Clinical Oncology Week articles from November 2008

Clinical Oncology Week archives from November 2008

Burnham researchers turn cancer friend into cancer foe.
November 3, 2008... Burnham Institute for Medical Research announced that scientists have created a peptide that binds to Bcl-2, a protein that protects cancer cells from programmed cell death, and converts it into a cancer cell killer. The research, which was...

New MRI technique may identify cervical cancer early.
November 3, 2008... Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a special vaginal coil, a technique to measure the movement of water within tissue, researchers may be able to identify cervical cancer in its early stages, according to a new study...

Respiratory rhythms can help predict insomnia.
November 3, 2008... The breathing and heart rates and cortisol levels of women with metastatic breast cancer can be used to predict if they'll suffer from chronic insomnia and sleep disruptions, a common complaint from patients who want to maintain their quality...

US Oncology Physicians Submit Comments to CMS on PET Coverage.
November 3, 2008... Early in 2008, the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) published its initial results indicating that clinicians changed the intended care of more than one in three cancer patients as the result of FDG-PET scan findings. These findings were...

Ocean Beauty Seafoods Sponsors Alaskan Snowboarder.
November 3, 2008... Ocean Beauty Seafoods, one of the largest seafood companies in the country, announces its sponsorship of Alaskan snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, the 2007 National Snowboardcross (SBX) Champion and a 2010 Olympic hopeful. As part of the...

2008 ozone hole larger than last year.
November 3, 2008... The 2008 ozone hole u a thinning in the ozone layer over Antarctica u is larger both in size and ozone loss than 2007 but is not as large as 2006 (see also European Space Agency). Ozone is a protective atmospheric layer found in about 25...

U of MN study shows link between gene variations and cancer survival.(Report)
November 3, 2008... Scientific research shows that certain genes can influence a person's likelihood to contract particular diseases, cancer for example. New research at the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota demonstrates that genetic markers may also...

A new Eph receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in gastric cancer was found.(Report)
November 10, 2008... The potential role of Eph receptor and ephrin ligand family in human cancer is receiving increasing attention. Compared with other Eph receptors, EphA4 is distinguished by its ability to bind to both type A ephrins and most type B ephrins....

Candidate markers for gastric cancer.
November 10, 2008... The sequencing of the human genome has opened the door for proteomics by providing a sequence-based framework for mining proteomes. As a result, there is intense interest in applying proteomics to foster a better understanding of cancer...

Studies from Herlev University yield new information about cancer vaccines.
November 10, 2008... According to a study from Herlev, Denmark, "Harnessing of the immune system by the development of 'therapeutic' vaccines, for the battle against cancer has been the focus of tremendous research efforts over the past two decades. As an...

Studies from University of Pennsylvania further understanding of cancer vaccines.
November 10, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Expert Review of Vaccines, "T-cell immunotherapy relies on the fundamental concept that tumor antigens exist and are presented in the context of MHC molecules for recognition by specific T...

Study findings from E. Huarte et al provide new insights into cancer vaccines.
November 10, 2008... According to recent research from Lebanon, "Dendritic cells (DC) and cytokines that expand myeloid progenitors are widely used to treat cancer." "Here, we show that CD11c(+)DEC205(+) DCs coexpressing alpha-smooth muscle actin and...

The upside to allergies: cancer prevention.
November 10, 2008... A new article in the December issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology provides strong evidence that allergies are much more than just an annoying immune malfunction. They may protect against certain types of cancer (see also University of...

Researchers describe how chronic inflammation can lead to stomach cancer.(Report)
November 17, 2008... A multi-center research team, led by Columbia University Medical Center, has uncovered a major contributor to the cause of stomach cancer u the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. The team described for the first...

New research finds markers for esophageal cancer before it develops.
November 17, 2008... Rhode Island Hospital researchers have identified genetic proteins, also known as biomarkers, capable of distinguishing changes at the microscopic level that can signal a precancerous condition in the esophagus. These markers may help identify...

Gene variations alter risk of esophageal cancer.
November 17, 2008... Variations in a common gene pathway may affect esophageal cancer risk, a dangerous and rapidly increasing type of cancer, according to research by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (see also University of Texas...

How about the feasibility of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochoduodenostomy?
November 17, 2008... Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided biliary drainage for treatment of patients who have obstructive jaundice in cases of failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (see also World Journal of Gastroenterology). An...

What's the role of beta-catenin in colorectal cancers?
November 17, 2008... Beta-catenin, a central molecule of the Wnt-signaling pathway was previously known to involve in the tumorigenesis of various gastrointestinal cancers such as gastric cancer and colon cancer. In colon cancer, previous studies suggested...

Australia leads world first global effort to improve diagnosis of genetic disorders.
November 24, 2008... An Australian-led global initiative to improve the diagnosis of genetic disorders and reduce errors in the reporting of genetic variations has been published in the prestigious scientific journal Science (see also University of Melbourne). ...

Repairing DNA damage: Researchers discover critical process in cancer treatment.
November 24, 2008... From the sun's UVA rays to tobacco smoke, our environment is chock-full of DNA-damaging agents that can lead to cancer. Thanks to our body's DNA repair mechanisms, however, the effects of many carcinogens can be reversed thereby preventing the...

New findings from Musculoskeletal Disease Center in the area of bone research published.
November 24, 2008... Fresh data on bone research are presented in the report 'LMP-1 retroviral gene therapy influences osteoblast differentiation and fracture repair: a preliminary study.' "LIM mineralization protein-1 (LMP-1) is a novel intracellular osteogenic...

New cancer gene therapy study results reported from Suzhou University.(Report)
November 24, 2008... Data detailed in 'CpG island methylator phenotype involving tumor suppressor genes located on chromosome 3p in non-small cell lung cancer' have been presented. "CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) involving methylation abnormalities of tumor...

Studies in the area of cancer gene therapy reported from INSERM.(Report)
November 24, 2008... Research findings, 'Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent transcriptional silencing of the translational repressor 4E-BP1,' are discussed in a new report. "The suppressor of translation initiation 4E-BP1 functions as a key regulator in...

Benign or cancerous?
November 24, 2008... Research into a cancer that is on the rise in the UK is to be presented at the University of Leicester (see also University of Leicester). It will discuss new studies at Leicester into the differences between benign and cancerous moles....