Cancer
Breast Reconstruction Techniques After Mastectomy Depend On Many Factors
Decisions made after losing one or both breasts to cancer are as unique as the women making them. "It is a very individual process," said Vivian Hussey of Fulton, 52, whose right breast was removed after her breast cancer diagnosis three years ago. Some women are happy with prosthetics, while others opt for reconstruction. In Hussey's case, the reconstruction she desired was delayed for several months because of an unrelated health problem. In the meantime, "I did get a prosthetic breast," she said. "When I was without the breast, I would cross my arms. Now it's perfectly natural. I feel like a whole person again." Reconstruction is a quality of life issue, said plastic surgeon Dr. Bob Buckley of the Tupelo Plast... More »
Brain Fitness Program Offers Hope For Breast Cancer Survivors Suffering From Chemobrain
SAN FRANCISCO -- Researchers at 28th annual National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) Conference in New York City this weekend will present data to help physicians understand more about cognitive remediation training in breast cancer survivors affected by "Chemobrain". Chemobrain is a well documented phenomenon of patients with varying types of cancer. It is associated with reduced cognitive abilities; impairing memory, concentration, decision-making ability, quality-of-life, and the ability to process information rapidly. Declines in processing speed and memory often diminish the confidence of patients with Chemobrain; causing them to withdraw from interactions with their family, peers or co-workers at a time when suppo... More »
Breast Cancer Cells Recycle To Escape Death By Hormonal Therapy
Many breast cancer cells facing potentially lethal antiestrogen therapy recycle to survive, researchers say. About 70 percent of breast cancer cells have receptors for the hormone estrogen, which acts as a nutrient and stimulates their growth. Patients typically get an antiestrogen such as tamoxifen for five years to try to starve them to death, says Dr. Patricia V. Schoenlein, cancer researcher in the Medical College of Georgia Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies. "About 50 to 60 percent of these women really benefit from hormonal therapy," says Dr. Schoenlein. Why others don't has been asked for at least two decades. One reason may be breast cancer cells switch into a survival mode that normal cells also use when faced with s... More »
Smoking Rate Declines For the First Time in Years
A new report shows that fewer Americans are lighting up -- a sign control efforts like taxation and legislation may be working. More »
Metabolic Syndrome Ups Colorectal Cancer Risk
In a large U.S. population-based study presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, metabolic syndrome patients had a 75 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to those without metabolic syndrome. Dr. Donald Garrow and Dr. Mark Delegge of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston analyzed data of patients who reported a history of metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a comprehensive nationally representative study conducted each year by the National Center for Health Statistics. Metabolic syndrome was defined as having a combination of three common chronic medical conditions: hypertension, diabetes and elevated... More »
Mayo Clinic Study Shows Stool DNA Testing For Colorectal Cancer Has Potential, But Challenges Remain
The first generation of a stool DNA test to identify early colorectal cancer has limitations, according to a Mayo Clinic-led study published in the Oct. 7, 2008, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. Results did not corroborate findings of an earlier multicenter study that showed stool DNA testing was more accurate than fecal blood testing for colorectal cancer detection. "But the concerns we identified with stool DNA testing are all solvable," says David Ahlquist, M.D., lead researcher in the study that included 4,482 participants and 22 academic medical centers. Researchers have hoped that stool DNA testing could be the user-friendly and accurate screening tool that would increase screening numbers (see also Mayo Clinic). More than... More »
BN ImmunoTherapeutics Announces Positive Mature Phase II Results From Newly Acquired Prostate Cancer Vaccine
BN ImmunoTherapeutics has now evaluated the mature Phase II data from the therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine candidate PROSTVAC(TM) that had been obtained as part of the recently entered partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the US. The results from the Phase II prospective randomized placebo-controlled study of 125 patients with advanced prostate cancer after 4 years of follow-up show that patients receiving PROSTVAC(TM) had a statistically significantly longer median overall survival by 8.5 months (p=0.015) compared to the control group. Currently the only approved treatment for advanced prostate cancer extends median overall survival by an average of approximately 2 months. In addition, PROSTVAC(TM) also had a favor... More »
Epigenomics AG Reports Successful Completion And Positive Results From Prostate Cancer Clinical Study
BERLIN and SEATTLE -- Epigenomics AG, a cancer molecular diagnostics company developing tests based on DNA methylation, today reported positive final results from its prognostic prostate cancer study. "After testing all patient samples for methylation in the PITX2 gene we have successfully conducted our final analysis," commented Dr. Gunter Weiss, Vice President Product Development at Epigenomics. "This analysis shows that PITX2 gene methylation is indeed a strong, independent prognostic marker that can help guide physicians to determine a patient's risk for relapse. The analysis demonstrated statistical significance for all study endpoints," Dr. Weiss added. The clinical study successfully analyzed paraffin embedded tis... More »
Mayo Researchers Explore Issues Related To Multiple Myeloma Treatment
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells that affects approximately 3 in 100,000 people each year. Although there is no cure for this disease, researchers have developed treatments that help relieve pain, control complications, and slow the progress of MM in many patients. Unfortunately, some of the most effective therapies also have toxic side effects that can pose serious health risks and reduce quality of life. In the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, two articles authored by Mayo researchers address the issue of how to balance the risks and benefits associated with MM treatments. Outpatient vs. Inpatient Stem Cell Transplants Since the 1990s, autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has become a standard treatment f... More »
Hodgkin Lymphoma -- New Characteristics Discovered
Researchers are still discovering new characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma, a common form of cancer of the lymphatic system. The malignant cells are derived from white blood cells (B cells), but have lost a considerable part of the B cell-specific gene expression pattern. The phenotype and the characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma cells are therefore unique. Bjorn Lamprecht and Dr. Stephan Mathas (Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, MDC, Berlin-Buch and Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany) have demonstrated the production of interleukin 21 (IL-21) in the tumor cells of Hodgkin lymphoma. IL-21, a signaling molecule (cytokine) of the immune system, promotes the growth of cancer cells and helps them evade immune system detection... More »