be associated with increased risk of breast cancer among black women, with a stronger link for leaner women, according to a study in the April 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Possible cause and potential treatment found for aggressive head and neck cancer

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center report that they have found a potential molecular cause for the aggressive growth and spread of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a highly malignant form of cancer with a very high death rate.

New hybrid virus provides targeted molecular imaging of cancer

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have created a new class of hybrid virus and demonstrated its ability to find, highlight, and deliver genes to tumors in mice.

Viral protein helps infected T cells stick to uninfected cells

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

New research shows that a protein made by a cancer virus causes infected immune cells to cling to other immune cells, enabling the virus to spread. The virus, the human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), is transmitted mainly when infected cells known as T lymphocytes, or T cells, touch uninfected T cells. The finding helps explain how this cell-to-cell transmission happens.

St. Jude unlocks mystery of very aggressive leukemia

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have used mouse models to determine why some forms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are extremely aggressive and resist a drug that is effective in treating a different type of leukemia.

Cancer therapy based on anatomical location may soon be obsolete

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

The results of a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis could eventually have oncologists removing their specialties from their shingles by making therapy based on a tumor's anatomical location obsolete.

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researcher finds breast implants don't cause cancer

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

The longest follow-up study to date of cancer incidence among women with silicone breast implants shows having implants does not put women at an increased risk for cancer, in fact, breast implants were actually shown to be associated with a decreased breast cancer risk.

Breast implants not associated with cancer risk, study reports

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Having breast implants is not associated with an increased risk of cancer overall, a new study reports in the April 19 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Implants were associated with a decrease in breast cancer risk and an increased lung cancer risk, but these results likely reflect the lifestyles and smoking habits of the women in the study rather than an effect of the implants themselves, the authors conclude.

Scientists discover a genetic switch that links animal growth and cancer

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Laboratory discoveries by scientists at two universities may lead to new directions in cancer therapy drugs. The researchers have discovered that a genetic switch involved in growth and development of an animal is the same one used to prevent normal cells from becoming cancerous. The findings are reported in the April 18 issue of Current Biology.

Recurrent melanoma may be more common than previously thought

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Approximately 8 percent of patients with melanoma skin cancer may develop an additional melanoma within two years of their initial diagnosis, and those with atypical moles appear to be at higher risk, according to an article in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Front-line immune cells mature in four stages, study shows

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers here have cracked the site and the stages of development for the last major set of human immune cells. The researchers found that natural killer (NK) cells, one of the body's front-line defenses against cancer and infections, mature from progenitor stem cells in four discrete stages. They also found that this happens in secondary lymphoid tissue such as tonsils and lymph glands.

Newer chemotherapies improve outcomes for some types of breast cancer

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

An updated analysis of findings from three major consecutive clinical trials of breast cancer treatment conducted over the past twenty years indicates that women who have breast cancer with lymph node involvement and estrogen-receptor negative tumors have a lower rate of recurrence and risk of death with treatment with newer chemotherapies, according to a study in the April 12 issue of JAMA.

Study shows more than half of esophageal cancer patients now survive

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

In part because the nature of the disease has changed, nearly 50 percent of patients with esophageal cancer that undergo an advanced surgical procedure now survive for five years, not 20 percent as once thought, according to an article published in the April edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center contend that earlier diagnoses, more widespread screening and individualized care have made surgery by far the best way to combat esophageal cancer as it is most often diagnosed today.

Use of estrogen by postmenopausal women does not increase risk of breast cancer

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Postmenopausal women treated with estrogen therapy for seven years did not experience an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study in the April 12 issue of JAMA.

Cancerous vs. healthy cells: Researchers identify the road to success

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Conventional cancer treatments are generally effective in wiping out tumor cells, but in the process they also may kill healthy cells. Researchers are focusing their efforts now on treatments that can target just the cancerous cells, without harming healthy tissue in their midst. These new types of drugs are known as targeted therapies, and physicians are studying their effectiveness and possible side effects in a variety of different types of cancer.

Landmark discovery of a Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus receptor

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have identified a critical human cell surface molecule involved in infection by Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), the virus that causes Kaposi's sarcoma and certain forms of lymphoma. Kaposi's sarcoma is a major cancer associated with HIV/AIDS, and it typically manifests as multiple purple-hued skin lesions.

Studies link cancer, inflammatory disease

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

The biological processes underlying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer are fundamentally linked, and should be linked in how they are treated with drugs, a series of MIT studies indicates. Key to the work: The researchers applied an engineering approach to cell biology, using mathematical and numerical tools normally associated with the former discipline.

