Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Novel attachment method provides boost to biosensor development

A versatile method for attaching precise amounts of biomolecules and even cells to electrically conductive surfaces could lead to a new generation of nanoscale biosensors with broad applicability in cancer diagnostics and basic research.

9 Oct 2006

Nanoparticle encapsulation improves bioavailability of leukemia drug

Busulfan, which belongs to a family of drugs known as alkylating agents, is used to treat hematological malignancies, including chronic myelogenous leukemia.

9 Oct 2006

National Eye Institute to finance two-year study comparing effectiveness of treatments for macular degeneration

The National Eye Institute on Thursday said it will finance a two-year study comparing the effectiveness of Genentech's eye treatment Lucentis and cancer drug Avastin for treating wet age-related macular degeneration, the New York Times reports.

8 Oct 2006

FDA approves Zolinza for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zolinza (vorinostat) capsules for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a type of skin cancer, to be used when the disease persists, gets worse, or comes back during or after treatment with other medicines.

8 Oct 2006

New York Times examines efforts to obtain FDA approval for Abraxane to treat earlier-stage cancer

The New York Times has examined efforts by the pharmaceutical company Abraxis BioScience to obtain FDA approval for its late-stage breast cancer drug Abraxane as a treatment for earlier-stage breast cancer.

5 Oct 2006

Physician errors are a factor in about 60% of medical malpractice claims

Physician errors are a factor in about 60% of medical malpractice claims that involved patients allegedly injured because of missed or delayed diagnoses, according to a study published on Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.

5 Oct 2006

World challenge to improve air quality

The World Health Organization (WHO) is today challenging governments around the world to improve air quality in their cities in order to protect people's health.

5 Oct 2006

FDA more cautious in approving new drugs after Vioxx

Many pharmaceutical companies and industry observers say that FDA is "quietly becoming more assertive about keeping new drugs off the market or refusing to approve new uses for existing medications" in response to criticism since the 2004 Vioxx recall, the New York Times reports.

3 Oct 2006

Newly discovered molecule could lead to new treatments for obesity

Japanese scientists have found a molecule which is responsible for making mammals feel full, and they believe the discovery could lead to new ways to treat obesity in humans.

3 Oct 2006

No link between alcohol and prostate cancer risk

According to a new study drinking alcohol does not appear to up the risk of prostate cancer and men who drink alcohol may have a lower risk of having an aggressive prostate cancer and dying from the cancer.

2 Oct 2006

Super chow, laced with semi-synthetic vitamin E derivative, inhibited spread of cancer in mice

A chemically altered form of vitamin E mixed into mouse chow dramatically reduced spread of aggressive mammary cancer in mice, suggesting that the compound in pill form could be used to treat human metastatic cancer, according to a report in the October 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research.

2 Oct 2006

Simultaneous synthesis and screening in a microfluidics device

In the quest for new methods to synthesize large numbers of drug leads, medicinal chemists are increasingly turning to microfluidics as a means of performing dozens of chemical reactions using minute quantities of chemical reagents.

From Siemens Healthineers 2 Oct 2006

Key parameters for encapsulating drugs in nanoparticles

One of the early, successful uses of nanoparticles has been to develop delivery vehicles capable of ferrying large amounts of water-insoluble drugs to tumors.

2 Oct 2006

Temperature-sensitive nanoparticle boosts drug antitumor activity

Using temperature-sensitive, lipid- and polymer-based nanoparticles with a polymer coating, researchers in Korea have created an anticancer drug delivery vehicle that may provide a significant boost to the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents, particularly when used in conjunction with hyperthermia.

2 Oct 2006

Smart nanoscale bioreactors for drug delivery

In a powerful demonstration of how to build a multifunctional, smart nanoscale drug delivery system, researchers at the University of Basel have created a drug-loaded nanocontainer that targets specific cells and releases its payload when receiving a specific physiological signal.

2 Oct 2006

New drug gives hope to lung cancer victims

More people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer and the prognosis for the disease is poor.

28 Sep 2006

NHGRI funds assessment of public attitudes about population-based studies on genes and environment

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has announced it has awarded $2 million to the Genetics and Public Policy Center of the Berman Bioethics Institute at Johns Hopkins University to conduct a public discussion about future potential large U.S. population-based studies examining the roles of genes and environment in human health.

28 Sep 2006

Michigan Senate approves bills that would require girls to receive HPV vaccine before entering sixth grade

The Michigan Senate on Wednesday voted 36-1 to approve two bills (SB 1416, SB 1417) that would require girls in the state entering the sixth grade in the 2007-2008 school year and beyond to have received Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, the AP/Detroit Free Press reports (AP/Detroit Free Press, 9/20).

26 Sep 2006

HPV vaccine Gardasil approved for sale in EU

The European Commission on Friday approved Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil for sale and marketing in the European Union, London's Guardian reports (Batty, Guardian, 9/22).

26 Sep 2006

In vitro assessment of transferrin-conjugated liposomes as drug delivery systems for inhalation therapy of lung cancer

Investigators developing an inhalable nanoparticle for treating lung cancer have shown that a surface molecule found on malignant lung cells can serve as an effective target for improving drug delivery.

25 Sep 2006