Closer look at measuring cancer survival
Q: How was the study set up and what factors were examined? …
Category Archives: Cancer Knowledge
Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients
Traditionally used to detect cancer, PET imaging shows how organs and tissues are functioning. When used with X-rays generated from CT scans, PET scans provide a more complete picture of the area of the body being examined…
Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than �40 million every year
The numbers add up to a strong economic case to invest in services to support mums to carry on breastfeeding, they conclude. In common with many other high income countries, breastfeeding rates in the UK are low, and to find out if boosting these could cut healthcare costs by improving mother and child health, the researchers focused on five priority diseases…
Innate immune system condemns weak cells to their death
The “survival of the fittest” principle applies to cells in a tissue — rapidly growing and dividing cells are the fit ones. A relatively less fit cell, even if healthy and viable, will be eliminated by its more fit neighbors…
Smoking and higher mortality in men
Smoking is a risk factor for various diseases, not only lung cancer. Epidemiological data show that male smokers have a greater risk of developing cancer outside the respiratory tract than female smokers. In the present study, which is the result of an international collaboration, the researchers discovered an association between smoking and genetic damage among men that might explain this sex difference. ‘We have previously in 2014 demonstrated an association between loss of the Y chromosome in blood and greater risk for cancer…
More evidence for impact of lung cancer targeted therapy from practice-changing trial
Some patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have changes in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, which can drive the development of their cancer. …
Mini chromosomes that strengthen tumors
Although scientists have known for about twenty years about double minutes, little chromosomal fragments which sometimes appear during cellular division, they have just started to understand their exact function. Due to replication errors, these mini-chromosomes lack centromere, which allows them to replicate extremely rapidly and autonomously. Scientists therefore suspect that they play a role in the development of cancers, diseases that are caused by mutations in genes that control cellular metabolism and development…
Psychological problems in men experiencing cancer
A group of 127 men aged 18 and over with a cancer diagnosis were recruited through the National Health Service and cancer charities between April 2009 and April 2011. The participants were assessed for demographic factors, social support, anxiety and depression, and distress (Distress Thermometer)…
Cancer from asbestos caused by more than one cell mutation
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium — the protective lining that covers the internal organs, such as the lungs, the heart and the abdominal cavity. It is estimated that malignant mesothelioma affects up to 3,200 people in the USA each year, most of whom die within a year of diagnosis. The primary cause of this cancer is exposure to asbestos, which used to be used in building construction…
Chemotherapy can complicate immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy — ScienceDaily
Chemotherapy is increasingly used to treat larger operable or advanced breast cancer prior to surgery. Chemotherapy delivered via the placement of a central venous line that remains in place for the duration of treatment can result in pre-operative thromboembolic events, which can require the administration of anticoagulation agents. This in turn can complicate subsequent surgery and is particularly significant when complex reconstruction is anticipated immediately following the mastectomy. “There is limited research on the impact of this complication on breast reconstruction pathways and guidance for optimal management of these patients,” notes Professor Charles M…