Capsaicin shows promise in inhibiting growth of pancreatic cancer

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A new study suggests that an ingredient in red chili pepper has cancer-fighting properties that prevent or slow the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors implanted in mice. The study found that capsaicin, the hot ingredient in red chili pepper, caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis. Apoptosis, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted or unneeded cells, is often defective in cancer cells, causing them to continue to thrive.

Ginger causes ovarian cancer cells to die, U-M researchers find

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Ginger is known to ease nausea and control inflammation. But researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center are investigating a new use for this age-old remedy: treating ovarian cancer.

One percent reduction in cancer mortality would be worth nearly $500 billion

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Even a modest one percent reduction in mortality from cancer would be worth nearly $500 billion in social value, according to a new study by economists Kevin Murphy and Robert Topel of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Finding a cure for cancer would be worth about $50 trillion, according to the study presented today.

Soy foods associated with small reduction in risk of breast cancer

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Because some studies have suggested that soy contains chemicals that may help ward off breast cancer, increasing numbers of women are using soy supplements as a potential tumor preventive. Although a new meta-analysis of all available epidemiologic studies finds that soy intake may be associated with a small reduction in the risk of breast cancer, there are a number of inconsistencies and limitations in the studies examined. These limitations preclude a recommendation for women to take soy or soy supplements as a breast cancer preventive, say scientists at Georgetown University Medical Center and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The research team�s findings appear in the April 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Equivalent of 2-4 drinks daily fuels blood vessel growth, encourages cancer tumors in mice

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

University of Mississippi researchers say they have created the first-ever mammalian model of how alcohol consumption spurs tumor growth, showing that even moderate drinking resulted in larger and more robust tumors.

Research suggests that immune response protects against brain tumor development

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

In their quest to determine whether immune system surveillance guards against brain tumor development, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have found that allergies and asthma that stimulate inflammation may be protective, but use of antihistamines to control the inflammation could eliminate that protection.

Study demonstrates that lung cancer susceptibility runs in families

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Studying thousands of people, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have documented a 25 percent increased risk of developing one of a number of cancers in first-degree relatives of lung cancer patients who have never smoked compared to families of people who neither smoke nor have lung cancer.

Mayo Clinic researchers identify cell cue for destroying tumors

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified and characterized an important signal used by the human immune system to help destroy tumors. When this signal is generated inside cells called natural killer (NK) cells, materials are released in the body that induce cell death in cancer cells. Now that this signal has been identified, new strategies can be generated for enhancing the ability of the immune system to kill tumor cells in patients with cancer.

100 percent juice consumption linked to healthier diet, no link to obesity in kids

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

According to a recent analysis of government data, children who drank 100 percent juice had healthier overall diets than non-juice consumers and consumed more total fruits, fiber and key nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and folate. The juice consumers also had significantly lower intakes of total fat, saturated fat and sodium. According to the researchers, the group of 100 percent juice consumers also had equal or lower bodyweights and body mass indexes (BMI) than the non-juice consumers, adding to the scientific evidence which shows that 100 percent juices play a role in a healthful diet and are not associated with overweight. The research is being presented this week at the Experimental Biology 2006 meeting.

Increased health problems for Pakistani population living near the Tasman Spirit oil spill

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

People living on the coast of Pakistan affected by the Tasman Spirit oil spill, in August 2003, experience more health problems than individuals living inland. A study published today in the open access journal BMC Public Health reveals that individuals living on the coast of Karachi, near the oil spill, report an average of 14 different health symptoms. This is more than three times the number reported by populations living two or 20 kilometres away from the coast.

Mayo Clinic researchers discover cancer cells may move via wave stimulation

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Mayo Clinic researchers have uncovered a new cellular secret that may explain how certain cancers move and spread -- a feature of cancers that makes treatment especially difficult. If the mechanism that drives cancer movement -- also called metastasis -- can be understood well enough to manipulate it, new and better treatments can be developed for patients with metastatic cancers.

New device could cut chemotherapy death

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A new method of delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients without incurring side effects such as hair loss and vomiting is being developed. The method, produced at the University of Bath, England, involves using tiny fibres and beads soaked in the chemotherapy drug which are then implanted into the cancerous area in the patient's body. These fibres are bio-degradable and compatible with body tissue, which means they would not be rejected by the patient's body. They gradually turn from solid to liquid, releasing a regular flow of the chemotherapy chemical into the cancer site, and a much lower dose to the rest of the body.

