Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma remains inadequate

The recent FDA approvals of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib and sunitinib based on their activity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma have excited the medical oncology community

9 Mar 2006

Whites have higher blood serum levels of perfluorochemicals than Hispanics and blacks

Whites have three times higher blood serum levels of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) than Hispanics and two times higher levels than blacks, according to a study scheduled for publication in the April 1 issue of the American Chemical Society's journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

9 Mar 2006

Researchers find compound that interferes with the pathogenic effects of Huntington's disease

There is no cure for Huntington's, a neurodegenerative disorder that now afflicts 30,000 Americans, with another 150,000 at risk. The fatal disease, which is genetically inherited, usually strikes in midlife and causes uncontrolled movements, loss of cognitive function and emotional disturbance.

9 Mar 2006

Looming smoking ban prompts many to quit

Despite the fact that British scientists were among the first to identify the health risks of smoking, such as lung cancer, the British have been slow in kicking the habit.

9 Mar 2006

New hepatitis drug much more effective

Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is responsible for an enormous burden of disease throughout the world, including up to half of all cases of cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma, a cancer of the liver.

9 Mar 2006

Lilly launches phase III trial of Enzastaurin

One of the deadliest and rarest forms of cancer is the focus of a Phase III study initiated by Eli Lilly and Company today.

9 Mar 2006

Aspirin is beneficial in a wide range of men for protection against heart disease

Taking aspirin to prevent coronary heart disease is beneficial and cost-effective for a wider range of men than is often recognized, a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found.

9 Mar 2006

New way to study proteins in live cells

For the first time, Johns Hopkins researchers were able to easily jumpstart the activity of a well-known cancer protein in live cells with a small molecule, a strategy that pinpointed key players in the cancer process and can be used to determine new therapeutic targets.

9 Mar 2006

Genetic switch that turns off an oxygen-poor cell's combustion engine - finding has potential to limit toxic molecules

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a previously unrecognized role played by the gene HIF-1 as it helps cell survive when a lack of oxygen decreases production of an energy-rich molecule called ATP and increases production of toxic molecules.

9 Mar 2006

Gene regulation determines human-chimp differences

The vast differences between humans and chimpanzees are due more to changes in gene regulation than differences in individual genes themselves

9 Mar 2006

ATF2 protein may play a crucial role in cancer's ability to resist chemotherapy and radiation treatment

Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a molecular mechanism that may play a crucial role in cancer's ability to resist chemotherapy and radiation treatment and that also may be involved in Alzheimer's and heart disease.

9 Mar 2006

Metabolic switch required for cellular adaptation to hypoxia

Two new studies in the March Cell Metabolism reveal a survival mechanism by which cells adapt to oxygen starvation by ratcheting down their demand.

9 Mar 2006

Landmine detection technology adapted to screen for breast cancer

Scientists researching ways to detect landmines have discovered a radical new way to screen for breast cancer using microwave radar technology that could save thousands of lives.

8 Mar 2006

Deodorants - a risk factor for breast cancer?

Underarm deodorants or antiperspirants are an essential part of the modern day hygiene routine, but most underarm hygiene products contain chemicals that work to disguise odour and reduce wetness. They also contain preservatives which ensure the product continues to work for a long period.

8 Mar 2006

Potential new treatment for Huntington and Parkinson patients

A potential new treatment for neurodegenerative disorders, which seems to be able to reduce the toxic protein aggregates characteristic of many of these diseases, is published online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

7 Mar 2006

Discovery of compound that reduces hallmark lesions of Alzheimer's disease in mice

Researchers at UC Irvine have found that a new compound not only relieves the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but also reduces the two types of brain lesions that are hallmarks of this devastating disease, thereby blocking its progression.

7 Mar 2006

Newly identified biomarkers may help reverse the ageing process

Lotions and potions that promise to remove wrinkles and other effects of aging crowd cosmetics aisle shelves, but do these treatments really work?

7 Mar 2006

Gene therapy approach used in creating new arteries for older patients does not appear to cause cancer

"This result is an encouraging step along the road to new tissues for patients to replace those that have failed or have been destroyed due to trauma or disease," she said.

7 Mar 2006

Study looks at how two forms of vitamin E affect the health of animal cells

One of the most powerful antioxidants is truly a double-edged sword, say researchers at Ohio State University who studied how two forms of vitamin E act once they are inside animal cells.

7 Mar 2006

Study looks at the relationship between Internet use and patient behaviors

Newly diagnosed cancer patients who use the Internet to gather information about their disease have a more positive outlook and are more active participants in their treatment, according to a new Temple University study published in the March 2006 issue of the Journal of Health Communication.

7 Mar 2006