Thank you very much to all who have commented on postings within our blog over the past few weeks. While we may not be able to respond to all of your comments, please rest assured that we do read each and every one that comes in, and encourage you to continue sending us your thoughts and opinions.

New technique sheds light on RNA

When researchers sequence the RNA of cancer cells, they can compare it to normal cells and see where there is more RNA. That can help lead them to the gene or protein that might be triggering the cancer. But other than spotting a few known instigators, what does it mean? Is there more RNA because it’s synthesizing too quickly or because it’s not degrading fast enough? What part of the biological equilibrium is off? After more than a decade of work, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a technique to help answer those questions. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Paulsen MT, et al. Coordinated regulation of synthesis and stability of RNA during the acute TNF-induced proinflammatory response. PNAS 2013. Published ahead of print January 23, 2013.

Researchers find genes behind aggressive endometrial cancer

In a major breakthrough for uterine serous carcinoma, Yale researchers have defined the genetic landscape of USC tumors, findings that point to new treatment opportunities. The collaborative team—which included researchers with expertise in gynecological cancer, genomics, and computational biology— identified a number of new genes that are frequently mutated in USC. The results of this comprehensive genetic analysis of USC are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Zhao S, et al. Landscape of somatic single-nucleotide and copy-number mutations in uterine serous carcinoma. PNAS 2013. Published ahead of print January 28, 2013.

Less invasive treatment is associated with improved survival in early stage breast cancer

Patients with early stage breast cancer who were treated with lumpectomy plus radiation may have a better chance of survival compared with those who underwent mastectomy, according to Duke Medicine research. The study, which appears in the journal CANCER, raises new questions as to the comparative effectiveness of breast-conserving therapies such as lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue is surgically removed. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Hwang ES, et al. Survival after lumpectomy and mastectomy for early stage invasive breast cancer: The effect of age and hormone receptor status. Cancer. 2013 Jan 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23359049

Preclinical study identifies 'master' proto-oncogene that regulates stress-induced ovarian cancer metastasis

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered the signaling pathway whereby a master regulator of cancer cell proteins - known as Src - leads to ovarian cancer progression when exposed to stress hormones. The researchers report in the current issue of Nature Communications that beta blocker drugs mitigate this effect and reduce cancer deaths by an average of 17 percent. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Armaiz-Pena GN, et al. Src activation by β-adrenoreceptors is a key switch for tumour metastasis. Nat Commun. 2013 Jan 29;4:1403. PMID: 23360994

Vegetable fiber may reduce breast cancer risk

A new study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that the risk of breast cancer may be lowered by eating vegetable fiber. Participants of the study answered a questionnaire regarding their diet. Researchers categorized the women into five groups depending on their level of fiber intake. When comparing the highest fiber intake group with the lowest fiber intake group, researchers found that the risk of breast cancer was reduced in the participants consuming the most fiber. Furthermore, this risk was statistically significant when only fiber from vegetables was included, and not fiber from fruit, grains and legumes. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Ferrari P, et al. Dietary fiber intake and risk of hormonal receptor-defined breast cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study1,2. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;97(2):344-53. PMID: 23269820

Breastfeeding may protect against ovarian cancer

New research suggests that breastfeeding may reduce the risk for ovarian cancer. The new study included 493 women with ovarian cancer and 472 women without ovarian cancer. The women answered a questionnaire regarding the breastfeeding length of time and the number of children breastfed. Women who breastfed for a total of 31 months or more were significantly less likely to have ovarian cancer than women who breastfed for 10 months or less. Furthermore, women who breastfed three or more children had a significantly reduced risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women who breastfed only one child. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Su D, et al. Ovarian cancer risk is reduced by prolonged lactation: a case-control study in southern China. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;97(2):354-9. PMID: 23283498

FDA approves Gleevec for type of childhood leukemia

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gleevec (imatinib) to treat children who are newly diagnosed with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The treatment is for Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) positive ALL, a type of leukemia caused by a specific genetic change. The drug is used in combination with chemotherapy. It works by killing leukemia cells that contain the damaged chromosome. Read more here.

Cervial cancer is an international issue

"A lot has happened in the area of cervical cancer this past year. The American Cancer Society, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all released virtually identical screening guidelines, leading to less confusion and higher acceptance from health care professionals and the public. Thanks to screening, cervical cancer is not very common in the U.S., with about 12,340 new cases of invasive cervical cancer expected to be diagnosed in 2013. Unfortunately the same is not true around the world, where more than half a million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. It is actually the 2nd largest cancer killer among women in most low- and middle-income countries." Continue reading the American Cancer Society's Expert Voices blog here.

Lungs of heavy smokers can be used for transplant

A new study conducted at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia indicates that lungs from heavy smokers (i.e. those who smoked at least one pack a day for over 20 years) "may be used in certain transplant situations without affecting recipients survival rates or deaths from lung cancer."

According to Dr. Sharven Taghavi, these findings may help more patients waiting for life-saving double-lung transplants, as donors can have good lung function despite years of heavy smoking. Dr. Taghavi and colleagues examined data from nearly 6,000 double-lung transplant recipients between 2005-2011. Of these, 13 received lungs donated by a heavy smoker. While this is a small margin, the study authors point out that, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, "every year only 50 % of people who need a double-lung transplant will actually get one."; at the end of 2012, over 1,600 patients were waiting for a lung transplant.

To read more about this study, which was scheduled to be presented yesterday, January 29th, at the annual meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in Los Angeles, click here

Emotional stress reduces effectiveness of prostate cancer therapies in animal model

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center indicates that stress is not just an emotional side effect of a cancer diagnosis; it also can reduce the effectiveness of prostate cancer drugs and accelerate the development of prostate cancer. The findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Hassan S, et al. Behavioral stress accelerates prostate cancer development in mice. J Clin Invest. 2013 Jan 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23348742

UT MD Anderson study finds qigong improves quality of life for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy

Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found qigong, an ancient mind-body practice, reduces depressive symptoms and improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. The study, published in the journal Cancer, is the first to examine qigong in patients actively receiving radiation therapy and include a follow-up period to assess benefits over time. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Chen Z, et al. Qigong improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2013 Jan 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23355182

New way to kill lymphoma without chemotherapy

A new study by C. Shad Thaxton, M.D., and Leo I. Gordon, M.D. shows that synthetic HDL nanoparticles killed B-cell lymphoma, the most common form of the disease, in cultured human cells, and inhibited human B-cell lymphoma tumor growth in mice. The paper will be published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Yang S, et al. Biomimetic, synthetic HDL nanostructures for lymphoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23345442

Fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower risk of ER- breast cancer

There is no association between total fruit and vegetable intake and risk of overall breast cancer, but vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Jung S, et al. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Risk of Breast Cancer by Hormone Receptor Status. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Jan 24. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23349252

Researchers discover new mutations driving malignant melanoma

Two new mutations that collectively occur in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors have been discovered in what scientists call the "dark matter" of the cancer genome, where cancer-related mutations haven't been previously found. Reporting their findings in Science Express, the researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute said the highly "recurrent" mutations – occurring in the tumors of many people – may be the most common mutations in melanoma cells found to date. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Huang FW, et al. Highly Recurrent TERT Promoter Mutations in Human Melanoma. Science. 2013 Jan 24. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23348506

Chronic myeloid leukemia: a guide for patients

The 2013 Update of the Guide for Patients on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), based on ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines is now available to download in English, Dutch, French, and Spanish. Read more here.

