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Health service won’t seek Newcastle cancer funding

April 8, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Hunter New England Health has defended its decision not to apply for Federal Government funding to boost cancer services in the Newcastle region.

The Government announced yesterday it will spend $560 million to improve cancer services in regional areas.

Hunter New England Health’s acting director of cancer services, Dr Anthony Proietto, says a conscious decision has been made not to apply for more funding for Newcastle.

“We had previously received some enhancement so we felt that to improve the regional cancer services and take some of the pressure off the Calvary Mater and the Newcastle area, it would be appropriate to have Tamworth as a major oncology centre in a regional setting,” he said.

Tamworth is set to receive $32 million for new chemotherapy and radiotherapy services.

But the cancer package does not extend to a radiotherapy unit on the central coast.

Residents have been campaigning for a unit for years, with the State Government promising it will open by 2013.

The federal Member for Robertson, Belinda Neal, says funding is imminent.

“Obviously I can’t pre-empt any announcement but I’m very confident that we’ll have a very good announcement sometime shortly,” she said.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Belinda, Cancer Services, Central Coast, Central Coast Residents, chemotherapy, Conscious Decision, dr anthony, Federal Member, Government Funding, Health Service, Newcastle Area, Newcastle England, Newcastle Region, oncology, Oncology Centre, radiotherapy, regional areas, Regional Cancer, Regional Setting, state government

Cancer survivor’s message of hope

March 13, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Cancer survivor Kristyn Dawe is giving a message of hope as she ends five years of fighting her breast cancer.

The Mount Gambier mother is having her final medical check-up in Adelaide, then leading a walk of cancer survivors this weekend.

She is part of the Relay For Life event at Mount Gambier, which raises money for cancer research and support services for sufferers and carers.

In 2004, Ms Dawe saw her doctor when she found a lump under her arm.

“It was breast cancer that had gone into my lymph nodes,” she said.

“Just two days before Christmas that was hard to take.”

A fortnight later she had surgery in Adelaide to remove tumours, then began two years of regular treatment.

She says the travel and separation from her daughter Emily were difficult.

“It was a lot of travelling for the first 12 months, which makes it hard,” she said.

“But my family was brilliant, my work was brilliant.

“During my five weeks of radiotherapy I would come home on weekends and be normal.”

Keeping life ‘normal’

The aim during her recovery was to be treated just like anyone else.

“On Saturday I was just one of the girls at netball, then I’d go to work on the Sunday and did my job there, then back to Adelaide on the Monday morning for treatment,” she said.

“You need to have people to talk to, people to listen.

“But you don’t want to talk about it all the time, it’s really important to be able to slip back into normal life.”

Hundreds of people gather at the Blue Lake Sports Park at Mount Gambier on Saturday for a relay spanning 20 hours.

Relay For Life chairman Tim Cord-Udy says it is an important fundraiser and inspirational event.

“It’s … about having fun and showing that cancer can touch many lives, but we’re not powerless against it,” he said.

“We’re aiming to raise more than $100,000 for the South Australian Cancer Council to help fund the services that people in our region access every day when they travel to Adelaide for treatment.”

For Ms Dawe, the weekend is a celebration and the closing of a chapter.

“We set ourselves a goal of a money to raise, but really we are there to have fun and celebrate,” she says.

“Every week I hear of somebody affected by cancer, a friend of a friend, someone’s auntie, it’s so common these days.

“But there are treatments for it and more we can do to support charities that do research and things like that, then every day is a new day.”

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Novel way to improve bone health in cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Sept 16 (ANI): Scientists looking for ways to reduce bone loss in astronauts claim to have found a novel way of improving the bone health of cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.

“Our studies indicate significant bone loss at the radiation levels astronauts will experience during long missions to the moon or Mars,” said Ted Bateman, a member of NSBRI’s Musculoskeletal Alterations Team.

The study conducted over mouse models has shown that bone loss begins within days of radiation exposure through activation of bone-reducing cells called osteoclasts.

Under normal conditions, these cells work with bone-building cells, called osteoblasts, to maintain bone health.

“Our research challenges some conventional thought by saying radiation turns on the bone-eating osteoclasts. If that is indeed the case, existing treatments, such as bisphosphonates, may be able to prevent this early loss of bone,” he added.

He said even though the research is being performed to protect the health of NASA astronauts, cancer patients, especially those who receive radiation therapy in the pelvic region, could benefit from the research.

