Chemotherapy News and Research

Latest Chemotherapy News and Research

Patients with early stage MPM may be eligible for aggressive multi-modality therapy

Patients with early stage malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, may be eligible for aggressive multi-modality therapy involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

16 Mar 2012

Targeted drugs should be aimed at mutations that develop early in blood cancer

The diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood cancer, often causes confusion. While some patients can be treated with repeated blood transfusions, others require chemotherapy, leaving some uncertainty about whether the syndromes actually are cancer.

15 Mar 2012

Scientists report about a brain circuit that mediates loss of appetite

The meal is pushed way, untouched. Loss of appetite can be a fleeting queasiness or continue to the point of emaciation. While it's felt in the gut, more is going on inside the head. New findings are emerging about brain and body messaging pathways that lead to loss of appetite, and the systems in place to avoid starvation.

15 Mar 2012

Doctors can use genetic profiling to more accurately predict patients with AML

Researchers have identified a set of genetic abnormalities in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) that doctors can use to more accurately predict patients' prognoses and select treatments that are most likely to benefit them.

15 Mar 2012

Study provides insight into developing new treatment strategies for triple-negative breast cancer

A new study by University of Kentucky researchers provides insight into developing new treatment strategies for basal-like breast cancer, commonly known as triple-negative breast cancer. This cancer is associated with early metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy and occurs at women at a younger age.

15 Mar 2012

Consistent gains in five-year survival for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A study by the Children's Oncology Group (COG) reported that five-year survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, the most common type of pediatric cancer) among children treated through COG clinical trials increased from 83.7 percent during the period 1990-1994 to 90.4 percent in the period 2000-2005.

14 Mar 2012

Researchers identify first gene mutation associated with chronic, often fatal form of neuroblastoma

Researchers have identified the first gene mutation associated with a chronic and often fatal form of neuroblastoma that typically strikes adolescents and young adults. The finding provides the first clue about the genetic basis of the long-recognized but poorly understood link between treatment outcome and age at diagnosis.

14 Mar 2012

Life-extending pill for advanced melanoma now available in UK

A life-extending pill for advanced melanoma that The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden Hospital helped develop is now available in the UK.

14 Mar 2012

MRI perfusion imaging can help determine brain tumor progression

Gliomas, the most common malignant brain tumors in adults, can be difficult to treat because of their aggressive and invasive nature. In treating patients with gliomas, it is increasingly important that doctors be able to detect tumor changes early when there's a better chance for recovery.

14 Mar 2012

Another role for protein Mer in novel, targeted cancer treatments

Since the mid-1990s, doctors have had the protein Mer in their sights - it coats the outside of cancer cells, transmitting signals inside the cells that aid their uncontrolled growth.

14 Mar 2012

Antidepressant could help the workings of anticancer drug used in leukemia

The study by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research found that tranylcypromine (TCP) – which can be used to treat psychotic depressive states - can make cancer cells vulnerable to the effects of a vitamin A-derivative drug called ATRA.

13 Mar 2012

Scotland says no to prostate cancer drug Abiraterone

Patients with advanced prostate cancer in Scotland will not get access to a new drug which can extend their lives by more than three months. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect men and the second most common cause of death.

13 Mar 2012

HemaQuest closes $13 million extension of Series B financing

HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing small molecule therapeutics to treat hemoglobin disorders, announced today that it has closed a $13 million extension of their Series B financing.

12 Mar 2012

Cancer Research UK disappointed over SMC ruling against advanced prostate cancer drug

Cancer Research UK is extremely disappointed that the advanced prostate cancer drug, abiraterone, has been ruled too expensive for routine use by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).

12 Mar 2012

Salk scientists' discovery explains how a class of chemotherapy drugs works

The well-being of living cells requires specialized squads of proteins that maintain order. Degraders chew up worn-out proteins, recyclers wrap up damaged organelles, and-most importantly-DNA repair crews restitch anything that resembles a broken chromosome. If repair is impossible, the crew foreman calls in executioners to annihilate a cell. As unsavory as this last bunch sounds, failure to summon them is one aspect of what makes a cancer cell a cancer cell.

12 Mar 2012

Researchers determine structure of concentrative nucleoside transporter

A team of researchers at Duke University has determined the structure of a key molecule that can carry chemotherapy and anti-viral drugs into cells, which could help to create more effective drugs with fewer effects to healthy tissue.

12 Mar 2012

Cancer rates to fall among men but slightly rise among women by 2020: Report

The report says that due to the growing and ageing population the actual number of new cases will rise by almost 40 per cent on 2007 levels. But when that's converted to the number of cases per 100,000 people the results are surprising. Cancer rates in men will fall from 595 to 568 cases per 100,000 by 2020. That equates to about 85,000 cases. When it comes to women the rate is projected to rise from 394 to 408 cases per 100,000. That's equivalent to 65,000 new cases in 2020.

11 Mar 2012

Maxygen reports net loss of $2.2 million for fourth quarter 2011

Maxygen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, today announced financial and business results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

9 Mar 2012

New hybrid aspirin shrinks tumors, curbs cancer cell growth

The humble aspirin may soon have a new role. Scientists from The City College of New York have developed a new aspirin compound that has great promise to be, not only an extremely potent cancer-fighter, but even safer than the classic medicine cabinet staple.

9 Mar 2012

Some bone marrow cells could prevent rejection of transplanted kidney in recipients: Study

Researchers transplanted certain cells from the kidney donor’s bone marrow along with the new organ. Five of eight transplant recipients who tried the method so far were off immune-suppressing medication up to 2½ years later, the researchers reported Wednesday. The preliminary results were considered important enough to be published in the journal Science Translational Medicine even though the study still is under way, because the technique worked for patients who didn’t have well-matched or related donors.

8 Mar 2012