Regulators and hospital authorities called upon avoiding unnecessary delays in approving clinical trials - ESMO Commentary

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) hails the findings from a large international breast cancer study published today in The Oncologist, highlighting the need for regulators and hospital authorities to avoid unnecessary delays in approving clinical trials. In the research paper, corresponding author Dr. Otto Metzger Filho, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and colleagues investigated the time that elapsed between the various regulatory steps, including approval from national regulatory authorities, ethics committees and review boards within participating institutions, before researchers could start treating patients in the Phase III ALTTO trial. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Metzger-Filho O, et al. Analysis of Regional Timelines To Set Up a Global Phase III Clinical Trial in Breast Cancer: The Adjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimization Experience. The Oncologist first published on January 28, 2013.

Researchers discover promising prognostic marker for aggressive breast cancer

A team of researchers led by Goutham Narla, MD, PhD, at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and collaborators at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Erasmus Medical Center, have discovered a gene variant that drives the spread of breast cancer. Published in Science Translational Medicine, the study lays the early foundation for predicting which breast cancer patients may develop more aggressive disease and for designing more effective treatments. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Hatami R, et al. KLF6-SV1 Drives Breast Cancer Metastasis and Is Associated with Poor Survival. Sci Transl Med. 2013 Jan 23;5(169):169ra12. PMID: 23345610

Personal epigenetic 'signatures' found consistent in prostate cancer patients' metastases

In a genome-wide analysis of 13 metastatic prostate cancers, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center found consistent epigenetic "signatures" across all metastatic tumors in each patient. The discovery of the stable, epigenetic "marks" that sit on the nuclear DNA of cancer cells and alter gene expression, defies a prevailing belief that the marks vary so much within each individual's widespread cancers that they have little or no value as targets for therapy or as biomarkers for treatment response and predicting disease severity. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Aryee MJ, et al. DNA methylation alterations exhibit intraindividual stability and interindividual heterogeneity in prostate cancer metastases. Sci Transl Med. 2013 Jan 23;5(169):169ra10. PMID: 23345608

DNA breaks early in replication process associated with B cell cancers

Research by scientists at the NCI has identified a new class of DNA sites in cells that break early in the replication process. They found that these break sites correlate with damage often seen in B cell cancers, such as diffuse large B cell lymphoma. This study is the first to describe an underlying mechanism of genome instability in B cell cancers that could not previously be explained. Results of this finding appear in Cell. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Barlow JH, et al. Identification of Early Replicating Fragile Sites that Contribute to Genome Instability. Cell, 24 January 2013.

Folic acid supplements do not affect cancer risk

Researchers at the University of Oxford have determined that short-term use of folic acid supplements does not affect a person's risk of developing cancer, in particular colon, prostate, lung, or breast cancer. The study, involving around 50,000 people determined that "those who took folic acid every day for up to five years were not significantly more likely to develop cancer than other people who took placebo pills."

To read more about this study, click here

Study mentioned: Vollset SE et al. Effects of folic acid supplementation on overall and site-specific cancer incidence during the randomized trials: Meta-analysis of data on 50 000 individuals. Lancet 2013 Jan 25 [Epub ahead of print]

Dartmouth researchers take novel approach to fighting treatment-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine described a novel approach to killing chronic myeloid leukemia cells without harming normal cells, an approach that could help fight off the disease in patients who have developed resistance to standard treatment. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Kurokawa M, et al. Engineering a BCR-ABL-activated caspase for the selective elimination of leukemic cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23324740

Controlling spine metastases with tumor 'separation surgery' and high-dose stereotactic radiosurgery

Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) have found that tumor "separation surgery" followed by high-dose hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or high-dose single-fraction SRS is safe and effective in controlling spinal metastases regardless of the radiosensitivity of the particular tumor type that has invaded the spine. The findings are published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Laufer I, et al. Local disease control for spinal metastases following "separation surgery" and adjuvant hypofractionated or high-dose single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery: outcome analysis in 186 patients. J Neurosurg Spine. 2013 Jan 22. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23339593

A large-scale genomic sequencing has revealed mutations that drive about 15% of studied meningiomas

Large-scale genomic sequencing has revealed two DNA mutations that appear to drive about 15% of brain tumours known as meningiomas, a finding that could lead to the first effective drug treatments for these tumours, scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute reported in the journal Nature Genetics. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Brastianos PK, et al. Genomic sequencing of meningiomas identifies oncogenic SMO and AKT1 mutations. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23334667

Deciding about breast cancer chemotherapy

To make truly informed decisions, patients must understand the potential risks and benefits of their treatment options. In this Forbes article, Peter Ubel describes his research on how to present complicated medical information in a way that patients can comprehend. Read more here.

Risk of lung cancer death increased during last 50 years for women smokers

Researchers have found that changes in women’s smoking habits during the last several decades have significantly increased their risk of dying from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease when compared to past female smokers. The researchers analyzed 7 cohort studies to compare women’s smoking patterns and risk of death from smoking-related diseases to that of men over the past 50 years. In total the study included more than 2.2 million adults age 55 years and older. They found that as women began to smoke more like men, by starting younger and smoking more cigarettes per day, their risk of death rose to equal that of men. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Thun MJ, et al. 50-Year Trends in Smoking-Related Mortality in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368:251-364.

Men at 'high' skeletal risk prior to prostate cancer hormone therapy likely to have more fractures after treatment

In what is believed to be the first study to describe the impact on men with a ‘high’ risk of bone fracture who are receiving long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer, new research from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey shows this population to have a higher fracture incidence following treatment completion. The findings, published in BJU International, also show that men who experienced a fracture had a 1.38-fold higher mortality risk than those who did not. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Shao YH, et al. Fracture after androgen deprivation therapy among men with a high baseline risk of skeletal complications. BJU Int. 2013 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23331464

Tumors evolve rapidly in a childhood cancer, leaving fewer obvious tumor targets

An extensive genomic study of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma reinforces the challenges in treating the most aggressive forms of this disease. Contrary to expectations, the scientists found relatively few recurrent gene mutations—mutations that would suggest new targets for neuroblastoma treatment. Instead, say the researchers, they have now refocused on how neuroblastoma tumors evolve in response to medicine and other factors. "This research underscores the fact that tumor cells often change rapidly over time, so more effective treatments for this aggressive cancer will need to account for the dynamic nature of neuroblastoma," said study leader John M. Maris, M.D., director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Read more here.

Study mentioned: Pugh TJ, et al. The genetic landscape of high-risk neuroblastoma. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23334666

Genetic basis of high-risk childhood cancer points to possible new drug treatment strategy

Research led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists has identified a possible lead in treatment of two childhood leukemia subtypes known for their dramatic loss of chromosomes and poor treatment outcomes. The findings also provide the first evidence of the genetic basis for this high-risk leukemia, which is known as hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Normal human cells have 46 chromosomes, half from each parent, but hypodiploid ALL is characterized by fewer than 44 chromosomes. Chromosomes are highly condensed pieces of DNA, the molecule that carries the inherited instructions for assembling and sustaining a person. The research appears in the journal Nature Genetics. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Holmfeldt L, et al. The genomic landscape of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23334668

Unlocking the mysteries of metastasis

"Remarkably, real progress in understanding the processes of metastasis has only happened in the last couple of decades, even though the concept was known in the 1800s. For a long time metastasis was thought to be too complicated, too complex, to be understood. It was thought there were no rules to how it happened. It was not until the late 1970s and early 1980s that researchers showed that there were rules, that certain tumors metastasized to particular organs, and that you could manipulate them to understand why. Today we know that metastasis involves several steps, though we don't know everything about each step." Continue reading the American Cancer Society's Expert Voices blog here.

