Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Risk of leukaemia and brain cancer in children could be tripled by radiation exposure from CT scans

Radiation exposure received from 2 to 3 computed tomography (CT) scans of the head in childhood (aged under 15 years)—giving a cumulative dose of around 60 mGy— can triple the risk of later developing brain cancer, while around 5 to 10 such scans (cumulative dose around 50 mGy) could triple the risk of developing leukaemia (with the differing number of scans related to different absorption rates of the brain versus the bone marrow and age at time of scanning).

7 Jun 2012

WIN Symposium to take place in Paris from June 28-29

On June 28 and 29, academic thought leaders and high-ranking officers from pharma, biotech and information technology companies will gather in Paris at the 4th WIN Symposium to present and discuss breakthroughs that will bring personalized cancer medicine to the next phase.

7 Jun 2012

New nanomedicine cancer treatments promise to reduce severity of side effects

A new generation of cancer treatments based on nanotechnology is making its way out of the laboratory and into the clinic with the promise of targeting cancer cells while steering clear of healthy tissue, according to the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News.

7 Jun 2012

Study suggests link between fungi and ulcerative colitis

Cedars-Sinai researchers say their examination of the fungi in the intestines suggests an important link between these microbes and inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

7 Jun 2012

DODAC to discuss ThromboGenics’ new BLA for ocriplasmin intravitreal injection

ThromboGenics NV, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative ophthalmic medicines, today announces that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the Company that its new biologic license application (BLA) for ocriplasmin intravitreal injection will be discussed at the Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee scheduled for July 26, 2012.

7 Jun 2012

Study reviews role of gut microbes in nutrient absorption and energy regulation

Microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract form an intricate, living fabric made up of some 500 to 1000 distinct bacterial species, (in addition to other microbes). Recently, researchers have begun to untangle the subtle role these diverse life forms play in maintaining health and regulating weight.

7 Jun 2012

Artificial noses could allow quick disease screening and ultimately transform diagnostics

Artificial noses have, until now, been used to detect diseases such as urinary tract infection, Helicobacter pylori, tuberculosis, ear, nose and throat conditions and even lung cancer. They have also been clinically tested for use in continuous monitoring of different disease stages.

7 Jun 2012

Debiopharm announces results from Debio 0932 Phase I study on cancer

Debiopharm Group (Debiopharm), a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs and companion diagnostics, presented results of a Phase I open-label dose-escalation study with Debio 0932, an oral Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor in clinical development as an anti-cancer agent.

7 Jun 2012

Study reveals new information about origin of tumors

A study by Travis H. Stracker, researcher at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with scientists at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, reveals new information about the origin of tumors.

7 Jun 2012

CCR5 antagonists may also help prevent aggressive breast cancers from metastasizing

The HIV drugs known as CCR5 antagonists may also help prevent aggressive breast cancers from metastasizing, researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson suggest in a preclinical study published in a recent issue of Cancer Research.

7 Jun 2012

Vitamin D deficiency may be an important risk factor for erectile dysfunction

A paper just published hypothesizes that vitamin D deficiency may be an important risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED).

7 Jun 2012

Arrowhead initiates final IND-enabling steps for ARC-520 to treat HBV

Arrowhead Research Corporation, a targeted therapeutics company, today announced that its hepatitis B virus (HBV) program has completed all internal preclinical requirements and has named a clinical candidate.

7 Jun 2012

Pioneering new test can quickly diagnose coeliac disease

Coeliac disease affects millions of people worldwide, but many sufferers are not aware they have the condition or may have been misdiagnosed with other illnesses. A pioneering new test developed with EU-funding should soon be available in hospitals, offering an accurate, quick, cost-effective diagnosis and monitoring solution.

6 Jun 2012

Roundup: Calif. cigarette tax hike too close to call; Mass. insurance mandate not as contentious; Sept. 11 health fund cancer coverage ruling delayed

Tobacco companies poured nearly $47 million into defeating Proposition 29, a $1-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes, but the measure was narrowly leading in early returns Tuesday despite the hard-fought campaign. The tax increase would raise $810 million a year for cancer research and smoking cessation programs, and it would give California -- which currently has a lower tobacco tax than 32 other states -- the 16th-highest cigarette tax in the nation. … The vote would be a huge win for the public health groups that sponsored the measure, including the American Cancer Society.

6 Jun 2012

Split-course RT valuable after hormone-resistant prostate cancer relapse

A split course of high-dose radiotherapy in men with progressive, hormone-refractory prostate cancer is effective and has an acceptable toxicity profile, report Australian researchers.

6 Jun 2012

Work pattern affects night shift–breast cancer link

The risk for breast cancer increases significantly with both the number of years of night shift work and the cumulative number of shifts, Danish researchers have discovered.

6 Jun 2012

Better diagnosis of breast cancer could come from simple blood test

Scientists have discovered that a simple blood test could lead to better diagnosis and treatment for early-stage breast cancer patients, according to an Article published Online First in The Lancet Oncology.

6 Jun 2012

New tool helps researchers to better understand Type 2 human diabetes

With Type 2 human diabetes climbing at alarming rates in the United States, researchers are seeking treatments for the disease, which has been linked to obesity and poor diet. Now biologists at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, report they have developed a new tool that will help researchers better understand this deadly disease.

6 Jun 2012

AB Science announces data from development program of masitinib in GIST

AB Science SA, a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and commercialization of protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), announces today that data from the development program of masitinib in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) have been presented as part of three presentations delivered at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2012 Annual Meeting, 1-5 June in Chicago, Illinois.

6 Jun 2012

Economist infographic depicts probability of dying from NCDs by country

The Economist's "Graphic Detail" blog features an infographic depicting the probability of dying from a non-communicable disease by country. "You are more likely to be killed by a non-communicable disease (NCD), like cancer or heart disease, than anything else," the blog notes.

6 Jun 2012