Oncology News and Research

RSS

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''.

Disenrollment from hospice increases costs of care for cancer patients

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that the costs of care for patients with cancer who disenrolled from hospice were nearly five times higher than for patients who remained with hospice. Patients who disenroll from hospice are far more likely to use emergency department care and be hospitalized. The results are published in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

24 Sep 2010

Preclinical data of novel drug-resistant hypertension therapy presented at TCT 2010

Preclinical data of a novel therapy designed to treat drug-resistant hypertension (high blood pressure) was presented Tuesday, September 21st, at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2010 Conference in Washington, DC, by Christopher D. Owens, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor in Residence, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University of California, San Francisco.

24 Sep 2010

Comic books to educate young men about testicular cancer

Comic books may help to educate young men and their partners about testicular cancer and its early symptoms and encourage them to do more self-screening, according to Ryerson University School of Fashion professor and comic book artist David Brame.

24 Sep 2010

Belfer Institute, sanofi-aventis collaborate to discover anticancer drugs

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Belfer Institute of Applied Cancer Science (Belfer Institute) and sanofi-aventis announced today that they have entered into a collaboration and license option agreement to identify and validate novel oncology targets for further discovery and development by sanofi-aventis of novel therapeutics agents directed to such targets and related biomarkers.

24 Sep 2010

NCCN launches series of guidelines on cancer treatment

Patients with cancer and their caregivers have a new resource to help them navigate the maze of treatment options that they often confront. Today at the NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C., the National Comprehensive Cancer Network launched its new series of NCCN Guidelines for Patients, consumer-friendly translations of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology outlining appropriate cancer treatment.

24 Sep 2010

Researchers discover molecular signature to predict TB infection

Dallas scientists recently discovered a molecular signature in the blood of patients with tuberculosis (TB) that may explain why some people develop an active TB infection, while others exposed to the bacteria which causes the dangerous respiratory virus do not.

24 Sep 2010

Cianna Medical launches SAVI Sisters program to educate about breast cancer treatment options

Cianna Medical, Inc., the maker of the SAVI breast brachytherapy applicator, today announced the launch of SAVI Sisters, a program designed to provide education about breast cancer treatment options, primarily through social networking.

24 Sep 2010

CIC proposes criteria to improve endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC), the leading global initiative in advancing the emerging field of immuno-oncology, has proposed criteria for improved endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials, which were published online on September 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

24 Sep 2010

AJMS journal provides research update on new infectious pathogens

Newly recognized disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other infections are continually emerging around the world, posing difficult challenges for patient diagnosis and treatment and for public health responses. A special symposium section of the September issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, provides a research update on important new infectious pathogens.

24 Sep 2010

FDA grants clearance for HPβCD treatment for Niemann Pick Type C disease

Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to introduce Trappsol Cyclo (Hydroxypropyl Beta Cyclodextrin or HPβCD) into the brains of six year old identical twin girls dying of a rare brain-destroying cholesterol disease called Niemann Pick Type C (NPC).

24 Sep 2010

Biothera receives SBIR award to evaluate therapeutic potential of Imprime PGG drug in pancreatic cancer

Biothera has received a National Cancer Institute SBIR award to evaluate the therapeutic potential of its drug candidate Imprime PGG in pancreatic cancer, the company announced today.

24 Sep 2010

Zalicus presents synergistic drug data at Targeted Cancer Therapies World Europe 2010 meeting

Zalicus Inc. presented data today on its discovery of novel synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of cancer at the Targeted Cancer Therapies World Europe 2010 meeting in Zurich on September 23, 2010.

24 Sep 2010

FDA grants ZIOPHARM's darinaparsin Orphan Drug Designation for peripheral T-cell Lymphoma treatment

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to darinaparsin (Zinapar™ or ZIO-101) for the treatment of peripheral T-cell Lymphoma (PTCL). The United States Orphan Drug Act of 1983 was created to provide incentives for companies to develop and market treatments for diseases or conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.

23 Sep 2010

Athersys presents MultiStem phase I study results at TCT Conference

Athersys, Inc. announced at its presentation at the Transvascular Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference held in Washington, D.C., updated results from its phase I clinical trial of MultiStem, its allogeneic cell therapy product, administered to individuals following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

23 Sep 2010

New iPhone application for breast cancer patients

Nonprofit Breastcancer.org has launched an iPhone application for breast cancer patients. The Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide is a free mobile app that walks users through the breast cancer pathology report a vital report that sets the patient's treatment path.

23 Sep 2010

Asuragen announces results of study evaluating RNA-based assay for detection of common NPM1 mutations

Asuragen, Inc. announced today the results of a collaborative study with scientists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine evaluating a RNA-based assay for the rapid, sensitive and multiplex detection of common NPM1 mutations. The study results were published in the September issue of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

23 Sep 2010

Novartis applauds declaration of CML Awareness Day in Canada

Today is a meaningful milestone for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients and their families.

23 Sep 2010

Phase II study: Fostamatinib improves outcomes in RA patients

AstraZeneca's new oral syk inhibitor, fostamatinib (R788), recently in-licensed from Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., significantly improved outcomes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis who responded inadequately to ongoing treatment with methotrexate, according to phase II study data published in The New England Journal of Medicine today.

23 Sep 2010

NCI selects Caliper's Quantum FX microCT system to study tumor models in lung cancer

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery and life sciences research, today announced that the National Cancer Institute has purchased Caliper's Quantum FX, a stand-alone microCT system for pre-clinical imaging, to study spontaneous tumor models in lung cancer.

23 Sep 2010

Revolutionary technology 'cooks' brain tumor

University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center is offering new hope for patients with inoperable brain tumors or lesions previously diagnosed as untreatable through a revolutionary technology called AutoLITT which "cooks" brain tumors with an MRI-guided laser. UH becomes one of only three medical centers in the world offering AutoLITT as part of its arsenal in the fight against cancer. It is especially effective in treating glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancers.

23 Sep 2010