Researchers developed a test to measure CDK activity, which accurately predicts tumor response to Tarceva. A second study found that increased CDK activity correlates with sensitivity to Taxol, providing preclinical evidence for developing a novel device to measure CDK activity in human tissue.
Researchers discovered that shape-altering genes, known for their role in embryonic development, direct ovarian cancer cells to take on various forms. These unique shapes make each form of ovarian cancer distinct from one another and the surface epithelium.
Researchers found that combining chemotherapy with Herceptin before surgery in early-stage breast cancer patients resulted in a 42% higher tumor reduction and 66.7% pathological complete remission rate compared to chemotherapy alone. The combination also showed less risk of heart damage, leading the clinical trial to be halted early.
A recent study found that advancements in radiation techniques have greatly reduced the risk of cardiac death after radiation therapy for breast cancer. Women with left-sided breast cancer had a higher mortality rate from ischemic heart disease compared to those with right-sided breast cancer, but this difference decreased over time.
A new test, NMP22 tumor marker assay, has been shown to be three times more effective than a traditional laboratory test in detecting bladder cancer. The test can detect the disease in patients with blood in their urine and certain risk factors, such as smoking and exposure to chemicals.
Researchers confirm Vioxx increased cardiovascular risk by nearly doubling events, including heart attacks and strokes, in patients with recurrent colon polyps. The trial was stopped early due to safety concerns.
A study found that the experimental test's effectiveness was undermined by technical issues and biological implausibility, casting doubt on its potential as a reliable diagnostic tool. The researchers emphasize the need for standardized protocols in proteomics research to ensure reproducibility of results.
Researchers found that women with primary hypothyroidism had a 61 percent lower risk of developing invasive breast cancer and those newly diagnosed were 57 percent less likely to have the condition. Women with both conditions tended to be older when diagnosed with a less aggressive, indolent disease.
Researchers have discovered a new gene cluster, Rhox genes, selectively expressed in male and female reproductive tissues in adult mice. The cluster's unique expression pattern suggests its role in regulating reproduction and potentially developing new contraceptive methods.
A new gene vaccine has shown high efficacy in protecting mice against Her2/neu breast cancer, using a viral-vectored approach to stimulate a long-lasting immune response. The vaccine protected 86% of experimental mice from developing the disease.
Researchers found women with invasive lobular carcinoma have a different disease type, benefiting from tailored treatment approaches. Alternative therapies like hormonal treatments may be more effective for this rare form of breast cancer.
The study found that a protein complex called INO80 plays a crucial role in loosening histone grip on DNA, allowing DNA repair machinery to access damaged areas. The researchers discovered a specific form of histone protein, gamma-H2AX, acts as a code directing DNA repair proteins to breaks.
Researchers found that a protein called STAT3 is crucial for the development of psoriasis and can be reversed with a specific treatment. The study's findings offer a potential new target for medications to relieve symptoms of psoriasis.
The phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway is crucial in breast cancer development, with aberrant levels and mutations affecting critical growth factor receptors. Researchers believe targeting central nodes in this pathway can effectively treat the disease.
Researchers found that celecoxib reduced estrogen receptor expression by an average of 9% after six months of treatment. This finding confirms celecoxib's antiproliferative properties and suggests a new potential therapeutic approach for breast cancer prevention.
A recent re-analysis of large clinical trials found that chemotherapy significantly improves survival rates in patients with ER-negative tumors, reducing the risk of death by 56 percent. The study suggests that chemotherapy has a greater impact on ER-negative patients than previously thought.
Researchers found that breast cancer patients who lose tau protein expression are twice as likely to have a good response to Taxol treatment. The discovery suggests that tumor tissue could be screened to predict which patients will respond to the chemotherapy, leading to improved treatment outcomes.
Researchers found that patients with basal-like and erbb2+ subgroups had the highest rates of pathological complete response to chemotherapy, while luminal tumors showed minimal response. The study suggests stratifying patients into molecular subgroups for more accurate treatment predictions.
The Advexin therapy, which delivers normal p53 genes to cancer cells, resulted in significantly smaller tumors and increased infiltration of T-lymphocytes, a key component of the immune system. After surgery, researchers found higher levels of normal p53 mRNA and an increase in the p53 protein, suggesting improved cancer response.
Researchers have developed a peptide vaccine that produces an immune response in 60% of patients with myeloid leukemia, resulting in complete molecular remission for three patients. The vaccine targets the PR1 peptide, which is overexpressed on leukemia cells, inducing immune T-cells to kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells intact.
A combination of two biologic agents, alemtuzumab and rituximab, with chemotherapy has shown a promising response rate of 55% in CLL relapse patients. Complete remission was achieved by 23% of patients, while leukemia levels were reduced by at least half in 35% of cases.
Researchers have discovered that BMS-354825 and AMN107 can effectively treat patients with leukemia who are resistant to Gleevec therapy. The studies found remarkable activity in these novel compounds, with high response rates and improved survival outcomes.
A new oral therapy, Zarnestra, has shown benefit in improving blood counts and preventing leukemia development in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The drug, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, produces responses in about one-third of patients, offering hope for those at high-risk for developing acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).
A recent study by the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has found no link between taxane-based chemotherapies and pneumonitis in breast cancer patients. The research, led by Tse-Kuan Yu, analyzed 189 breast cancer patients who received either radiation therapy or chemotherapy followed by radiation.
Researchers have discovered a lethal attraction between HER2-positive breast cancer cells and organs, explaining why this form of breast cancer is so invasive. The study found that breast cancer cells overexpressing HER2 proteins also ramp up production of CXCR4, leading to a strong chemical signal that attracts them to specific organs.
