Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

New York man jailed for selling fake cancer cure

Jason Vale, president of the New York-based Christian Brothers Contracting Corp., was sentenced on June 18, 2004 to 63 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release by a United States District Court in the Eastern District of New York.

23 Jun 2004

European Commission has approved the use of Herceptin® (trastuzumab) in combination with Taxotere®

The approval is based on study results which showed that for women with HER2-positive breast cancer, the combination of Herceptin and Taxotere significantly improved median life expectancy by more than one-third (31 months with Herceptin plus Taxotere vs. 22 months for Taxotere alone).

23 Jun 2004

Discovery of a gene-expression signature common to distinct types of cancer

Researchers at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins and the Institute of Bioinformatics in India have discovered a gene-expression "signature" common to distinct types of cancer

23 Jun 2004

NICE guidance on familial breast cancer

"Breast Cancer Care are extremely pleased that NICE has developed this guidance, as it will improve the standards of care for women at risk of familial breast cancer.

23 Jun 2004

American women having unnecessary PAP smears

Many American women who have had a hysterectomy are still having routine PAP smear tests even though they are not at risk of cervical cancer, according to a new report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

22 Jun 2004

50 years of smoking research by Professor Richard Doll

Smokers die ten years younger than non-smokers, according to a 50-year-long study of smoking and death among British doctors. Smokers who quit, even up to the age of 50 can still halve their risk of dying.

22 Jun 2004

More mammograms key to tackling breast cancer

Mammograms have helped to lower death rates from breast cancer, but a new report by the Institute of Medicine suggest a lot more needs to be done to improve breast cancer screening and save even more lives.

22 Jun 2004

Lawsuit against 3 largest U.S. canned tuna companies for failing to warn about exposure to mercury

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer today filed a lawsuit against the nation's three largest canned tuna companies for failing to warn consumers that albacore and light tuna contain mercury, known by the state to cause reproductive harm and cancer.

22 Jun 2004

New computer cluster will help understanding of how human cells and organs work

A new computer cluster funded by the University of Sheffield and located within the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, will help scientists to improve their understanding of how human cells and organs work.

22 Jun 2004

Development of a blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer

Leadership of U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, support from The Lynne Cohen Foundation, Row for a Cure and Totino Research Fund bring cutting edge research to Long Island.

22 Jun 2004

Genetically engineering viruses to carry a suicide gene into ovarian cancer cells

Genetically engineering viruses to carry a suicide gene into ovarian cancer cells could become a potent way to tackle the disease, a leading Cancer Research UK scientist reveals at a conference in Glasgow today (Tuesday).

22 Jun 2004

Report shows the health of Australians continues to improve

A comprehensive report shows the health of Australians continues to improve and as a nation we are healthier than we’ve ever been.

21 Jun 2004

Cognitive decline can occur before chemotherapy treatment

In a series of studies in breast cancer patients, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have confirmed the presence of “chemobrain” after chemotherapy treatment – but they also discovered that a significant portion of patients have cognitive declines even before chemotherapy.

21 Jun 2004

Cutting down on cigarettes may actually increase consumption of smoke, carbon monoxide and nicotine

Smokers who pride themselves on successfully cutting back as a step toward quitting tobacco altogether may be caught in a haze of self-deception.

21 Jun 2004

Paclitaxel analog kills more cancer cells than natural product

Paclitaxel, a natural compound from yew trees, is the world's best-selling anticancer drug. Several analogs are in clinical trial, with others in preclinical development. One problem that paclitaxel and all its analogs share, however, is that they are all highly complex compounds, and cannot be prepared synthetically in a commercially viable way.

21 Jun 2004

Class of molecules that could lead to treatments for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, arthritis, and heart disease

By making use of model compounds in drug design, chemists at the University of California, San Diego identified a class of molecules that could lead to treatments for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, arthritis, and heart disease.

21 Jun 2004

More than half of head and neck cancer patients disabled by cancer or by cancer treatment

According to information in the article, more than 40,000 new cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States, with 12,000 deaths each year. Patients with head and neck cancer often experience problems with eating and communicating, have pain, and have poor emotional well being and general functional status.

21 Jun 2004

Targeting a gene that protects cancer cells from the lethal effects of radiotherapy could help improve the impact of treatment

Targeting a gene that protects cancer cells from the lethal effects of radiotherapy could help improve the impact of treatment, a leading Cancer Research UK scientist will tell conference delegates in Glasgow this week.

21 Jun 2004

Chemobrain side effect in women may be overestimated

A new study says the incidence of "chemobrain," a widely reported side effect in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, may be overestimated.

21 Jun 2004

First license to begin research involving therapeutic cloning

A special licensing committee of the UK Human Fertilization & Embryology Authority (HFEA) met on June 16 in London to decide whether to grant a license to scientists at The Center for Life at Newcastle University.

20 Jun 2004