Research on chemotherapy and its side effects. Covers nerve-injury prevention, gold-nanorod therapy, less-intensive regimens, and combination treatments.
Researchers identified a new genetic syndrome caused by biallelic mutations in the FANCM gene, leading to early cancer formations and chemotherapy toxicity. Patients with this syndrome did not develop Fanconi anaemia, but had a higher risk of breast cancer and chromosomal fragility.
Researchers discover bacteria in pancreatic tumors that metabolize a common chemotherapy drug, rendering it ineffective. The study suggests that targeting these bacteria may offer a new approach to treating pancreatic cancer.
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.
Researchers have developed a novel technique to deliver steroids directly into the cochlea, reducing hearing loss caused by cisplatin treatment in mice by 50%. This breakthrough has potential applications for treating various types of hearing loss and could also be used to deliver other drugs and therapies.
The KEYNOTE-040 trial found that pembrolizumab significantly improved outcomes in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, especially those with high PD-L1 expression. The study also showed a better side-effect profile for pembrolizumab compared to standard treatments.
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.
A study presented at ESMO 2017 found that socio-psychological factors, such as anxiety and family concerns, are now more significant for cancer patients than previously thought. The study suggests that doctors should consider improving supportive therapies and providing stronger psychological support to address these issues.
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 Cornell University have identified a potential solution to protect premenopausal women from life-altering infertility after cancer treatment. By inhibiting the checkpoint pathway, the study found that oocytes survived radiation and remained fertile, enabling birth of healthy pups.
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 found that combining CDKs' inhibitors with conventional anti-cancer drugs like cisplatin increases tumor cell death. However, treating cells with 5-FU can lead to decreased death rates and resistance. This study suggests a promising approach for developing new anti-cancer treatments.
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 develop model using zebrafish larvae to predict personalized treatment of cancer, offering faster and safer option than current methods. The study confirms that zebrafish and mice react similarly to treatments, enabling timely answers in under two weeks.
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.
Future medications can be scaled up using electrochemistry, creating vicinal diamines without toxic waste. This process employs Earth-abundant manganese, offering a more sustainable alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods.
A new hybrid biomaterial delivers a chemotherapeutic agent and RNA interfering technology to silence drug resistance, resulting in substantial decrease in cancer cell viability. The material's ease of modification allows for swapping out components to suit specific cell lines and drugs.
Researchers identified synthetic lethal interactions that inhibit tumor growth in mesenchymal cells, a promising approach for treating alternative lengthening telomere (ALT) cancers. Simultaneous inhibition of BLM and FANCM genes could lead to more effective treatment with fewer side effects.
Researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University identified two microRNAs that can improve pancreatic cancer response to gemcitabine, a common chemotherapy drug. These findings suggest novel combined treatments for this devastating disease. MicroRNA levels can also predict prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients.
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.
Research found that four molecular subtypes of gastric cancer have different prognoses and responses to chemotherapy, with the EBV subtype associated with the best outcome and the GS subtype with no benefit. The study suggests that classifying gastric cancer cases by subtype could provide personalized treatment options.
A Berlin study of patients with early-stage colon cancer has found that the MACC1 gene and DNA repair mechanisms can help determine prognosis and predict response to chemotherapy. Patients with low MACC1 levels and proficient mismatch repair status have a higher five-year survival rate.
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.
TAK228 enhances radiation and chemotherapy for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT), two childhood brain cancers with poor prognosis. The drug reduces tumor cell proliferation and increases cancer cell death, particularly when combined with treatment.
Three case reports published in NEJM demonstrate the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy in gray zone lymphoma, a rare subtype of Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin forms of the disease. Nivolumab and pembrolizomab showed promising results in treating patients with PD-L1 over-expression.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a new statistical model to estimate kidney function in cancer patients, improving chemotherapy dosing accuracy. The model reduces errors from over 20% to 11.7% compared to existing methods.
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.
The University of Texas at Arlington has awarded three new seed grants for interdisciplinary research projects addressing skin cancer, rapid drug evaluation and mental health risks among homeless youth. The projects aim to develop innovative treatments and programs using cutting-edge technology.
Researchers developed micro-cubes that can sponge up a hydrophobic anti-cancer drug and deliver it to cancer cells, showing increased potency against liver cancer cells and reduced harm to normal liver cells. The cubes retain their shape and release the drug in response to higher redox potentials found in cancer cells.
A recent study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University has discovered that injecting potato virus particles into melanoma tumors activates an anti-tumor immune response, halting tumor progression. Co-administering the nanoparticles with chemotherapy drugs yields the most potent benefit.
A team of researchers has discovered that a DNA-cutting enzyme plays a broad role in driving abnormal genetic rearrangements, including translocations that cause cancer. The study identified specific sites of DNA damage along the entire genome of human leukemia cells.
