Cancer Research: Lung cancer specialist brings new treatments, ♦ Increased risk of large bowel cancer for each 1 cm rise in waist circumference

Surgery proving option for more pancreatic cancer patients. Pancreatic cancer has long proved the least survivable of the most common forms of cancer, in part because it tends to spread before symptoms appear. Surgery has offered the longest remissions, but for many people with advanced cancer, an operation wasn’t an option. Now, thanks to improvements in chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, even this most recalcitrant of cancers is starting to budge.

New genetic discovery advances understanding of prostate cancer A new and important genetic discovery, which sheds light on how prostate cancers develop and spread, has been made by an international research team. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men.

Chemical probe to dissect role of potential cancer-causing proteins Scientists have created a highly specific and well-characterized chemical probe which can switch off two important proteins implicated in cancer -- shedding new light on the role these proteins play in driving cancer cell proliferation

Lung cancer specialist brings new treatments, hope to new Mexicans This year, more than 158,000 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer. That’s a staggering number: it’s more than all the deaths expected from breast, prostate, colon, rectum, bladder and skin cancers combined. But this grim statistic only spurs one lung cancer doctor and scientist to work harder toward a cure

Increased risk of large bowel cancer for each 1 cm rise in waist circumference New research shows an increased risk of large bowel cancer for each 1 cm rise in waist circumference. In addition, in men, there is now evidence that increasing waist circumference in middle age is associated with increased bowel cancer risk.

Health Research: Engineered probiotics detect tumors in liver ♦ Ending Medicaid dental benefit is costly ♦ Very overweight teens risk bowel cancer

'Decoder ring' powers found in microRNA  MicroRNA can serve as a "decoder ring" for understanding complex biological processes, a team of chemists has found. Their study points to a new method for decrypting the biological functions of enzymes and identifying those that drive diseases.

Very overweight teens may double their risk of bowel cancer in middle age Being very overweight in your teens may double the risk of developing bowel cancer by the time you are middle aged, suggests new research.

African-Americans at lower socioeconomic levels have increased risk of heart disease African-Americans, especially women and young adults at lower socioeconomic levels have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. The findings underscore the need for increased awareness and education about prevention and early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease in African-American women and younger adults.

Diagnosing cancer with luminescent bacteria: Engineered probiotics detect tumors in liver Engineers have devised a new way to detect cancer that has spread to the liver, by enlisting help from probiotics -- beneficial bacteria similar to those found in yogurt. Using a harmless strain of E. coli that colonizes the liver, the researchers programmed the bacteria to produce a luminescent signal that can be detected with a simple urine test.

Ending Medicaid dental benefit is costly A study finds states gain little when dropping adult dental coverage. Researchers say adults in California made 1,800 more hospital visits annually for dental care after losing the benefit. California spent $2.9 million each year, 68 percent more before eliminating the benefit.

Cancer Research: Aspirin fights colorectal cancer and cervical cancer ♦ Researchers solve a lingering mystery of cancer cell biology ♦ Bowel cancer patient exercise to achieve health benefits

Two-thirds of bowel cancer patients aren't advised to exercise despite health benefits More than two-thirds of bowel cancer patients say they weren't advised to exercise regularly after their diagnosis – despite evidence that brisk physical activity is linked to better survival in bowel cancer.

Frequent aspirin use reduces risk of cervical cancer by nearly half Long-term and frequent use of aspirin is associated with significantly decreased risk of cervical cancer, according to a study.12,900 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed and 4,100 women will die from the disease in 2015.

Settling an old debate: Researchers solve a lingering mystery of cancer cell biology German biologist Theodor Boveri observed early in the last century that cancer cells often harbor multiple copies of a subcellular structure that he had previously named the centrosome. He was also the first to suggest that the extra centrosomes drive cancer. Biologists have since learned a great deal about the structure and many functions of Boveri’s “special organ of cell division.” But why cancer cells harbor multiple copies of this organelle has remained unanswered. So has the question of whether healthy human cells even require centrosomes to divide. Now, 101 years after Boveri aired his suspicions, a paper may have some answers.