Excessive sitting may lower odds of surviving colon cancer

According to researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACO), colorectal cancer patients spending the majority of their time sitting have a lower survival rate compared to those who remain physically active. Lead researcher Peter Campbell, director of the ACO's Tumor Repository and his team studied 2,300 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had not spread beyond the colon. After analyzing the data received, people that exercised 150 minutes per week "had a 28% lower risk of dying compared to those who exercised less." Further, those patients who sat 6 or more hours a day during leisure time had a 36% increased risk of dying."

To read more about thus study, click here

Study mentioned: Campbell PT, Patel AV, Newton CC, Jacobs EJ, Gapstur SM. Associations of recreational physical activity and leisure time spent sitting with colorectal cancer survival. J Clin Oncol 2013 [online before print].

New trial alert: Exercise and nutrition for head and neck cancer patients

Investigators at the University of Calgary and Tom Baker Cancer Centre are presently recruiting for a trial to determine the effects of a combined nutrition and physical activity regimen on head and neck cancer patients.  The primary outcome of the study is to observe changes from baseline in body composition, as patients afficted with this type of cancer often experience severe weight loss.  Investigators believe that patients introduced to the exercise and nutrition intervention at the start of treatment will experience "improved symptom management and decreased lean body composition changes, directly improving recovery and QoL (quality of life)."

To read more about this trial, click here

Cervical cancer: testing can find it early and even prevent it

During the past few decades, screening has reduced deaths from cervical cancer, as doctors have been able to find cancer early and treat it, or prevent it from ever developing. However, those declines have begun to taper off, according to new statistics from the American Cancer Society. From 2005 to 2009, death rates from cervical cancer remained the same. New cases of cervical cancer declined by 3% per year in women 50 and older, but did not decline in younger women. Read more here.

When the patient knows best

Oncology nurse, Theresa Brown shares Amy Berman’s decision to forego aggressive treatment for her Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis in favor of palliative care aided by a health care team who respected her individual values and needs to receive care on her own terms. Recognizing the importance of the patient’s perspective, Brown encourages all caregivers to talk to their patients, giving each person the opportunity to understand the risks and benefits of all treatments. Read more here.

European Medicines Agency issues summary of opinion for recommending the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for bosutinib

The European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for the medicinal product bosutinib (Bosulif) 100 mg and 500 mg film-coated tablets intended for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Read more here.

Working towards making personalised treatment a reality for all cancer patients

ESMO shows its support for World Cancer Day: 4 February 2013
Join ESMO, the European reference professional society of medical oncologists, in spreading a correct understanding of personalised medicine and in urging that the necessary actions be taken by the research and public policy communities to make personalised cancer treatment a reality to all cancer patients as soon as possible. Read more here.

Microbeads may extend survical in advanced colon cancer patients

Researchers at Beaumont Hospitals in Michigan have conducted a study indicating that the use of radioactive beads (microbeads), implanted in advanced colon cancer patients with liver tumors may extend survival versus patients on chemotherapy alone.

Study author Dr. Dmitry Goldin and his colleagues reviewed the medical records of 39 patients with advanced colon cancer; these patients underwent radioembolization, a nonsurgical procedure, whereby "tiny radioactive beads [are placed] near inoperable liver tumors.  30 of the patients were pre-treated with Avastin, a drug which limits growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors.  Results indicated that the microbeads extended patient life spans by 10 to 12 months.

Click here to read more about this study, which was presented January 19, 2013 at the International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (Miami Beach, Florida)

How cells know when it's time to eat themselves

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a molecular mechanism regulating autophagy, a fundamental stress response used by cells to help ensure their survival in adverse conditions, according to findings published in Cell. Senior author Kun-Liang Guan, PhD, a professor of pharmacology at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, and colleagues report that an enzyme called AMPK, typically involved in sensing and modulating energy use in cells, also regulates autophagic enzymes. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Kim J, et al. Differential Regulation of Distinct Vps34 Complexes by AMPK in Nutrient Stress and Autophagy. Cell. 2013; 152(1):290-303.

Drug targets hard-to-reach leukemia stem cells responsible for relapses

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that hard-to-reach, drug-resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that overexpress multiple pro-survival protein forms are sensitive – and thus vulnerable – to a novel cancer stem cell-targeting drug currently under development. The findings, published in Cell Stem Cell, open the possibility that diseases like chronic myeloid leukemia and some solid tumor cancers might – in combination with other therapies – be more effectively treated with this drug, and with a lower chance of relapse. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Goff DJ, et al. A Pan-BCL2 Inhibitor Renders Bone-Marrow-Resident Human Leukemia Stem Cells Sensitive to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition. Cell Stem Cell, Online 17 January 2013.

UNC researchers use luminescent mice to track cancer and aging in real-time

In a study published in the journal Cell, researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new method to visualize aging and tumor growth in mice using a gene closely linked to these processes. Researchers have long known that the gene, p16INK4a (p16), plays a role in aging and cancer suppression by activating an important tumor defense mechanism called ‘cellular senescence’. The UNC team led by Norman Sharpless, MD, has developed a strain of mice that turns on a gene from fireflies when the normal p16 gene is activated. In cells undergoing senescence, the p16 gene is switched on, activating the firefly gene and causing the affected tissue to glow. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Burd CE, et al. Monitoring Tumorigenesis and Senescence In Vivo with a p16INK4a-Luciferase Model. 2013; 152(1):340-351.

Gene in uveal melanoma linked to good prognosis

Uveal melanoma is often fatal, but tumours with mutations in the SF3B1 gene are more likely to have a good outcome, new research suggests. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine reported their findings in Nature Genetics. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Harbour JW, et al. Recurrent mutations at codon 625 of the splicing factor SF3B1 in uveal melanoma. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23313955

ESMO Consensus Conference on Prostate Cancer

Before the ESMO Consensus Conference on prostate cancer, the expert panel prepared clinically relevant questions about prostate cancer in four areas for discussion. All relevant scientific literature, as identified by the experts, was reviewed in advance. During the Consensus Conference, the panel developed recommendations for each specific question. The recommendations detailed in the study are based on an expert consensus after careful review of published data.

Study mentioned: Horwich A, et al. Prostate cancer: ESMO Consensus Conference Guidelines 2012. Ann Oncol. 2013 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23303340

Grey Matters: a practical search tool for evidence-based medicine

The Information Services team of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has developed a grey literature checklist. Grey literature includes reports and government information that are not published commercially and that are inaccessible via bibliographic databases. Access CADTH’s newly revised and updated online resource for grey literature searching, Grey matters: a practical search tool for evidence-based medicine, here.

