A recent study published in Journal of Pineal Research found that melatonin can prevent nerve damage caused by chemotherapy and reduce painful side effects. The drug was shown to limit the damaging effect on nerve cells and the development of pain symptoms when given prior to chemotherapy.
The KEYNOTE-045 trial demonstrates pembrolizumab's superiority in overall survival and adverse event profile compared to chemotherapy in platinum-pretreated urothelial cancer patients. The medication offers durable responses and a favorable safety profile.
A recent ESMO 2017 Congress session has ignited debate on the optimal duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer, with experts weighing in on the pros and cons of shortening treatment from six to three months. The IDEA study suggests that three months provides a similar benefit but with reduced side effects.
A randomized trial of over 600 patients confirms chemoradiation as the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer, with no improved disease-free survival seen with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. The findings suggest that chemoradiation should remain the standard treatment.
Recent phase 3 studies (ALEX and ALUR trials) demonstrate alectinib's efficacy in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. The medication significantly decreases CNS progression, improving median progression-free survival by up to 8 months compared to standard chemotherapy.
A recent study found that nearly one in four small tumours were aggressive and patients benefited from chemotherapy. Researchers identified a 70-gene signature to detect aggressive tumours.
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute found that acute myeloid leukemia causes bone marrow to 'leak' blood, preventing chemotherapy from working. Drugs that reversed this leakiness boosted chemotherapy's effect in mice and human tissue.
Researchers have developed a method that targets cancerous tumors with chemotherapy, delivering the drug directly to cancer cells while protecting healthy cells. The treatment uses nanoparticles and ultrasound to improve delivery, showing promising results in mice experiments.
Researchers discovered that combining a novel drug MI-773 with traditional chemotherapy cisplatin destroyed salivary gland tumor cells and prevented recurrence within 300 days. This combination therapy showed promise in treating adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting 3,000-4,000 people annually.
Researchers found that Fusobacterium nucleatum in the gut can stop chemotherapy from causing apoptosis, a type of cancer cell death. The bacterium activates autophagy, a cell-survival mechanism that protects cancer cells from destroying themselves.
Researchers found that cancer patients who interacted with other patients undergoing chemotherapy were more likely to survive for five years or more after treatment. The study suggests a possible link between social interaction and stress response in the context of cancer treatment.
Patients with right-sided primary tumours have a 36% better survival rate after treatment with a combination of first-line chemotherapy and selective internal radiation therapy, compared to chemotherapy alone. This treatment combination was no better than chemotherapy only in patients with left-sided primary tumours.
A new study found that chemotherapy can significantly impair walking gait and balance in breast cancer patients, leading to a higher risk of falls. Researchers advocate for integrating objective measures of physical function into oncology follow-up care to reduce fall risk and improve treatment compliance.
A global study analyzed six clinical trials with over 12,800 patients, finding that 3 months of chemotherapy was nearly as effective as 6 months in patients with lower recurrence risk and caused fewer side effects. The study suggests a new standard for personalized chemotherapy in colon cancer.
A retrospective observational study found that men have a more severe form of chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy, with lower left and right ventricular ejection fractions and larger cardiac volumes compared to women. The study's results suggest that female sex hormones may be protective against this condition.
Researchers found that continuous, low-dose cisplatin delivery is effective against smaller tumor clusters, while higher doses are more effective against larger ones. The study's findings support the development of an implantable device to deliver these higher doses without the side effects associated with current catheter-based therapy.
Patients with advanced NSCLC who received pre-treated checkpoint inhibitors had a 27% partial response rate to salvage chemotherapy, compared to 7% in those without pre-treatment. The study's findings suggest that checkpoint inhibitors may render tumor cells more sensitive to chemotherapy.
A chemotherapy drug used to treat brain cancer may increase vulnerability to depression by stopping new brain cells from growing, a study suggests. The findings highlight the importance of protecting brain stem cells or building up a reserve before cancer treatment.
Researchers are exploring immune cells that normally help the body but can hinder chemotherapy's effectiveness. By understanding how these cells interact, scientists hope to create targeted therapies to preserve chemotherapy's benefits while minimizing unwanted side effects.
Researchers found that common cancer drugs increase blood sugar levels, which can damage healthy cells and make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy. Fasting or glucose reduction reversed this increase in toxicity in mice.
Researchers from Mayo Clinic report that tumor genomic alterations did not differ significantly between chemotherapy-sensitive and -resistant tumors. However, the study identified an uncommon type of aggressive breast cancer with a unique mutation in p53, which was less likely to respond to chemotherapy.