How aspirin fights colorectal cancer Taking aspirin reduces a person's risk of colorectal cancer, but the molecular mechanisms involved have remained unknown until a recent discovery. found that aspirin might exert its chemopreventive activity against colorectal cancer, at least partially, by normalizing the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in gastrointestinal precancerous lesions. EGFR is overexpressed in about 80 percent of cases involving colorectal cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.

Cancer Research: New potential drug for rare leukemia ♦ New bowel cancer screening ♦ Lethal prostate cancer can spread to other sites

Researchers develop new potential drug for rare leukemia A new drug that shows potential in laboratory studies against a rare type of acute leukemia has been developed by scientists. And additional studies suggest the same compound could play a role in prostate cancer treatment as well, they say.

Early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients with low tumor metabolic activity have longer survival  Low pre-surgery uptake of a labeled glucose analogue, a marker of metabolic activity, in the primary tumor of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer is associated with increased overall survival and a longer time before tumor recurrence. Patients with high labeled glucose uptake may benefit from additional therapy

Major increase in bowel cancer screening uptake shown with new screening test A large pilot study of a new bowel cancer screening test has demonstrated a major increase in participation rates across population groups. The new test is called a Fecal Immunochemical Test or FIT for short. In addition to being able to detect many more cancers and pre-cancers,

Lethal prostate cancer can spread from other metastatic sites, study affirms A new genomic analysis of tissue from patients with prostate cancer has added more evidence that cells within metastases from such tumors can migrate to other body parts

'Firefly' mechanism makes cancer studies more efficient, less expensive The mechanism that makes fireflies glow through a process called bioluminescence can be used to study tumor response to therapy as well, researchers have found. Bioluminescence has a major role in small animal research, and the technique has been widely applied in tumor models. The multiple tumor approach can also be used for high throughput screening

Cancer Research: Diabetes linked to advanced stage breast cancer ♦ Promising drug for treating leukemia ♦ Fitness level lower risk of some cancers

Women with diabetes more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer  Diabetes is associated with more advanced stage breast cancer.A new study that confirms a strong link between diabetes and later stage breast cancer. Continue Reading

Promising drug a 'new paradigm' for treating leukemia  A compound that delays leukemia in mice and effectively kills leukemia cells in human tissue samples has been developed by researchers, raising hopes that the drug could lead to improved treatments in people. Continue Reading

Blood test can help some bowel cancer patients avoid unnecessary drug side-effects Researchers have provided early evidence to suggest that a blood test could be used to identify bowel cancer patients that may benefit from more intensive chemotherapy Continue Reading

Fitness level associated with lower risk of some cancers, death in men  Men with a high fitness level in midlife appear to be at lower risk for lung and colorectal cancer, but not prostate cancer, and that higher fitness level also may put them at lower risk of death if they are diagnosed with cancer when they're older. Continue Reading

Cancer Research: Sweeping prostate cancer review ♦ Tumor sanctuaries ♦ Stress management techniques improve quality of life for women with breast cancer + more

Sweeping prostate cancer review upends widely held view on radiation  Two new studies have upended the widely held view that it's best to delay radiation treatment as long as possible after the removal of the prostate in order to prevent unwanted side effects. The findings inject hard facts into a debate Continue Reading

Cancer therapy 'tumor sanctuaries' and the breeding ground of resistance  Tumors acquiring resistance is one of the major barriers to successful cancer therapy. Scientists use mathematical models to characterize how important aspects of tumor microenvironment can impair the efficacy of targeted cancer therapies. Continue Reading

Stress management techniques improve long-term mood and quality of life for women with breast cancer  A new study shows that providing women with skills to manage stress early in their breast cancer treatment can improve their mood and quality of life .Continue Reading

New potential for personalized treatments in bowel cancer  Genetic changes in bowel tumors are linked to the way the body’s immune system responds to the cancer. Scientists can now start looking at what causes a weak immune Continue Reading

Immune markers discovered that can predict ovarian cancer patients' response to treatment  A biomarker that will help lead to better predictions of the success of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients has been discovered by researchers. This discovery could lead to better treatment options in the fight against ovarian cancer  Continue Reading