Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

16-year-old uses supercomputing network to invent new drug cocktail for cystic fibrosis

While many 16-year-olds are content with PlayStation, Toronto-area student Marshall Zhang used the Canadian SCINET supercomputing network to invent a new drug cocktail which could one day help treat cystic fibrosis.

11 May 2011

Long non-coding RNA promotes melanoma cell survival and invasion

Traditionally, RNA was mostly known as the messenger molecule that carries protein-making instructions from a cell's nucleus to the cytoplasm. But scientists now estimate that approximately 97 percent of human RNA doesn't actually code for proteins at all. A flurry of research in the past decade has revealed that some types of non-coding RNAs switch genes on and off and influence protein function.

11 May 2011

UCLA researchers amp up power of killer CD8 T-cells to fight melanoma

Researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered a way to amp up the power of killer T-cells, called CD8 cells, making them more functional for longer periods of time and boosting their ability to multiply and expand within the body to fight melanoma, a new study has found.

11 May 2011

MTTI obtains exclusive license for novel fluorescence dyes from Massachusetts General Hospital

Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., announced that it has obtained an exclusive license from the Massachusetts General Hospital for novel fluorescence dyes developed by Scott Hilderbrand, Ph.D. Fangwei Shao, Ph.D., and Ralph Weissleder, Ph.D. M.D.

11 May 2011

Allos, Mundipharma enter strategic collaboration to co-develop FOLOTYN

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. and Mundipharma International Corporation Limited today jointly announced that the companies have entered into a strategic collaboration agreement to co-develop FOLOTYN (pralatrexate injection).

11 May 2011

Breast cancer and unhealthy lifestyle choices

Figures have shown that more than one in five British women is classified as obese, and research has found those affected are almost 50 per cent more likely to die from breast cancer than women carrying less weight. Studies have shown that obesity in women leads to changes in sex-hormone levels that may trigger estrogen-dependent tumors, which form the majority of cases. Drinking just one large glass of wine a day also increases the chance of developing breast cancer by a fifth, say experts. It is thought alcohol raises levels of estrogen in the body.

11 May 2011

Long ring finger linked to Lou Gehrig’s disease

In some of the latest studies it has been found that finger length could be linked to various traits in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. These people tend to have longer ring fingers, compared with their index fingers, than do people without the disease.

11 May 2011

Researchers discover role of MAN2C1 protein in prostate cancer development

It's a disease affecting those closest to us - our fathers, brothers and sons. Prostate cancer impacts one in six men in Canada. Last year, roughly 24,600 men were diagnosed with the disease.

11 May 2011

Coffee consumption can reduce risk of ER-negative breast cancer in women

Recently published research shows that coffee drinkers enjoy not only the taste of their coffee but also a reduced risk of cancer with their cuppa. More detailed research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research shows that drinking coffee specifically reduces the risk of antiestrogen-resistant estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer.

11 May 2011

Micromet first quarter total revenues decrease to $5.5 million

Micromet, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation antibodies for the treatment of cancer, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011.

10 May 2011

Seven-time Tour de France champion to raise funds for CBCF's cancer research initiatives

Cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong, will be in Calgary September 8 to support the work of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Prairies/NWT Region during the Foundation's 25th anniversary.

10 May 2011

Simcere first quarter total revenue increases 5.1% to RMB482.2 million

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today reported unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011.

10 May 2011

Telemis releases new software for medical image-management system

Telemis, the specialist in medical imaging solutions, has released new software for its medical image-management system, which provides a full-featured dual-modality PET/CT viewer on any PC across any hospital using Telemis software.

10 May 2011

Researchers identify mitochondrial proteins that can affect human ageing

Mitochondria are the body's energy producers, the power stations inside our cells. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now identified a group of mitochondrial proteins, the absence of which allows other protein groups to stabilise the genome. This could delay the onset of age-related diseases and increase lifespan.

10 May 2011

Merck launches 'Hope Against Hepatitis C' education program

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the launch of Hope Against Hepatitis C, a company initiative to increase awareness, prevention and diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection.

10 May 2011

Geron comments on recent European telomerase peptide cancer vaccine patents

Geron Corporation today commented on a ruling from the European Patent Office with regard to its European patent 084139, and the issuance of a second Geron patent covering telomerase peptides, EP1783139.

10 May 2011

U.S. veterans over 70 and older can benefit from current colon cancer screening methods

A new study of U.S. veterans ages 70 and older finds that the healthiest get the most benefit from current colon cancer screening methods. However, for many less healthy veterans the burdens of screening may outweigh the benefits.

10 May 2011

Dermatologists to provide free melanoma screenings at Loyola Center for Health on May 20

During a free health fair at work that offered screenings for skin cancer, Joan Rojek decided on a whim to have a dermatologist examine some odd-looking blemishes on her arm.

10 May 2011

Rapid blood-based test can determine patients with SLE

"At present, it can take up to a year before a patient is diagnosed with SLE. This is because the symptoms are diffuse and are often mistaken for other diseases. However, with this blood-based test, it is possible to determine quickly whether someone has the disease or not", says Christer Wingren, associate professor in Immunotechnology at CREATE Health, Lund University.

10 May 2011

Skin cancer prevention tips for anglers

If you love fishing and want to enjoy it well into your senior years then don't mess around with the sun. That's the advice for the 1 million Minnesotans who are expected to hit the water on Saturday for Minnesota's Fishing Opener from a leading Edina plastic and reconstructive surgeon who has treated hundreds of patients over the course of his 15-year career for skin cancer and melanoma.

10 May 2011