Body's ibuprofen, SPARC, reduces inflammation and thus bladder cancer development and metastasis

A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows that the protein SPARC (Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine) acts much like an anti-inflammatory drug, attempting to heal tissues inflamed by tumors. Likewise, cancers – for example, bladder cancer in this study – have developed ways to turn off the production of SPARC, thus allowing growth and metastasis, especially to the lung where bladder cancer is frequently fatal. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Said N, et al. Loss of SPARC in bladder cancer enhances carcinogenesis and progression. J Clin Invest. 2013 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23321672

Surgical-site infections may increase risk of deadly blood clots after colorectal surgery

Despite receiving blood thinners and other clot prevention treatment, some patients still develop potentially lethal blood clots in the first month after their operations anyway, especially if they developed a surgical-site infection while in the hospital, according to results of a study at Johns Hopkins. The research, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, found that patients who experience a surgical-site infection after their abdominal surgery are four times more likely than infection-free patients to develop a deep-vein thrombosis in the legs, or its more deadly cousin, a pulmonary embolism in the lungs. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Monn MF, et al. Is Venous Thromboembolism in Colorectal Surgery Patients Preventable or Inevitable? One Institution's Experience. J Am Coll Surg. 2013 Jan 9. pii: S1072-7515(12)01394-4. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23312467

Towards routine use of frozen tumor tissue in DNA-sequencing era

Genetic sequencing technology is altering the way cancer is diagnosed and treated, but traditional specimen handling methods threaten to slow that progress. That's the message delivered in a viewpoint column appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Scripps Clinic physicians. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Goetz L, et al. Rebooting cancer tissue handling in the sequencing era: toward routine use of frozen tumor tissue. JAMA. 2013 Jan 2;309(1):37-8. PMID: 23280221

Webinar: Personalised cancer treatment and patient stratification using NGS and other OMICs data

31 January 2013, 17:00 Central European Time

This free educational webinar is an initiative of the ESMO Personalised Medicine Task Force and sponsored by Thomson Reuters. The first topic will focus on the clinical application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies in the thoracic oncology personalised medicine setting.

Learning objectives:
How key aspects of MetaMiner (Oncology) from Thomson Reuters, a collaborative, cancer-specific industry-academic partnering programme, has enabled target and drug response biomarker discovery
How data analysis has been directly applied to personalised cancer therapy
How molecular markers can be used to predict treatment toxicity
How molecular markers are being applied to translational research in thoracic malignancies

Read more and register here.

ASCO issues new guideline on fever and neutropenia management for adult patients with cancer

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued a new clinical practice guideline on the management of neutropenia with fever and preventing related infections in patients with cancer. The guideline will help doctors identify patients who are at high risk of medical complications related to neutropenia with fever, clarify when preventive treatment for infection is needed, and provide guidance on which patients can be managed safely at home during a febrile neutropenia episode. Read more here.

Society-funded researchers take aim at pancreatic cancer

Scientists funded by the American Cancer Society are finding ways to put a chink in pancreatic cancer’s armor. Researchers are exploiting weak spots in hopes of destroying the cancer and possibly preventing it altogether. “As we better understand how pancreatic cancers develop, more and better strategies to detect and treat this disease become available,” said Karl Saxe, PhD, Director of the Society’s Program in Cancer Cell Biology and Metastasis. Saxe and his colleagues help the Society identify promising young investigators and projects to contribute to the understanding of pancreatic cancer. Read more here.

Facts and figures report: declines in cancer deaths reach milestone

Annual statistics from the American Cancer Society show the death rate from cancer in the US has fallen 20% from its peak in 1991. “Cancer Statistics, 2013,” published in the American Cancer Society’s journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and its companion piece “Cancer Facts & Figures 2013,” estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the US this year. The estimates are some of the most widely quoted cancer statistics in the world. Read more here.

Apps to identify melanoma from photos often inaccurate, study says

Smartphone apps that analyze photos of moles to assess whether they might be potentially deadly melanoma or benign lesions vary widely in accuracy, say researchers, who warn patients against using them for diagnosis. A study of four such applications, available free or for a modest cost from the two most popular online app retailers, found they incorrectly classified at least 30 per cent of melanomas as being of no concern. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Wolf JA, et al. Diagnostic Inaccuracy of Smartphone Applications for Melanoma Detection. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;():1-4.

New e-book: Canadian health policy in the news

A new e-book, Canadian Health Policy in the News, based on a compilation of commentaries published in Canadian newspapers since the launch of EvidenceNetwork.ca (April 2011 - Ocober 2012) has now been released. Available free of charge, thanks to funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Manitoba Health Research Council, this document "captures a moment in time and presents issues that Concern Canadians most, grounding our national discourse and debate on healthcare in the best evidence."

To download your own copy (available in PDF format and also optimized for the iPad), click here.

The Canadian Cancer Society says bravo to smokers who are going to sign up for the Quit to Win! Challenge

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) – Quebec Division, a partner of the Quit to Win! Challenge since the beginning, would like to congratulate and encourage all the smokers in Quebec who decide to sign up for the 14th edition. For the CCS, initiatives such as the Quit to Win! Challenge are important because smoking is an alarming reality despite the progress made in tobacco control over the past few years. Read more here.

First Nations women to receive free transportation to life-saving mammogram appointments

Mammograms save lives; yet for some women living in First Nations communities, the financial costs associated with getting to breast screening are prohibitive. To help address this issue, the Canadian Cancer Society, in partnership with the Weenebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) and Health Sciences North (HSN-NECC), is providing approximately 100 women living in remote Northeastern Ontario communities — specifically, Peawanuck, Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Moosonee and Moose Factory — with air and ground transportation to mammogram appointments from January 18 to 23, 2013. Read more here.

Canadian Cancer Society congratulates Belleville on banning youth from indoor tannng salons

The City of Belleville has passed a by-law that restricts youth under 18 from using indoor tanning equipment. With this decision, Belleville joins a growing list of jurisdictions across the country that have taken action on this important public health issue. Read more here.

Nobel laureate James Watson claims antioxidants in late-stage cancers can promote cancer progression

In Open Biology, Nobel laureate James D. Watson, Ph.D., presents a novel hypothesis regarding the role of oxidants and antioxidants in cancers that are currently incurable, notably in late-stage metastatic cancers. Watson claims that antioxidants in late-stage cancers can promote cancer progression, a theory he counts “among my most important work since the double helix”. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Watson J. Oxidants, antioxidants and the current incurability of metastatic cancers. Open Biology. Published online January 8, 2013.