Researchers created a system that uses continuous flow technology to produce pharmaceutical compounds, improving safety and yield. The new approach yielded 24 kilograms of chemotherapy agent prexasertib over three days, demonstrating its effectiveness.
Researchers found that childhood chemotherapy affects skills like quick task switching and remembering new information, but not long-term memory or concentration. High p-Tau levels predict future cognitive problems.
Researchers identified a biomarker that better categorizes patients who would respond to FGFR inhibitors, improving clinical trial design. Combining FGFR inhibitors with chemotherapy has the potential to improve treatment outcomes.
Researchers at Australian National University have developed a new treatment for acute myeloid leukemia that reduces cancer cells and cancer stem cells. This innovative approach uses a compound called CX-5461 to target protein-making processes within cancer cells, leading to promising preclinical results.
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.
Researchers conducted a study assessing stem cell transplantation for patients with a rare 'gain of function' STAT1 gene mutation. The treatment showed encouraging results, with five patients being completely cured and disease-free, but the overall success rate was disappointing at 40%. Experts propose adjusting treatment parameters, s...
Researchers found that capecitabine results in fewer side effects and improved quality of life, while being as effective as CMF in preventing breast cancer recurrence. Over 85% of patients did not experience their cancer returning for at least five years.
In a phase III clinical trial, olaparib reduced cancer progression by 42%, delaying it by 3 months compared to standard chemotherapy. Tumors shrunk in about 60% of patients who received olaparib.
A web-based tool enables patients to report symptoms in real time, triggering alerts to clinicians, resulting in a median survival of 5 months longer. Patients experience improved quality of life and are able to tolerate chemotherapy longer.
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.
Researchers from ETH Zurich have defined the three-dimensional structure of ABCG2, a human multi-drug transporter. The protein recognizes and transports over 200 substances, including toxins and medications, making it a double-edged sword in cancer treatment and drug development.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a 35-gene signature that indicates higher genetic likelihood of chemotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. This biomarker can help predict relapse and provide a new pharmacologic approach to target chemo-resistant lung cancer.
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.
Researchers at the Center for Cell-Based Therapy found that patients with more autoreactive lymphocytes before treatment have a shorter therapeutic effect. In contrast, those with fewer autoreactive lymphocytes experience a longer-lasting response to stem cell therapy.
A phase III clinical trial shows gefitinib is effective in preventing recurrence after lung cancer surgery, with patients going about 10 months longer without disease-free survival. The treatment causes far fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy, with only 12% experiencing severe side effects versus 48%.
Patients with double-hit lymphoma who undergo autologous stem-cell transplantation (autoSCT) after achieving remission do not experience a clear benefit in terms of remaining in remission or living longer. However, patients receiving standard front-line chemotherapy may see improved outcomes.
A Phase III clinical trial has shown that an immediate infusion of gemcitabine after bladder cancer tumor removal significantly reduces the risk of cancer recurrence. The study found a 34% reduction in recurrence risk, with no additional side effects compared to a saline infusion.
Researchers have developed a new approach to deliver therapeutics into tumors using the white blood cells of our body. By attaching a nanoscale particle to an infection-fighting white blood cell, they can get a drug past the armor of blood vessels that typically shield a tumor.
A Stanford University team developed a drug delivery tool that continuously regulates chemotherapy drug levels in living animals, maintaining a constant dosage despite individual variability. The technology, which includes a real-time biosensor and programmable pump, shows promise for adapting to control a wide range of drugs.
Osimertinib significantly reduces lung cancer symptoms, including appetite loss, fatigue, and breathlessness, while improving global health status and enabling patients to perform daily activities. The drug demonstrates better activity, less toxicity, and improved quality of life compared to chemotherapy.
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.
Researchers at Florida State University have developed a statistical model that ranks chemotherapy treatment options for patients based on the gene expression profile of their tumor. The model takes into account both effectiveness and potential side effects, predicting a higher complete response rate for some subtypes of breast cancer.
Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center used TACC's advanced computers to discover a potential new cancer drug, mebendazole, which can selectively inhibit TNIK enzyme activity. Virtual screening and molecular modeling approaches identified this compound as a strong candidate for further exploration.
Researchers have identified a genetic signature associated with resistance in triple negative breast cancer, which can be reversed after a period of treatment cessation. This discovery may lead to personalized chemotherapy strategies and improved treatment outcomes.
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.
A UMass Medical School study found that the bacteria in the gut microbiome can affect how sensitive worms are to chemotherapy drugs. The researchers used Caenorhabditis elegans, a roundworm, and fed them different types of bacteria to see which ones made them more or less sensitive to the drug floxuridine, used to treat colorectal cancer.
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.