Cancer Research: Three hits to fight lung cancer ♦ Novel RNA delivery system may treat incurable blood cancers ♦ Quickly identifying tumors by using antibodies

New breast cancer drug may be effective against other types of cancer Palbociclib, a new oral drug whose efficacy in combating breast cancer has been demonstrated alone and in combination with endocrine therapy, also has potential to combat other types of cancer, according to a literature review and additional original research.

Quickly identifying tumors by using antibodies Antibodies combat viruses and bacteria. They also attach themselves to cancer cells – in a typical, characteristic way. Scientists are using this property to detect cancer cells in tissue samples. Such rapid tests can already be applied by surgeons during operations – within a few minutes and without expensive equipment.

Three hits to fight lung cancer Cancers with KRAS-related gene mutations might benefit from a triple therapy with two experimental drugs plus radiation therapy, a new study in mice has shown

Novel RNA delivery system may treat incurable blood cancers Mantle Cell Lymphoma is considered the most aggressive known blood cancer, and available therapies are scarce. A new study offers tangible hope of curing the currently incurable cancer -- and others like it.

Cancer Research:Breast cancer detection rate using ultrasound is shown to be comparable to mammography ♦ New method for better treatment of breast cancer ♦ New target for potential blood cancer treatment

Simple shell of plant virus sparks immune response against cancer Shells of cowpea mosaic virus inhaled into a lung tumor or injected into ovarian, colon or breast tumors, not only triggered the immune system in mice to wipe out the tumors, but provides systemic protection against metastases.

New target for potential blood cancer treatment Mutations present in a blood cancer known as follicular lymphoma have revealed new molecular targets for potential treatments, according to researchers

New method for better treatment of breast cancer A novel imaging-based method for defining appropriateness of breast cancer treatment is as accurate as the current standard-of-care and could reduce the need for invasive tissue sampling, new research shows. The results suggest that the method might lead to more optimal treatment of individual patients

Breast cancer detection rate using ultrasound is shown to be comparable to mammography The use of ultrasound in detecting breast cancer has been shown to be comparable in its sensitivity to that of mammography and should be considered when testing for the disease.

Cancer Research: Protein's work in eye lens suggests a way to tame cancer ♦ Oral contraceptive use associated with better outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer.

Previous oral contraceptive use associated with better outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer. Patients who develop ovarian cancer appear to have better outcomes if they have a history of oral contraceptive use.

World first blood cancer drug trial reveals life-changing results A breakthrough has been achieved with the results of the world-first clinical trial with actual patients of a new drug to treat particular blood cancers. This clinical trial, a first-in-human study, looked at the efficacy of a new inhibitor, ONO/GS-4059, in the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma patients refractory or resistant to current chemotherapies

Preventing radiation in cancer therapies to damage healthy organs When a person receives a cancer treatment through radiation, he or she is exposed to ionizing radiation and to avoid that energy to damage healthy tissue. A new study looked at the properties of various materials called dosimeters that measure radiation doses.

Protein's work in eye lens suggests a way to tame cancer How does a protein called connexin put the clamps on cancer? Researchers have now reported an explanation. In the future, cancer therapies could potentially be based on connexin molecules.

Cancer Research: Chemotherapy packed nanoparticles may target cancer stem cells ♦ Arthritis drug could be used to treat blood cancer ♦ Similarities between embryos, breast tumors identified

Similarities between embryos, breast tumors identified It may seem incredulous, but breast tumors may have something in common with embryos, at least in mice. Tumors that resemble six-day-old mouse embryos are more prone to metastasize than those that look like tissues from adult mice, researchers discovered. Specifically, they noticed that the same genes that are turned on in developing mice are also present in metastatic tumors

Chitosan coated, chemotherapy packed nanoparticles may target cancer stem cells Nanoparticles packed with a clinically used chemotherapy drug and coated with an oligosaccharide derived from the carapace of crustaceans might effectively target and kill cancer stem-like cells..