Benefit of sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma unclear

Despite considerable controversy surrounding the third interim results of the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial (MSLT-I), which indicate a benefit of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) on disease-free survival in melanoma, the procedure is carried out routinely, according to a report published online in BMJ. Noting that results from the MSLT-I third interim analysis generated considerable controversy, Ingrid Torjesen, a freelance journalist based in London, discusses issues surrounding the use of SLNB in melanoma. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Torjesen I. Sentinel node biopsy for melanoma: unnecessary treatment? BMJ. 2013 Jan 8;346:e8645. PMID: 23299845

Fox Chase researchers discover novel role of the NEDD9 gene in early stages of breast cancer

Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have shown that NEDD9 plays a surprising role in the early stages of breast tumor development by controlling the growth of progenitor cells that give rise to tumors. The findings, published in the journal Oncogene, could lead to personalized treatment strategies for women with breast cancer based on the levels of NEDD9 in their tumors. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Little JL, et al. A requirement for Nedd9 in luminal progenitor cells prior to mammary tumorigenesis in MMTV-HER2/ErbB2 mice. Oncogene. 2013 Jan 14. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23318423

Team finds gene that promotes drug resistance in cancer

Scientists from the University of Iowa and Brigham Young University (BYU) have identified a gene that may be a target for overcoming drug resistance in cancer. The finding could not only improve prognostic and diagnostic tools for evaluating cancer and monitoring patients' response to treatment but also could lead to new therapies directed at eradicating drug-resistant cancer cells. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Zhou W, et al. NEK2 Induces Drug Resistance Mainly through Activation of Efflux Drug Pumps and Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Myeloma and Other Cancers. Cancer Cell. 2013;23(1):48 - 62.

Cervical cancer screening in less-developed areas should be tailored to local conditions

The best approach to detecting cervical cancer in HIV-positive women living in research limited countries such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa combines commonly used testing methods tailored to local levels of development and medical infrastructure, according to a study by researchers from and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and the University of North Carolina. The research evaluated the effectiveness of three commonly used screening methods– the pap smear, human papillomavirus testing (HPV) and visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) – among 1,202 South African women tested over a period between 2009 and 2011. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Firnhaber C, et al. (2013) Validation of Cervical Cancer Screening Methods in HIV Positive Women from Johannesburg South Africa. PLoS ONE 8(1): e53494.

Pill-sized device provides rapid, detailed imaging of esophageal lining

Physicians may soon have a new way to screen patients for Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition usually caused by chronic exposure to stomach acid. Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed an imaging system enclosed in a capsule about the size of a multivitamin pill that creates detailed, microscopic images of the esophageal wall. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Gora MJ, et al. Tethered capsule endomicroscopy enables less invasive imaging of gastrointestinal tract microstructure. Nat Med. 2013 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23314056

Cancer suppressor gene links metabolism with cellular aging

The tumor suppressor gene p53 is the single most frequently mutated gene in human tumors. p53 keeps pre-cancerous cells in check by causing cells, among other things, to become senescent – aging at the cellular level. Loss of p53 causes cells to ignore the cellular signals that would normally make mutant or damaged cells die or stop growing. A team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, has identified a class of p53 target genes and regulatory molecules that represent promising therapeutic candidates. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Jiang P, et al. Reciprocal regulation of p53 and malic enzymes modulates metabolism and senescence. Nature. Published online 13 January 2013)

UCQ nursing course focuses on oncology

The University of Calgary – Qatar (UCQ) is now offering a Master of Nursing programme with a focus on oncology in support of the Qatar National Cancer Strategy and the Qatar National Health Strategy.
Nine students make up the first class of the two-year, full-time programme in which practitioners and leadership from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) are involved. Read more here.

Heavy smoking raises risk of lethal bladder cancer

A new study from 212 bladder cancer patients in Los Angeles County has identified further evidence that smoking is one of the most common causes of bladder cancer.  By observing changes in proteins, the study unveiled that "the greater the number of changes in these proteins, the worse a patient's outcome."  These findings hold new promise, particularly as bladder cancer is considered one of the most expensive types of cancer to treat.

For more information on this study, click here.

Sickle cells show potential to attach aggressive cancer tumors

By harnessing the very qualities that make sickle cell disease a lethal blood disorder, a research team led by Duke Medicine and Jenomic, a private cancer research company in Carmel, Calif., has developed a way to deploy the misshapen red blood cells to fight cancer tumors. Reporting in the on-line journal, PLOS ONE, the researchers describe a process of exploiting sickle-shaped red blood cells to selectively target oxygen deprived cancer tumors in mice and block the blood vessels that surround them. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Terman DS, et al. (2013) Sickle Erythrocytes Target Cytotoxics to Hypoxic Tumor Microvessels and Potentiate a Tumoricidal Response. PLoS ONE 8(1): e52543.

Drug-resistant melanoma tumors shrink when therapy in interrupted

Researchers in California and Switzerland have discovered that melanomas that develop resistance to the anti-cancer drug vemurafenib (marketed as Zelboraf), also develop addiction to the drug, an observation that may have important implications for the lives of patients with late-stage disease. As described this week in the journal Nature, the team built upon this basic discovery and showed that adjusting the dosing of the drug and introducing an on-again, off-again treatment schedule prolonged the life of mice with melanoma. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Das Thakur M, et al. Modelling vemurafenib resistance in melanoma reveals a strategy to forestall drug resistance. Nature. 2013 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23302800

Cancer scientists determine mechanism of one of the most powerful tumor-suppressor proteins, Chd5

A team of cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has solved the mystery of how one of the most powerful of the body’s natural tumor-suppressing proteins, called Chd5, exerts its beneficial effects. The findings, published online in the journal Cell Reports, are important because Chd5 engages processes fundamental to cancer prevention. Conversely, when Chd5 is mutated or missing, an important door is opened to cancer initiation. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Paul S, et al. Chd5 Requires PHD-mediated Histone 3 binding for Tumor Suppression. Online January 10, 2013. Cell Reports.

Epigenomic abnormalities predict patient survival in non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Think of the epigenome like a giant musical mixing board, turning up or down the expression of various genes. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the journal PLOS Genetics shows that in cancer, not only can genes themselves go bad, but abnormal changes in the epigenetic mixing board can unfortunately change the expression of these genes. Researchers hope to play the role of sound engineers, controlling these harmful epigenomic changes to turn down cancer itself or perhaps sensitize cancers to existing drugs. Read more here.

Study mentioned: De S, et al. (2013) Aberration in DNA Methylation in B-Cell Lymphomas Has a Complex Origin and Increases with Disease Severity. PLoS Genet 9(1): e1003137.

NCCS files comments on proposed standards

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) comments on the proposed rule setting standards related to essential health benefits, actuarial value, and accreditation. NCCS is a national organization representing survivors of all types of cancer in education and policy efforts to improve the quality of cancer care. We seek to advance quality care from the point of diagnosis and across the cancer continuum. Read more here.

Article reports tendency of investigators to underreport side effects of chemo

In an article in the Annals of Oncology, Ian Tannock and colleagues from Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto report on the tendency of investigators to underreport the side effects of chemotherapy in randomized clinical trials in breast cancer with positive results. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Vera-Badillo FE, et al. Bias in reporting of end points of efficacy and toxicity in randomized, clinical trials for women with breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 2013 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23303339

Shared decision making to improve care and reduce costs

In a New England Journal of Medicine article, Emily Oshima Lee and Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel discuss the potential for shared decision making to improve the quality of care patients receive and potentially reduce costs. The authors suggest that a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) should be implemented fully to encourage the use of shared decision making. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Oshima LE, Emanuel EJ. Shared decision making to improve care and reduce costs. N Engl J Med. 2013 Jan 3;368(1):6-8. PMID: 23281971

The American Society of Clinical Oncology's plans for improving cancer survivorship care

In a statement published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) detailed its recommendations for achieving high-quality cancer survivorship care. Notably, ASCO stressed the need for policy and advocacy on issues that impact cancer survivors, and it endorsed the Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act, a key priority for NCCS. Read more here.

