Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

New way of viewing genetic variations

Human geneticists can now see which variations on the human genome are inherited together, thanks to a new way of viewing genetic variations in the latest release of the Ensembl genome browser [a joint project between EMBL's EBI and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute].

21 Dec 2004

Success of surgery for ovarian cancer

Results of the first randomized control trial conducted in the United States to help determine the success of surgery for ovarian cancer have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Dec 2004

Push for mandatory health warnings on all alcohol products

Australian Medical Association President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today the AMA is calling on the Australian Federal Government to legislate for health warnings on all alcohol products.

21 Dec 2004

Eating more tomatoes and watermelons can reduce prostate cancer

A new study by researchers at Curtin University of Technology shows that eating yellow, orange and red fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon and citrus, and vegetables such as red capsicum or sweet pepper, pumpkin and spinach may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by up to 50 per cent.

21 Dec 2004

New advice on anti-inflammatory drugs called Cox-2 Inhibitors, including Celebrex

Patients who are taking Celebrex, Bextra and Arcoxia should make a non-urgent appointment with their GP to review their treatment. Patients who have established heart disease or who are at high risk of stroke will have their treatment changed.

21 Dec 2004

Quarter of all deaths in England and Wales in 2003 were caused by cancer

The main causes of death in 2003 were circulatory diseases (38 per cent), which include coronary heart disease and strokes, followed by cancers (26 per cent) and respiratory diseases (14 per cent), which includes pneumonia.

21 Dec 2004

The costs of caring for elderly patients hospitalized for colon surgery are not reduced by Medicare HMOs

The costs of caring for elderly Florida patients hospitalized for colon surgery are not reduced by Medicare HMOs, report University of South Florida researchers in the December issue of the Archives of Surgery.

21 Dec 2004

Dramatic changes in the way the FDA address patient safety are needed

Food and Drug Administration policies prevent pharmaceutical manufacturers from informing patients about potentially fatal toxicities that occur with some cancer drugs -- policies that should be revised immediately, according to Northwestern University researchers.

20 Dec 2004

Cancer drug paclitaxel may reduce the adverse effects of Alzheimer's disease

In a preclinical efficacy trial, the cancer drug paclitaxel (Paxceed)–which exerts its effects by binding to and stabilizing microtubules inside cells–reduced the adverse effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology in a mouse model.

20 Dec 2004

PAHO - Cervical cancer kills almost a quarter-million women worldwide each year

The Pan American Health Organization (A regional office of the World Health Organization), as a member of the Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention (ACCP), has issued a new publication and reported that cervical cancer—while largely preventable—kills almost a quarter-million women worldwide each year.

20 Dec 2004

Blocking gene's activity may control deadly skin cancer without harming normal cells

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston have discovered that malignant melanoma, the potentially lethal skin cancer, can't grow without a steady supply of a protein that normal cells can do without.

20 Dec 2004

Cherries could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes

Perhaps George Washington wouldn't have chopped down his father's cherry tree if he knew what chemists now know. They have identified a group of naturally occurring chemicals abundant in cherries that could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

20 Dec 2004

Timing of radiation and antiangiogenic therapy impacts treatment effectiveness

Agents designed to attack blood vessels that feed a growing tumor are effective against tumor growth in laboratory experiments. However, results of early clinical trials with these inhibitors have not yet exhibited the same success observed in animal models.

20 Dec 2004

Messenger RNA not only are measurable in saliva but can indicate a developing tumor

Scientists funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research reported today taking a major step forward in using saliva to detect oral cancer.

20 Dec 2004

Many women at high risk for breast cancer are foregoing tamoxifen

Many women at high risk for breast cancer are foregoing tamoxifen, the first FDA-approved drug for prevention of breast cancer, due to concerns about side effects, increased risk of other cancers, and lack of information, a new study by researchers in Boston shows. The study was published in the December 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

20 Dec 2004

Polls show more teen girls see "alcopop" ads than women age 31-44

The American Medical Association (AMA) released the results of two nationwide polls today that reveal the extent of underage consumption and marketing exposure to "alcopops" or so-called "girlie drinks." The AMA expressed concern that hard-liquor brands are using these sweet-flavored malt beverages as "gateway" beverages to attract less-experienced drinkers.

20 Dec 2004

Gene expression analysis software

Case Western Reserve University has announced that its BAMarray™ software is now available for download and licensing. The statistical software analyzes gene expression data -- one of the hottest areas of biology research.

20 Dec 2004

Vaccine against cervical cancer

Dutch researcher Laura Bungener has developed a vaccine against cervical cancer. Vaccinated laboratory animals no longer developed the disease and animals which had already developed a tumour, could be treated with the vaccine.

20 Dec 2004

Discovery of new compound known as SP-4-84 could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments

The discovery of a new compound by Michigan State University researchers could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments for different types of cancers – potentially with fewer side effects.

20 Dec 2004

Celebrex suspension

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex™ Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

19 Dec 2004