Vaccine Increases Disease-Free Survival For Follicular Lymphoma Patients
6/01/2011
A lymphoma vaccine uniquely tailored for each patient extends disease-free survival by 14 months, with signs of an even better response for patients with a specific biological marker, a team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported in the online version of Journal of Clinical Oncology...
Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510 (k) clearance to the CYFRA 21-1™ EIA assay to monitor disease progression during the course of disease and treatment of lung cancer patients. This is the first biomarker assay kit to be cleared by FDA for use in the management of patients with lung cancer...
Consortium Opens Landmark Personalized Medicine Children's Cancer Trial
6/01/2011
The Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC) today announced the opening of a first-of-its-kind genomic-based clinical trial to treat and study pediatric cancer specifically relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma...
CSL Behring Receives EU Orphan Drug Designations For RVIIa-FP For Hemophilia A And B Treatment
6/01/2011
CSL Behring announced that it has been granted Orphan Drug Designations (ODD) by the European Commission for the development of its recombinant fusion protein linking coagulation factor VIIa with albumin (rVIIa-FP), a novel therapy to treat hemophilia A and hemophilia B patients with inhibitors...
Although gynecologic cancers account for only 10 percent of all new cancer cases in women, these cancers account for 20 percent of all female cancer survivors. Because long-term survival is now more common, it is increasingly important to detect recurrence...
Do Birth Control Pills Containing Drospirenone Raise Blood Clot Risk? FDA Orders Safety Review
5/31/2011
The FDA informs that new data regarding birth control pills containing drospirenone are being evaluated to determine what the risk of blood clots is. Drospirenone is a synthetic progestin - a female sex hormone. Birth control pills usually contain either progestin or estrogen - they prevent ovulation, among other things to avert pregnancy. The molecular formula of drospirenone is C24H30O3...
Gene Test Predicts Leukaemia Survival
5/31/2011
Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) have found that a genetic test can be used to identify patients with the most common type of adult leukaemia who will not respond well to currently available drugs and should instead be considered for experimental treatments...
UK Advice On Sun Creams "not In The Interests Of Public Health," Warns DTB
5/31/2011
The strength of sun cream recently recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to stave off sunburn is far too low and "not in the interests of public health," warns the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB). NICE should rethink its advice, and soon, it says...
Cellphones Possibly Linked To Cancer Risk In Humans, World Health Organization
5/31/2011
Cellphones have been classed in category 2B - possibly carcinogenic to humans - by the cancer arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), after an international panel of experts evaluated hundreds of scientific articles. The IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) was focusing on electromagnetic radiation, which emanates from radar, microwaves and cellphones (mobile phones)...
Highly cited studies involving associations of biomarkers report effect sizes that are often larger when compared to summary estimates from meta-analyses evaluating the same associations, according to a study in the June 1 issue of JAMA. "Many new biomarkers are continuously proposed as potential determinants of disease risk, prognosis, or response to treatment...