“We know that older women receiving radiotherapy to treat pelvic tumors are particularly vulnerable to fracture, with hip fracture rates increasing 65 percent to 200 percent in these cancer patients,” said Bateman.

Once a person loses bone, their long-term fracture risk depends on their ability to recover lost bone mass.

For older cancer patients, early introduction of bisphosphonates and other forms of treatment could help greatly since the process of regaining bone mass can be more difficult due to lower activity levels. (ANI)

Filed Under: Science News Tagged With: bateman, Bisphosphonates, Bone Health, bone loss, bone mass, cancer patients, Cancer Radiation, cells work, fracture risk, hip fracture, missions to the moon, mouse models, Musculoskeletal, nasa astronauts, older women, pelvic region, radiation exposure, radiation levels, radiation therapy, Radiation Treatment, radiotherapy

The mum-daughter duo who beat cancer four times between them

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug 23 (ANI): Mandy Kelly and six-year-old Eve are more than just the ordinary mother-daughter duo – they’ve beaten cancer four times between them.

Mandy and Eve have both struggled with cancer and have successfully fought it off each time.

The Mirror quoted Mandy as saying: “We have beaten it together, and that really is a miracle…We have been there for each other and gave each other the strength to fight on.”

Eve took nine months of chemotherapy to come off the cancer, which started in her kidneys and spread to her lungs.

As Eve continued her fight with cancer, Mandy’s breast cancer reappeared. The 47-year-old had already battled cancer twice but this time she need a needed a mastectomy (surgical removal of breasts completely or partially).

And this time the mother drew inspiration from her daughter’s courage.

Mandy said: “I knew if she could do it, I could do it too…Eve gave me the strength to beat it again. She knew I had already beaten cancer twice when she was diagnosed, so that encouraged her.

“She had seen me come through it, and so could she.”

Mandy, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and it was cured after treatment.

But in autumn of 2003, Mandy developed a new lump in her breast. The cancer had reappeared.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it…this hit me harder than the first time I was diagnosed with cancer as I now had a baby less than a year old. Eve had been a miracle baby for Richard and me as I’d conceived against all the odds. To be told that my cancer had come back was devastating.

“And it was tough trying to cope with a 10-month baby and having treatment for cancer as well. But Richard and my family gave me lots of support so I could get through it.

“My sister would have Eve when I went to hospital for my radiotherapy, or she’d come to hospital with me and wait with her in the waiting room.”

Fortunately for Mandy, her cancer was tracked in its initial stage. The lump was removed and she was declared fit.

Everything was going well, when in October 2006, Eve fell ill. Her scan showed signs of a kidney tumour.

Mandy said: “This time, our world really did fall apart. To be told my three-year-old girl had cancer as well was too much to bear. I asked whether I could have passed it on in the womb and doctors reassured me I hadn’t. It was just terrible bad luck.”

Eve’s cancer was fast spreading to her lungs, so doctors fixed her an aggressive chemo session that ended in July 2007.

Last June Mandy was diagnosed with cancer for the third time. Now she was required to undergo a mastectomy. And she drew courage from her daughter.

“We were there for each other,” Mandy said. “When we felt low, we loved to sit on the sofa watching children’s TV and having a cuddle. I knew I could beat it again. I had to do it for Eve, because she’d been so brave.

“And it was nothing compared to watching her go through treatment. That was the toughest thing of all.”

Mandy completed the Race For Life event for Cancer Research to celebrate her recovery. This was her ninth year of participation and even Eve joined in with her.

She said: “Walking across the finish line with my little girl was an amazing feeling…. That mum-daughter thing is very special between us.

“In all, we’ve faced cancer four times – and we couldn’t have done it without each other.” (ANI)

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Scientists use titanium dioxide nanoparticles to kill cancer cells, sparing healthy ones

August 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 20 (ANI): Scientists in America have developed a way to target brain cancer cells using inorganic titanium dioxide nanoparticles bonded to soft biological material.

This achievement is a result of the joint efforts of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) and the University of Chicago’s Brain Tumor Center.

Thousands of people die from malignant brain tumours every year, and the tumors are resistant to conventional therapies.

The researchers say that their nano-bio technology may eventually provide an alternative form of therapy, which targets only cancer cells and does not affect normal living tissue.

“It is a real example of how nano and biological interfacing can be used for biomedical application. We chose brain cancer because of its difficulty in treatment and its unique receptors,” said scientist Elena Rozhkova with the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory.

