New treatment protocol for previously inoperative pancreatic cancer

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital have unveiled a new treatment protocol of previously inoperative pancreatic tumours.  A trial of 49 patients with untreated locally advanced pancreatic cancer "received a combination of intensive chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as the blood pressure drug losartan."  In 30 (61%) of patients undergoing this treatment, surgery (resection) successfully "removed all evidence of cancer around the tumor."


To read more about this study, click here.

New trial alert: unresectable squamous cell carcinoma treated with Avelumab and radical radiation therapy

A new clinical trial for patients with unresectable cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cuSCC) is presently recruiting patients at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta.  While Avelumab, the drug being introduced in this trial has not yet been approved for sale or widespread use by Health Canada, permission has been granted to use the drug in this clinical trial to determine rates of tumour response prior to and after treatment, as well as the rate of progression-free survival. 


To read more about this trial, click here.

Aggressive approach to pancreatic cysts may prevent pancreatic cancer

New research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has shown that early removal of precancerous pancreatic cysts (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms) can aid in preventing pancreatic cancer.  The study, conducted on ~900 patients showed that "those with pancreatic cysts with duct dilation between 5 mm and 9.9 mm were almost twice as likely to develop precancerous cells as people with less than 5 mmm of dilation."  These findings support 2018 European guidelines encouraging surgical removal of cysts with less than 10 mm of duct dilation.


To read more about this study, click here.

A vaccine to treat non-hodgkin lymphoma advancing in clinical trials

The findings from a small clinical trial in Nature Medicine found that some people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), treating a single tumor with a mix of cancer therapies can help to shrink, or eliminate, tumors in other parts of the body. The approach is called an in situ vaccine because it uses something in the body (in situ)—in this case, an individual tumor—to help create a body-wide immune response. It’s currently being tested in a small clinical trial of patients with slow-growing, or indolent, subtypes of NHL.


To read more on this clinical trial, click here.

Telephone-based rehab program helps people with advanced cancer maintain independence

An clinical trial funded by National Cancer Institute, led by Dr. Cheville, found that a 6-month physical rehabilitation program delivered by telephone helped improved function and reduced pain for people with advanced cancer. The program also reduced the time patients spent in hospitals and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes.


To read more, click here.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for breast cancer detection

A new study conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) lends support to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict breast cancer risk in women.  The study, which involved more than 8,7000 mammogram images showed that the AI algorithm "placed almost one-third of women who developed breast cancer into the top 10% risk category...in contrast, the standard model put 18% of those women in the top 10%."  According to Arkadiusz Sitek, senior scientist at IBM Watson Health in Cambridge, Mass, these findings are not meant to suggest that AI will replace human doctors; rather "AI will serve as a radiologist's assistant, helping to improve efficiency and watch out for "errors and inconsistencies"


To read more about this study, click here