Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

GW researcher gets NCI grant to study behavior of parasitic worm in bile duct cancer

Paul Brindley, Ph.D., professor of microbiology, immunology, and tropical medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was the recipient of a $1.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study the behavior of a parasitic worm, rampant in Southeast Asia, known to cause infections that contribute to liver cancer.

16 Nov 2012

Study shows boost in access to screening for breast and cervical cancer

A study by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services indicates that full implementation of the Affordable Care Act would expand health insurance coverage for more low-income women, enabling more than a million women to obtain potentially life-saving screening for breast and cervical cancer.

16 Nov 2012

Transcription factor expression aids stage I lung cancer prognosis

Expression of thyroid transcription factor-1 is an independent predictor for recurrence of stage I lung adenocarcinoma and allows intermediate-grade tumors to be split into two prognostic subsets, scientists have found.

16 Nov 2012

Fibulin-3 effective biomarker for pleural mesothelioma

Research suggests that levels of fibulin-3 in plasma and effusions may aid in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of pleural mesothelioma.

16 Nov 2012

Images of diseased organs have most impact on smokers

Labels that use graphic images as warnings on cigarette packaging have the most pronounced impact on adult smokers compared with other images or text-only labels, say researchers.

16 Nov 2012

Vitiligo patients have low risk for skin cancer

Evidence suggests that patients with vitiligo have a reduced risk for both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer.

16 Nov 2012

Caterpillar fungi may benefit asthma patients

Research shows that cordycepin, extracted from a group of rare parasitic caterpillar fungi of the genus Cordyceps, has unusual anti-inflammatory properties that may make it a good candidate for treating conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

16 Nov 2012

HUCPVC cell therapy more effective in restoring heart function after myocardial infarction

A study published this month by researchers at the University of Toronto and Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital has shown that cells derived from the umbilical cord, "Human Umbilical Cord PeriVascular Cells" (HUCPVCs), are more effective in restoring heart function after an acute myocardial infarction (in common parlance, a heart attack) in a pre-clinical model than a similar cell population derived from bone marrow.

16 Nov 2012

Virginia Tech researcher to talk about ‘Resilience in Ageing’ at AAG conference

Karen Roberto, director of the Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech University, will deliver the keynote address next week at the Australian Association of Gerontology National Conference on "Resilience in Ageing: Insights from Older Adults and Their Families."

16 Nov 2012

Tug of war between Hsp70 and 90 determines how much the body makes of superoxide

Two proteins are in a tug of war that determines how much the body makes of superoxide, a highly reactive and potentially destructive product of oxygen that's dramatically elevated in cardiovascular disease, researchers report.

16 Nov 2012

MD Anderson creates new cancer-fighting grocery food list

Adults can avoid holiday weight gain by stocking up on the cancer-fighting foods listed in the new Holiday Food Grocery List, created by experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

16 Nov 2012

WHO agreement on NCDs shows 'political will'

"It happened quietly, and it didn't make any headlines, but an agreement reached in Geneva last week represents a key step forward in the battle against some of the world's biggest killers: non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes," Ambassador Betty King, permanent representative of the United States to the U.N., writes in the U.S. Department of State's "DipNote" blog.

16 Nov 2012

New insights into how MSCs ‘traffic’ from the circulation into tissues

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), are a newly emerging cellular therapy being tested in approximately 250 clinical trials worldwide to help repair damaged tissues, such as injured heart muscle following a heart attack. The problem is that when culture-expanded MSCs are injected into the circulation, they have trouble gaining access to the inflamed tissues-exactly where their help is needed.

16 Nov 2012

New AAN book for people with primary and metastatic brain tumors

It is estimated that every 30 minutes, someone is diagnosed with brain cancer. Published in conjunction with the American Academy of Neurology as part of the Neurology Now Books series, NAVIGATING LIFE WITH A BRAIN TUMOR provides readily accessible information and encouragement for the thousands of people living with primary and metastatic brain tumors.

16 Nov 2012

Shear thinning hydrogels hold promise in treating many diseases, including cancer

Gels that can be injected into the body, carrying drugs or cells that regenerate damaged tissue, hold promise for treating many types of disease, including cancer. However, these injectable gels don't always maintain their solid structure once inside the body.

16 Nov 2012

Peak interest in health issues comes at about age 51 for baby boomers

For baby boomers, the peak interest in health issues comes at about age 51, with a second peak coming near age 65, according to a new study.

16 Nov 2012

Denosumab associated with improved overall survival in NSCLC patients

It is common for patients initially diagnosed with lung cancer to have the cancer spread to sites like the liver, brain and bone. One of the most frequent sites of metastases is the bone, with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) developing bone loss.

16 Nov 2012

People with Prader-Willi Syndrome may have impaired autonomic nervous system

An Australian study reveals that people with the rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi Syndrome may have an impaired autonomic nervous system. This discovery opens up a new way of looking at the insatiable appetite experienced by all sufferers, as well as their very high risk of cardiovascular disease.

16 Nov 2012

Tanshinones protect against sepsis: Study

Researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered that tanshinones, which come from the plant Danshen and are highly valued in Chinese traditional medicine, protect against the life-threatening condition sepsis. The findings are published in the December issue of Biochemical Pharmacology.

16 Nov 2012

Patients expect too much of screening and prevention

Patients overestimate the benefit that can be expected from cancer screening and preventive medications, setting minimal acceptable benefits unrealistically high, the results of a New Zealand study indicate.

15 Nov 2012