Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group of almost one hundred diseases. Its two main characteristics are uncontrolled growth of the cells in the human body and the ability of these cells to migrate from the original site and spread to distant sites. If the spread is not controlled, cancer can result in death.
Penn study demonstrates new way to boost immune memory — Cancer vaccine efficacy enhanced using anti-diabetic drug metformin. – University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers have found that a common anti-diabetic drug might enhance the effectiveness of vaccines. The findings are described this week in an advanced online publication of Nature.
New research in the FASEB Journal shows that a ?breast cancer gene? causes osmidrosis and makes earwax wet and sticky – If having malodorous armpits (called osmidrosis) and goopy earwax isn’t bad enough, a discovery by Japanese scientists may add a more serious problem for women facing these cosmetic calamities.
Researchers find breast cancer gene that’s blocked by blood pressure drug. Gene overexpressed in up to 20 percent of breast cancers responds to blood pressure drug in lab, U-M researchers report. – Researchers have identified a gene that is overexpressed in up to 20 percent of breast cancers and that could be blocked in the lab by a currently available blood pressure drug, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Patients with advanced colorectal cancer spreaded to other organs (stage IV) don’t require immediate surgery. – A new study shows that a large majority of patients who present with advanced colorectal cancer that has spread to other organs (stage IV) don’t require immediate surgery to remove the primary tumor in the colon.
Vandetanib Shows Clinical Benefit When Combined With Docetaxel for Lung Cancer. Combination of targeted agent, chemotherapy improves progression-free survival; therapy inhibits both VEGFR and EGFR. – When combined with standard chemotherapy, an international Phase III trial has shown that the oral targeted therapy vandetanib improves progression-free survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to research from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Vaccine shows therapeutic promise against advanced melanoma – A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Small molecule inhibitor shows promise in trastuzumab-resistant metastatic breast cancer – Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that a combination of trastuzumab and neratinib (HKI-272) a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HER2 receptor (ErbB2) appears active in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on previous trastuzumab based therapies.
Scientists discover stem cell clue to lung cancer development – Cancer Research UK scientists have revealed that stem cells become ‘activated’ in severely damaged lungs and help to repair them, according to a study published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences.
Restricting carbohydrates appears to slow the growth of prostate tumors — this is a potential new mechanism to fight prostate cancer growth and help patients live longer with their disease. – Restricting carbohydrates, regardless of weight loss, appears to slow the growth of prostate tumors, according to an animal study being published this week by researchers in the Duke Prostate Center.
Markers for inflammation discovered in breast cancer survivors are linked to survival – A study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has identified two proteins in the blood that could become important prognostic markers for long-term survival in breast cancer patients.
Green tea extract shows promise in leukemia trials – Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea.
The pigmented cells in zebrafish help scientists tease out how oncogenes that are know to contribute to cancer, influence the formation and regulation of the aggressive human skin cancer, melanoma – In a new study published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, scientists use the zebrafish to gain insight into the influence of known cancer genes on the development and progression of melanoma, an aggressive form of human skin cancer with limited treatment options.