Small Study Points To Addictive Effects Of Frequent Tanning

Thu, 29 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Frequent users of tanning beds may be getting more out of the experience than darker skin, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. New evidence suggests that ultraviolet light has feel-good effects that may be similar to those of some addictive drugs.

Genes And Environment Interact To Promote Cancer

Wed, 28 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

In the granite-rich region of Western North Carolina, taking a daily shower could pose a risk of developing lung cancer. So could working from home every day. That's because granite emits a carcinogenic gas, radon. Houses that sit atop granite terrain are often contaminated with radon that has seeped into wells and indoor air.

Weight Training Benefits Mind And Body Of Breast Cancer Survivors

Tue, 27 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Weight training significantly improves the quality of life of women recently treated for breast cancer, according to a new study. Published in the May 1, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates six months of twice weekly exercise that improved strength and body composition was enough to result in improvements in the overall physical and emotional condition of the patients. This is the first randomized trial to study the effects of weight training on quality of life in breast cancer patients,

Raloxifene, Drug Used For Osteoporosis, Shown To Potentially Benefit Prostate Cancer Patients

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

In a study to be published in the April 2006 issue of the British Journal of Urology International, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have shown that Raloxifene, a drug commonly used to treat osteoporosis, has a potential clinical benefit in treating men with prostate cancer. This study has implications for the approximately 35,000 men who will die this year of advanced prostate cancer.

Scientists One Step Closer To Cancer Vaccine

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have helped to identify a molecule that can be used as a vaccination agent against growing cancer tumours. Although the results are so far based on animal experiments, they point to new methods of treating metastases.

Environmental Chemicals Implicated In Cancer, Say Experts

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

New research at the University of Liverpool suggests that environmental contaminants, such as pesticides, are more influential in causing cancer than previously thought.

Exposure To Volcanic Mineral Associated With Increased Mesothelioma Incidence In Turke

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

High exposure to a fibrous volcanic mineral called erionite was associated with a high incidence of a type of cancer called mesothelioma, according to a study in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers Find Ginseng May Improve Breast Cancer Survival

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Ginseng, one of the most widely used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, may improve survival and quality of life after a diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a recent study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers.

Older People More Successful Than Younger In Quitting Smoking

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Older women appear to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes in higher numbers than men in their age group, and older men and women are more likely to quit if they have recently received a diagnosis of cancer, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

Pepper Component Hot Enough To Trigger Suicide In Prostate Cancer Cells

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Capsaicin, the stuff that turns up the heat in jalapenos, not only causes the tongue to burn, it also drives prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, according to studies published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research.

Researchers Find Ginseng May Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Atomic Bomb Survivors Who Had Higher Radiation Exposure Show Increased Incidence Of Thyroid Diseases

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Survivors of the two atomic bombs in Japan 60 years ago who had a higher exposure to radiation now have a greater incidence of certain thyroid diseases, including tumors and cysts, and that risk increases with being younger at the time of exposure, according to a study in the March 1 issue of JAMA

Light-based Device Probes For Early Cancer Signs

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

A novel device that could use light to harmlessly and almost instantly probe for early signs of cancer has been developed by researchers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering. The device would allow physicians to search for cancer in epithelial cells that line body surfaces, including the skin, lungs and digestive and reproductive tracts, by simply inserting a fiber optic probe

Delayed Prostate Cancer Surgery Poses No Increased Risk For Some Patients

Tue, 7 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Delaying surgery -- even for years -- for patients with small, low-grade prostate cancer does not appear to increase the risk of the disease progressing to an incurable form, according to a 10-year Johns Hopkins Medicine study.

Screening May Over-diagnose 1 In 10 Breast Cancers

Sat, 4 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Screening women for breast cancer could result in a 10% rate of over-diagnosis, finds a study published online by the British Medical Journal

Marrow-derived Stem Cells Deliver New Cytokine To Kill Brain Tumor Cells, Offer Protection

Wed, 1 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Attaching a recently discovered cytokine to neural stem cells derived from bone marrow, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have developed a tool to track and kill malignant brain tumor cells and provide long-term protection against their return.

Amifostine Makes Radiation More Effective, Eases Side Effects

Wed, 1 Mar 2006 11:55:11 -0800

Doctors in Brazil have concluded that the drug amifostine eases many of the most common side effects associated with patients receiving radiation therapy to treat their cancer while simultaneously making the cancer more susceptible to radiation.