A study found that the drug everolimus protects ovaries from cyclophosphamide, a common chemotherapy used against breast cancer, which depletes egg cells needed to achieve pregnancy. Female mice treated with everolimus and chemotherapy had more than twice as many offspring as those treated with chemotherapy alone.
Scientists have identified a metabolic weakness in triple-negative breast cancer cells that may be exploited to quell their resistance to chemotherapy. Targeting this pathway could lead to increased cancer cell death and improved treatment outcomes.
A Phase III clinical trial revealed that blinatumomab significantly increased overall survival and remission rates compared to standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study showed a median survival of 7.7 months for those treated with blinatumomab versus four months for those on chemotherapy.
Researchers found that nicotinamide riboside supplementation prevented nerve pain in rats treated with chemotherapy, which could lead to improved outcomes for patients. The supplement increased levels of NAD+, a cell metabolite that protects against nerve damage.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified a chain reaction that shields breast cancer stem cells from chemotherapy, making them resistant to treatment. The discovery could lead to the development of drugs that block this pathway, improving chemotherapy effectiveness.
A tool developed at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center can help doctors identify patients at high risk for toxic side effects from chemotherapy. Researchers found that low measures of muscle quality and quantity are linked to serious side effects, including hospitalizations.
A retrospective analysis of 1,424 patients found that those with an intermediate risk recurrence score (RS) had similar outcomes whether they received chemotherapy or not. The study suggests that less is more for women with early-stage disease, potentially leading to a shift away from aggressive treatment protocols.
A multicenter study found that scalp cooling reduced hair loss in certain breast cancer patients undergoing non-anthracycline adjuvant chemotherapy. The study, published in JAMA, showed that 67% of patients retained half or more of their hair after treatment.
Two studies found that scalp cooling devices can significantly reduce hair loss in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. In one study, patients who received scalp cooling had an average of 51% hair preservation compared to 0% in the control group. The other study also showed promising results, with 67% of patients experienc...
A new mathematical model reveals that metronomic chemotherapy's benefits rely on the normalization of tumor blood vessels, improving drug delivery and immune cell activity. The approach aims to alleviate abnormal tumor blood vessel structure and function, reducing proliferation of stem-like cancer cells.
A new treatment approach uses a single dose of chemotherapy to select patients for chemo-radiation or surgery, resulting in near-80% survival rates. This method tailors treatments to individual tumor biology and patient characteristics, improving quality of life and reducing complications.
Younger patients with colon cancer are nearly 2 to 8 times more likely to receive postoperative chemotherapy than older patients, yet no added survival benefit is seen for these patients. The study's findings suggest overtreatment of young and middle-aged adults with colon cancer.
Researchers found that African-American breast cancer patients who receive chemotherapy prior to surgery exhibit reduced regional and distant tumor recurrence rates. Early-stage patients with African-American ancestry display higher tumor recurrence rates compared to European-Americans.
Researchers at the Buck Institute found that chemotherapy induces widespread cellular senescence, contributing to persistent inflammation and cancer recurrence. Eliminating senescent cells reduced side effects, including fatigue, bone marrow suppression, and toxicity, in mice treated with common chemotherapy drugs.
A new Yale study suggests that delaying chemotherapy after lung cancer surgery can lead to similar outcomes and lower risk of death. The research found that initiation between 57-127 days post-surgery had a similar impact as traditional timing, indicating a potential benefit for patients.
A recent study published in JAMA Oncology suggests that chemotherapy can still benefit patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who recover slowly from surgery. The study found that delaying chemotherapy by up to four months did not increase the risk of death and may even lower it compared to earlier treatment.
Researchers found that localized chemotherapy delivered directly to the brain improved survival rates in mice with glioblastoma when combined with immunotherapy. The study suggests that systemic chemotherapy weakens the immune system and may hinder its ability to fight tumors.
Researchers developed a blood test to predict ovarian cancer patients' response to chemotherapy using tumour DNA levels. The test identified patients whose tumour DNA count dropped by more than half after one cycle of chemotherapy as those likely to respond well to treatment.
A study found that cancer patients with depression have lower levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), making them less responsive to chemotherapy. Low BDNF levels are associated with reduced treatment tolerance and poorer outcomes.
