Many men with prostate cancer may want to consider not pursuing aggressive treatment for the disease, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that in older patients and those with other underlying health conditions, other health problems are far more likely to cause death than the prostate cancer. Together with the serious side effects of… [Continue Reading]
Older Prostate Cancer Patients Should Consider Foregoing Aggressive Treatment to Improve Quality of Life
May 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Depression in Cancer Patients Predicts Poor Outcomes
May 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A new study suggests that mental health may have a big impact during a patient’s battle against cancer. Patients who suffer from symptoms of depression are more likely to die than those with normal mental health, according to researchers. Depressed cancer survivors are twice as likely to die prematurely than those who do not suffer… [Continue Reading]
Drug Effective in Treating BRCA-Positive Patients With Pancreatic and Prostate Cancer
May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment
While mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are most commonly known to cause breast and ovarian cancer, they are also linked to cancers of other organs, including the prostate and lung. A new study has shown that a particular drug can limit the progression of non-breast cancers in carriers of the mutant genes. In… [Continue Reading]
Aerobic Exercise May Change Estrogen Metabolism, Leading to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer
May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Aerobic exercise has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, but why this is the case has been unknown. New research suggests that exercise changes the way estrogen is processed in the body, which may explain the effect. Changes in estrogen breakdown, or metabolism, may be one of the mechanisms by which aerobic… [Continue Reading]
Breast Environment Helps Explain Difference in Breast Cancer Metastasis Between Women
May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Among breast cancer patients, women with denser breasts tend to have a higher level of metastasis. Researchers have now discovered a key reason for this difference. A protein on cancer cells interacts with collagen in the breast, which occurs more frequently in dense breast tissue. This interaction is linked to metastasis. Researchers at Washington University… [Continue Reading]
Ulcer Bacteria and Salty Diet Strongly Increases Risk of Gastric Cancer
April 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is most well-known for causing ulcers, but it is also a significant risk factor for stomach cancer as well. A new study has shown that the bacteria, particularly when combined with a diet high in salt, strongly increase the risk of the disease. Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown that a diet… [Continue Reading]
Genome Sequencing Identifies Mutations Linked to Childhood Brain Cancer
April 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Sequencing the genomes of patients has revealed mutations in two genes that are linked to a particular type of childhood brain cancer. The cancer is successfully treated in only a minority of cases. The new research is helping scientists better understand the disease, which will allow the development of more effective therapies. The St. Jude… [Continue Reading]
Simplified Diagostic Methods Helps Detect Breast Cancer in Developing Countries
April 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A streamlined process for diagnosing breast cancer could help save the lives of women in developing countries. The new method is simpler and better adapted for communities with limited resources. Radiologists are a step closer to implementing a program in an underserved region of Uganda for diagnosing and treating women with palpable breast masses. The… [Continue Reading]
Markers of Breast Cancer Cells That Will Migrate to the Brain Discovered
April 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Four proteins on the surface of breast cancer cells mark the brain as their final destination, researchers have discovered. Scientists have found that when cells marked with these proteins can be found circulating in the blood, they will eventually find their way to the brain. Some breast tumor circulating cells in the bloodstream are marked… [Continue Reading]