Cancer
Hope, Confusion In Hunt For Ovarian Cancer Tests; Fda Watches Field Closely
WASHINGTON -- Does a test that promises to find ovarian cancer sooner really do so? Could other tests nearing the market prolong survival by getting patients the right care faster? A race is on for blood tests to better detect this intractable killer, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is probing whether to crack down on the first one to sell. It's a time of both hope and confusion. First, the question is whether testing giant LabCorp jumped the gun in selling OvaSure as an ovarian cancer screening test before researchers proved that it catches the tumour in an early, treatable stage without falsely alarming too many healthy women. A legal quirk let sales begin without formal FDA approval. In fact, U.S. and British scient... More »
FDA Approves Expanded Uses For Gardasil To Include Preventing Certain Vulvar And Vaginal Cancers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the approval of the vaccine Gardasil for the prevention of vaginal and vulvar cancer caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 in girls and women ages 9 to 26. These two HPV types cause 70 percent of cervical cancers, and are known to also cause some vulvar and vaginal cancers, but the percentages are not well defined. "There is now strong evidence showing that this vaccine can help prevent vulvar and vaginal cancers due to the same viruses for which it also helps protect against cervical cancer," said Jesse L. Goodman, M.D., M.P.H., director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "While vulvar and vaginal cancers are rare, the opportu... More »
Data Confirms Avastin As Only Biologic To Show Overall Survival
Avastin (bevacizumab) remains the only biologic to provide overall survival (OS) benefit when used as first-line treatment in combination with chemotherapy for patients with K-Ras wild type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Avastin's strong position was confirmed today following new data from a cetuximab (Erbitux) study presented at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). "K-Ras wild-type" describes the normal gene status seen in around 60% of colorectal cancer patients where the K-Ras oncogene has not mutated. This confirmation of Avastin's survival benefit is important because overall survival is of key importance for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The data... More »
Caffeine Consumption Doesn't Raise Overall Breast Cancer Risk (HealthDay)
HealthDay - MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking coffee or consuming other caffeine-laden foods does not appear to boost breast cancer risk, new research indicates. More »
Acupuncture May Help With Side Effects of Hormone Therapy, Study Finds
New research suggests the ancient Chinese practice may ease the side effects of hormone therapy. More »
Racial Disparities Exist in Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Blacks and the poor have worse outcomes when it comes to head and neck cancer, researchers say. More »
Metabolic Syndrome Raises Colon Cancer Risk 75% (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Patients coping with metabolic syndrome have a 75 percent higher risk for developing colorectal cancer sometime in their lives, a new study suggests. More »
Liver Transplant Patients at Higher Cancer Risk (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Liver transplant patients have a higher incidence of cancer than the general population, say researchers in Finland. More »
Protein Found To Suppress Skin Cancer
HOUSTON -- U.S. scientists say they've determined the protein IKKalpha suppresses skin cancer development. "We have shown that IKK acts as a sentry, monitoring and, when necessary, halting proliferation of these important (squamous) cells, said University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Assistant Professor Yinling Hu, the study's senior author. Squamous cells are primary cell types that cover internal and external surfaces of the body. "In the first mouse model of its kind, we also found deleting IKK spontaneously induced squamous cell carcinomas by activating the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway," said Hu, "These results provide new therapeutic targets for prevention of skin cancer." The researchers... More »
Racial Disparities Exist in Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Blacks and the poor have worse outcomes when it comes to head and neck cancer, researchers say. More »