Chemotherapy News and Research

Latest Chemotherapy News and Research

FDA approves VELCADE plus DOXIL combination for multiple myeloma

Ortho Biotech Products has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of DOXIL (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection) in combination with VELCADE (bortezomib) for Injection to treat patients with multiple myeloma who have not previously received VELCADE and have received at least one prior therapy.

23 May 2007

Study identifies patients' reasons for quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer

After treatment, 38.1 percent of patients with head and neck cancer who were employed at the time of cancer diagnosis reported discontinuing work because of their cancer and treatment, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

22 May 2007

Peering into the body and visualizing its molecular secrets one step closer to reality

Peering into the body and visualizing its molecular secrets, once the stuff of science fiction, is one step closer to reality with a study from researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

22 May 2007

University of Leicester launches one-year Masters degree in Cancer Chemistry

The degree is the first of its kind in the country, fulfilling a need to provide graduates with skills in the chemistry and biology of cancer, and direct experience of some of the very latest research in the field.

22 May 2007

Chemotherapy drug temozolomide shrinks brain tumors

Cancerous brain tumors appear to respond favorably to the drug temozolomide when used as primary chemotherapy after surgery, and the treatment appears to work best in people missing a certain gene, according to a study published in the May 22, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 May 2007

New breast cancer treatment may dispense with the need for chemotherapy

According to the latest research new hormone therapy drugs designed to treat breast cancer may dispense with the need for chemotherapy thus avoiding the nasty side effects associated with the treatment.

21 May 2007

Suicide gene therapy kills bowel cancer cells

An innovative type of gene therapy has for the first time succeeded in making bowel cancer cells commit suicide, according to a report in Cancer Research.

20 May 2007

Hormone treatment could cut need for chemo in some younger breast cancer patients

Around 5,500 pre-menopausal breast cancer patients could be offered a hormone drug that is shown to be as effective as traditional chemotherapy - and so avoid potential infertility and long-term menopausal side effects - according to a Cancer Research UK report published in The Lancet.

20 May 2007

Some NSAIDs may be better suited to treating cancer

Until recently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and celecoxib (sold as Celebrex), were being hailed as promising cancer prevention drugs.

18 May 2007

Cedars-Sinai helps Doug Fieger battle brain tumors

When singer/songwriter/guitarist Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack, found out last year that he had two brain tumors, he was concerned that either the tumors or the side effects of surgery would leave him unable to pursue his livelihood.

16 May 2007

Gene p53 thought to assist chemotherapy may help cancer thrive

A gene thought to be essential in helping chemotherapy kill cancer cells, may actually help them thrive.

16 May 2007

Cells that cause Ewing's sarcoma identified

Inserm researchers at the Institut Curie have identified the cells that cause Ewing’s sarcoma.

16 May 2007

Inherited variations in certain genes linked to toxicity of leukemia therapy

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered inherited variations in certain genes that make children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) susceptible to the toxic side effects caused by chemotherapy medications.

15 May 2007

Researchers design cell culture test for assessing a compound's genetic toxicity - cheaper than animal tests

In the daunting marathon that leads to successful drugs, promising drug candidates must pass toxicity tests before entering clinical trials.

15 May 2007

Scientists target cancer cells with nanotechnology

A team of Australian scientists have developed a way to deliver lethal drug doses to tumours without causing side-effects, such as nausea and hair loss.

14 May 2007

Daily Aspirin reduces colon cancer risk by 74 percent

Researchers in Britain say an aspirin a day taken over a 10 year period can reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 74 percent.

14 May 2007

FDA Panel warns anemia drug dangerous for cancer patients

A panel of experts advising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has warned that the popular anemia drug erythropoietin may not be as safe as first thought.

14 May 2007

Oncolytic viruses deliver a knockout punch to cancers

New scientific evidence is helping to build a compelling case for oncolytic viruses as a first-line and adjunctive treatment for many cancers.

11 May 2007

Preoperative chemotherapy reduces chemo-related infections

Giving chemotherapy to women with operable breast cancer before they have surgery 'not after' helps physicians pin down the best treatment regimen and can reduce the extent of surgery, according to a new systematic review.

11 May 2007

FDG-PET imaging predicts lung cancer patients' response to chemotherapy

An earlier indication of whether chemotherapy benefits non-small cell lung cancer patients, provided by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, can guide doctors in offering them better care, according to researchers in the May Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

10 May 2007