New treatment for melanoma gets FDA approval

A genetically engineered cold sore virus has recently been approved by the FDA has a new treatment for melanoma.  According to Dr. Karen Midthun, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, this new therapy, known as Imlygic, showed promising results in a study of 436 patients; those injected with Imlygic had a 16% decrease in tumor size compared to those receiving other forms of treatment.

To read more about this study, click here.

IVF users at higher risk of ovarian cancer

A new study from University College in London has stated that women using in vitro fertilization are 33% more likely to develop ovarian cancer.  According to Alastair Sutcliffe of the Institute of Child Health, "compared to other women...of the same age range and time frame...the rates of breast and uterine cancer were no different...as a whole.  However, there was an increased risk of ovarian cancer."  While the London study of more than 250,000 women indicated that the cancer risk was relatively small (15 cases per 10,000 patients), it does lend to further discussions about this procedure.

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Vitamin D and calcium may not prevent colon cancer

A new clinical trial conducted at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine in New Hampshire, and recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicates that "neither calcium nor vitamin D, taken alone or together after precancerous colon polyps were removed significantly reduced the risk of new polyps developing." While study co-author Elizabeth Barry, assistant professor of epidemiology and community family medicine at Dartmouth, states that this particular trial studied low doses of calcium and vitamin D taken over a period of 3-5 years, she does caution against the thought that taking calcium or vitamin D will automatically reduce one's risk of developing colon cancer.

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Local researcher explores how breast cancer cells spread to bone

Carrie Shemanko, an associate professor of integrative cell biology in the Faculty of Science, is conducting extensive research on what happens when breast cancer spreads to the bone. The research shows that certain signaling pathways for normal breast development are likely misused by cancer cells, giving them certain advantages that normal cells keep under tight regulation.

More from UToday.

AACR releases 2015 cancer progress report: Transforming lives through precision medicine

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has released its fifth Cancer Progress Report, a comprehensive summary of the current status of cancer research and treatment. Read more here.

European Medicines Agency recommends granting marketing authorisation for cinacalcet mylan

On 24 September 2015, the European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorisation for the medicinal product cinacalcet (Cinacalcet Mylan), intended for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism and reduction of hypercalcaemia in patients with parathyroid carcinoma. Read more here

Height may be linked to increased cancer risk

A new study of 5 million Swedish men and women purports a link between cancer risk and height.  According to Susan Gapstur of the American Cancer Society, "height may be a reflection of early age exposures...since adult height is a reflection of genetics and what you are exposed to while yo are growing up."  However, Gapstur cautioned that height alone does not indicate a definite risk of developing cancer; there are a number of factors at play.

To read more about this study, click here.