Flims clinical trials workshop, 22-28 June 2013

ESMO is pleased to be an official partner of the prestigious ‘Flims’ Workshop, an endeavour in line with our strategic goal to facilitate cancer research in Europe by enabling young researchers to learn from top experts how to design effective therapeutic clinical trials. Read more and register here.

Doctors often in the dark when kids given alternative treatments

A growing number of Canadian children with chronic illnesses are being treated with complementary medicine, researchers say, but parents don’t always tell doctors they are using the alternative therapies. The research, published in the journal Pediatrics, found almost 20 per cent of families surveyed said they had not told their physician or pharmacist about using both prescription and alternative medicines together. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Adams D, et al. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Pediatric Specialty Outpatients. Pediatrics. Published online January 14, 2013.

Smoke exposure linked to dementia risk

A recent study suggests that environmental tobacco smoke exposure is associated with dementia risk. Researchers interviewed 5921 elderly individuals across five provinces in China about their tobacco smoke exposure. About one quarter of participants had some degree of dementia. The chance of developing severe dementia was significantly linked to the level of second hand smoke exposure. This association held for both smokers and non-smokers. Furthermore, the risk of dementia increased with both the level and duration of tobacco smoke exposure. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Chen R, et al. Association between environmental tobacco smoke exposure and dementia syndromes. Occup Environ Med. 2013 Jan;70(1):63-9. Epub 2012 Oct 26. PMID: 23104731

Scientists retool Pap test to hunt other tumours

For years, doctors have lamented that there’s no Pap test for deadly ovarian cancer. This week, scientists reported a tantalizing hint that one day, there might be. Researchers are trying to retool the Pap, a test for cervical cancer that millions of women get, so that it could spot early signs of other gynecologic cancers, too. Read the full news article here.

Study mentioned: Kinde I, et al. Evaluation of DNA from the papanicolaou test to detect ovarian and endometrial cancers. Sci Transl Med. 2013 Jan 9;5(167):167ra4. PMID: 23303603

New lung cancer screening guidelines for heavy smokers

The American Cancer Society has published new guidelines that recommend doctors discuss lung cancer screening with people who meet certain criteria that put them at high risk for developing the disease. These high risk patients must be aged 55 to 74 years and in fairly good health, have a smoking history equivalent to a pack a day for 30 years, and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. If people decide to be screened, the recommendation specifies that testing should be done with a low dose computed tomography (CT) scan and take place at a facility with experience in lung cancer screening. And it emphasizes that screening is not a substitute for quitting smoking. The most effective way to lower lung cancer risk is to stay away from tobacco. The guidelines were published early online January 11, 2013 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Read more here.

Access the American Cancer Society's list of frequently asked questions here.

Read the related American Cancer Society's Expert Voices blog here.

Study mentioned: Wender R, et al. American Cancer Society Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines. Published early online January 11, 2013. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Run towards a smoke-free life with Run to Quit

The Canadian Cancer Society and Running Room have teamed up to help the 2 million Canadians who are still addicted to tobacco with this morning’s launch of Run to Quit, an innovative smoking cessation program based on adopting running as a means to quit smoking. Early research shows that physical activity can significantly help those trying to quit. Run to Quit could revolutionize the way people quit smoking. Read more here.

A new way to tackle triple-negative breast cancer?

Kathy Miller, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis presents this edition of Medscape Oncology Insights, from the 2012 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Read and/or watch her interview on breast cancer with Dr. Carlos Arteaga, Associate Director for Clinical Research and Director of the Breast Cancer Program at the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville here.

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Is neoadjuvant BEV right for triple-negative disease?

Dr. Lidia Schapira, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a medical oncologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston presents this edition of Medscape Oncology Insights, from the 2012 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Read and/or watch her interview on breast cancer with Professor Gunter von Minckwitz from the University of Frankfurt in Germany here.

First time users, follow the link to create a free account.
Click here for more information.

New trial alert: Determining extent and grade of prostate cancer using new MRI techniques

Researchers at the University of Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre are presently recruiting for a study to investigate the use of several new MRI techniques (including MR elastography, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI with gadofosveset and oscillating gradient diffusion) to determine location, size, and grade of prostate cancer.

Lead by Dr. Masoom A. Haider, it is believed that these new MRI techniques will "increase the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of MRI for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer."

To read more about the trial, click here

Lung cancer patients live longer if they use beta-blockers while receiving radiotherapy

Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer survive longer if they are taking beta-blockers while receiving radiotherapy, according to a study of 722 patients published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology. Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reviewed the progress and outcomes of patients who had received radiotherapy as their main or first line of treatment for cancer (known as "definitive radiotherapy" i.e. radiotherapy that is delivered at doses of 60 Gy or more, with the intention of curing the disease). Read more here.

Study mentioned: Wang HM, et al. Improved survival outcomes with the incidental use of beta-blockers among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiation therapy. Ann Oncol. 2013 Jan 8. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23300016

Two-drug combination may slow deadly thyroid cancer

A combination of the drugs pazopanib and paclitaxel shows promise in slowing anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), according to a Mayo Clinic-led study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The two drugs together resulted in greater anti-cancer activity in ATC than either drug alone, says lead researcher Keith Bible, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic oncologist. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Isham CR, et al. Pazopanib enhances Paclitaxel-induced mitotic catastrophe in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Sci Transl Med. 2013 Jan 2;5(166):166ra3. PMID: 23283368

Updated screening criteria for generic drug submissions

The Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD) announces updated screening criteria for generic pharmaceutical pre-market submissions to replace the Integrated Review Process (pre-evaluation). TPD has made significant changes within the organisation to increase generic review performance capacity so that our review resources are focused in a manner which will enable us to reduce and eliminate the current backlog of generic drug submissions while at the same time minimise financial penalties. By eliminating the Integrated Review Process (IRP) for generic drugs and replacing it with the screening process, this will ensure that review resources are focused on the review of complete submissions. Read more here.

Positive spin put on many drug trials despite results, study finds

Not all patient drug trials published in even the most prestigious of medical journals can be taken as gospel, say researchers, who have found a high proportion of “spin and bias” in the reporting of results. In a review of 164 breast-cancer trials, researchers at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto found that reports of almost two-thirds of the studies that showed no real benefit of treatment focused on less important outcomes to give a more positive spin to results. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Vera-Badillo FE, et al. Bias in reporting of end points of efficacy and toxicity in randomized, clinical trials for women with breast cancer. Ann Oncol. First published online: January 9, 2013.

FDA panel votes to reject Avastin for breast cancer

An advisory panel voted Wednesday to recommend that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdraw approval for bevacizumab (Avastin) to treat advanced breast cancer. The panel found that the drug was not effective and caused dangerous side effects. The final decision will be made by the commissioner of food and drugs. The vote came after a 2-day hearing that included presentations by members of the public, drugmaker Genentech and the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee. Many of the presenters were breast cancer survivors who said Avastin had saved their lives, and pleaded with the FDA not to withdraw approval. Read more here.

Costly breast cancer screenings don’t add up to better outcomes

Even though Medicare spends over $1 billion per year on breast cancer screenings such as a mammography, there is no evidence that higher spending benefits older women, researchers at Yale School of Medicine found in a study published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine. Led by Dr. Cary Gross, associate professor of internal medicine at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy, and Effectiveness Research (COPPER) Center at Yale, the study sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of breast cancer expenditures that incorporate the cost of screening and associated work-up, as well as treatment. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Gross CP, et al. The Cost of Breast Cancer Screening in the Medicare Population. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;():1-7. Online first.

