Health Research: Multiplying teeth, literally ♦ Could peroxisomes be key to stopping West Nile and Dengue viruses? ♦ New generation of synthetic bone grafts created

Multiplying teeth, literally Researchers have found a way to--literally--multiply teeth. In mice, they were able to extract teeth germs--groups of cells formed early in life that later develop into teeth, split them into two, and then implant the teeth into the mice's jaws, where they developed into two fully functional teeth.

Mental health status prior to bladder cancer surgery can indicate risk of complications A patient's mental health prior to surgery can influence postoperative outcomes. Removal of the bladder, or radical cystectomy  is an effective treatment for locally advanced bladder cancer, but complications occur in as many as 66% of patients Researchers found that patients whose self-assessment of mental health was low suffered more high grade complications in the 30 days following surgery than patients with higher self-assessments

Could peroxisomes be key to stopping West Nile and Dengue viruses? A new discovery could open the door to one day treat or prevent diseases caused by West Nile virus and Dengue virus infections. Together the viruses are the cause of tens of millions of infections each year. Currently there are no treatments or vaccines available.

New generation of synthetic bone grafts created A new type of synthetic bone graft has been developed, which boosts the body's own ability to regenerate bone tissue and could produce better outcomes for patients. The research found that the new type of graft called Inductigraft was able to guide bone tissue regeneration in as little as four weeks.

Cancer Research: Investigational immunotherapeutic increased bladder cancer survival ♦ Weekday of surgery affects esophageal cancer surgery prognosis

Weekday of surgery affects esophageal cancer surgery prognosis Patients who undergo surgery for esophageal cancer early in the week – on a Monday or Tuesday – have a higher chance of long-term survival than those who have surgery at the end of the working week,

Global task force tackles problem of untreatable cancers and disease relapse: Non-toxic chemicals in plants and foods may be key Many cancer therapies are highly toxic, and even when they appear to work, a significant percentage of patients will experience a relapse after only a few months.  Typically these relapses result from small subpopulations of mutated cells which are resistant to therapy, and doctors who try to address this problem with combinations of therapies find that therapeutic toxicity typically limits their ability to stop most cancers

Investigational immunotherapeutic increased bladder cancer survival Among patients with metastatic bladder cancer that had progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy, those who received an investigational, personalized peptide cancer vaccine and best-supportive care had extended overall survival compared with those who received best-supportive care alone.

Higher nicotine, carcinogen levels among smokeless tobacco users compared with cigarette users U.S. adults who used only smokeless tobacco products had higher levels of biomarkers of exposure to nicotine and a cancer-causing toxicant -- the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK -- compared with those who used only cigarettes

Cancer Research: Why elephants rarely get cancer ♦ Scientists pave way for diamonds to trace early cancers ♦ Researchers create 'leukemia in a dish' to better study it

Why elephants rarely get cancer A new study could explain why elephants rarely get cancer. The results show that elephants have extra copies of a gene encoding a tumor suppressor, p53. Further, elephants may have a more robust mechanism for killing damaged cells at risk for becoming cancerous. The findings suggest extra p53 could explain elephants' enhanced cancer resistance.

Scientists pave way for diamonds to trace early cancers Physicists have devised a way to use diamonds to identify cancerous tumors before they become life threatening. Their findings reveal how a nanoscale, synthetic version of the precious gem can light up early-stage cancers in non-toxic, non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans.

Examining contemporary occupational carcinogen exposure, bladder cancer Despite manufacturing and legislative changes to improve workplace hygiene, the risk of occupational bladder cancer appears to be on the rise in some industries, although the profile of at-risk occupations has changed over time.

Researchers create 'leukemia in a dish' to better study it

Scientists engineered stem cells to better understand the mechanisms behind a form of leukemia caused by changes in a key gene.

Cancer Research: Potential new class of cancer drugs developed ♦ Experimental treatment sends deadly leukemia into remission ♦ microRNA may provide therapy against pancreatic cancer

microRNA may provide therapy against pancreatic cancer Cancer researchers have found that a particular microRNA may be a potent therapeutic agent against pancreatic cancer. The need for new therapies for pancreatic cancer patients is great as only 7 percent of people with the disease survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be an estimated 48,960 new cases of pancreatic cancer and 40,560 deaths from the disease in 2015.

E2F4 signature can predict progression of bladder cancer Investigators harnessed genomic data to discover that the previously identified E2F4 signature in breast cancer can be utilized to predict prognosis and response to therapy in bladder cancer.

Experimental treatment sends deadly leukemia into remission An experimental new treatment approach for a rare, deadly leukemia can send the disease into remission even in patients for whom the standard therapy has failed, a pilot study has found. The study is 'proof of principle' the cutting-edge approach could be used to treat many other cancers as well.

Development of new blood vessels not essential to growth of lymph node metastases The growth of metastases in lymph nodes -- the most common site of cancer spread -- does not require the development of new blood vessels, researchers have discovered, potentially explaining why antiangiogenesis drugs have failed to prevent the development of new metastases.

Potential new class of cancer drugs developed A new class of drug developed targets the Warburg effect to cut off cancer's energy supply, and researchers say that it has the potential to stop most kinds of cancer in its tracks.