The novel approach relies upon a two-pronged approach.

The researchers describe titanium dioxide as a versatile photoreactive nanomaterial that can be bonded with biomolecules.

When linked to an antibody, they say, nanoparticles recognize and bind specifically to cancer cells.

When focused visible light is shined onto the affected region, the researchers add, the localized titanium dioxide reacts to the light by creating free oxygen radicals that interact with the mitochondria in the cancer cells.

Mitochondria act as cellular energy plants, and when free radicals interfere with their biochemical pathways, mitochondria receive a signal to start cell death.

“The significance of this work lies in our ability to effectively target nanoparticles to specific cell surface receptors expressed on brain cancer cells,” said Dr. Maciej S. Lesniak, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology at University of Chicago Brain Tumor Center.

“In so doing, we have overcome a major limitation involving the application of nanoparticles in medicine, namely the potential of these agents to distribute throughout the body. We are now in a position to develop this exciting technology in preclinical models of brain tumours, with the hope of one day employing this new technology in patients,” Lesniak added.

Using X-ray fluorescence microscopy at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source, the researchers have also found that the tumours’ invadopodia, actin-rich micron scale protrusions that allow the cancer to invade surrounding healthy cells, can be also attacked by the titanium dioxide.

The researchers have thus far carried out tests on cells in a laboratory setting, but animal testing is planned for the next phase.

Results show an almost 100 percent cancer cell toxicity rate after six hours of illumination, and 80 percent after 48 hours.

Also, since the antibody only targets the cancer cells, surrounding healthy cells are not affected, unlike other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Rozhkova said that a proof of concept is demonstrated, and other cancers can be treated as well using different targeting molecules.

The expert, however, admits that the research is presently in the early stages. (ANI)

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Fatigue during radiotherapy ’caused by inflammation’

August 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug 19 (ANI): A new study has revealed that fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer might be caused by inflammation.

Lead researcher Dr Julie Bower, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles has found that patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy for might be reacting to activation of the proinflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway.

For the study, the researchers recruited patients with breast cancer and 20 patients with prostate cancer, all early stage and determined the level of proinflammatory markers.

They found a strong link between radiotherapy treatment and fatigue.

The researchers discovered that increases in serum markers of cytokine activity, specifically IL-1 receptor antagonist and C-reactive protein, were also linked with fatigue.

“This study suggests that exposure to radiation is releasing these inflammatory cytokines and that may be contributing to fatigue,” said Bower.

Dr Stephen Hahn, chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Centre at the University of Pennsylvania, said this study is an important step forward in understanding the biological basis for fatigue.

“Fatigue related to radiotherapy is very common but we do not have any good idea about why it occurs. This suggests one possible mechanism and suggests an avenue for treatment,” he added.

The study appears in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. (ANI)

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3-D mapping breakthrough helps docs remove fist-sized tumour from a woman’s brain

July 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 15 (ANI): Experts at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have successfully removed a fist-sized tumour from the brain of an Indiana woman, using a technology that involves the fusion of four different types of images into a 3-D map of a patient’s brain.

An eight-member team from the Brain Tumor Center at the UC Neuroscience Institute carried out the operation at University Hospital.

“This marks the culmination of one of the most important developments in brain tumor surgery in the last 100 years,” says Dr. John Tew, a neurosurgeon with the Mayfield Clinic, professor of neurosurgery and clinical director of the UC Neuroscience Institute.

For the surgery, Tew and his team fused and installed the multiple brain scans into a surgical guidance computer, whose function is similar to a global positioning system.

They say that the technology revealed the tumour’s relationship to all of the functional centres, electrical pathways and arteries and veins in the patient’s brain, which is why they were able to map out a safe pathway to the tumour.

“This fusion of images is exciting in that it allows us to maximize resection (removal) of the tumour while preserving function for the patient,” says Dr. James Leach, an associate professor of neuroradiology at UC who performed the processing and fusion of images.

Since early 2007, specialists have used the fusion of three types of imaging as a guide to stereotactic surgery-Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that creates detailed pictures of the body by detecting differences in magnetic signals between different types of tissues; functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that creates a series of images that capture blood oxygen levels in parts of the brain that are responsible for movement, perception and cognition; and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that provides a map of critical white-matter tracts, which facilitate electrical connections between different parts of the brain.

Leach revealed that the latest work added the fusion of computed tomography angiography (CTA), which provides a map of blood vessels-arteries and veins.

