Carcinogenesis News and Research

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Genome epigenetic analysis reveals new ways to detect and treat breast cancer

The most comprehensive analysis yet of the epigenetic modifications present in breast cancer has revealed potentially important new ways to detect and treat the disease, Belgian researchers have reported.

5 May 2011

CTNNB1 activation can improve colorectal cancer survival in obese patients

Among obese patients, activation of the protein biomarker CTNNB1 was associated with better colorectal cancer-specific survival and overall survival, whereas post-diagnosis physical activity was associated with better colorectal cancer-specific survival among patients negative for CTNNB1, according to a study in the April 27 issue of JAMA.

27 Apr 2011

Scientists demonstrate how cigarette smoke produces different 'metabolites' in individuals

Smoke from cigarettes can affect nearly every organ in the body by promoting cell damage and causing inflammation, but no one has understood which smoker is or is not susceptible to disease development.

7 Apr 2011

Strawberries may slow progression of precancerous lesions in the esophagus

Freeze-dried strawberries may be an alternative to drugs for the prevention of esophageal cancer, according to research presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

6 Apr 2011

Specific lipids in tumours linked to cancer progression and patient survival

Activation of lipid metabolism is an early event in carcinogenesis and a central hallmark of many cancers. However, the precise molecular composition of lipids in tumours remains generally poorly characterised. Scientists from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Charité Hospital have found lipids in tumours which are associated with cancer progression.

6 Apr 2011

Research: Underweight HCV-infected patients tend to be older at HCC onset

The incidence and mortality associated with hepatocellular carcinoma have been increasing worldwide, and hepatitis C virus infection plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HCC.

16 Mar 2011

BRAF gene defect leads to pilocytic astrocytoma in children

Pilocytic astrocytoma, the most common brain tumor in children, is usually slow-growing and benign. However, surgeons often cannot completely remove the diffusely growing tumor.

16 Mar 2011

Human growth, height, size: Reasons to be small

Almost everybody these days thinks that it is best to be tall, meaning much taller than the average traditional height of Asian populations, and even taller than the current average height of populations in high-income countries. It is also often believed – though people might be shy to admit this – that tall people are intrinsically superior to short people. The expressions 'look up to' and 'look down on' are significant.

15 Mar 2011

Turmeric may be 'the right spice' to fight colon cancer

Turmeric, a bright yellow spice from south Asia belonging to the ginger family, is the main ingredient in curries - and ancient wisdom suggests that it's also good for your health. Taking this wisdom to the laboratory, Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that turmeric's active ingredient called curcumin amplifies the therapeutic activity of highly toxic anti-inflammatory drugs used to fight colon cancer when used at high doses.

3 Mar 2011

New data on role of miR-34 tumor suppressor in preventing cancer stem cell development

Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., a leading developer of microRNA (miRNA)-based therapeutics, announced today the publication of new data in the journal Nature Medicine describing the role of the tumor suppressor miRNA, miR-34, in preventing cancer stem cell development. The published results reveal that miR-34 is commonly down-regulated in prostate cancer stem cells and that this down-regulation is essential for cancer stem cell viability.

18 Jan 2011

Study finds miRNAs inhibits prostate cancer metastasis

A small slice of RNA inhibits prostate cancer metastasis by suppressing a surface protein commonly found on prostate cancer stem cells. A research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported today in an advance online publication at Nature Medicine.

18 Jan 2011

Novel scoring system identifies PTEN genetic mutation

Researchers have discovered a method for more precise identification of individuals who should undergo testing for genetic mutations of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, which associates with a variety of conditions including several types of cancers. The research has created a diagnostic scoring system that improves on established criteria.

11 Jan 2011

Blood 'metabolomics' study uncovers liver, heart, and kidney toxicity in healthy smokers

Examining the blood "metabolomics" profile of smokers immediately after they had a cigarette revealed activation of pathways involved in cell death, inflammation, and other forms of systemic damage, say researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Georgetown University Medical Center.

9 Nov 2010

Study finds anti-gout medication may reduce risk of colorectal cancer

Allopurinol, a relatively inexpensive anti-gout medication that has been on the market for more than 20 years, may have some activity against colorectal adenomas, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

8 Nov 2010

Protein hormone inhibits leptin-induced migration of liver cancer cells

A research team from Emory University School of Medicine investigated the role between adiponectin and leptin in obesity-related carcinogenesis. Their findings, published in the November issue of Hepatology, suggest that the protein hormone adiponectin has potential for inhibiting the oncogenic actions of leptin, namely in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and could offer a promising therapy for the disease.

19 Oct 2010

Researchers develop new technique to detect lung cancer

Early detection is critical for improving cancer survival rates. Yet, one of the deadliest cancers in the United States, lung cancer, is notoriously difficult to detect in its early stages.

8 Oct 2010

Optical technology shows potential for prescreening patients at high risk for lung cancer

Researchers from Northwestern University and NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) have developed a method to detect early signs of lung cancer by examining cheek cells in humans using pioneering biophotonics technology.

6 Oct 2010

New peer-reviewed study on chemopreventive effects of Protandim

LifeVantage Corporation, the maker of Protandim®, a clinically proven, science-based therapy for oxidative stress, announced today that a new peer-reviewed study involving Protandim® was published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE. The study, conducted by researchers at Louisiana State University, examined the biochemical mechanisms that underlie the ability of Protandim® to suppress tumors in mice. That ability was previously demonstrated by the authors in a study involving a mouse two-stage model of chemically-induced skin cancer.

3 Sep 2010

High exposure to estrogens may cause gall bladder cancer: Research

A very aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, gallbladder cancer may be connected to higher exposure to estrogens, according to a group of researchers at the University of Houston (UH). Dr. Jan--ke Gustafsson, Robert A. Welch Professor in UH's biology and biochemistry department, described his team's findings in a paper titled "Estrogen-dependent gallbladder carcinogenesis in LXRβ-/- female mice" appearing in a recent issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world's most-cited multidisciplinary scientific serials.

17 Aug 2010

Scientists identify genetic basis for prostate cancer susceptibility in non-European population

A genome-wide study on Japanese subjects has identified 5 new genetic variations associated with prostate cancer and revealed differences and similarities between Europeans and Asians in susceptibility to the disease. Reported in Nature Genetics, the findings offer a first-ever glimpse of the genetic basis for prostate cancer susceptibility in a non-European population.

2 Aug 2010