Research on chemotherapy and its side effects. Covers nerve-injury prevention, gold-nanorod therapy, less-intensive regimens, and combination treatments.
A new study reveals that adipose-derived human stem cells can withstand high doses of the chemotherapy drug methotrexate, unlike other cell types. This finding has significant implications for developing an ASC-based therapy to promote bone growth and regeneration in cancer patients.
A novel intravaginal ring demonstrated controlled drug release and safety in pig-tailed macaque monkeys, showing potential for HIV prevention. The ring's topical delivery reduces adherence issues, boosting effectiveness and minimizing side effects.
A new bone marrow transplantation method has shown promising results in treating adults with severe sickle cell disease, achieving long-term stable donor engraftment and improved hemoglobin levels. The study's findings suggest that this procedure can be applied to older adults with fewer toxic effects.
A large-scale search of a national medical database found that St. John's wort is often prescribed with medications that may result in adverse reactions, such as serotonin syndrome or heart disease. The study highlights the importance of caution when combining St. John's wort with other medications.
Adding cetuximab or bevacizumab to combination chemotherapy improves survival for patients with KRAS wild-type untreated colorectal cancer, with both treatments offering approximately 30-month overall survival. Genetic testing is crucial to determine the benefit of these treatments.
Researchers have discovered a potential treatment for tuberculosis (TB) by targeting the body's immune response rather than directly killing the bacteria. This new host-directed therapy has shown promise in preventing disease severity and controlling bacterial growth, offering hope for those infected with drug-resistant strains.
Saint Louis University researchers have discovered a molecular pathway that causes painful chemotherapy side effects and found a potential way to block it. A drug already approved for treating multiple sclerosis may also alleviate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) without affecting the medication's anticancer properties.
Researchers developed a hydrogel that releases chemotherapy drugs in short bursts triggered by ultrasound, improving cancer treatment outcomes. The self-healing gel approach offers a more effective and minimally invasive method for delivering drugs at the right place and time.
A new drug called selumetinib has been found to delay progression of metastatic uveal melanoma, increasing progression-free survival by over double that of chemotherapy. The study's findings demonstrate a potential treatment approach for this rare and deadly form of melanoma.
A study found that selumetinib improved cancer progression-free survival time and tumor response rate in patients with advanced uveal melanoma, but had no impact on overall survival. Treatment-related adverse events were common, affecting nearly all patients.
Scientists have identified a new biomarker called Neuromedin U (NmU) that may help predict and overcome resistance to newer anti-cancer drugs for HER2 positive cancers. The discovery could lead to more effective treatment strategies and improved patient outcomes.
Scientists at EPFL introduce a novel biosensor molecule that can quickly measure drug concentration in patients' systems using a digital camera. The method is simple, low-cost, and can be used by patients themselves.
Researchers found that fasting can replenish stem cells in the blood, combating chemotherapy-induced and aging-related changes in immune cell function. Fasting has also been shown to rejuvenate the immune system of old mice and protect against white blood cell loss in human patients.
A study found that approximately 25% of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) are missing too many doses of essential maintenance medication, which minimizes the risk of relapse. Nonadherence triples relapse risk, with African Americans and Asians being more prone to non-adherence than non-Hispanic whites.
A Kaiser Permanente study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that patients with small HER2+ breast cancer tumors (<0.5 cm) had a high survival rate without distant recurrence, even without treatment. For larger tumors (0.6-1 cm), the risk was slightly lower but still remained low.
A new trial found that giving chemotherapy immediately to men with newly diagnosed, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer can extend their survival by more than a year. The study showed significant benefits in both overall and high-extent disease populations.
A preclinical study of Rice University's quadrapeutics technology found that it can detect and kill cancer cells instantly, without harming surrounding normal organs. The technology uses a combination of existing clinical treatments and mechanical events triggered by nano-explosions to target cancer cells.
An analysis by Fox Chase Cancer Center has revealed a dramatic increase in the use of chemotherapy before surgery to remove ovarian cancer, with 26.72% of patients receiving it in 2011 compared to 8.94% in 1998.
