New microscope scans breast tumors during surgery

A new microscope developed by scientists and engineers at the University of Washington is touted as being able to assist surgeons in completely removing breast tumours, "reducing the number of women who must undergo repeat surgeries to remove cancer cells that were missed the first time."

According to study co-author Adam Glaser, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington Molecular Biophotonics Laboratory, the microscope is able to scan tumours and examine cells in 3D within 30 minutes.

To read more about this microscope, click here.

Childhood chemotherapy may have lasting effects on memory

A new study conducted at the University of Leuven, Belgium indicates a correlation between childhood cancer survivors who underwent chemotherapy treatment and memory problems as these children become young adults.

According to Iris Elens, psychiatrist, and Rudi D'Hooge, professor at the University of Leuven, the 31 young adults assessed in the study started receiving chemotherapy treatment at 6 years of age.  When testing 10-15 years later, "the cancer survivors had poorer thinking flexibility and short-term memory."

To read more about this study, click here.

Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians expected to get cancer: new Canadian Cancer Statistics 2017 report

A new report, entitled Canadian Cancer Statistics 2017, was released today by the Canadian Cancer Society in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada.  Latest figures indicate that  "for males, the lifetime risk (of a cancer diagnosis) is 49% and for females it is 45%."  However, the overall cancer survival rate has increased from 25% in the 1940s to approximately 60% today.

To read more about this report, click here.