Cheaper cancer gene tests, by the drop

Many tumor biopsy samples haven’t been good candidates for the increasingly popular genetic tests that can expose a cancer’s progression and its susceptibility to drugs and other treatments. A cost-effective new testing method could make it easier for scientists to identify the assortment of cancer-causing genetic mutations in tumor cells. Developed by RainDance Technologies, a maker of genomic tools in Billerica, Massachusetts, the technology could enable researchers to analyze tiny samples collected by needles, a less invasive option than the surgical biopsies required for many molecular diagnostic tests. Read more here.

Combining HPV status and intratumour heterogeneity for predicting outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients

Evaluation of next-generation sequencing data and associated clinical records of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients from several institutions, made available through The Cancer Genome Atlas, showed that combining Mutant-Allele Tumour Heterogeneity as a biomarker with the patient's HPV status provides an effective indicator of improved patient outcome, according to research presented at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium (20-22 February, 2014, Stottsdale, USA). Read more here.

USPSTF says data unclear on vitamins for cancer

Evidence on the benefits of vitamin, mineral and multivitamin supplements for heart disease and cancer prevention is inconclusive, according to the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF reported that for healthy adults without nutritional needs beyond daily recommendations, there is insufficient evidence supporting the use of any multivitamin, individual vitamin, or individual mineral for the prevention of heart disease or cancer. Read more here.

Selenium and vitamin E supplements can increase risk of prostate cancer in some men

A multi-center study led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that high-dose supplementation with both the trace element selenium and vitamin E increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. But importantly, this risk depends upon a man’s selenium status before taking the supplements. These findings are based on data from the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, or SELECT, a rigorously executed, randomized and placebo-controlled trial conducted by the SWOG cancer research cooperative group that involved more than 35,000 men. Read more here.

Tissue-penetrating light releases chemotherapy inside cancer cells

Researchers from the cancer nanotechnology and signal transduction and therapeutics programs of UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) have developed an innovative technique using light to carry chemotherapy safely to cancer cells. A light-activated drug delivery system is particularly promising, because it can accomplish spatial and temporal control of drug release. Read more here.

Gene sequencing project discovers common driver of a childhood brain tumor

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital-Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has identified the most common genetic alteration ever reported in the brain tumor ependymoma and evidence that the alteration drives tumor development. The results provide a foundation for new research to improve diagnosis and treatment of ependymoma, the third most common brain tumor in children. Read more here.

Cell therapy shows remarkable ability to eradicate cancer in clinical study

The largest clinical study ever conducted to date of patients with advanced leukemia found that 88 percent achieved complete remissions after being treated with genetically modified versions of their own immune cells. “These extraordinary results demonstrate that cell therapy is a powerful treatment for patients who have exhausted all conventional therapies,” said Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, Director of the Center for Cell Engineering at Memorial Sloan Kettering and one of the study’s senior authors. Read more here.

NIH study confirms risk factors for male breast cancer

One of the largest studies conducted to date pooled data from studies of about 2,400 men with breast cancer and 52,000 men without breast cancer and confirmed that risk factors for male breast cancer include obesity, a rare genetic condition called Klinefelter syndrome, and gynecomastia (excess breast tissue). Read more here.

Technique allows for radiation-free detection of tumors

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford have developed a way to scan young cancer patients’ bodies for tumors without exposing them to radiation. The technique could reduce patients’ risk of developing secondary cancers later in life. Read more here.

More women receiving breast reconstruction after mastectomy, study finds

A new study finds that the majority of women who undergo mastectomy for breast cancer go on to get breast reconstruction, a practice that has increased dramatically over time. Researchers found that 46 percent of patients received reconstruction in 1998 but that figure rose to 63 percent by 2007. Read more here.

Building a better mouse (model) to study pancreatic cancer

In a new study, researchers led by a molecular biologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), report two breakthroughs in understanding those lesions and their role in pancreatic cancer: the development of the first mouse model that simulates a precursor lesion called intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia (IPMN), and the identification of an enzyme, Brg1, that appears to help cause the formation of IPMN lesions while also suppressing another precursor lesion. Read more here.

Bevacizumab fails to improve overall survival in first-line treatment for glioblastoma

The February 20, 2014 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine features the results of two well-conducted, placebo-controlled, randomised trials: the Avastin in Glioblastoma (AVAglio) trial and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0825 trial. Both studies address the clinical benefit of adding bevacizumab to the best standard treatment for newly-diagnosed glioblastoma (radiotherapy/temozolomide). Read more here.

