Skin Cancer News and Research

Latest Skin Cancer News and Research

Levulan PDT may reduce the rate of recurrence of SCCs in solid organ transplant recipients: Study

The results of an independent investigator study just published in the online version of Dermatologic Surgery demonstrate that Levulan(®) Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) may reduce the rate of recurrence of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs), a population with a high incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer.

10 Nov 2009

New technique to identify patients more likely to survive advanced melanoma

Although the chances of surviving advanced melanoma aren't very good with current therapies, some patients can live for years with cancer that has spread beyond the skin to other organs. Now it may be possible to identify which patients are more likely to survive by analyzing the activity of hundreds of genes involved in the immune response and gene proliferation, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.

10 Nov 2009

FDA grants Abraxis BioScience orphan drug designation for ABRAXANE

Abraxis BioScience, Inc., a fully integrated biotechnology company, today announced that the Office of Orphan Products Development of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to the chemotherapy agent ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer as well as stage IIB-IV melanoma.

5 Nov 2009

EUSA Pharma's PROSTASCINT effective in guiding targeted prostate cancer treatment

EUSA Pharma announced that PROSTASCINT® (capromab pendetide) fusion imaging was shown to effectively guide prostate cancer therapy targeting and dosing and is a significant predictor of disease free survival, according to data presented on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at the 51st American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

4 Nov 2009

AUA clarifes recommendations on prostate cancer testing with PSA test and DRE

The American Urological Association (AUA) is aware of recent news reports disparaging prostate cancer testing. We are concerned that these reports are causing significant confusion for patients and we wish to clarify our recommendations on prostate cancer testing with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE). The AUA strongly supports early prostate cancer detection and feels it is in a man's best interest to consider being tested for prostate cancer.

4 Nov 2009

Melanoma patients treated with radiation after surgery at lower risk of cancer recurrence

High-risk melanoma patients who are treated with radiation after surgery have a significantly lower risk of their cancer returning to the lymph nodes (19 percent), compared to those patients who do not have radiation therapy (31 percent), according to the first randomized study of its kind presented at the plenary session, November 2, 2009, at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

3 Nov 2009

New imaging technique for treatment of breast cancer

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Argonne National Laboratory are collaborating on a study to determine if an imaging technique used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle can be used to predict tissue damage often experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study is examining the utility of three-dimensional thermal tomography in radiation oncology.

3 Nov 2009

Dendreon submits an amended BLA for PROVENGE active cellular immunotherapy

Dendreon Corporation today announced that it has completed the submission of the amended Biologics License Application (BLA) for PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T), the Company's lead investigational product, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dendreon is seeking licensure for PROVENGE for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

2 Nov 2009

Switching to new immunosuppressant drug may reduce skin cancer after kidney transplantation

Switching to a newer type of immunosuppressant drug may reduce the high rate of skin cancer after kidney transplantation, according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, CA.

2 Nov 2009

Canadians should consider taking Vitamin D during fall and winter months

Changing our clocks on Sunday November 1 is an excellent time to consider taking a daily Vitamin D supplement, says the Canadian Cancer Society.

29 Oct 2009

New data from CIMZIA WELCOME trial to be presented at the ACG meeting

According to new results from the WELCOME trial, exploratory data analyzing the impact of treatment with CIMZIA(®) (certolizumab pegol) - the only PEGylated anti-TNF (alpha) (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha) - administered either every two weeks or every four weeks, showed that the majority of Crohn's disease patients in both dosing groups experienced no hospitalizations and surgical procedures during the course of the 26-week study.

28 Oct 2009

Global sales volumes of Levulan Kerastick exceed one million units

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.®, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology, announced today that global sales volumes of the Levulan® Kerastick®, an integral part of the Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) technology platform, surpassed one million units.

28 Oct 2009

Astellas enters into agreement with Medivation to develop MDV3100

Astellas Pharma Inc. ("Astellas") and Medivation, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a global agreement to develop and commercialize MDV3100, Medivation's investigational drug for the treatment of prostate cancer.

27 Oct 2009

New data from efficacy study of CIMZIA in Crohn's disease patients presented

New data from an open-label extension study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) in moderate to severe Crohn's disease patients demonstrate that 82 percent of patients actively treated with CIMZIA - the only PEGylated anti-TNF-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha) - remained in long-term remission without dose escalation up to 3.5 years.

27 Oct 2009

Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer

Findings from a new retrospective cohort study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego indicate that patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), especially those receiving the thiopurine class of medications to treat IBD, may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

27 Oct 2009

SkinMedica enters into a global license agreement with New York University

SkinMedica, Inc. and New York University announced today that they have entered into a global license agreement to develop novel products to address skin hyperpigmentation based on technology invented at NYU.

27 Oct 2009

Dartmouth explores glucorticoid side effects on bladder-cancer patients

In her most recent study of possible triggers of cancer among northern New England residents, Dartmouth epidemiologist Margaret R. Karagas, Ph.D., and her team identified an enhanced risk to the bladders of patients taking drugs that suppress the immune system.

27 Oct 2009

Millions of children in the US suffer from suboptimal levels of vitamin D

Millions of children in the United States between the ages of 1 and 11 may suffer from suboptimal levels of vitamin D, according to a large nationally representative study published in the November 2009 issue of Pediatrics, accompanied by an editorial.

26 Oct 2009

National campaign to raise awareness of actinic keratosis

Driver Aric Almirola is lending his voice to a national public education program to raise awareness of actinic keratosis (AK) -- a potential early warning sign of skin cancer -- as well as the long-term consequences of sun damage over a lifetime. The national campaign, "Is it AK or OK?" is sponsored by Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC, in partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation.

24 Oct 2009

Women and children important during groundwater arsenic pollution fieldwork, says geologist

A Kansas State University geologist and graduate student are finding that the most important tools in their fieldwork on groundwater arsenic pollution are women and children armed with pamphlets and testing kits.

24 Oct 2009