Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Researchers to test new leukemia drug

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant cancer of the blood that affects people of all ages. While treatment is available for most of these patients, approximately 20 percent of them do not respond to it. Researchers at McGill teaching hospitals will soon study the effects of a new alternative therapy.

12 Jan 2005

Study links meat consumption to colon cancer

A major American Cancer Society study finds people who reported the highest consumption of red and processed meat had a significantly higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who reported the least consumption.

12 Jan 2005

Elevated glucose levels and diabetes associated with a greater risk for cancer

New research involving more than one million people indicates that having high fasting serum glucose levels and diabetes are risk factors for several major cancers, according to a study in the January 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Jan 2005

No link between eating fruits and vegetables and a subsequent decreased risk for breast cancer

Contrary to findings in previous studies, new research that includes a large group of women found no link between eating fruits and vegetables and a subsequent decreased risk for breast cancer, according to a study in this week’s JAMA.

12 Jan 2005

High consumption of red meat increases risk for colorectal cancer

High consumption of red and processed meat over a long period of time is associated with an increased risk for a certain type of colon cancer, according to a study in the January 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Jan 2005

A little anxiety can be a good thing when it comes to cancer symptoms

A little anxiety can be a good thing when it comes to cancer symptoms according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. They report that people with low overall anxiety levels were more apt to ignore symptoms of rectal cancer for long periods of time, thereby delaying treatment.

12 Jan 2005

Elevated blood sugar levels and diabetes are risk factors for developing several types of cancer and mortality

The researchers followed over 1.2 million Koreans for 10 years, tracking new cancer cases and deaths from cancer. Study participants with diabetes, as well as those without diabetes and higher fasting blood sugar levels, were more likely to develop cancer or to die from cancer.

11 Jan 2005

Novel vaccine that uses immune cells as factories to produce Her2/neu protein may offer a way to treat some breast cancers

Based on successful animal studies, a novel vaccine that uses immune cells as factories to produce Her2/neu protein may offer a way to treat some human breast cancers, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

10 Jan 2005

Plant research may help understand cancer

The development of cancer is a complex process with a number of different causes. The root problem is loss of control in the cell division process. A fundamental biological process, cell division can be studied in many organisms.

10 Jan 2005

Potential new therapies for cancer and bleeding disorders

Lexicon Genetics announced today that it has advanced two of its drug discovery programs into preclinical development in preparation for investigational new drug (IND) applications.

10 Jan 2005

Velcade (bortezomib) phase III clinical trial initiated in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Millennium Pharmaceuticals today announced, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC, the initiation of VISTA (Velcadeas Initial Standard Therapy in multiple myeloma: Assessment with melphalan and prednisone), a multicenter, international phase III clinical trial of Velcadein combination with melphalan and prednisone versus melphalan and prednisone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) who are not transplant candidates.

10 Jan 2005

Scientists identify genes that promote the growth and recurrence of skin cancer

Andrzej Dlugosz, M.D., a professor of dermatology in the U-M Medical School, and colleagues at the University of Michigan and the National Cancer Institute examined the functions of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in basal cell carcinoma – the most common form of cancer – and uncovered a subset of tumor cells that were resistant to inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway.

10 Jan 2005

Why the Mediterranean diet appers to protect against breast cancer

U.S. researchers have uncovered reasons why the Mediterranean diet, with its high intake of oleic acid-rich olive oil, seems to protect against breast cancer. They have also found evidence that oleic acid may have a future role in treatment. The findings are reported (Monday 10 January) in Annals of Oncology.

9 Jan 2005

Government should plough drug savings into Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

Doctors and medicine-makers today called for an expected $280 million Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) windfall to be ploughed into bringing down the price of new cancer and HIV drugs.

9 Jan 2005

Trial of naproxen and celecoxib suspended

Use of study drugs in a large, federally funded Alzheimer prevention trial has been suspended following a decision by the study's leadership on Dec. 17, 2004.

9 Jan 2005

Novel Structure Proteins (NSP) could help predict the possibility of tumor growth in a patient

A new family of genes called Novel Structure Proteins (NSP) discovered by researchers in the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine in Temple University’s College of Science and Technology could have the potential for predicting the possibility of tumor growth in a patient.

9 Jan 2005

Abraxane, first in a new class of albumin-bound nanotechnology for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Abraxane (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension), a next generation taxane, and the first in a new class of albumin-bound nanotechnology, was approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

9 Jan 2005

FDA approves Abraxane for metastatic breast cancer

American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. and American Bioscience, Inc. (ABI) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Abraxane for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) in metastatic breast cancer.

9 Jan 2005

Smaller lymph nodes seen on abdominal CT scans in "healthy" people are not clinically significant

Smaller lymph nodes commonly seen on abdominal CT scans in "healthy" people are not clinically significant and require no further imaging, a new study confirms. The study was performed because there is no standard as to what should be done about these patients so they often undergo additional testing to rule out inflammation, cancer or other diseases.

9 Jan 2005

Zinc treatment may help prevent esophageal and oral cancers

Cancer researchers at Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have found that zinc treatment may help prevent esophageal and oral cancers in those individuals at high risk.

9 Jan 2005