Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Oral contraceptives increase risk for breast cancer in some women

A meta-analysis published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings indicts oral contraceptives as putting premenopausal women at significantly increased risk for breast cancer, especially women who use them prior to having a child.

30 Oct 2006

Sequencing of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for early breast cancer

For women who have had surgery for early breast cancer, it may not matter whether they receive follow-up chemotherapy before, after or during radiation therapy, according to a new review of studies.

30 Oct 2006

World's first fully digital neuroscience center at Singapore General Hospital

BrainLAB has signed a contract with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), the largest healthcare group in Singapore, for the establishment of the world's first fully digital neuroscience center at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), one of Asia's leading teaching hospitals.

30 Oct 2006

Utah receives poor marks for adolescent vaccination, women's cancer screenings

Fewer adolescents in Utah get vaccinated than their counterparts in other states, and Utah women receive fewer screenings for breast, colorectal and cervical cancer compared with women nationwide, according to findings released Thursday at the State of Our Health program forum, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

30 Oct 2006

Teen's radiation overdose down to paperwork

A report into the death of a teenage cancer patient who was given, in error, massive overdoses of radiation to treat a brain tumour, was apparently down to paperwork.

30 Oct 2006

Lab-on-a-chip nanoscale array monitors cellular processes

Researchers at Tel-Aviv University in Israel have developed a lab-on-a-chip device that can incorporate enzymes and even living cells in a nanoscale array capable of monitoring electrochemical reactions.

30 Oct 2006

Detecting rare microRNAs with gold nanoparticles

Over the past three years, numerous studies have shown that short pieces of single-stranded RNA, known as microRNAs, play a central role in the development of at least some cancers.

30 Oct 2006

Multifunctional composite nanoparticles: magnetic, luminescent, and mesoporous

Silica, the mineral of which sand is made, is generally inert in the body and can be modified easily using a variety of well-established chemical reactions.

30 Oct 2006

Self-assembling nanoparticle releases drug into cell cytoplasm

A growing body of research leaves no doubt that nanoparticles can transport drugs into cancer cells, but what is less clear is that the drug payload can exit the tiny endosomes that pull nanoparticles into cells.

30 Oct 2006

Black Medicare beneficiaries "fare worse" than white beneficiaries

Black Medicare beneficiaries "fare worse" than white beneficiaries "even when they belong to the same health plan," an indication that health care disparities "cannot be attributed to individual, inferior doctors," according to a study published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Boston Globe reports.

26 Oct 2006

Scientists step toward next generation of cancer-beating drugs

Scientists helping to develop the next generation of cancer-beating drugs say they have had a major breakthrough with their latest results.

From The University of Manchester 26 Oct 2006

FDA approves Tyzeka for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis B

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tyzeka (telbivudine) for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis B (HBV), a serious viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause lifelong infection, scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), and eventually liver cancer, liver failure, and death.

26 Oct 2006

WHO unveils new strategy to fight some of the most neglected tropical diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and a group of more than 25 partner organizations unveiled a new strategy to fight some of the most neglected tropical diseases that destroy the lives and health of poor people.

26 Oct 2006

CT scans pick up early lung cancers

New research has shown that early screening with CT scans could significantly improve the survival rates from lung cancer.

26 Oct 2006

Confusion abounds on how to treat the menopause

The results in 2002 of a large U.S. study on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in many respects left women confused and alarmed about the treatment for the menopause.

25 Oct 2006

A couple of drinks a day protects men from heart attacks

Researchers in the U.S. say doctors should not discourage men in good health from having a drink or two each day as a moderate intake of alcohol is as beneficial to healthy men as to those at risk of heart attack.

25 Oct 2006

Sens. Feinstein, Snowe ask FDA for safety review of silicone breast implant manufacturer's product application

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (D-Maine) on Friday sent a joint letter to acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach asking the agency to launch a full review into whether Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Mentor intentionally withheld safety data on its silicone breast implant application, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 10/23).

24 Oct 2006

First research, treatment clinic for inflammatory breast cancer to open at University of Texas

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on Wednesday is scheduled to open the "first clinic in the world" dedicated to the research and treatment of inflammatory breast cancer, the Houston Chronicle reports.

24 Oct 2006

Amgen, Brigham and Women's Hospital, NIH to launch women's health genome study

Biotechnology company Amgen, Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital and NIH plan to launch the Women's Health Genome Study -- which aims to discover the genetic causes of disorders affecting women, including breast cancer -- the Wall Street Journal reports.

24 Oct 2006

New method for targeting malignant brain tumors

A new method for targeting malignant brain tumors through inducing the cancerous cells to "commit suicide" has been developed by a team of researchers headed by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor of biochemistry.

24 Oct 2006