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PMDA approves use of LYNPARZA in patients with BRCA-mutated breast cancer

AstraZeneca and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency has approved LYNPARZA tablets for use in patients with unresectable or recurrent BRCA-mutated, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 -negative breast cancer who have received prior chemotherapy.

2 Jul 2018

Genetic subset of prostate cancer may benefit from combination checkpoint immunotherapy

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy released a study investigating the use of combination checkpoint immunotherapy in the treatment of a lethal form of advanced prostate cancer.

25 Jun 2018

Harnessing Pediatric Cancer Genomic Data in the Cloud

Dr. Jinghui Zhang, an esteemed computational biologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital discusses her latest study and how technology such as cloud computing is changing the way that scientists carry out research.

21 Jun 2018

Molecular Health introduces MH Mendel to help geneticists in diagnosing hereditary diseases

Molecular Health, a leading biomedical company that is transforming molecular data into clinically actionable information for efficient and safer cancer treatment options based on its proprietary Dataome® technology platform, has introduced Molecular Health Guide® Mendel as part of the established Molecular Health Guide®, a comprehensive software solution for precision medicine.

13 Jun 2018

Genomic markers can predict lynch syndrome across tumor types

Microsatellite instability and DNA mismatch repair deficiencies can predict Lynch syndrome across tumor types, according to researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who presented this retrospective data analysis in a press conference at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

4 Jun 2018

Telemedicine approach improves genetic counseling at community-based cancer care

Genetic counseling for cancer patients has become standard of care at academic medical centers, but patients cared for at community-based medical practices across the United States may not have access to these resources. Video and phone sessions can close that gap and bring genetic counseling to patients who would not otherwise have the chance to receive it, according to a new study from the Basser Center for BRCA at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center.

31 May 2018

Researchers identify six genes that predispose carriers to develop medulloblastoma

Researchers have identified six genes that predispose carriers to develop the brain tumor medulloblastoma and have used the discovery to craft genetic counseling and screening guidelines. The study appears today in the journal The Lancet Oncology.

10 May 2018

University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela participates in large pancreatic cancer study

International validation through collaboration with leading cancer centers in Europe and US is a key part of Immunovia’s development and commercialization strategy for its portfolio of IMMray tests.

19 Feb 2018

Hints to aging lurk in fruit flies’ germline stem cells

Little hints of immortality are lurking in the stem cells of fruit flies. Stem cells that produce sperm use a genetic trick to stay perpetually young across generations, researchers at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute have discovered. Certain sections of the fruit fly genome get shorter with age. But remarkably, some reproductive cells can repair the shrinkage, the researchers report in the journal eLife.

13 Feb 2018

Myriad’s myRisk Hereditary Cancer test finds inherited gene mutations in more than 12% of prostate cancer patients

Myriad Genetics, Inc., a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, announced today that results from a large 1,162 patient study of the Myriad myRisk Hereditary Cancer test will be featured during the poster presentation at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, Calif.

8 Feb 2018

Biologists discover new genetic pathway for injured nerve regeneration

On the hunt for genes involved in regenerating critical nerve fibers called axons, biologists at the University of California San Diego came away with a surprise: The discovery of a new genetic pathway that carries hope for victims of traumatic injuries-; from stroke to spinal cord damage.

25 Jan 2018

FDA grants approval for first drug to treat inherited breast cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Lynparza (olaparib tablets) to include the treatment of patients with certain types of breast cancer that have spread (metastasized) and whose tumors have a specific inherited (germline) genetic mutation, making it the first drug in its class (PARP inhibitor) approved to treat breast cancer, and it is the first time any drug has been approved to treat certain patients with metastatic breast cancer who have a "BRCA" gene mutation.

15 Jan 2018

Scientists discover new enzyme that could help in the battle against obesity

Scientists have discovered a new enzyme in adipose tissue that helps regulate inflammation. The discovery could help in the battle against obesity.

15 Jan 2018

U.S. FDA approves first drug for patients with germline BRCA-mutated metastatic breast cancer

AstraZeneca and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved LYNPARZA (olaparib) for use in patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer who have been previously treated with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant or metastatic setting.

12 Jan 2018

Study identifies enzyme that regulates inflammation and metabolism in fat tissue

The human body has two primary kinds of fat--white fat, which stores excess calories and is associated with obesity, and brown fat, which burns calories in order to produce heat and has garnered interest as a potential means of combating obesity.

11 Jan 2018

Specific bacteria in the intestines can improve response rate to cancer immunotherapy

In the Jan. 5, 2018 issue of Science, researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine show that specific strains of commensal bacteria – the swarms of microorganisms naturally dwelling in the intestines – can improve the response rate to immunotherapy for patients being treated for advanced melanoma.

5 Jan 2018

Newly identified germline variations increase risk of relapse or second cancers in leukemia patients

Newly identified germline variations in a key tumor suppressor gene predispose individuals to develop leukemia as children and leave them with a 1-in-4 chance of developing a second cancer later. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, which appears today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

5 Jan 2018

Study explores feasibility of mainstreaming genetic counseling for ovarian cancer

A study that looked at mainstreaming genetic counseling for ovarian cancer to support screening programs in Malaysia was presented at the ESMO Asia 2017 Congress.

20 Nov 2017

CRISPR shows potential to reduce diseases spread by mosquitoes

Research at the University of California, Riverside, have shown that it is possible for transgenic mosquitos to stably express the Cas9 enzyme in their germline. Cas9 addition will allow the utilization of the CRISPR gene editing tool to carry out efficient and highly targeted changes to the DNA of the mosquitoes.

16 Nov 2017

UCR researchers develop transgenic mosquitoes to help reduce spread of infectious diseases

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed transgenic mosquitoes that stably express the Cas9 enzyme in their germline. The addition of Cas9 will enable the use of the CRISPR gene editing tool to make efficient, targeted changes to the mosquitoes' DNA.

14 Nov 2017