Cancer Research

It sounds creepy but fetal microchimerism, fetal cells that persist in a woman’s body long after pregnancy, may reduce the woman’s risk of breast cancer, say researchers at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Their findings are presented in the October 1 issue of Cancer Research. The ability of cells from a growing fetus to take up long-term residence within its mother has been implicated as a mechanism of autoimmune disease but the researchers say it may also benefit mothers by putting the immune system on alert for malignant cells to destroy. To test…

The first step in the development of colon cancer is the formation of benign tumours, called adenomas, in the intestine. Over time, these tumours may progress to produce colon cancer if they undergo a series of mutations and genetic alterations. Researchers at IRB Barcelona under the direction of Eduard Batlle, ICREA researcher and head of IRB Barcelona’s Oncology Programme, have discovered a new mechanism by which the benign tumour cells receive instructions to grow in confined compartments, and no to invade other areas of the tissue. The description of this new tumour suppression mechanism…

Tiny pieces of genetic material called microRNA (miRNA), better known for its roles in cancer, could be a key to unlocking the secrets of how HIV, the AIDS virus, evades detection, hiding in the immune system. Researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have shown that when an individual infected with HIV receives a powerful cocktail of antiviral agents called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), the virus calls on miRNAs to help it remain quiet and practically undetectable, temporarily shutting down its ability to replicate and infect. The work may also have…

Cholesterol contributes to atherosclerosis – a condition that greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke – by suppressing the activity of a key protein that protects the heart and blood vessels, researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have found. Their findings could lead to new therapies to treat or prevent heart disease – the leading cause of death in the United States – as well as answer key questions about other diseases associated with high cholesterol levels, including some types of cancer. “We believe these findings represent a significant and novel…

It doesn't matter if it's wine or beer, the increased breast cancer risk from drinking three or more alcoholic drinks a day is similar to the increased breast cancer risk from smoking a packet of cigarettes or more a day. Dr Arthur Klatsky said: “Population studies have consistently linked drinking alcohol to an increased risk of female breast cancer, but there has been little data, most of it conflicting, about an independent role played by the choice of beverage type.” Dr Klatsky, adjunct investigator in the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, USA, and his…

A new study by Norwegian researchers investigating how cancer influences divorce found that most types of cancer resulted in a slight decrease in the divorce rate in the first few years following the diagnosis - except cervical or testicular cancer. The somewhat double-edged good news: the study found that divorce was least likely to occur when the cancer had spread or for types of cancer that have a poor prognosis, and more likely in cancers with a good chance of recovery. In other words, your spouse is more likely to stick it out if you're going to die anyway. The research, which compared…

Researchers in Portugal have discovered that a specific mutation of the COX2 gene seems to play a role in the onset of ovarian cancer, increasing women’s susceptibility to developing the disease. The discovery raises the possibility that, if the findings are confirmed by further studies, it might be possible to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, which are used already for other conditions, to prevent ovarian cancer developing in women with the COX2 mutation. Dr Ana Carina Pereira told the European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) in Barcelona, today…

New research in radiotherapy has found acupuncture does not relieve nausea caused by cancer treatment, despite widespread belief among cancer patients and health care professionals that it does. Maybe that's good enough. The study evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture in 215 patients with various types of cancer who got either active acupuncture or a sham treatment that involved an identical looking and feeling needle that retracted into the handle on contact with the skin. The treatment, in the forearm, was given two or three times a week during the whole period of radiotherapy, which…

Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have clarified the link between alcohol consumption and the risk of head and neck cancers, showing that people who stop drinking can significantly reduce their cancer risk. So enjoy it while you can. Governments will outlaw drinking in bars next. According to CAMH Principal Investigator Dr. Jürgen Rehm, existing research consistently shows a relationship between alcohol consumption and an increased risk for cancer of the esophagus, larynx and oral cavity. Dr. Rehm and his team analyzed epidemiological literature from 1966 to…

Researchers say they have found a key biochemical cycle that suppresses the immune response, thereby allowing cancer cells to multiply unabated. The research shows how the biomolecules responsible for healthy T-cells, the body’s first defenders against hostile invaders, are quashed, permitting the invading cancer to spread. The same cycle could also be involved in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The scientists used special molecular “nanosensors” for the work. “We used a technique called fluorescence resonance energy transfer, or FRET, to monitor the levels of, tryptophan,…