Cancer Research: Small RNA plays big role suppressing cancer ♦ Personalized melanoma vaccines ♦ New treatment options for colon cancer

Small RNA plays big role suppressing cancer The microRNA miR-22 has long been known for its ability to suppress cancer. However, questions remain about how it achieves this feat. For example, which molecules are regulating miR-22, and which are miR-22 targets? Researchers have unraveled some of these relationships, identifying several interactions that directly impact liver and colon cancer

Personalized melanoma vaccines marshal powerful immune response Personalized melanoma vaccines can be used to marshal a powerful immune response against unique mutations in patients' tumors, according to early data in a first-in-people clinical trial.

Body's cancer defenses hijacked to make pancreatic, lung cancers more aggressive A vital self-destruct switch in cells can be hijacked, making some pancreatic and non small cell lung cancers more aggressive, according to research. Researchers found that mutations in the KRAS gene interferes with protective self-destruct switches, known as TRAIL receptors, which usually help to kill potentially cancerous cells.

Dual therapy's 1-2 punch knocks out drug-resistant lung cancer Capitalizing on a rare opportunity to thoroughly analyze a tumor from a lung cancer patient who had developed resistance to targeted drug treatment, scientists identified a biological escape hatch that explains the resistance, and developed a strategy in mice for shutting it down

New treatment options for colon cancer An existing chemotherapy drug used to treat leukemia could prevent and control the growth of colorectal tumors, scientists have discovered

6/18/14 Health News: Chinese food safety is worse than you think ♦ War Wound Infections ♦ Resveratrol, Causes Pancreatic Abnormalities in Fetuses ♦ Early Vaccines Save Lives in Flu Pandemic

Chinese food safety is worse than you think

In April, I began an email correspondence with an American I’ll call Susan (she prefers to remain anonymous), who has lived in China for 15 years while working in publishing. She currently resides in Beijing and also lived in a small town in Hubei province. Susan came across our Change.org petition (322,000+ signatures) asking Congress to “Keep Chinese Chicken Out of Our Schools …continue reading

Veterans to Benefit From Better Identification of War Wound Infections

War wounds that heal successfully frequently contain different microbial species from those that heal poorly, according to a paper published ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.These and other findings have important implications for improving wound healing, Continue Reading

'Healthy' Component of Red Wine, Resveratrol, Causes Pancreatic Abnormalities in Fetuses

New research suggests that although resveratrol improved blood flow through the placenta of macaque monkeys and protected against harmful aspects of obesity, resveratrol injured the fetal pancreas. Here's more evidence that pregnant women should be careful about what they eat and drink: This study has direct relevance to human health — resveratrol, found in red wine and frequently taken as a supplement, is widely used for its recognized health benefits, and is readily available over the counter. Continue Reading

Vaccination During 'Optimal Window' Is the Key to Saving Lives in Next Flu Pandemic

Early vaccination could reduce morbidity, mortality, and health care costs associated with pandemic flu, according to an article being published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Response to a 2009 H1N1 pandemic was not optimal, with large-scale vaccination not occurring until nine months after outbreak.. A delay of just four weeks leads to substantial increases in infection, deaths, and costs. Continue Reading

Smokeless Tobacco Causes 3 Types of Cancer

These findings highlight opportunities for reducing the health and economic burdens of tobacco use among U.S. workers, especially those in certain industries (e.g., mining) and occupations (e.g., construction and extraction) where use of smokeless tobacco is especially common.

In 2010, cigarette smoking among working adults was significantly lower than in 2005 (19.1 percent vs. 22.2 percent), but the prevalence of smokeless tobacco use among adult workers did not significantly differ (3.0 percent in 2010 vs. 2.7 percent in 2005), according to a new study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Among working adults who also smoked cigarettes, the proportion who used smokeless tobacco was 4.1 percent in 2005 and 4.2 percent 2010.

Smokeless tobacco use varied widely by industry and occupation, and was highest among workers in the mining industry (18.8 percent) and in construction and extraction occupations such as mining and oil and gas extraction (10.8 percent). These findings can help health professionals direct assistance to working men and women to stop using smokeless tobacco, a known cause of oral, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer.

11/1/2013 Daily Food News: Handheld Device Detects Bacteria for Home Use, New teats for Anthrax and Cancer

SCIENTISTS DEVELOP HANDHELD DEVICE TO DETECT BACTERIA ON FOOD

Imagine having a handheld device able to detect different types of bacteria on food, whether that food is in your kitchen, a store, a restaurant or virtually anywhere. This wireless device could detect the presence of Salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens and give an alarm in response. Science fiction? Not anymore. “What we want... Continue Reading

HHS Announces Development of Novel Anthrax Infection Blood Test

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday that it will support the development of a rapid blood test for anthrax infection detection to increase response capability during an anthrax attack. The test must first gain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Continue Reading

Breath Test Detects Lung Cancer

An advanced colorimetric sensor that analyzes breath can accurately identify lung cancer and characterize cancer histology, researchers report. "We have certainly discovered a biomarker, but we still have a lot of work to do in technical validation and clinical validation,"  explained Peter Mazzone, MD. Continue Reading

Discovery Could Lead to Saliva Test for Pancreatic Cancer

The disease is typically diagnosed through an invasive and complicated biopsy.  But a discovery by researchers at the UCLA School of Dentistry may be one major step toward creating a noninvasive tool that would enable clinicians and Oncologists to detect pancreatic cancer through a simple risk assessment test using saliva. Continue Reading