“The 3T system allows us to image the functional areas of the brain using various language, motor and vision tasks with the patient in the MRI scanner. The addition of the DTI sequence allows the connections between these areas and other parts of the nervous system to be identified at the same time,” Leach says.

Tew said that the three-dimensional brain-mapping enabled his team to navigate a trajectory through the patient’s brain, and to remove 90 percent of the malignant tumour, an anaplastic astrocytoma, without harming the healthy brain tissue-including the deep nerve-fibre tracts-that surrounded it.

According to the researcher, the patient was talking normally right after surgery, and she was walking the halls and able to take a shower without assistance one day after surgery. he team sought to eradicate the remaining tumour by applying a course of 33 computer-guided, fractionated radiotherapy treatments as a first approach. (ANI)

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Novel targeted therapy shows promise to eliminate leukaemia stem cells

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 3 (ANI): A piece of research has shown that it is possible to eliminate stem cells related to human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a notoriously treatment-resistant blood cancer, using a new targeted therapy.

Associate Professor Richard Lock, from the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia and the University of New South Wales, has revealed that the new therapeutic approach has been found to selectively attack human cancer cells grown in the lab as well as in animal models of leukaemia.

AML is a cancer of the white blood cells that has an extremely poor prognosis and does not respond well to conventional chemotherapy.

“The cellular and molecular basis for this dismal picture is unclear. However, previous research has suggested that leukaemia stem cells (LSCs) may lie at the heart of post-treatment relapse and chemoresistance,” says Lock.

LSCs are cells that can initiate AML and are critical for its long-term growth.

Lock and his colleagues exploited the fact that the molecule CD123 is expressed at very high levels on LSCs but not on normal blood cells.

The researchers created a therapeutic antibody that recognized and bound to CD123, hoping that the antibody would selectively interfere with AML-LSC survival.

When AML-LSCs from human patients were transplanted into mice treated with the antibody, called 7G3, cytokine signalling in the tumour cells was blocked.

The research team also observed that 7G3 impaired migration of the AML-LSCs to bone marrow, and activated the innate immune system of the host mouse to destroy the AML-LSCs.

They say that, overall, treatment with 7G3 substantially improved mouse survival when compared with control groups.

Lock and his colleagues are currently using a CD123-targeting antibody in phase 1 clinical trials of advanced AML. They say that there are no signs of treatment-related toxicity.

These results hold substantial promise for future cancer therapeutics.

“The recent characterization of defined populations of cancer stem cells in a range of human malignancies, as well as their relative resistance to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, supports the broad applicability of our approach and provides rationale for the progression of AML-LSC-targeted therapeutics from preclinical evaluation to clinical trials,” concludes Associate Professor Lock.

A research article on the study has been published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. (ANI)

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Cancer survivors face higher birth complications risk

July 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 2 (ANI): A new study has shown that survivors of childhood cancer run particular risks when pregnant.

Dr. Sharon Lie Fong, of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and colleagues studied data on the pregnancies of 40 women who had been treated for cancer during their childhood, the majority of them for leukaemia, but also for solid tumours. Six had had radiation treatment directly to the abdomen.

The data were compared with those from a control group of more than 9,000 women who had not had cancer treatment.

All data were obtained from The Netherlands Perinatal Register, a nationwide database of pregnancy outcomes. Data were matched for age at pregnancy, year and month of delivery, and the number of times the woman had given birth.

“This is the first such study on pregnancy outcome in childhood cancer survivors as compared with normal, healthy women,” said Dr. Lie Fong.

“Although we found no differences between most of the survivors and the control group, the women treated with abdominal radiotherapy delivered more prematurely. These women also had more postpartum haemorrhages – the loss of more than one litre of blood after delivery,” Dr. Lie Fong added.

The study has been presented at the 25th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Wednesday 1 July). (ANI)

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Ultra-sound therapy offers ‘non-invasive’ treatment for prostate cancer

July 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 2 (ANI): Making a huge breakthrough in cancer research, scientists have developed a revolutionary non-invasive treatment that uses sound waves to blast prostate cancer.

In a trial at University College Hospital and the private Princess Grace Hospital, both in London, men early prostate cancer were given general anaesthetic and treated with high-intensity-focused ultrasound, which kills cancer cells.

The researchers found that the technique could accurately zap small amounts of tissue by heating it up to a temperature of between 80C and 90C.