Summary Basis of Decision for Xtandi

Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance to Astellas Pharma Canada Inc. for the drug product, Xtandi. ased on Health Canada's review, the benefit/risk profile of Xtandi is favourable for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the setting of medical or surgical castration who have received docetaxel therapy. Read more here.

Summary Basis of Decision for Mekinist

Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance to GlaxoSmithKline Inc. for the drug product Mekinist. Based on Health Canada's review, the benefit/risk profile of Mekinist is favourable as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation. Read more here.

Nurse turned researcher studies breast cancer in Latinas

Maryellen Brisbois became interested in the issue of premature menopause brought on by chemotherapy, a common side effect that women going through breast cancer treatment experience. She found that while there was a lot of research on the subject in non-Latina women, there wasn’t much about the experiences of Latinas. Brisbois discovered that Latinas encountered significant challenges – many of which Caucasian women do not experience – while going through breast cancer treatment. Read more here.

For the young and uninsured, cancer diagnosis often comes late

Adolescents and young adults who do not have health insurance are more likely than those who have private insurance to be diagnosed with cancer after it has spread to other parts of the body – when it is more deadly and harder to treat. The researchers found that the uninsured were one and one-half times more likely than the privately insured to be diagnosed with cancer that had spread. The outcome was worse for uninsured females, who were nearly twice as likely as their privately insured counterparts to get a distant-stage cancer diagnosis. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Robbins AS, et al. Insurance status and distant-stage disease at diagnosis among adolescent and young adult patients with cancer aged 15 to 39 years: National Cancer Data Base, 2004 through 2010. Cancer. 2014 Jan 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24474656

Thyroid cancer nearly triples, researchers blame overdiagnosis of harmless tumors

A dramatic rise in thyroid cancer has resulted from overdiagnosis and treatment of tumors too small to ever cause harm, according to a study that found cases nearly tripled since 1975. The study is the latest to question whether all cancers need aggressive treatment. Other research has suggested that certain cancers of the prostate, breast and lung as well as thyroid grow so slowly that they will never become deadly, and that overzealous screening leads to overtreatment. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Davies L, Welch HG. Current Thyroid Cancer Trends in the United States. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Published online February 20, 2014.

Meditation and yoga can help cancer patients sleep

A study involving 111 patients at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary indicates that meditation and yoga can help those experiencing insomnia.  It is estimated that 59% of cancer patients are affected by sleep problems during and after cancer treatment.  According to study co-author Dr. Linda Carlson, mindfulness (including meditation, yoga and mood managing techniques) "helped people improve their insomnia" approximately three months after treatment.

To learn more about this study, click here for the Global News report.

Behavioural treatments provide relief for cancer patients struggling with insomnia

In the battle against insomnia, cancer patients now have two treatment options, neither of which involve sedative medication, according to a new study. Rather, both treatments require patients to modify their thoughts and behavior. The study was spearheaded at the University of Calgary by Tavis Campbell, associate professor in psychology in the Faculty of Arts, Linda Carlson, who is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a member of the Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, and Sheila Garland, a recent PhD graduate from the clinical psychology program. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Garland SN, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction compared with cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of insomnia comorbid with cancer: a randomized, partially blinded, noninferiority trial. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Feb 10;32(5):449-57. PMID: 24395850

New finding points to potential options for attacking stem cells in triple-negative breast cancer

New research from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Georgia Regents University finds that a protein that fuels an inflammatory pathway does not turn off in breast cancer, resulting in an increase in cancer stem cells. This provides a potential target for treating triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of the disease. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Kim G, et al. SOCS3-mediated regulation of inflammatory cytokines in PTEN and p53 inactivated triple negative breast cancer model. Oncogene. 2014 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24531711

Natural compound attacks HER2 positive breast cancer cells

A common compound known to fight lymphoma and skin conditions actually has a second method of action that makes it particularly deadly against certain aggressive breast tumors, researchers at Duke Medicine report. Reporting in PLOS ONE, the researchers detail how psoralen blocks the signaling pathway of the HER2 receptor, which is overproduced in 25 percent of breast cancers, plus ovarian, gastric and other solid tumors. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Xia W, et al. (2014) Photo-Activated Psoralen Binds the ErbB2 Catalytic Kinase Domain, Blocking ErbB2 Signaling and Triggering Tumor Cell Apoptosis. PLoS ONE 9(2): e88983.

