http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. New results from a prospective clinical trial conducted in France show that children with low-risk retinoblastoma do not need postoperative (adjuvant) chemotherapy to prevent disease recurrence or metastasis; the results also suggest that certain patients with intermediate-risk disease can receive less aggressive adjuvant treatment, or perhaps forego it altogether. Avoiding chemotherapy spares patients from treatment side effects and long-term health risks, such as cardiovascular disease and development of a second cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-prospective-children-retinoblastoma-safely-adjuvant.html Cancer Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:00:03 EST news281624036 Certain gene mutations affect individuals' risk of developing a serious kidney condition, as well as their prognosis after being diagnosed with the disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings may help in diagnosing and treating patients with the disease, and in determining the risks that patients' relatives face for developing it as well. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-mutations-affect-kidney-disease-prognosis.html Genetics Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:00:05 EST news280685294 A process that normally occurs in developing embryos – the changing of one basic cell type into another – has also been suspected of playing a role in cancer metastasis. Now a study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center researchers has associated this process, called epithelial-mesenchymal transition or EMT, with disease progression and treatment response in breast cancer patients. The report also identifies underlying mechanisms that someday may become therapeutic targets. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-transition-cell-parallels-treatment-response.html Cancer Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:00:13 EST news278860997 Recent studies have demonstrated that molecular-targeted agents, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), may prolong survival of selected patients based on tumor biomarkers. The presence of mutation in the EGFR gene is known as a predictive marker for the response to treatment. However, whether or not these EGFR mutations are prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been known. A recent study published in the February 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, concludes EGFR mutations are not a prognostic factor in surgically resected patients or patients with recurrence treated with conventional therapies. However, after disease recurrence, administration of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors can prolong survival. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-egfr-mutation-prognostic-factor-non-small.html Cancer Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:17:07 EST news277471018 A multicenter study led by researchers at UC Davis describes new, paradoxical characteristics of the most common type of breast cancer. The findings shed light on how the disease can evade treatment and could improve diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-her2-paradox-her2-positive-stem-cells.html Cancer Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:20:05 EST news274723407 New research confirms that giving radiotherapy immediately after surgery to remove the prostate has long-term benefits for preventing the biochemical progression of the disease. After 10 years, 61 percent of men who received immediate radiotherapy treatment remained disease free compared with 38 percent who did not, according to the follow-up of the randomized EORTC trial 22911 published Online First in The Lancet. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-radiotherapy-surgery-benefits-prostate-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:30:02 EST news269791356 Whitehead Institute researchers have determined the mechanism used by c-Myc to increase the expression of all active genes in cancer cells. Elevated levels of c-Myc are linked to increased rates of metastasis, disease recurrence, and mortality in cancer patients. Guided by this new model, researchers hope to find ways to restrict c-Myc's activity to eradicate cancer cells that become dependent on c-Myc for their survival. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-aggressive-cancer-exploits-myc-oncogene.html Cancer Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:00:08 EST news267964972 Newly discovered molecular differences between small cell lung cancer and nonsmall cell lung cancer have revealed PARP1 and EZH2 as potential therapeutic targets for patients with small cell lung cancer, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-therapeutic-small-cell-lung-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:01:33 EST news266144362 Disease-free survival for invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) patients may be easier to predict with the help of F-18-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scans, according to research published in the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. New data show that high maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) of F-18-FDG in the lymph nodes prior to treatment could be an independent indicator of disease recurrence. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-pretreatment-petct-imaging-lymph-nodes.html Cancer Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:50:53 EST news265989042 A recent study of adults age 50 to 85 found that only 19 percent of those diagnosed with lung disease quit smoking within two years. Furthermore, the research showed that the vast majority of older adults who learn they have a chronic condition do not adopt healthier behaviors, according to data presented in the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-seniors-illness-tough-habits.html Health Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:46:07 EST news262964711 New research takes aim at stubborn cancer stem cells that are thought to be responsible for treatment resistance and relapse. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 14 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, provides insight into mechanisms associated with the survival of leukemia stem cells and identifies a potential therapeutic target that is specific for these dangerously persistent cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-therapy-leukemia-stem-cells.html Cancer Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:10:01 EST news248362666 The chemotherapy drugs required to push a common form of adult leukemia into remission may contribute to DNA damage that can lead to a relapse of the disease in some patients, findings of a new study suggest. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-chemotherapy-leukemia-relapse.html Cancer Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:04 EST news245504668 Ovarian cancer is a major health concern for women and the identification of sensitive biomarkers for early detection and/or monitoring of disease recurrence is of high clinical relevance. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-unique-genetic-marker-recurrent-ovarian.html Cancer Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:02 EST news242497924 The addition of zoledronic acid to adjuvant endocrine therapy increased bone mineral density and reduced the risk for disease recurrence among postmenopausal women with early hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, according to new data from the ZO-FAST trial. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-bisphosphonate-endocrine-therapy-survival-postmenopausal.html Cancer Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:15:13 EST news242482471 BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, announced that a study on frequent mutation of genes encoding ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathway (UMPP) components in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is published online today in Nature Genetics. In addition to BGI, co-leaders of the study included Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, among others. The study reveals that alteration of UMPP may contribute to ccRCC by activation of the hypoxia regulatory network, providing new clues to trace the key molecular mechanisms and pathways that underlie the tumorigenesis and progression of ccRCC. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-bgi-results-frequent-mutation-genes.html Cancer Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:00:01 EST news242223016 Recent studies have suggested that C-11 choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans can be utilized as a staging and potentially therapeutic tool in prostate cancer. The results of three studies, released today during a meeting of the North Central Section of the American Urological Association, validate findings in Europe and expand the potential use of C-11 choline PET scans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-trio-petct-scans-prostate-cancer.html Cancer Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:21:57 EST news238436506 Oncolytic viruses quickly infect and kill cancer stem cells, which may provide a treatment for tumors that are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation, particularly pancreatic cancer, according to new research from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The findings are especially important since pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis and is difficult to detect and treat at early stages. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-oncolytic-viruses-effectively-pancreatic-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 09 May 2011 11:36:12 EST news224159739