Thursday, April 30, 2015

Cancer Research:Combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancers ♦ Gene implicated in cancer growth ♦ Discovery may change cancer treatment

Uncovering new functions of a gene implicated in cancer growth opens new therapeutic possibilities A gene previously implicated in blood vessel formation during embryonic development and tumor growth also induces immune suppression during tumor development. This finding opens the door for new therapeutic approaches and vaccine development in treating patients with melanoma and other advanced-staged cancers.
Combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy shows promise for advanced prostate cancers Blocking or removing immune-suppressing cells allows a special type of chemotherapy — and the immune cells it activates — to destroy prostate tumors, researchers report. This novel combination therapy, termed chemoimmunotherapy, achieved near complete remission in mouse models of advanced prostate cancer
Discovery may change cancer treatment A discovery has been made that may change the principles for treating certain types of cancer. The discovery relates to the so-called telomeres that constitute the ends of human chromosomes. Short telomeres are related to unhealthy lifestyles, old age and the male gender -- all of which are risk factors in terms of high mortality. The challenge for researchers worldwide has therefore been to find out whether or not the short telomeres were indeed a signifier or an indirect cause of increased mortality
Five-year survivors of esophageal cancer still face low but constant risks According to the American Cancer Society, in 2015 about 17,000 new cases of esophageal cancer will be diagnosed, and about 15,600 people will die from the disease. While the 5-year survival rate in the 1960s and 1970s was only about 5%, improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and management have led to improved survival. However, information is lacking about what happens to long-term survivors of esophageal cancer. New research shows that while five-year survival is up to 39%, these patients still face many health risks and should be monitored for 10 years or more.

No comments:

Post a Comment