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center found that genetic mutations in three specific genes can predict which bladder cancer patients will benefit from early chemotherapy. Patients with these mutations are more likely to respond to treatment and have a higher chance of being cancer-free after surgery.
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center halted a trial after 23% of patients experienced severe cardiovascular events while receiving a chemotherapy regimen. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
A new clinical trial found that adding goserelin to chemotherapy regimens for premenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer significantly reduced the risk of early menopause. The study also showed improved overall survival rates and a higher pregnancy rate in the goserelin group.
A retrospective analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy's impact on overall survival in patients with stage III soft tissue sarcomas (STS) found a significant benefit. Patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy had an improved median overall survival, with a 23% increase compared to those not treated.
Researchers have developed nanoscale structures called 'nanodaisies' that can deliver multiple anti-cancer drugs to cancer cells. These daisy-shaped structures show promise in treating lung, leukemia, breast, prostate, liver, ovarian and brain cancers.
Researchers used large population-based data to compare six common chemotherapy regimens, identifying those with the highest risk of hospitalization. The study found that TAC and AC+T were associated with high hospitalization rates in younger patients, while all regimens except ddAC+P had higher risks for older patients.
A phase I study found that alisertib inhibited aurora A kinase, a target for aggressive lymphoma treatment, in about one-third of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The oral drug showed manageable side effects, paving the way for advanced trials.
Berkeley Lab researchers unveiled the atomic-scale mechanism of microtubule assembly and disassembly. They found that GTP hydrolysis leads to conformational strain, which is reversed by Taxol binding, stabilizing the microtubule lattice.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have discovered the mechanism by which Taxol interferes with microtubule polymerization, preventing cell division in cancer cells. This finding could lead to the development of better anticancer drugs and improvements to existing treatments.
Circadian rhythm disruption during chemotherapy worsens its side effects, including fatigue and body weight loss. Researchers suggest personalising chronotherapy delivery to improve clinical tolerability and potentially boost treatment effectiveness.
Researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified over 60 drugs that could inhibit the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). These drugs, which are either approved for another condition or in advanced clinical trials, provide new targ...
A new chemotherapy regimen administered before surgery and chemoradiation improves tolerance to treatment in most rectal cancer patients. The study found that over 90% of patients were able to complete a full course of standard treatment, with many experiencing a significant reduction in symptoms.
Researchers develop nanoparticles that release two chemotherapy drugs, erlotinib and doxorubicin, at staggered times to weaken tumor cells' defenses before delivering DNA-damage. This approach dramatically shrinks lung and breast tumors in mice, including aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Researchers at Georgia State University identify two enzymes that suppress proteins important for cell survival and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Their findings suggest inhibiting these enzymes could be a novel therapeutic approach to overcoming resistance.
A gene expression profiling test analyzes patterns of 21 genes to predict cancer recurrence and benefit from chemotherapy. Many patients misunderstand the test's meaning, viewing it as a personalized and emotionally significant result rather than population-based statistics.
A new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that nearly one-third of working women who had breast cancer were unemployed four years later. Women who received chemotherapy were most affected, with a significant increase in unemployment over time.
A study found that many women with early-stage breast cancer lose paid employment after diagnosis, particularly those who received chemotherapy. Women who received chemotherapy were 1.4 times more likely to be unemployed at follow-up.
Researchers at the University of Manchester discovered a key role for protein Bid in mitosis-related cell death, which may help overcome chemotherapy resistance in colon cancer. By targeting Bid, resistant cells can be made more susceptible to treatment.
A 20-year analysis of HIPEC treatment shows significant improvement in patient outcomes for selected individuals with advanced abdominal cancer. The median overall survival was 29.9 months, with a five-year survival rate of 32.5%.
Researchers at King's College London have identified new pain relief targets that could help chemotherapy patients who suffer from persistent pain. The discovery was made by investigating how pain occurs in nerves and found that the immune system plays a key role in causing pain.
Researchers have created nanoparticles that can deliver three or more different chemotherapy drugs to cancer cells, offering new hope for more effective treatments. The particles are designed to release the drugs in response to specific triggering mechanisms, reducing side effects and increasing efficacy.