Researchers found that activated STAT3 is necessary for skin cancer development, and inhibiting it can prevent tumor growth. A STAT3 inhibitor could potentially be used as a topical cream to treat sunburns or precancerous lesions.
Researchers engineered human mesenchymal stem cells to target tumors, delivering a therapeutic gene that inhibits cancer growth. The approach significantly improved survival of mice with breast and melanoma cancers.
A new protein, Rab25, has been associated with increased aggressiveness in both breast and ovarian cancers. Low levels of Rab25 protein expression were found to be linked to better clinical outcomes, with patients experiencing higher survival rates when tumors expressed low levels of the protein.
Researchers found that a combination of two novel agents - SCH66336 and IGFBP-3 - significantly reduced lung tumor size in mice implanted with human lung tumors. The treatment blocked multiple pathways important to cancer cell survival, showing tremendous potential for treating lung cancer patients.
Researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a critical molecular switch, GSK-3ß, that allows cancer cells to become mobile and move away from tumors. This discovery provides an anticancer strategy to pursue by boosting GSK-3ß activity, which can repress the ability of cancer to spread.
Researchers discovered that HER-2 protein receptors can travel into the nucleus and turn on genes associated with different carcinogenesis pathways, including COX-2. This finding may change treatment strategies and open up new avenues of research.
Researchers have identified a protein tag that is unique to cancer cells and can be targeted by a drug delivery system. The strategy showed effectiveness in laboratory tests and animal models, and the team plans to test it next in human tumors.
Researchers developed a novel gene-based therapy that substantially decreased tumor size and eliminated cancer cells in experimental mice. The treatment, which uses recombinant adenoviruses encoding interferon-alpha, showed promise in responding to even resistant bladder cancer cell lines.
Researchers have uncovered a powerful new cancer-fighting property of Herceptin, which targets HER-2 positive breast cancer cells. The study found that high levels of PTEN in tumor cells predict response to the drug, and offers potential combination therapy with PI3K inhibitors.
A mouse model of Werner's syndrome reveals a link between aging and cancer development, suggesting that telomere shortening accelerates disease progression. The study suggests that genomic instability is a common denominator in both aging and cancer, with telomere length playing a key role.
A new study has found that patients with high levels of circulating tumor cells in their blood have shorter progression-free survival and overall survival rates compared to those with low levels. The presence of these cells can predict prognosis more accurately than other factors, allowing for more tailored treatment decisions.
Researchers found that 35% of patients with non-metastatic breast cancer exhibited impairments in verbal learning and memory functions before treatment. After treatment, 61% demonstrated 'chemobrain' declines in memory and learning, with improvements seen in 50% one year later.
A study published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that blocking hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) significantly impairs tumor growth by damaging the vascular microenvironment. The tumors were smaller and had thin-walled, lumenless blood vessels compared to control mice.
A study found that targeting the Pak1-DLC1 interaction can prevent breast cancer growth. The researchers discovered that when DLC1 is modified, it interferes with cell death signals, allowing cancer cells to survive and multiply.
A Phase III clinical trial of Tarceva and chemotherapy showed no overall benefit in survival or response, but a subgroup analysis found young non-smokers treated with Tarceva survived longer than those using chemotherapy. The study suggests that this class of drug may not function well when combined with chemotherapy.
In a Phase III trial, over 65% of early-stage HER-2 positive breast cancer patients achieved a complete response rate when treated with Herceptin and chemotherapy. The results were so striking that the trial was halted early after accruing 42 patients.
A new biologic drug, Lipo-ATRA, offers long-term disease-free survival to patients with rare acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) without traditional chemotherapy. In a small trial, approximately one-third of patients remained in remission for over five years after treatment.
Researchers found tumor disappearance and shrinking in four out of nine patients with advanced melanoma treated with CP-675,206. The antibody works by blocking a negative regulator of the immune system, allowing it to attack cancer cells. A Phase II study is now underway to further investigate the treatment.
A Phase II clinical trial suggests that RAD001, targeting mTOR, can decrease uterine tumor size in recurrent endometrial cancer. The treatment offers new hope for patients with advanced and recurrent cases, which account for about 7,000 deaths annually.
Dr. Bernard Levin, a colorectal cancer expert, is honored by ASCO for his significant contributions to preventing and managing cancer. He will deliver an acceptance lecture on June 6, highlighting his leadership in multidisciplinary programs in research, service, and education.
Researchers have found that male breast cancer incidence has increased by 26% over the past 25 years, with men being diagnosed at a later stage than women. The study also revealed differences in tumor biology, including higher rates of estrogen receptor-positive tumors in men.
A study at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center found that Tibetan yoga improved sleep quality and reduced need for sleep medication in lymphoma patients. Despite no differences in other quality of life measures, the brief 7-week study suggests potential benefits of Tibetan yoga as a stress-reducer in cancer patients.
Researchers successfully converted muscle stem cells into cells showing properties of neurons through the use of an artificial gene. This breakthrough suggests that stem cells may be 'flexible' and able to develop into different cell types, paving the way for potential neuroregeneration techniques.
A five-year study found that high dietary intake of alpha-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E, significantly reduced the risk of developing bladder cancer. The researchers also found that gamma-tocopherol offered no protection against bladder cancer.
Researchers found that early exposure to environmental toxins reprograms the uterus to promote tumor growth in genetically susceptible rats. This new model of gene-environment interaction may explain why some people develop cancer while others don't, especially considering inherited BRCA1 mutations.