They reckoned that the technique is so accurate that it can be used to treat the whole prostate gland or just the areas with cancer.

Thus, the patients can now get rid of conventional treatment like surgery and radiotherapy, which treat the whole prostate and can carry the risk of side effects, including impotence, incontinence and bowel changes.

In their study, the experimental HIFU therapy was used on 172 men whose cancer had not spread beyond their prostate.

All the participants were day cases, and 78 per cent were discharged from hospital in an average of five hours.

Out of the group, 159 men were followed up a year later and 92 per cent were found to be cancer-free.

The trial found that men treated with HIFU had fewer side effects than those treated with radiotherapy or surgery.

It was found that less than one per cent participants suffered from incontinence, none had any bowel problems and 30 per cent to 40 per cent suffered impotence.

“This study suggests it’s possible that HIFU may one day play a role in treating men with early prostate cancer with fewer side effects,” the Daily Express quoted Dr Hashim Ahmed, who ran the trial, as saying. (ANI)

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Jacko may scrap more gigs due to skin cancer treatment

May 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 29 (ANI): Michael Jackson may have to scrap more of his concerts in the UK due to his treatment for skin cancer.

The King of Pop, who was diagnosed with skin cancer last month, might have to undergo gruelling radiotherapy to beat the disease.

His friends are worried that the therapy could leave the 50-year-old star so exhausted that he might even have to cancel other July gigs.

Jacko has already postponed the first four UK dates of his 50-show tour at London’s O2 arena, leaving 80,000 fans disappointed.

While Specialists in California’s Beverly Hills have removed potentially lethal growths from his nose and arm, they are worried about a patch that remains on his chest.

One treatment option is to remove it layer by layer, which would not have any impact on his tour.

However, experts have insisted that radiotherapy is more effective.

“Michael has a devil of a decision. The temptation is to go for the treatment, which will allow him to perform,” the Sun quoted a close source as saying.

“The last thing he wants is to let down his fans. But it may well turn out that radiation therapy is still needed if the cancer is deep in his cells.

“That can have really nasty side effects and leave him unable to sing at all.”

“Everyone is praying that more dates will still go ahead,” the source added

Last night, a spokesman for Jacko insisted: “He is in great health.” (ANI)

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Jacko may need gruelling radiotherapy to fight skin cancer

May 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 22 (ANI): Michael Jackson may have to undergo gruelling radiotherapy to help him battle skin cancer.

The King of Pop had been reported having spots of the disease on his upper body and pre-cancerous cells on his face.

The 50-year-old reportedly had a painful skin-shaving surgery in Beverly Hills to clear his flesh of potentially lethal growths on May 21.

And now, doctors were allegedly waiting to see if the icon needed gruelling spot radiation treatment.

“It’s about waiting and praying now,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

The singer was due to kick off a much-awaited 50-show run at London’s the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena on July 8.

The opening four nights of his This Is It UK tour were postponed. Concert promoters AEG Live said the singer needed more time for dress rehearsals. (ANI)

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Homeopathic meds may help relieve cancer therapy’s side effects

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 15 (ANI): Drugs and radiotherapy given to fight cancer can lead to nausea and vomiting, mouth sores and dermatitis. Now, Cochrane Researchers claim that homeopathic medicines can help reduce these unpleasant side effects.

In a systematic review of randomised controlled trials, scientists examined recent evidence for the safety and effectiveness of homeopathic medicines used in this way.

The review included eight studies involving a total of 664 participants. One study with 256 participants found that skin irritation caused by radiotherapy was less in patients using calendula ointment compared with those using the topical agent trolamine. In another study of 32 participants, those who took Traumeel S (a combination of 14 homeopathic medicines) had more relief from mouth sores caused by chemotherapy than those who took placebo.

Two small studies on adverse effects of radiotherapy were positive but may have been biased, and two small studies on adverse effects of chemotherapy did not show any positive effects.

“We found preliminary data that suggest there may be benefit associated with two homeopathic medicines in specific circumstances, although these results need to be replicated in further studies,” says Dr Sosie Kassab, Director of the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital’s Complementary Cancer Service and lead author of the review.

“The effects of calendula may also depend on the formulation, as it can be prepared using a range of different methods,” the expert added.

Two other studies tested homeopathic medicines for relieving menopausal symptoms caused by breast cancer therapies. However, the researchers found no evidence in these studies for any benefit over placebo.

None of the homeopathic medicines studied reported serious side effects or interactions with conventional treatments.

