Oncology News and Research

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Oncology, meaning bulk, mass, or tumor, and the suffix ''-logy'', meaning "study of") is a branch of medicine that deals with tumors (cancer). A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''.

Physiological differences between men and women impact colorectal cancer progression

Physiological differences between men and women may contribute to differential tumor development and progression in colon cancer patients, a study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggests.

5 Jun 2007

Flaxseed halts prostate tumor growth

Flaxseed, an edible seed that is rich in omega 3-fatty acids and fiber-related compounds known as lignans, is effective in halting prostate tumor growth, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

5 Jun 2007

When to change the course of treatment

Counting circulating tumor cells before and after the start of treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could help doctors determine when or if a change in treatment should be made.

5 Jun 2007

Exercise lowers insulin in breast cancer survivors

Normally sedentary breast cancer survivors who completed an exercise program reduced the levels of insulin in their blood, revealing a likely link between physical activity and better outcomes, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

5 Jun 2007

Honest communication of cancer prognostic information can help parents feel more hopeful

Physicians who inform parents of children with cancer about the likely course of the disease can provide hope, even when the child's prognosis is poor, according to a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting on Sunday.

5 Jun 2007

E/Tablet technology may improve healthcare

The old wooden clipboard and pen that patients typically encounter when providing information in a doctor's office may soon be replaced by wireless, handheld notebook-and-pen-style computers called E/Tablets.

5 Jun 2007

Drug lapatinib shows activity against brain metastases

The drug lapatinib shrank tumors and slowed progression of brain metastases in some patients with advanced breast cancer, according to results of a clinical trial presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

5 Jun 2007

Diet may influence survival after treatment for stage III colon cancer

Patients with stage III colon cancer who have undergone surgery and chemotherapy with the goal of cure may have a higher risk of relapsing and dying early if they follow a predominantly Western diet of red meat, fatty foods, refined grains, and desserts, according to research led by investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

5 Jun 2007

Dasatinib shows promise as first treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia

An established second-line drug for chronic myelogenous leukemia has high response rates when given to newly diagnosed patients as their first therapy for the disease, according to early results from a Phase II clinical trial at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

5 Jun 2007

Chemotherapy may enhance the effectiveness of the vaccines

Chemotherapy temporarily hinders the body's immune response, creating a concern that it may interfere with the promising new cancer vaccines being used against brain tumors.

5 Jun 2007

Modafinil (Provigil) alleviates post-chemotherapy fogginess

A drug described by some people as a genius pill for enhancing cognitive function provided relief to a small group of Rochester breast cancer survivors who were coping with a side effect known as chemo-brain, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study.

5 Jun 2007

Black Americans' beliefs may hamper lung cancer prevention and care

Blacks in the United States are less certain than whites about recommendations to prevent lung cancer and are more fearful of having symptoms evaluated, beliefs that may keep them from seeking timely treatment for the disease, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago.

5 Jun 2007

Benefits of Herceptin are lasting

An updated analysis of two large randomized clinical trials has found that breast cancer patients who received the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) along with chemotherapy are living longer and with less risk of recurrent disease, compared to patients treated with chemotherapy alone.

5 Jun 2007

Sertraline does not improve symptoms in some cancer patients without major depression

The established antidepressant sertraline does not improve symptoms, wellbeing or survival in patients with advanced cancer who do not have major depression.

5 Jun 2007

Adding radioimmunotherapy to chemo may help patients with lymphoma

Patients treated for follicular lymphoma, a slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, may benefit from chemotherapy followed by radioimmunotherapy, according to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago and published as Abstract 8005 in the ASCO proceedings.

5 Jun 2007