Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

TCFC completes two in-utero fetal cardiac interventions to treat HLHS

The team at Texas Children's Fetal Center, a national leader for treating fetal anomalies, has successfully completed two in-utero fetal cardiac interventions to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a congenital heart defect that is one of the most complex heart defects to treat.

5 May 2012

ACR names WDI as Breast Imaging Center of Excellence

Women's Digital Imaging of Ridgewood (WDI) has been named a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The Center of Excellence designation is awarded to facilities that meet the highest standards set by the ACR through peer-review evaluations conducted in each breast imaging modality by board-certified physicians and medical physicists.

5 May 2012

CINJ nurses develop new teaching method to improve patient safety

Oncology nurses in the outpatient setting face constant challenges in the management of patient care, as many cancer patients receive therapies known to cause allergic reactions or hypersensitivity. When such emergencies arise, oncology nurses need to quickly, competently and safely manage these specific needs. In order to address such a scenario, nurses at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) have developed a teaching method to make mock situations more closely resemble real emergency events.

5 May 2012

Dilp8 provides an important signal to slow body growth and delay insect development

Two independent groups of researchers have identified a hormone that is responsible for keeping the growth and development of insects on track. The results, which are reported in the journal Science, suggest that Dilp8 provides an important signal to slow body growth and delay insect development.

5 May 2012

MicroRNAs in breast cancer play a role in development of resistance to tamoxifen

Many breast cancer patients are treated with a drug called tamoxifen. The substance blocks the effect of estrogen and thus suppresses the growth signals of this hormone in cancer cells. When resistance to the drug develops, tumor cells change their growth program: They change their behavior and shape, become more mobile and also adopt the ability to invade surrounding tissue. Scientists working with PD (Associate Professor) Dr. Stefan Wiemann of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now also observed these changes in tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cells.

5 May 2012

New research about why people forego colorectal cancer screening

New research about why people forego colorectal cancer (CRC) screening suggests that three fears play a significant role; fear of embarrassment, fear of getting AIDS and fear of pain may make some seniors skip the potentially lifesaving tests.

5 May 2012

Isis commences ISIS-APOCIIIRx Phase 2 study in hypertriglyceridemia

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of a Phase 2 study evaluating ISIS-APOCIIIRx in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.

5 May 2012

Research roundup: Chronic disease interventions could save states money; Drilling into childhood cancer disparities; National heart emergency care system proposed

Urban Institute: Potential Savings Through Prevention Of Avoidable Chronic Illness Among CalPERS State Active Members -- California is one of many states in financial crisis, and according to this report, it could save millions of dollars on state employee health benefits by preventing chronic disease.

5 May 2012

CINJ develops electronic documentation tool to improve patient care

A continuing challenge that oncology nurses face is providing clear documentation of patient care. In order to maximize their ability to improve patient outcomes, nurses at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) have developed an electronic documentation tool that integrates a number of key measurement and evaluation resources utilized in the oncology nursing field.

5 May 2012

Improved lung-cancer screening by combining blood test with CT imaging

National Jewish Health is seeking to refine and improve lung-cancer screening by combining a blood test with CT imaging to detect disease earlier and more effectively. The trial combines a CT chest scan and the EarlyCDT-Lung blood test to screen for cancer, and seeks to build on recent research demonstrating that CT screening alone can reduce lung-cancer mortality.

4 May 2012

New light on many biological differences between individual breast cancers

New findings presented at Europe's leading breast cancer translational research conference this year shed new light on the many biological differences between individual breast cancers.

4 May 2012

Presence of fetal cells is a double-edged sword for women

For the first time, scientists have found what could be a causative link between the concentration of circulating Y-chromosome fetal cells in women who gave birth to children of either sex and their risk of later developing breast cancer and colon cancer.

4 May 2012

Potential breast cancer patients for new immune-targeting therapies

Breast cancer patients whose tumors express high levels of genes related to immune response are more likely to have their tumor completely eradicated by pre-operative chemotherapy compared to patients with low expression of these genes, Belgian researchers report at the 4th IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference in Brussels, Belgium.

4 May 2012

New analysis may help identify breast cancer patients who will benefit from immune suppressant

A new analysis may help doctors identify breast cancer patients who will benefit from treatment with the immune suppressant drug everolimus, say French researchers at the 4th IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference in Brussels, Belgium.

4 May 2012

Many women diagnosed with breast cancer report no family history

More than half the women aged 40-49 diagnosed with breast cancer on screening mammography report no family history, a new study shows.

4 May 2012

Positive ultrasound-guided axillary node biopsy requires dissection

Contrary to a trend in treatment, breast cancer patients with suspicious lymph nodes should have an ultrasound-guided axillary node biopsy, and if that biopsy is positive these patients should undergo an axillary dissection, a new study shows.

4 May 2012

SPECT/CT can change clinical management of thyroid cancer

The use of single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) has been reported to change clinical management in a significant number of thyroid cancer patients according to research presented in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

4 May 2012

Researchers identify new functions of cohesin SA1 that are relevant for cancer and CdLS

Cohesin is a ring-shaped protein complex involved in the spatial organization of the genome and in mitotic chromosome structure. Vertebrate somatic cells have two versions of cohesin that contain either SA1 or SA2, but their functional specificity has been largely ignored. Researchers of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) under the direction of Ana Losada have identified new functions of cohesin SA1 that are relevant for two human diseases, cancer and Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.

4 May 2012

Hispanics more likely to develop precancerous colorectal polyps

Blacks and Hispanics have a significantly higher risk of developing precancerous colorectal polyps compared with whites, according to a study by researchers at NewYork - Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

4 May 2012

Imaging surveillance an acceptable alternative to surgical excision in patients with benign papilloma

Imaging surveillance is an acceptable alternative to surgical excision in patients with benign papilloma, diagnosed at breast core biopsy without cell abnormalities, a new study shows.

4 May 2012