A new study from Lund University found that women with a high expression of the ER-beta estrogen receptor in their tumours had better outcomes after undergoing chemotherapy. The research could lead to more frequent check-ups and additional treatment for high-risk patients.
Patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer survived four months longer on immunotherapy drug atezolizumab compared to chemotherapy, with atezolizumab also having fewer side effects. The trial found that the drug worked best for patients with high levels of PD-L1 protein, doubling their survival.
A study presented at EuroEcho-Imaging 2016 found that chemotherapy caused heart damage in cancer patients with diabetes, leading to a higher risk of heart failure. The researchers also discovered that patients with diabetes experienced a significant decrease in global longitudinal strain, an early predictor of heart failure.
Researchers at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center developed a model that can predict which triple negative breast cancer patients will respond to chemotherapy. The model was moderately successful, accurately predicting response in 68% of cases with pathologic complete response.
Supportive care, including pain relief and medication to prevent side effects, remains insufficient for many cancer patients, especially those on government-funded schemes in India. This can lead to delayed treatment cycles and poor quality of life. Researchers emphasize the need for better policies and access to effective treatments.
Patients with large breast tumors and no axillary lymph node signs before chemotherapy showed low risk of recurrence with SLNB. Follow-up data revealed high disease-free survival rates comparable to ALND, suggesting SLNB as a safe alternative.
Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a unique genomic signature and chromosomal changes that drive sensitivity to chemotherapy in testicular tumors. The findings suggest that testicular cancers are already primed for self-destruction, making them highly susceptible to treatment.
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new nanocarrier system that can deliver chemotherapy drugs and imaging molecules to tumors, sparing healthy tissue from toxic side effects. The hybrid nanocarriers can also provide sustained imaging for months, enabling doctors to visualize tumors more effectively.
Researchers discovered that low-dose chemotherapy regimens can prevent the secretion of proteins by fibroblast cells surrounding tumors, reducing the likelihood of tumor recurrence. Mice with breast or pancreatic cancer treated with these regimens survived longer than those receiving high-dose chemotherapy.
A University of Liverpool research team has discovered that tumour-associated macrophages and fibroblasts secrete insulin-like growth factors, which activate a survival signalling pathway in pancreatic cancer cells, making them resistant to chemotherapy. This mechanism is found in 72% of patients, paving the way for new therapeutic tar...
Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is as effective as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for reducing breast tumor size, but with significantly fewer toxic side effects. Aromatase inhibitors were found to be more effective than tamoxifen-like drugs in treating ER-positive breast cancer.
Researchers found that tailored dose-dense chemotherapy did not improve 5-year breast cancer recurrence-free survival, overall survival, or distant disease-free survival compared to standard chemotherapy. However, the tailored group experienced more nonhematologic toxic effects.
A study found that breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with high genetic susceptibility had the highest risk of VTE. The one-year cumulative incidence of VTE was 9.5% in these patients, compared to 1.3% in those without high genetic susceptibility.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered a drug combination that targets mitotic slippage, allowing for complete cell death and improving chemotherapy's effectiveness. The study focuses on inactivating CRL2-ZYG11, which promotes mitosis, and has potential to treat various cancers.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have developed a combination therapy that improves chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. BET inhibitors can suppress ALDH activity, making treatment more effective when used with cisplatin. This approach has shown extended survival rates and delayed tumor growth in mice.
A new study found that a genetic test assessing breast cancer recurrence risk is being used to guide chemotherapy decisions in early-stage breast cancer patients. The test, which looks at 21 genes known to increase the risk of cancer recurrence, has been shown to align treatment recommendations with individual patient profiles.
Research suggests that inhibiting autophagy can improve chemotherapy's immune-targeting effects without compromising overall immune system function. In mouse models, autophagy inhibitors did not disrupt the immune response to tumors during chemotherapy.
A study found that tumor genome testing helped physicians identify patients who could benefit from chemotherapy, while those for whom it could be safely omitted received personalized recommendations. The test eliminated racial/ethnic disparities in testing or treatment, but many women inaccurately recalled their results.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine found that chemotherapy kills urothelial cancer cells but shapes their genetic evolution, leading to drug-resistant cell clones. This study provides a framework for understanding the biological basis of chemotherapy resistance in bladder cancer and may lead to improved diagnostics and treatments.
A new study from MD Anderson found substantial variation in the costs of breast cancer treatment for different chemotherapy regimens, with varying prices by up to $20,354. The researchers suggest that informed choice of chemotherapy could impact costs nationally by $1 billion annually.