Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Acne bacterium may also cause infections all over the body

A bacterium which causes acne and is commonly found on the skin, is now known to cause infections all over the body. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)5 has been associated with infections of artificial joints and heart valves (endocarditis), as well as eye infections and chest infections - which are common at this time of year.

12 Jan 2011

BPH, hair loss prevention drugs may produce adverse side effects in men

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, in collaboration with colleagues at Lahey Clinic and from Denmark and Germany, have found that 5a-reductase inhibitors, while improving urinary symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and possible hair loss prevention, produces significant adverse effects in some individuals including loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and potential depression.

12 Jan 2011

Proposed health research agency for UK

According to the Academy of Medical Sciences, a new body to regulate all health research in the UK should be established. The authorities suggest that the current regulatory system was dysfunctional and thus hampering medical advances and they blame red tape for the decline in the UK’s share of clinical research. The report suggests creating a Health Research Agency that would make approving projects quicker and cheaper. According to Health Secretary for England, Andrew Lansley, the government would consider how the recommendations could be implemented.

11 Jan 2011

SciClone initiates phase 2b study of SCV-O7 for oral mucositis

SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCLN) today announced the enrollment of the first patient in the company's phase 2b clinical trial of SCV-07 for the prevention of oral mucositis (OM) -- a painful, debilitating, and costly toxicity caused by chemoradiotherapy regimens used to treat head and neck cancer.

11 Jan 2011

Race, ethnicity and geography influence colon cancer screening

New research from UC Davis Cancer Center has found that whether a person gets screened for colon cancer often depends on where they live in addition to their race or ethnicity.

11 Jan 2011

Cyclacel opens enrollment of sapacitabine Phase 3 trial for AML

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that it has opened enrollment of the SEAMLESS pivotal Phase 3 trial for the Company's sapacitabine oral capsules as a front-line treatment of elderly patients aged 70 years or older with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not candidates for intensive induction chemotherapy.

11 Jan 2011

Qui Tam case against NeoGenomics dismissed with prejudice

NeoGenomics, Inc. announced today that it has been notified that the Qui Tam complaint filed against it and several other healthcare companies in 2009 has been voluntarily dismissed with prejudice by the relator in the case. As a result, no further action will be taken against NeoGenomics in this matter.

11 Jan 2011

Positive results from Allovectin-7 Phase 3 trial in patients with metastatic melanoma

Vical Incorporated today announced a new publication summarizing results from the company's completed trials of Allovectin-7 including systemic responses and an excellent safety profile in patients with metastatic melanoma.

11 Jan 2011

Study supports use of telomerase inhibitors for treatment of childhood cancers

Geron Corporation today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that the company's telomerase inhibitor drug, imetelstat (GRN163L), currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, selectively targets cancer stem cells in pediatric tumors of neural origin.

11 Jan 2011

Genzyme provides update on discussions with Sanofi-Aventis

Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) reported today that discussions between its financial advisors and financial advisors for Sanofi-Aventis are continuing and have expanded to include representatives of both companies.

11 Jan 2011

Study to identify early warning biomarkers for presence of breast and prostate cancers

Using biological samples taken from patients and state-of-the-art biochemical techniques, a Florida State University researcher is working to identify a variety of "biomarkers" that might provide earlier warnings of the presence of breast and prostate cancers.

11 Jan 2011

Research could lead to new approaches to treat dementia

A researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in collaboration with scientists from the National Institutes of Health, has discovered that the deadly plaques of Alzheimer's disease interact with certain cellular proteins to inhibit normal signals that maintain blood flow to the brain.

11 Jan 2011

PDL disagrees with certain aspects of court's decisions on litigation with MedImmune

PDL BioPharma, Inc. today announced that on January 7, 2011, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued summary judgment order deciding certain issues favorably and other issues adversely to PDL in its litigation with MedImmune. PDL disagrees with certain aspects of the court's decisions which are adverse to the Company and is evaluating its legal options, including appeal of these decisions.

11 Jan 2011

Scientists create particles that resemble RBC, pave way for development of synthetic blood

A team of scientists has created particles that closely mirror some of the key properties of red blood cells, potentially helping pave the way for the development of synthetic blood.

11 Jan 2011

African-American men's delay in getting preventive medical care more attributable to medical mistrust than masculinity

Whether they see themselves as tough or just self-reliant, men are less likely than women to seek routine, preventive medical care, like blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

11 Jan 2011

Basal-like breast cancer is equally aggressive disease in African American women and white women: Study

In 2006, a team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill schools of Public Health and Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center found that breast cancer in younger African American women is more likely to be the more aggressive basal-like (or triple-negative) subtype - one factor thought to be behind known racial disparity differences in breast cancer patient outcomes.

11 Jan 2011

Study identifies over 30 breast cancer gene targets involved in drug resistance to chemotherapy

A new study conducted by Josh LaBaer's research team in the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University has pinpointed more than 30 breast cancer gene targets ---including several novel genes---that are involved in drug resistance to a leading chemotherapy treatment.

11 Jan 2011

WellApps releases Colonoscopy Prep Assistant

WellApps, LLC, developer of GI Monitor for Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis, announced today the release of Colonoscopy Prep Assistant. During the portion of colonoscopy preparation when a patient ingests a liquid laxative, Colonoscopy Prep Assistant tracks the number of glasses completed and time between glasses, notifying the patient when it's time to drink their next glass. The app is available for free in iTunes and the Android Market.

11 Jan 2011

Inhibiting miR-193a decreases tumor growth in SCC

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common type of skin cancer. In this paper, Leif Ellisen and colleagues at Mass General Hospital investigated the p53-related proteins p63 and p73 in SCC cells, and discovered a feedback loop between p63, microRNAs (miRs), and p73. In a model of SCC, they found that inhibiting one of these miRs decreased tumor growth and made the cells more sensitive to chemotherapy, highlighting a new potential therapeutic target.

11 Jan 2011

Novel scoring system identifies PTEN genetic mutation

Researchers have discovered a method for more precise identification of individuals who should undergo testing for genetic mutations of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, which associates with a variety of conditions including several types of cancers. The research has created a diagnostic scoring system that improves on established criteria.

11 Jan 2011