Investigators discover new gene that affects clearance of hepatitis C virus

Scientists have discovered a gene that interferes with the clearance of hepatitis C virus infection. They also identified an inherited variant within this gene, Interferon Lambda 4 (IFNL4), that predicts how people respond to treatment for hepatitis C infection. The results of this study, by investigators at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and their collaborators at NIH and other institutions, were published online in Nature Genetics. Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus is a cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Prokunina-Olsson L, et al. A variant upstream of IFNL3 (IL28B) creating a new interferon gene IFNL4 is associated with impaired clearance of hepatitis C virus. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan 6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23291588

How prostate cancer therapies compare by cost and effectiveness

The most comprehensive retrospective study ever conducted comparing how the major types of prostate cancer treatments stack up to each other in terms of saving lives and cost effectiveness is reported this week by a team of researchers at UCSF. Appearing in the British Journal of Urology International, the work analyzed 232 papers published in the last decade that report results from clinical studies following patients with low-, intermediate- and high-risk forms of prostate cancer who were treated with one or more of the standard treatments – radiation therapy, surgery, hormone therapies and brachytherapy. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Cooperberg MR, et al. Primary treatments for clinically localised prostate cancer: a comprehensive lifetime cost-utility analysis. BJU Int. 2012 Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23279038

Pap tests should start later, new guidelines recommend

Pap testing should begin at the age of 25 and be repeated at intervals of three years, regardless of a woman’s sexual history and age, according to new guidelines from the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. Recommendations on screening for cervical cancer. CMAJ January 8, 2013; 185(1).

Mayo Clinic researchers find new molecule to target in pancreatic cancer treatment

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have identified a new target to improve treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer, which accounts for more than 95 percent of pancreatic cancer cases. This fast-growing, often lethal cancer is resistant to conventional chemotherapy. The findings are published in PLOS ONE. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Doppler H, et al. (2013) Downregulation of TRAF2 Mediates NIK-Induced Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation and Tumorigenicity. PLoS ONE 8(1): e53676.

Updated tool now available to predict prostate cancer spread

Prostate cancer experts at Johns Hopkins have developed an updated version of the Partin Tables, a tool to help men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their doctors to better assess their chance of a surgical cure. The updated tool, based on a study of more than 5,600 men treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2006 to 2011, is published in the Jan. 3 issue of the British Journal of Urology International. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Eifler JB, et al. (2013) An updated prostate cancer staging nomogram (Partin tables) based on cases from 2006 to 2011. BJU International, 111: 22–29.

Natural Standard safety update: dietary supplement-WOW

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a consumer warning for WOW, which contains unlabeled prescription drug ingredients with potentially adverse effects. WOW was sold on several websites, including gonepainfree.com and browerent.com. WOW was marketed as a remedy to treat arthritis, bone cancer, muscle pain and osteoporosis. According to the FDA, WOW is the relabeled version of Reumofan Plus, which caused several mild and serious side effects from Reumofan Plus. Subsequently, the FDA issued warnings against Reumofan Plus in June and August 2012. Read more here.

Annual report: rate of death from cancer continues to drop

The rate of death from cancer in the United States continues to decline among both men and women, among all major racial and ethnic groups, and for the most common types of cancer, including lung, colon, breast, and prostate. The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer shows that the death rate from all cancers combined is continuing the decline that began in the early 1990s. The report’s special feature section focuses on cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and on HPV vaccination rates. Read more here.

Access the report here.

Paired CT scans catch chemo-killing of liver tumors in real time

Using two successive pairs of specialized CT scans, a team of Johns Hopkins and Dutch radiologists has produced real-time images of liver tumors dying from direct injection of anticancer drugs into the tumors and their surrounding blood vessels. Within a minute, the images showed whether the targeted chemotherapy did or did not choke off the tumors' blood supply and saved patients a month of worry about whether the treatment, known as chemoembolization, was working or not, and whether repeat or more powerful treatments were needed. Read more here.

Some men voice complaints of shortened penis following prostate cancer treatment

A small percentage of men in a prostate cancer study complained that their penis seemed shorter following treatment, with some saying that it interfered with intimate relationships and caused them to regret the type of treatment they chose. Complaints were more common in men treated with radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate) or male hormone-blocking drugs combined with radiation therapy, according to the study by researchers from Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Parekh A, et al. Reduced Penile Size and Treatment Regret in Men With Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Surgery, Radiotherapy Plus Androgen Deprivation, or Radiotherapy Alone. Urology. 2013 Jan;81(1):130-5. PMID: 23273077

Molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer

Prior to this study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule called miR-181a had never before been tied to breast cancer metastasis—but when scientists found elevated levels of the molecule in late-stage breast cancer tissues, they tested an inhibitor in mouse models. The approach not only prevented metastasis, but also extended the animals’ lives. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Taylor MA, et al. TGF-β upregulates miR-181a expression to promote breast cancer metastasis. J Clin Invest. 2013 Jan 2;123(1):150-63. PMID: 23241956

Report says life expectancy up in B.C.; cancer still leading cause of death

B.C.'s most-recent vital-statistics report says residents of this province continue to live longer than anywhere else in Canada, although cancer remains the leading cause of death. The 140th edition of the report by the Vital Statistics Agency contains information about births, deaths and marriages for 2011 and helps the provincial government develop plans for health research and education. Read more here.

Access the full report here.

Summary Basis of Decision for Removab®

Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance to Fresenius Biotech GmbH for the drug product Removab. Removab contains the medicinal ingredient catumaxomab, a monoclonal antibody that acts as an antineoplastic agent. Removab is indicated for the palliative management of malignant ascites via intraperitoneal infusion in patients with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) positive carcinomas where standard therapy is not available or no longer feasible. Read more here.

Gene expression improves the definition of a breast cancer subtype

Gene expression in breast cancer provides valuable biological information for better determining the diagnosis, treatment, risk of relapse and survival rate. However, the most common form of characterizing breast cancer is by histopathological techniques. This study, headed by Dr Aleix Prat, Head of the Translational Genomics Group at the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) and an oncologist at the Breast Cancer Unit of the Vall d´Hebron University Hospital, focused on hormone-sensitive breast tumours known as luminals. The study compared data on tumours obtained by gene expression with histopathological data and proposes a new definition which improves the current classification of these tumours in routine clinical practice. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Prat A, et al. Prognostic Significance of Progesterone Receptor-Positive Tumor Cells Within Immunohistochemically Defined Luminal A Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Dec 17. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23233704

Preventing prostate cancer through androgen deprivation may have harmful effects

The use of androgen deprivation therapies to prevent precancerous prostate abnormalities developing into aggressive prostate cancer may have adverse effects in men with precancers with specific genetic alterations, according to data from a preclinical study recently published in Cancer Discovery. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Jia S, et al. Opposing Effects of Androgen Deprivation and Targeted Therapy on Prostate Cancer Prevention. Cancer Discov. 2012 Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23258246

Temple researcher shows diabetes, blood pressure link to colon cancer recurrence, survival

By all accounts, a combination of colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure can be a recipe for medical disaster. Now, a new study led by a surgical oncologist and researcher at Temple University School of Medicine and Fox Chase Cancer Center has shown just how deadly this mix can be. In a retrospective analysis of more than 36,000 patients with colon cancer, investigators showed that those with early stage disease and diabetes or high blood pressure – two components of metabolic syndrome – have a greater risk for the cancer returning after treatment and of dying compared to patients with colon cancer who do not have either condition. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Yang Y, et al. Effect of metabolic syndrome and its components on recurrence and survival in colon cancer patients. Cancer. Article first published online: 20 Dec 2012.

