Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Six new scientists to receive SWCRF grants for cancer research

This year, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation awarded individual grants to six new researchers in addition to funding 18 collaborative grants and three ongoing individual grants. The Foundation expanded its scientific grants program to a total of more than $3.1 million.

1 Jul 2011

U-M offers tips to help understand FDA's new rules about sunscreen

The July 4 weekend is a time for barbequing, lounging poolside or just goofing off in the backyard. But it's important to practice good sun safety, stress dermatologists at the University of Michigan Health System.

1 Jul 2011

New book explores extraordinary progress against cancer

A new book looking at the extraordinary progress being made to fight cancer titled Why Millions Survive Cancer has been written by Dr Lauren Pecorino, Principal Lecturer in Cancer Biology at the University of Greenwich.

1 Jul 2011

Academy opposes legislation to repeal indoor tanning tax

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (Academy) opposes recent legislation to repeal the federal 10 percent indoor tanning tax. Countless scientific studies continue to demonstrate clear and compelling evidence that tanning bed use increases the risk of developing all forms of skin cancer.

1 Jul 2011

New book explores research into viral nanoparticles

Viruses that attack plants, insects, mammals and bacteria are proving effective platforms for delivering medicines and imaging chemicals to specific cells in the body, as building blocks for tiny battery electrodes and computer data storage devices, and other nanotechnologies.

1 Jul 2011

Two defective genes may cause telomere elongations in cancer cells: Study

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have provided more clues to one of the least understood phenomena in some cancers: why the "ends caps" of cellular DNA, called telomeres, lengthen instead of shorten.

1 Jul 2011

Genetic mutations in abnormal bone marrow can predict mortality of MDS patients

For patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), choosing the appropriate treatment depends heavily on the prognosis. Those patients at the highest risk of dying from their disease are typically offered the most aggressive therapies, while patients at lower risk could live several years with MDS, needing only supportive care or other relatively side-effect free treatments.

1 Jul 2011

Scientists discover enzyme that can regulate breast cancer development

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified an enzyme that appears to be a significant regulator of breast cancer development. Called PTPN23, the enzyme is a member of a family called protein tyrosine phosphatases, or PTPs, that plays a fundamental role in switching cell signaling on and off.

1 Jul 2011

New analytical approach can organize large amounts of varied cancer genetic data

The technology that allows scientists to profile the entire genome of individual tumors offers new hope for discovering ways to select the best treatment for each patient's particular type of cancer. However, these profiles produce huge amounts of data, and the volume alone creates unique analytical problems.

1 Jul 2011

Ovarian cancer molecular updates

In a new study a genetic mutation was found in the most common form of ovarian cancer. This according to the US scientists could pave the way for a more effective treatment of the disease. The detailed genetic map already helped scientists identify existing drugs with the potential for treating the mutations found in ovarian cancer tumors and also identified mutations that could respond to new drugs.

1 Jul 2011

Bone fusion drug comes under scrutiny due to researchers’ vested interests

The Spine Journal has dedicated its June issue to a series of papers that carefully reject previous research supporting the use of Infuse, a controversial, but popular bone growth product commonly used in spinal fusion surgeries.

1 Jul 2011

Avastin for breast cancer still covered by Medicare despite FDA indecision

The Medicare will continue to cover Avastin for breast cancer treatment even if U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Peggy Hamburg decides to withdraw Avastin for such use, according to Don McLeod, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. McLeod said, in his statement, “The FDA decision, when it comes, does not affect CMS.”

1 Jul 2011

Panel advises FDA to reject Avastin as breast cancer drug

The unanimous recommendation by this committee of cancer experts increases the likelihood that the drug will no longer be widely available for the treatment of breast cancer. Avastin, however, will continue to have the Food and Drug Adminstration's approval for use in treating certain other cancers.

1 Jul 2011

Vitamin D-deficiency linked to deaths of famous musicians

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 - 5 December 1791), suffered from many infectious illnesses including catarrh, fever, sore throat, and bad colds from 1762 to 1791, the year of his death at 35 years of age.

1 Jul 2011

FDA grants Advaxis pre-IND meeting for Advaxis-PSA immunotherapy for prostate cancer

Advaxis, Inc.,, a leader in developing the next generation of immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases, has been granted a pre-Investigational New Drug meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on August 10, 2011 to discuss the CMC, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical plans for Advaxis PSA, its construct to fight prostate cancer.

1 Jul 2011

Roche introduces new real-time PCR system

With "Size: Reduced. Fun: Amplified.", Roche Applied Science launched its new real-time PCR system on June 27th, 2011. The small, silent, sleek LightCycler Nano Instrument supports state-of-the-art technology for fast PCR protocols featuring leading edge thermal resolution and reproducibility.

1 Jul 2011

Positive results from Nexavar Phase 2b trial on breast cancer presented at ASCO

Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network, Inc., reported positive results of a large double-blind, randomized Phase 2b trial in patients with breast cancer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 47th annual meeting in Chicago, June 3-7.

1 Jul 2011

Some generic anti-epilepsy drugs may not be effective

Generic anti-epilepsy drugs, pharmaceutical products similar to brand-name versions, save consumers billions of dollars each year, but some are different enough from branded formulations that they may not be effective, particularly if patients switch between two generic drugs, a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests.

30 Jun 2011

Study confirms benefits of low-dose spiral CT scans for lung cancer detection

The New England Journal of Medicine's (NEJM) headline today read, "Reduced Lung Cancer Mortality with Low-Dose Computed Tomographic CT Screening," ending a long controversy over the use of an existing but underutilized early detection tool for those at risk for Lung Cancer. Preliminary results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) were first released on November 4, 2010 and confirmed today.

30 Jun 2011