Cancer Research

Cancer is commonly thought to progress by the growth of a primary tumor followed by metastasis, in which cancer cells leave the primary tumor and spread to distant organs. New research conducted by scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center shows, however, that circulating tumor cells can also return to and grow in their tumor of origin, a newly discovered process called 'self-seeding.' The findings of the study, published in the December 25 issue of the journal Cell, suggest that self-seeding can enhance tumor growth through the release of signals that promote angiogenesis,…

This is an experiment to stir up reaction: a significant proportion of the literature is misleading or false, tainting up to 20% of publications. What are the consequences? 1. The wastage of funds on research that is flawed and often misleading. Millions of dollars are spent on research  every year worldwide. 2. This situation is unnecessary, unacceptable, and the antithesis of fundamental scientific principles. 3. Loss of public support for science. The longer the current situation continues, the more likely it is to damage the credibility of science and risk the loss of…

New nanosensors can measure cancer biomarkers in whole blood for the first time, according to an article Nature Nanotechnology, and that could dramatically simplify the way physicians test for biomarkers of cancer and other diseases.  A team led by Mark Reed, Yale's Harold Hodgkinson Professor of Engineering&Applied Science at Yale, and Tarek Fahmy, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, used nanowire sensors to detect and measure concentrations of two specific biomarkers: one for prostate cancer and the other for breast cancer.  Blood is filtered and…

What's the relationship between soy consumption and breast cancer? Some major news from JAMA: Even though the findings by Shu et al suggest that consumption of soy foods among breast cancer patients is probably safe, studies in larger cohorts are required to understand the effects of these foods among diverse clinical subgroups of breast cancer patients and survivors. In the meantime, clinicians can advise their patients with breast cancer that soy foods are safe to eat and that these foods may offer some protective benefit for long-term health. Moreover, the potential benefits are…

Social isolation and stress are two environmental mechanisms likely to contribute to breast cancer susceptibility, researchers from the University of Chicago said this week. Their study, published in PNAS, found that isolation led to higher production of a stress hormone, corticosterone, among rats that were kept alone and subjected to the disturbances of colony life as well as stressful situations, such as the smell of a predator or being briefly constrained. Additionally, the isolated rats took longer to recover from a stressful situation than rats that lived together in small groups. The…

Cancer researchers at the University of Oklahoma have found a way to turn ineffective new cancer drugs into deceptive cancer-killers. By using a patented chemical compound called SHetA2, the researchers tricked cancer cells into responding to new treatments and committing suicide. Their new study appears in the journal Gynecologic Oncology. "This discovery means that we can use our non-toxic cancer prevention pill to improve treatment for people who already have cancer," said Doris Mangiaracina Benbrook, Ph.D., principal investigator on the project. "All studies to date have not found any…

Recent research done on a plants stem cells revealed an astonishing process that makes plants very unique. The group of stem cells found in plants help produce new tissue for the plant as it grows over time. A mutation in the DNA of these stem cells would be fatal to the tree for tousands of years. Now here comes the interesting part, researchers experimentally damaged the DNA of these stem cells and observed that the cells detected this damage and "triggered the death" of the cell itself. In result preventing the cell from creating damaged DNA over and over again. This is an…

During the past few days, news media has inundated the U.S. public with word that for the first time in 20 years, a government task force has changed course in its recommendations for breast cancer screening. On the surface, that doesn't seem like an earth-shattering story. Guidelines are routinely revised and updated based on available evidence. But the new recommendations go against entrenched medical practice and advice, and the firestorm the change caused shows no signs of flickering out, and is pitting two government groups against each other. The American Cancer Society's standard for…

Cancer research took a fascinating step forward thanks to recent research by a collaborative group from Boston; a step that, if it pans out, could impact a wide swath of cancer drug development. The research is still in its early stages - mouse models - but the potential implications led to a great deal of media coverage. Just a few examples: "Scientists have found a way to disarm a protein thought to play a key role in leukaemia and other cancers," from NHS (UK) "Researchers 'Notch' A Victory Toward New Kind of Cancer Drug" from Science Daily "Cancer protein 'can be disarmed'" from BBC…

People living in volcanic areas may face a higher risk for thyroid cancer, says a new study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. While the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer has been attributed to more sensitive screening, recent evidence suggests that this may not be the only cause. Various environmental factors, such as those associated with volcanoes, have not been excluded as risk factors. The authors point out that a volcanic environment—which can produce toxic compounds that are suspended particulate matter and gases and elements that may pollute the…