In early esophageal cancer, less-invasive option as effective as esophagus removal
11/11/2013
Use of a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure to remove superficial, early stage esophageal cancer is as effective as surgery that takes out and rebuilds the esophagus, according to a study by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida...
Widely used breast cancer drug protects cells from UV radiation, inflammation and oxidative damage
11/11/2013
Exemestane, a synthetic steroid drug widely prescribed to fight breast cancers that thrive on estrogens, not only inhibits the production of the hormone, but also appears to protect cells throughout the body against damage induced by UV radiation, inflammation and other assaults, according to results of research by Johns Hopkins scientists...
New driver of breast cancer discovered
11/11/2013
A team of researchers at UT Southwestern has found that as cholesterol is metabolized, a potent stimulant of breast cancer is created - one that fuels estrogen-receptor positive breast cancers, and that may also defeat a common treatment strategy for those cancers...
Researchers link von Willebrand factor to heart-valve calcium deposits
11/11/2013
Heart valves calcify over time, and Rice University scientists are beginning to understand why. The Rice lab of bioengineer Jane Grande-Allen found through studies of pigs' heart valves that age plays a critical role in the valves' progressive hardening, and the problem may be due to the infiltration of a protein known as von Willebrand factor (VWF)...
Whole-genome sequencing study shows HPV can damage genes and chromosomes directly
11/11/2013
The virus that causes cervical, head and neck, anal and other cancers can damage chromosomes and genes where it inserts its DNA into human DNA, according to a new study led by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James)...
Role of Cul4 molecule identified in genome instability and cancer
11/11/2013
Mayo Clinic researchers have shown that a molecule called Cul4 helps to deposit DNA-packaging histone proteins onto DNA, an integral step in cramming yards of genetic code into compact coils that can fit into each cell. When DNA isn't packaged correctly, it can lead to the genomic instability characteristic of many forms of cancer. The research is published in the journal Cell...
Poor women experience delays in breast cancer diagnosis
11/11/2013
Researchers say that young women with breast cancer who are of a poorer financial status may experience delays in seeking medical care and advice for the disease. This is according to a study published in the journal Cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is diagnosed in less than 1 in 200 women under the age of 40...
Dialysis machine components may be contaminating blood with BPA
11/11/2013
Levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in components of dialysis machines may be toxic to the immune cells circulating in kidney failure patients' blood, according to a study presented at ASN Kidney Week 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The hormone disruptor BPA is found in various components of dialysis machines - or dialyzers - that filter kidney failure patients' blood...
Nanoparticles filled with chemotherapeutic drugs can kill drug-resistant breast cancer cells
11/10/2013
Nanoparticles are just as small, or even smaller, than many blood proteins. They can therefore pass through the walls of healthy and sick cells, which make them interesting carriers of drugs against cancer and other diseases...
Common genetic pathway could be conduit to pediatric tumor treatment
11/09/2013
Investigators at Johns Hopkins have found a known genetic pathway to be active in many difficult-to-treat pediatric brain tumors called low-grade gliomas, potentially offering a new target for the treatment of these cancers...