Lungs News and Research

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Canadian researchers identify new therapeutic target for lung cancer

Lung cancer patients whose tumors over-express a cell surface molecule called CXCR4 do significantly worse than those who do not, Canadian researchers have found. Their work, reported at the 2nd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, highlights the exciting possibility that the molecule could soon become a new target for personalized cancer therapy.

30 Apr 2010

FDA approves Provenge prostate cancer vaccine

Cancer may now be fought with a vaccine. The FDA has finally approved an immune boosting vaccine which is said to extend survival of patients at an advanced stage of prostate cancer by four months. This is twice as long as what could be expected with regular chemotherapy. There is also an increase of three years survival after detection in initial stage by 38% thanks to the vaccine.

30 Apr 2010

Celgene's first-quarter non-GAAP total revenue up 31% to $789 million

Celgene Corporation announced non-GAAP net income of $294.6 million, or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.63 for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2009 was $205.1 million or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.44. Based on U.S. GAAP, Celgene reported net income of $234.4 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.50 for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2009 was $162.9 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.35.

29 Apr 2010

Tomophase receives seventh U.S. Patent for OCTIS component

Tomophase Corporation, a leading developer of non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) tissue imaging devices, announced today that it has received notification of the issuance of its seventh patent: Delivering Light via Optical Waveguide and Multi-view Optical Probe Head, U. S. Patent # 7,706,646.

29 Apr 2010

Incorporation of NexACT technology helps reduce dose of Å6 compound for ovarian cancer treatment

NexMed, Inc., a specialty CRO with a pipeline of products based on the NexACT® technology, today announced that results from a pre-clinical study showed significant improvement in the delivery and half life of Å6, a proprietary peptide treatment for ovarian cancer currently in Phase 2 development by Angstrom Pharmaceuticals. Specifically, the incorporation of NexACT® enabled the dose of Å6 to be cut by half, or from twice per day to once per day delivered subcutaneously, while achieving the same level of efficacy in the mouse lung metastasis model.

29 Apr 2010

Genetic test to predict newborns requiring hospital readmission shortly after birth

The results of two separate research studies taking place at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics will help physicians use genetic testing to prevent complications, and ease the worry of new parents by predicting in advance which newborns may require readmission to the hospital shortly after birth. The studies also will help physicians identify which of their young patients are likely to respond well - or not - to steroid therapy for asthma.

29 Apr 2010

Air pollution can damage heart and lead to increased risk of heart disease: Study

A post-mortem study of the hearts of 21 young people in Mexico City has found that the heart begins to show the adverse effects of air pollution at a young age and that tiny bits of inactivated bacteria that hitch a ride on pollutants may make the problem worse.

29 Apr 2010

OSI Pharmaceuticals announces European Commission's approval of Tarceva for NSCLC

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that its international partner for Tarceva® (erlotinib), Roche, received approval from the European Commission for Tarceva as a monotherapy maintenance treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease remains largely unchanged (stable disease) after platinum-based initial chemotherapy.

29 Apr 2010

New report evaluating use of SBRT in lung cancer treatment released

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has released its Emerging Technology Committee's report evaluating the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy in lung cancer treatment.

29 Apr 2010

Higher the blood cholesterol level, greater the risk of atherosclerosis: Study

In addition to crystallized cholesterol, atherosclerotic plaques always contain large quantities of immune cells but, surprisingly, no bacteria or viruses. It was previously unclear just how the body's own defence forces are called into action. Even animals that are kept in an absolutely sterile environment can suffer from "clogging" or "furring" of the arteries when their food contains high levels of cholesterol.

29 Apr 2010

Small piece of RNA plays big role in development of IPF: Researchers

A small piece of RNA appears to play a big role in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to lung disease researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their study, which is the first to examine microRNAs in the disease, is available online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

29 Apr 2010

New method may aid in diagnosing lung cancer more effectively

Doctors may soon be able to diagnose lung cancer more effectively thanks to research performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where scientists have found ways both to increase the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) scans and to lessen the amount of time necessary to perceive telltale changes in lung tissue.*

29 Apr 2010

Study examines lifestyle-related causes of death in AIDS patients

The study, by researchers from the University of Bristol and a large group of international collaborators, examined data from the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC) which involved nearly 40,000 patients who started ART between 1996 and 2006 in Europe and North America.

29 Apr 2010

LCA acknowledges on-going work by ODP on lung cancer screening research

Lung Cancer Alliance acknowledges the on-going work by the Office of Disease Prevention at the National Institutes of Health on lung cancer screening research and the need for people who may be at risk for lung cancer to be well informed.

29 Apr 2010

Study calls for optimized medical treatment for older patients with advanced lung cancer

Although more than two fifths of lung cancers are diagnosed in patients over 70, data from clinical trials on the safest and most effective treatments for this age group are scarce.

29 Apr 2010

China lifts decades-old HIV/AIDS travel ban

Late Tuesday, China's State Council lifted a decades-old restriction that banned foreigners with HIV/AIDS from entering the country, Reuters reports (Buckley, 4/27). The amended rules, which appear on the government website, also lift a travel ban on foreigners with other sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy, and "narrow the travel restriction on people with tuberculosis, to those with an infectious form of the lung disease," according to Bloomberg Businessweek (Randall, 4/28).

29 Apr 2010

Imaging costs for Medicare cancer patients on the rise

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed data from Medicare cancer patients to determine the change in imaging use for this group.

29 Apr 2010

Celera reports net loss of $12.5M for first-quarter 2010

Celera Corporation today reported net revenues of $31.4 million for the first quarter of 2010 that ended March 27, 2010, compared to $45.7 million in the prior year quarter. For the first quarter of 2010, Celera reported a net loss $12.5 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.4 million, or $0.02 per share, for the prior year quarter.

28 Apr 2010

SBRT shows promise in treatment of lung, liver and spinal tumors: Clinical experts

Radiosurgical approaches to cancer treatment are showing promise in the treatment of lung, liver, and spinal tumors, according to four leading clinical experts who presented at a symposium in New York earlier this month.

28 Apr 2010

Cancer-related expenditures increase faster than any other area of health care: JAMA

From 1999 through 2006 the use of diagnostic imaging for Medicare patients with cancer increased, with use of positron emission tomography increasing the most significantly, according to a study in the April 28 issue of JAMA. Imaging costs for these patients also increased, outpacing the rate of increase in total costs among Medicare beneficiaries with cancer.

28 Apr 2010