Scientists discovered a surprising collaboration between p53 and NF-kappaB proteins in immune cells, which can lead to increased inflammation. This finding may help develop new strategies to prevent inflammatory side effects of chemotherapy.
Research finds that long-term antibiotic treatment with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine can cause significant changes in gut microbiota, leading to weight gain in nearly one quarter of patients. The study highlights the need for reduced calorie diets during long-term antibiotic treatment.
Clinical trials show chemotherapy before surgery improves muscle-invasive bladder cancer survival. Chemotherapy after surgery also increases survival rates, with a significant improvement over time.
Researchers at the University of Southampton found that a combination of cetuximab and chemotherapy was not effective in treating advanced bowel cancer that had spread to the liver. The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, suggests that this treatment approach may even accelerate cancer progression in some cases.
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that chemotherapy improved progression-free survival compared to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with wild-type EGFR tumors. However, overall survival did not differ between the two groups.
A University of Colorado study shows that cancer cells can outlive chemotherapies by using autophagy, a process where cells recycle damaged parts. This finding has implications for developing drugs that inhibit autophagy to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy.
Researchers have developed a new drug delivery method that targets cancer cells using nanoballoons encapsulating anti-cancer drugs. The nanoballoons release the drugs when struck by a red laser, limiting interactions with healthy bodily systems and reducing side effects.
A landmark study found pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy to be an independent predictor of favorable clinical outcomes in all molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The treatment administered, taxane or non-taxane, was also shown to impact event-free survival.
A new study found that adjuvant chemotherapy increases markers of molecular aging in the blood of BC survivors, including p16INK4a and ARF expression. These age-promoting effects may last for several years after treatment and even be permanent.
Researchers measured p16 levels before, after and a year after chemotherapy to determine its impact on molecular aging. The study found that curative chemotherapy increased molecular age by an equivalent of 15 years in breast cancer patients. This suggests the p16 test may help evaluate treatment effects on long-term health and survival.
Researchers at Plant & Food Research identified falcarinol-type compounds that inhibit transport mechanisms interfering with cancer chemotherapy. These compounds, found in carrots and parsley, may complement conventional treatments to deliver better results for patients.
A new study has developed a revolutionary new drug called ZL105 that manipulates the body's natural energy systems to attack and shut down cancerous cells. The compound is based on the precious metal iridium and may be ten times more effective in treating various types of cancers.
A study of 439,628 veterans found that taking Valproic acid for at least one year lowered the risk of developing head and neck cancer by 34%. Higher doses and longer durations of use provided additional benefits with up to 16,000 new cases potentially prevented annually in the US.
Research finds that obese patients have a higher risk of cancer recurrence and metastasis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Diabetes also affects cancer outcomes, particularly in hormone receptor-positive tumours, increasing the risk of death from all causes by 49%.
Interim results show omitted radiotherapy associated with higher early relapse rates in stage I/II Hodgkin's lymphoma. The study found no significant differences in progression-free survival between standard and experimental treatment arms.
A new class of BTK inhibiting drugs has shown significant improvements in patients with terminal forms of leukemia and lymphoma. The treatment has virtually no side effects and improves a patient's life expectancy and quality of life.
Scientists have developed 'chemosynthetic livers' that can mimic human metabolism, allowing researchers to test drug safety and interactions without animal testing. The technology has already demonstrated accurate results with over 50 pharmaceutical compounds.
Researchers found that CT scans can predict chemotherapy effectiveness by analyzing tumor density and contrast uptake. This breakthrough could lead to personalized treatment plans for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a new technique using ATP as a trigger for targeted anti-cancer drug delivery. In laboratory tests, it increased the effectiveness of drugs targeting breast cancer, with a 3.6 times higher success rate than non-ATP techniques.
Researchers found that several chemotherapy drugs cause hyper proliferation in stem cells, leading to tumor recurrence. The study used fruit flies as a model, discovering compounds that inhibit tumors without causing this side effect.
A new study led by the University of South Florida found that molecular subtyping can better identify women at high risk of recurrence. The method classifies breast cancer tumors into four genetically-distinct categories, providing valuable information for personalized treatment decisions.