Chemotherapy News and Research

Latest Chemotherapy News and Research

U.S. spends more on cancer care, but gains time in return

A new analysis published in Health Affairs found that American cancer patients lived almost two years longer than those in 10 European countries -- leading the researchers to say that the additional expense is worth it.

12 Apr 2012

Austrian scientists challenge the clinical relevance of the term “basal-like” breast cancer subtype

Not all breast cancers are the same. Different types can mean different prognoses for the patient, and a different kind of treatment may be adequate. But how to classify tumors? Are molecular classification methods reliable? Mohammad Ali Lavasani and Farid Moinfar from the Unit of Breast and Gynecologic Pathology at the Medical University of Graz, Austria give a critical review of the literature with focus on “basal-like” carcinoma.

11 Apr 2012

Breast cancer cells that metastasize to the lung express higher level of PRDX2

Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have shown that breast cancer cells that metastasize to the lung express a higher level of the protein peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2). The study suggests that the modulation of the levels of this protein could be a new therapeutic strategy to prevent lung metastases.

11 Apr 2012

Majority of Michigan oncology practices follow treatment guidelines for common cancers

A majority of Michigan oncology practices participating in a statewide consortium followed treatment guidelines for common cancers, but had gaps in managing symptoms and end-of-life care, according to a new study.

11 Apr 2012

Lauren Sciences, BGN Technologies sign licensing agreement for V-Smart- drug delivery technology

BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), has signed a licensing agreement for its V-Smart- drug delivery technology with Lauren Sciences LLC, a privately held biotechnology company in New York.

11 Apr 2012

Biovest seeks Health Canada approval of BiovaxID for follicular NHL

Biovest International, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that Biovest is seeking marketing approval in Canada for BiovaxID, its personalized cancer vaccine for the treatment of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, an incurable cancer of the immune system.

10 Apr 2012

Delcath, NKI-AVL enter initial launch and training agreement for CHEMOSAT system

Delcath Systems, Inc. announced today that the Company has entered into an initial launch and training agreement with the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (NKI-AVL) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

10 Apr 2012

Study provides guidelines on how to combine antiangiogenic drugs with nanotherapeutics

Combining two strategies designed to improve the results of cancer treatment - antiangiogenesis drugs and nanomedicines - may only be successful if the smallest nanomedicines are used. A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers, appearing in Nature Nanotechnology, finds that normalizing blood vessels within tumors, which improves the delivery of standard chemotherapy drugs, can block the delivery of larger nanotherapy molecules.

10 Apr 2012

More than 60% of breast cancer survivors report post-treatment complications

More than 60 percent of breast cancer survivors report at least one treatment-related complication even six years after their diagnosis, according to a new study led by a researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

10 Apr 2012

FDA grants Fast Track designation to EpiCept's AmiKet

EpiCept Corporation announced today that AmiKet (amitriptyline 4%, ketamine 2% cream) has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

10 Apr 2012

Mayo Clinic introduces Breast Cancer Genome Guided Therapy Study

The Breast Cancer Genome Guided Therapy Study (BEAUTY Project) will help physicians tailor chemotherapy to breast cancer patients based on their individual genomes and the genomes of their tumors.

10 Apr 2012

Novel anti-leukemia compound with little toxicity successfully treats zebrafish

A novel anti-leukemia compound with little toxicity successfully treated zebrafish with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), suggesting its potential to become a new highly targeted therapy for humans - even those resistant to conventional therapies - according to results from a study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

9 Apr 2012

Delivering chemotherapy drugs with nanobubbles more deadly to cancer cells

Using light-harvesting nanoparticles to convert laser energy into "plasmonic nanobubbles," researchers at Rice University, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) are developing new methods to inject drugs and genetic payloads directly into cancer cells.

9 Apr 2012

Bimodal genes can define molecular subtypes of ovarian cancer

Scientists from Duke University Medical Center have determined that genes acting as molecular "on/off" switches can define clinically relevant molecular subtypes of ovarian cancer, providing ideal potential targets for use in clinical prognostic and diagnostic testing.

9 Apr 2012

Chemotherapy based on individual genomes and genomes of tumors

The Breast Cancer Genome Guided Therapy Study (BEAUTY Project) will help physicians tailor chemotherapy to breast cancer patients based on their individual genomes and the genomes of their tumors.

9 Apr 2012

CPF proclaims September as 'Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month'

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) announced today the month of September 2012 will be proclaimed "Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month." In previous years, the CPF has celebrated "National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week" for one week each September, but expanding the time frame to a month will help achieve greater national awareness and fundraising in the race to find treatment and a cure.

7 Apr 2012

State roundup: Health costs cloud forecast for state budgets; Minnesota to use HMO refund on personal care

U.S. state and local governments' fiscal situations have improved recently but will still deteriorate through 2060, the Government Accountability Office said on Thursday. ... The outlook remains gloomy for the future, with healthcare costs, both for public employees and for the Medicaid insurance program for the poor, swelling and weighing on budgets, GAO said.

7 Apr 2012

Research on how cells cope with stress could lead to more effective cancer treatment

Both radiation and many forms of chemotherapy try to kill tumors by causing oxidative stress in cancer cells. New research from USC on a protein that protects cancer and other cells from these stresses could one day help doctors to break down cancer cells' defenses, making them more susceptible to treatment.

7 Apr 2012

Regeneron, Sanofi announce clinical and regulatory update for ZALTRAP

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Priority Review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for the investigational agent ZALTRAP (aflibercept) concentrate for solution for infusion in combination with the irinotecan-fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) previously treated with an oxaliplatin-containing regimen.

6 Apr 2012

TJUH medical oncologist to receive ASCO Humanitarian Award

Edith Mitchell, M.D., FACP, a medical oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology in the Department of Medical Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, has been named the 2012 recipient of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Humanitarian Award for her personification of the society's mission and values, and for going above and beyond the call of duty in providing outstanding patient care.

6 Apr 2012