Colon cancer: Taking a step back to move forward Recent studies are revealing a complex picture of cancer progression in which certain genes that drive tumor growth in the earlier stages get suppressed in later stages -- taking a step back to move forward.

Arthritis drug could be used to treat blood cancer sufferers Scientists have discovered that a common drug given to arthritis sufferers could also help to treat patients with blood cancers, and is one thousandth of the cost of another drug that works in the same way. The discovery may open up cost effective treatment options for cancer patients across the world.

New understanding of retinoblastoma proteins' role in cell death and cancer progression A new review article focuses on RB role in apoptosis provides a comprehensive overview on the role of RB proteins in the coordinated control of cell decisions.

Cancer Research: Targeting telomeres could improve chemotherapy ♦ New colon cancer culprit found in gut microbiome ♦ DNA shed from head and neck tumors detected in blood, saliva

Current blood cancer drug prices not justified The costs associated with cancer drug prices have risen dramatically over the past 15 years, which is of concern to many top oncologists.Researchers concluded that the majority of existing treatments for hematologic, or blood, cancers are currently priced too high to be considered cost-effective in the United States

DNA shed from head and neck tumors detected in blood, saliva On the hunt for better cancer screening tests, scientists led a proof of principle study that successfully identified tumor DNA shed into the blood and saliva of 93 patients with head and neck cancer.

Targeting telomeres, the timekeepers of cells, could improve chemotherapy Telomeres, specialized ends of our chromosomes that dictate how long cells can continue to duplicate themselves, have long been studied for their links to the aging process and cancer. Researchers show how disabling telomere protection during cell division prompts cell death.

Tiny particles in blood useful for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer A protein encoded by the gene glypican-1 (GPC1) present on cancer exosomes may be used as part of a potential non-invasive diagnostic and screening tool to detect early pancreatic cancer, potentially at a stage amenable to surgical treatment,

New pancreatic cancer culprit found in gut microbiome Changes in the gut bacteria of colon cancer patients indicate that some virulent bacteria could be linked to the progression of the disease. The findings could eventually be used to identify a virulence signature in these cancers and help doctors predict how bacterial changes in patients' guts could affect their prognosis.

Cancer Research:Viral gene therapy eradicates prostate cancer ♦ 80% of cervical cancers preventable ♦ Comprehensively identify anti-cancer drug targets

Discovery accelerates targeted cancer treatment When DNA is damaged, several different proteins start pouring in to repair the damage; their types depend on the damage done. Up until now, it has been common practice to study one protein at a time, but by way of so-called mass spectrometry, researchers are now able to simultaneously see all the proteins that help repair damaged DNA.

80% of cervical cancers preventable with latest 9-valent HPV vaccine The new 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine, can potentially prevent 80 percent of cervical cancers in the United States, if given to all 11- or 12-year-old children before they are exposed to the virus. The study also found the 9-Valent vaccine, under the trademark of Gardasil-9, has the potential to protect against an additional 8 percent of oropharyngeal cancers, which include the base of the tongue and tonsils.

Study links father's age, baby's risk of blood cancer as an adult The proportion of parents who delay having children until age 35 or older continues to increase, but the long-term health consequences for these children are still emerging. A father's age at his infant's birth is linked to the risk that his child will develop blood and immune system cancers as an adult.

Using CRISPR, biologists find a way to comprehensively identify anti-cancer drug targets Imagine having a complete catalog of the best drug targets to hit in a deadly form of cancer. Imagine having a master catalog of such targets for all major cancers. Scientists have now published a method of doing precisely this, using the revolutionary gene-editing technology called CRISPR.

Advanced viral gene therapy eradicates prostate cancer in preclinical experiments Even with the best available treatments, the median survival of patients with metastatic, hormone refractory prostate cancer is only two to three years. Driven by the need for more effective therapies for these patients, researchers have developed a unique approach that uses microscopic gas bubbles to deliver directly to the cancer a viral gene therapy in combination with an experimental drug that targets a specific gene driving the cancer's growth