Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Gene screen patent brings 2007 Deal of Distinction Award to UChicagoTech

UChicagoTech, the University of Chicago's Office of Technology and Intellectual Property, has received a 2007 Deal of Distinction Award from the Licensing Executives Society of U.S.A. and Canada.

29 Oct 2007

Extra radiation dose prevents breast cancer return in young women

Women 40 years and younger with early-stage breast cancer who receive an additional high dose of radiation (boost dose) after undergoing breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) and standard radiation treatment are almost twice as likely to be free of cancer 10 years after treatment compared to those who don't receive the boost dose, according to a large European study presented at the Plenary I session on October 29, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

29 Oct 2007

Low-dose CT scanning detects cancers long before symptoms ever appear

Early screening for lung cancer using non-invasive, low-dose CT scanning detects early stage cancers long before symptoms ever appear, according to results of a clinical study with 1,000 high-risk Canadian smokers.

29 Oct 2007

Do statins make radiation more effective at curing prostate cancer?

Patients with prostate cancer who receive high-dose radiation treatment and also take statin drugs commonly used to lower cholesterol have a 10 percent higher chance of being cured of their cancer at 10 years after diagnosis (76 percent), compared to those who don't take these medications (66 percent), according to a study presented at a scientific session October 31, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

29 Oct 2007

Study confirms the aggressive nature of breast cancer in African-American women

Contrary to previous studies, African-American women with early-stage breast cancer who have surgery to remove the cancer (lumpectomy) followed by radiation therapy have a higher chance of their cancer coming back in the breast and lymph nodes 10 years after diagnosis, compared to their Caucasian counterparts, according to the largest study of its kind, presented at a scientific session October 29, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

29 Oct 2007

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report reports on Presidential campaigns related to health care

Forty-six percent of U.S. adults who responded to a recent survey conducted by Scripps Howard and Ohio University said that Democrats were more likely to improve access to health care than Republicans, Scripps Howard/Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The survey, which included responses from 811 adults nationwide collected from Sept 24. to Oct. 10, has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.

29 Oct 2007

Homelessness increases risk of infection for injecting drug users

A new report from the Health Protection Agency shows that around three-quarters of injecting drug users (IDUs) have been homeless at some point. In addition, those who have been homeless have higher levels of injecting risk and associated infections, primarily through the sharing of needles and low standards of hygiene.

29 Oct 2007

Women who have precancerous lesions removed have increased risk of developing cervical, vaginal cancer for at least 25 years

Women who have precancerous lesions removed from their cervix are at an increased risk of developing cervical or vaginal cancer during the 25 years after the procedure, according to a study published on Friday in BMJ, Reuters reports.

29 Oct 2007

Egypt, Morocco, Palestinian territories to join U.S.-Middle East breast cancer partnership, First Lady Bush says

First lady Laura Bush on Thursday at the King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, Jordan, announced that Egypt, Morocco and the Palestinian territories will join the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/25).

29 Oct 2007

Early autism detection

In an attempt to spot autism earlier, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently recommended that all children be screened for autism twice by age 2 - advice that many St. Louis families already heed thanks to a partnership between Saint Louis University and Parents as Teachers.

29 Oct 2007

Organic food a far better health option

The study involved researchers growing fruits and vegetables on a 725 acre area where fields were split into two so that conventional and organic produce could be grown side by side.

29 Oct 2007

Women with breast cancer have less dermatitis when treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy

All women treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer are at risk of developing dermatitis - a sometimes-painful skin condition caused by radiation as it makes its way through the skin to the tumor area and tissue within the breast.

28 Oct 2007

Ten tips to help asthma-proof your home

The onset of winter cold and flu season combined with colder, short days unfortunately all contribute to increased asthma symptoms for many children.

28 Oct 2007

Walking prevents bone loss caused from prostate cancer treatment

Exercise may reduce, and even reverse, bone loss caused by hormone and radiation therapies used in the treatment of localized prostate cancer, thereby decreasing the potential risk of bone fractures and improving quality of life for these men, according to a study presented on October 28, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

28 Oct 2007

Twice the risk of cervical cancer despite operation

Women who have had severe cell changes in the cervix and who have been operated on for them run twice the risk of developing cancer later in life, compared with other women.

28 Oct 2007

Smoking does not result in more advanced stage diagnoses or aggressive breast cancers

Smoking cigarettes is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the lung, head and neck, esophagus, bladder and many others and also affects response to anti-cancer treatments.

28 Oct 2007

Possible biomarker for colon cancer in people under 50

An abnormality of chromosomes long associated with diseases of aging has, for the first time, been linked to colon cancer in people 50 years old and younger, an age group usually considered young for this disease.

28 Oct 2007

Positioning pelvic cancer patients on stomachs for radiation yields better results

Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have found that positioning pelvic cancer patients on their stomachs rather than their backs is a better method for delivering radiation therapy.

28 Oct 2007

PET scans track small tumors after stereotactic body radiotherapy

Readily available CT screening for lung cancer is increasing the discovery of small, primary lung cancers.

28 Oct 2007

Patient navigators help minority, low-income cancer patients get life-saving treatments

Volunteers who guide low-income and minority cancer patients through cancer treatment, called lay patient navigators (LPN), help them to overcome major obstacles that prevent them from receiving quality care and achieving better outcomes, according to a study presented October 28, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

28 Oct 2007