“At present, there is no convincing evidence to support the use of homeopathic medicines for other adverse effects of cancer treatments,” says Kassab.

“But very little research has been undertaken and more is required,” the researcher added. (ANI)

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High-dosage brachytherapy shows promising results in head and neck tumours’ treatment

March 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 29 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Navarra Hospital say that high-dosage perioperative brachytherapy can prove very useful in the treatment of head and neck tumours, and for reducing the period of radiation.

Brachytherapy is a radiotherapy treatment involving the placing of radioactive sources within the tumour or nearby.

The scientists say that their work describes the application of this new radiotherapy technique to 40 patients between 2000 and 2006.

A research article on the study suggests that it was the greatest number of patients treated with high-dosage brachytherapy for head and neck tumours in world medical literature.

The results suggest that after a seven-year follow-up, the illness was controlled in 86 per cent of the cases, and that the percentage of survival was 52 per cent.

The researchers revealed that their study concentrated on the treatment of tumours in the oral cavity, those affecting the tongue and the floor of the mouth, and those in the oropharyngeal region, such as tumours of the tonsils.

Doctor Rafael Martínez-Monge, Director of the Radiotherapy Department, revealed that the team analysed the application of brachytherapy as complementary post-surgery treatment.

Some cases of head and neck tumours require the application of radiotherapy after the surgical operation.

The researchers say that using this technique, they could intensify the radiation dosage with the goal of reducing relapse rates.

According to them, brachytherapy provides better end-result possibilities than conventional radiotherapy, as it enables the administration of doses that would not be easily achieved using other techniques due to toxic effects.

Given that the use in brachytherapy of high dosages involves a series of benefits for the patient as regards the overall treatment, Doctor Martínez-Monge points out that the great advantage is the reduction of total time.

While conventional radiotherapy treatment lasted seven weeks, administering part of the radiation through brachytherapy can take two weeks less.

The researchers say that this technique also manages to reduce the time of radiation compared to treatment with low dosage brachytherapy, thanks to the existence of new sources of radiation that help release the treatment in a matter of minutes.

The University of Navarra Hospital says that there are a number of studies under way on its use in gynaecological tumours and sarcomas, amongst others.

The current study has been published in Brachytherapy, official journal of the American Society of Brachytherapy. (ANI)

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Cancer-stricken David Prowse sends sympathetic message to Jade Goody

March 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar 21 (ANI): Hollywood actor David Prowse, who was recently diagnosed with prostrate cancer, has sent a supporting message to cancer sufferer Jade Goody.

The ‘Star Wars’ actor commended Goody for raising awareness about cervical cancer, with which she is herself suffering, through her reality show.

David said that Goody had contributed “more than anyone else in memory” in spreading cancer awareness.

“If I can do the same for prostate cancer in men, then I will be happy,” the Daily Star quoted him as saying.

David has been receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer for the last two months. (ANI)

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Biological pathway behind children’s brain tumour identified

March 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 19 (ANI): Scientists at The University of Nottingham have found that a biological pathway plays a role in the development of a type of brain tumour that predominantly occurs in children, and presently has a very poor prognosis.

Working on behalf of the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG), the researchers have found that the WNT biological pathway is “activated” in over one-third of the cases of central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumours (CNS PNET).

The researchers say that their study also highlighted a link between WNT pathway activation and patient survival, for those having a CNS PNET tumour that was activated survived for longer than those without pathway activation.he researchers admit the fact that the reason for the link between WNT pathway activation and better patient prognosis is as yet unclear, but believe that it could be that these tumours represent a less aggressive subset or that pathway activation itself actually harms the tumour.

According to them, the pathway could represent an important new target for the treatment of more effective drugs, with fewer side effects.

“The principal aim of our research is to reduce the morbidity and mortality of children with central nervous system tumours through improved understanding of tumour biology. Following on from this, we need to translate this knowledge into effective new treatments for brain tumours through the development and assessment of accurately targeted treatments that will cause fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy and be more effective,” said senior author Professor Richard Grundy, from the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre.

“The ultimate aim is to develop ‘drugs’ that target just the abnormal genes in cancer cells, rather than the current norm which involves the indiscriminate destruction of dividing cells which might be healthy or malignant. Overall, this is an important finding in a poorly understood, poor prognosis disease, which we hope, in time, will lead to the development of new treatments for CNS PNETs.