Study probes why and how patients with lung cancer initially get diagnosed with the disease

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are looking into the widespread implementation of computed-tomography (CT) scanning for the early detection of lung cancer in a public heath setting, asking two key questions: Without screening, why and how do patients with lung cancer get diagnosed with the disease in the first place? And what proportion of these cases would be captured by screening efforts? Read more here.

Study mentioned: Taiwo EO, et al. How Have We Diagnosed Early-Stage Lung Cancer without Radiographic Screening? A Contemporary Single-Center Experience. PLoS ONE 7(12): e52313.

Enzyme accelerates malignant stem cell cloning in chronic myeloid leukemia

An international team, headed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a key enzyme in the reprogramming process that promotes malignant stem cell cloning and the growth of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a cancer of the blood and marrow that experts say is increasing in prevalence. Principal investigator Catriona H. M. Jamieson, associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego, with colleagues in the United States, Canada and Italy, report that inflammation – long associated with the development of cancer – boosts activity of an enzyme called adenosine deaminase or ADAR1. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Jiang Q, et al. ADAR1 promotes malignant progenitor reprogramming in chronic myeloid leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23275297

Game changing diagnostic & prognostic prostate cancer genetic tests revealed by KCC researchers

Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson (KCC) have developed potentially game-changing diagnostic and prognostic genetic tests shown to better predict prostate cancer survival outcomes and distinguish clinically-relevant cancers. The team, led by Richard G. Pestell, Director of the KCC and the Chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at Thomas Jefferson University, report their preclinical findings from a blinded, retrospective analysis of over 350 patients and mouse study in the journal of Cancer Research. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Ju X, et al. Novel Oncogene Induced Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cell Lines Define Human Prostate Cancer Progression Signatures. Cancer Res. 2012 Nov 30. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23204233

Thomas Jefferson University researchers discover new pathways that drive metastatic prostate cancer

Elevated levels of Cyclin D1b could function as a novel biomarker of lethal metastatic disease in prostate cancer patients, according to a pre-clinical study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation by researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Augello MA, et al. Convergence of oncogenic and hormone receptor pathways promotes metastatic phenotypes. J Clin Invest. 2012 Dec 21. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23257359

NIH study suggests gene variation may shape bladder cancer treatment

Patients who have inherited a specific common genetic variant develop bladder cancer tumors that strongly express a protein known as prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), which is also expressed in many pancreatic and prostate tumors, according to research at the National Institutes of Health. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Kohaar I, et al. Genetic Variant as a Selection Marker for Anti-Prostate Stem Cell Antigen Immunotherapy of Bladder Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012 Dec 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23266392

Drug shortage linked to greater risk of relapse in young Hodgkin lymphoma patients

A national drug shortage has been linked to a higher rate of relapse among children, teenagers and young adults with Hodgkin lymphoma enrolled in a national clinical trial, according to a report by researchers involved in the multi-institutional study. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Metzger ML, et al. The impact of drug shortages on children with cancer--the example of mechlorethamine. N Engl J Med. 2012 Dec 27;367(26):2461-3. PMID: 23268661

UNC research uncovers new insight into cell development and cancer

Long-standing research efforts have been focused on understanding how stem cells, cells capable of transforming into any type of cell in the body, are capable of being programmed down a defined path to contribute to the development of a specific organ like a heart, lung, or kidney. Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine has shed new light on how epigenetic signals may function together to determine the ultimate fate of a stem cell. The study, published in the journal Molecular Cell, implicates a unique class of proteins called polycomb-like proteins, or PCL's, as bridging molecules between the "on" and "off" state of a gene. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Cai L, et al. An H3K36 Methylation-Engaging Tudor Motif of Polycomb-like Proteins Mediates PRC2 Complex Targeting. Mol Cell. 2012 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23273982

Tumor boards linked to little association with effects on cancer care

There is little association of multidisciplinary tumor boards with measures of use, quality, or survival, and measuring only the presence of tumor boards may not be adequate in determining their effects on cancer care, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Keating NL, et al. Tumor Boards and the Quality of Cancer Care. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012 Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23274388

Improving the accuracy of cancer diagnoses

Tiny calcium deposits can be a telltale sign of breast cancer. However, in the majority of cases these microcalcifications signal a benign condition. A new diagnostic procedure developed at MIT and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) could help doctors more accurately distinguish between cancerous and noncancerous cases. The new method, which uses a special type of spectroscopy to locate microcalcifications during the biopsy, could dramatically reduce the rate of inconclusive diagnosis, according to the researchers. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Soares JS, et al. Diagnostic power of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for targeted detection of breast lesions with microcalcifications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Dec 24. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23267090

Webinar: Common herbs and supplements: a review of safety and efficacy

Natural Standard is offering a series of complimentary webinars on integrative medicine. Common Herbs and Supplements: A Review of Safety and Efficacy: Marina Shkayeva, PharmD, Natural Standard PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident, reviews the available evidence for several popular therapies, including acai, coenzyme Q10, fish oil, red yeast rice, ginkgo, DHEA, garlic, St. John's wort and others. Read more here.

Pesticide exposure may increase prostate cancer risk

According to new research, exposure to specific pesticides may raise the risk of prostate cancer. A recent study, called the Agricultural Health Study, followed 54,412 individuals who applied pesticides. Over 14 years, 1,962 men developed prostate cancer; 919 of these cases were aggressive prostate cancer. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Koutros S, et al. Risk of total and aggressive prostate cancer and pesticide use in the agricultural health study. Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Jan 1;177(1):59-74. PMID: 23171882

Is light smoking as risky as a pack a day?

"Light or intermittent smoking has become a very common pattern for people of any age. Many of these people do not feel addicted to tobacco and do not even call themselves "smokers." There are, however, some real risks associated with any level of smoking. Non-daily smoking, or smoking 1-5 cigarettes a day, was first noticed as far back as 1989 because it was a stark contrast to the more common pattern at that time -- 20 to 30 cigarettes a day. At that time, very light smokers were labeled "chippers" (a term that also referred to occasional users of opiates who appeared to not be addicted). Chippers didn't appear to smoke to relieve withdrawal, and sometimes didn't smoke for a day or more." Continue reading the American Cancer Society's Expert Voices blog here.

American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-3

The American Cancer Society is inviting men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 years who have no personal history of cancer to join a historic research study. The Cancer Prevention Study – 3 (CPS-3) promises to shed light on many of the factors that affect cancer risk. CPS-3 is a long-term study of lifestyle and cancer. Over the course of 20 years, Society researchers will follow the participants to see who develops cancer, in hopes of learning how a person's lifestyle, environment, and genetic makeup influence who gets the disease. Read more here.