Double mastectomy could save the lives of women with BRCA gene: study

A new Canadian study is now suggesting that for women with breast cancer and the BRCA mutation, a double mastectomy could cut the risk of dying from their sickness in half. “Hopefully with this research, we can start to think about changing our ideas about what surgical treatment a woman should have. We need to think about treating their first breast cancer but also preventing that second breast cancer,” lead researcher Dr. Kelly Metcalfe told Global News. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Metcalfe K, et al. Contralateral mastectomy and survival after breast cancer in carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations: retrospective analysis. BMJ. 2014 Feb 11;348:g226. PMID: 24519767

Aspirin and cancer prevention: what the research really shows

Studies have found that regular aspirin use may help prevent certain types of cancers – and it also may keep cancer from spreading once it has been diagnosed. Although much research on the topic has been done, the evidence still isn’t clear enough to show that the potential benefits of regular aspirin use with respect to cancer prevention outweigh the possible harmful side effects. In this interview, American Cancer Society researcher, Eric J. Jacobs, Ph.D., provides insights into what the studies to date really show when it comes to aspirin and cancer prevention, and discusses what other research is still needed. Read the interview here.

55 genes linked to a powerful tumor suppressor predict breast cancer survival

A panel of 55 genes, almost all of which are impacted by the loss of a particular protein, appears to predict if breast cancer will become invasive, leading to poorer survival, researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center report in PLOS ONE. The panel represents loss of a powerful tumor suppressor gene, SYK, as well as genetic alterations in 51 other genes that are directly affected by the loss of a copy of the SYK gene and the absence of its protein. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Blancato J, et al. SYK Allelic Loss and the Role of Syk-Regulated Genes in Breast Cancer Survival. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 11;9(2):e87610. PMID: 24523870

Long-term research confirms game-changing method for detecting spread of deadly skin cancer

Research initiated at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center on techniques used for detecting the earliest spread of melanoma has confirmed that these new methods can significantly prolong patients’ disease-free survival over traditional techniques. The research also affirms a new standard for detecting the spread of melanoma to the lymph nodes by allowing doctors to quickly determine which patients may benefit from having their lymph nodes removed, while sparing the surgery for patients who it cannot benefit. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Morton DL, et al. Final trial report of sentinel-node biopsy versus nodal observation in melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2014 Feb 13;370(7):599-609. PMID: 24521106

How to reset strategies to maximise the potential of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in cancer therapy

In a review article, David A Fruman of the Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, USA, reviews key challenges and opportunities for the clinical development of inhibitors targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. The authors anticipate that through a greater focus on patient selection, increased understanding of immune modulation and strategic application of rational combinations, it should be possible to realise the potential of this promising class of targeted anti-cancer agents. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Fruman DA, Rommel C. PI3K and cancer: lessons, challenges and opportunities. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2014 Jan 31;13(2):140-56. PMID: 24481312

Canadians with lower income often less likely to receive potentially life-saving cancer tests and treatments

Report: Examining Disparities in Cancer Control, released on February 13, 2014, uncovers potentially important disparities in the cancer care received by Canadians based on how much they earn, where they live, and if they are recent immigrants or Canadian-born. The report was led by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

Quitting smoking makes you happier, says study

Moderate or heavy smokers who quit tobacco get a boost in mental wellbeing that, for people who are anxious or stressed, is equivalent to taking anti-depressants, a study said Thursday. British researchers examined 26 published investigations into the mental health of smokers. They looked at standardised scorecards for symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and quality of life, derived from questionnaires completed by volunteers. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Taylor G, et al. Change in mental health after smoking cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2014;348:g1151.

New breast surgery guidelines aim to spare women unnecessary operations

After conducting a review of the available scientific evidence, a panel of breast cancer experts from the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgery, and the College of American Pathologists, as well as patient advocates, found that removing additional tissue did not significantly decrease the risk of recurrence in the same breast in women who received radiation treatments to the entire breast, which is standard practice. Read more here.

Download the guideline from the SSO website here.

UCSD researchers find that a large number of people who say they use cigarettes, don't consider themselves to be smokers

While smoking among California adults has dramatically declined in recent decades, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report there is a surprisingly large number of people who say they use cigarettes, but don’t consider themselves to be “smokers.” Wael K. Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD, professor and chief of the Division of Global Health in the UC San Diego Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, and colleagues estimate that, in 2011, almost 396,000 Californians smoked on a measurable basis, but rejected the characterization of “smoker.” Read more here.

Study mentioned: Leas EC, et al. Smokers who report smoking but do not consider themselves smokers: a phenomenon in need of further attention. Tob Control. 2014 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24500273