“We hope our findings will lead to a more detailed understanding of CNS PNETS, which is crucial if we are to ensure each child receives the most appropriate treatment for their disease and that we reduce the number of children in which their cancer recurs,” he added.

A research article on the study has been published in the British Journal of Cancer. (ANI)

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Darth Vader battling prostate cancer

March 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar 18 (ANI): Legendary actor David Prowse has revealed that he is battling prostate cancer.

David, who thrilled fans with his terrific portrayal of the villain Darth Vader in the ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, has been undergoing radiotherapy for nearly two months.

He has hinted that his disease has been detected at an early stage, and the doctors are talking “fantastic” care of him.

“It’s amazing what can be done if you catch it early,” the Sun quoted him as telling a radio talk show.

David also urged all men over the age of 50 to get a blood test to check for prostate cancer. (ANI)

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New approach to treat lung cancer offers high cure rates

March 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): A new technique to treat lung cancer at Temple University might double a person’s chances of surviving the deadly disease, and that too without the need of conventional radiation regimen or surgery.

Called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), the technique not only improves a person’s odds of surviving early stage lung cancer, but may also reduce the need for future surgeries, according to doctors in the Radiation Oncology Department.

“This is a big trend in radiation oncology for early stage lung cancer patients who either can’t undergo surgery or refuse it. With the success of this technique, we’re now questioning whether we’ll even be doing surgeries on these patients in the future,” said Curtis Miyamoto, chair and professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the School of Medicine.

The treatment of lung cancer with conventional radiation is quite burdensome because patients have to receive radiation therapy five days a week for six to seven weeks, making it difficult for people not living in the city.

Comparatively, SBRT requires only three to eight treatments, not 35. Once malignancy is confirmed through a PET CT scan or biopsy, treatments can begin.

Patients are placed in an immobilizing body frame to reduce movement so that doctors can focus radiation on the tumour while reducing exposure of healthy tissue.

Although both traditional treatments and SBRT methods involve radiation, SBRT administers large, highly precise doses instead of multiple smaller doses.

For those who undergo SBRT, the median survival range is more than 32 months.

And depending on the size and seriousness of the tumour, the two-year disease free survival, or cure rate through SBRT increases to approximately 81 percent and can reach up to 98 percent.

SBRT doubles the odds of surviving early stage lung cancer and can actually cure at least half of the patients.

“Such high survival rates are equivalent to other techniques, like invasive surgery, but you don’t have to go under the knife. I think the big thing the patient notices is it’s all done very quickly and the results are impressive,” said Miyamoto.

The study has been published in the International Journal of Radiation OncologyBiologyPhysics. (ANI)

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New mechanism to revolutionise treatment of cancer, viral infections

January 19, 2009 By Rajesh 6 Comments

London, Jan 19 (ANI): In a new research, scientists in Montreal have uncovered a new anti-cancer, anti-infection response control mechanism that could change the way cancers and infectious diseases are treated.

Dr. Andre Veillette, a researcher at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), and his team led by postdoctoral fellow Dr. Mario-Ernesto Cruz-Munoz, identified one of the basic mechanisms controlling NK (“natural killer”) cell activity.

NK cells, which are produced by the immune system, are responsible for recognizing and killing cancer cells and cells infected by viruses, such as viruses causing hepatitis and herpes.

NK cell deficiency is linked with a higher incidence of cancers and serious infections.

“Our breakthrough demonstrates that a molecule known as CRACC, which is present at the surface of NK cells, increases their killer function,” Nature quoted Veillette as saying.

Using mice, the researchers have shown that CRACC greatly improves the animals’ ability to eliminate cancer cells such as melanoma (a skin cancer) and lymphoma (a blood cancer).

Mice lacking the CRACC gene, generated in the laboratory, were found to be more susceptible to cancer persistence. Conversely, stimulation of CRACC function was found to improve cancer cell elimination.

Thus, stimulating CRACC could boost NK cell activity, helping to fight cancers. In addition, it could improve the ability to fight infections, which are also handled by NK cells.

Increasing the activity of CRACC by gene therapy or drugs could become an option in the future to stimulate the killer function of NK cells, and to improve their capacity to destroy cancer and virus-infected cells.

All the above approaches could be used in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy to increase the effectiveness of anti-cancer treatments.

The discovery opens new avenues for the treatment of cancers and viral infections.

The study is published in the upcoming issue of the prestigious journal Nature Immunology of Nature Publishing Group. (ANI)

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