Cancer News Network

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4

How to prevent cervical cancer?
2007-02-17 15:38:00
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. Because of the Pap smear test, the number of cervical cancer cases has dropped over the past twenty years. However, many women still develop cervical cancer. In fact, over 9,000 women in the U.S. develop cervical cancer every year. While some cases of cervical cancer cannot be prevented, there are many things a woman can do to reduce her risk of developing cervical cancer. Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Cervical Cancer Get a regular Pap smear: The Pap smear can be the greatest defenses for cervical cancer. The Pap smear can detect cervical changes early before they turn into cancer. Check cervical cancer screening guidelines to find out how often you should have a Pap smear, or check with your doctor. Limit the amount of sexual partners you have: Studies have shown women who have many sexual partners increase their risk for cervical cancer. They also are increasing their risk of developing HPV, a known cause for cervical ca...
More About: Vent

Tulsi inhibits the progression of breast cancer
2007-02-13 18:13:00
Indolink.com: It is in America's medical establishment - especially in the many outstanding cancer research centers - that traditional Indian medicine is confronting western science and proving that it has something worthwhile to offer. No wonder the power of Tulsi and of turmeric, so common to Desis everywhere, is now beginning to amaze Americans.And in many instances the work is being done by Indian-American scientists or in collaboration with scientists in India. Take ongoing research on the holy Tulsi plant (Ocimum sanctum) at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan, or the common spice Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) at MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in Houston. In the case of Tulsi or India?s holy basil, Ayurvedic practice recommends Tulsi in several formulations to enhance immunity and metabolic functions as well as in the management of respiratory problems. Recent pharmacological studies have established the anabolic, hypoglycemic, smooth muscle relaxant, cardiac depres...
More About: Breast Cancer , Breast , Prog

Long hours of driving put drivers at risk to skin cancer
2007-02-12 16:20:00
Ivanhoe Newswire: According to new research, American drivers who spend a considerable amount of time in their cars are at an increased risk for developing skin cancer.Researchers from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, studied 898 skin cancer patients and found a correlation between the number of hours driving and cancer on the left side of the body. The skin cancers most commonly reported were cancers that develop gradually over time, like basal cell carcinoma and lentigo maligna.Areas of skin exposed to sunlight while driving, like the head, neck, arms, and hands, are most at risk for skin cancer, according the researchers. They also report patients who drove with a window down had an even higher incidence of left-sided skin cancer.Car windows do offer some protection from the sun's burning rays, but drivers are not completely shielded. Study authors suggest tinting or using UV filters on windows in automobiles, applying SPF 15 or higher sunscreen every day,...
More About: Drivers , Skin , Cancer , Driving , Skin Cancer

Stop smoking or you would ?..?
2007-02-09 17:43:00
A great way of saying that cigarettes are harmful to us. Creativity at its best!
More About: Smoking , Cigarettes , Stop , King , Would

Developments in the fight against cancer
2007-02-07 15:26:00
In this video, Dr. Ang Peng Taim, Medical Director of Parkway Cancer Centre, explains about the recent developments in the field of cancer research. A must-watch for cancer patients and their families, since this video sends out a clear message that cancer is curable, irrespective of the stage of the disease.
More About: Fight , Cancer Research , Again , Develop

An accidental discovery may lead to the development of a new cancer drug
2007-02-06 15:48:00
SpiritIndia.com: Katherine Schaefer, Lawrence Saubermann and researchers believe they have discovered by chance a new way to fight colorectal cancer, and potentially cancers of the esophagus, liver and skin.Early work shows that a group of compounds called Peroxisome_proliferator-activated_recepto r-gamma (PPAR-gamma) inhibitors may have an unexpected cancer-fighting effect, according to research published in the journal International Cancer Research. Furthermore, the new studies suggest that PPAR-gamma inhibitors act through some of the same mechanisms as the blockbuster chemotherapy Taxol, but with key differences.While studying whether compounds known to affect PPAR-gamma could play a role in inflammatory bowel diseases, a team at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that medium-to-high doses of PPAR-gamma inhibitor killed colorectal cancer cell lines. Despite the compound's class name, the anti-cancer effect has nothing to do with the ability of the compounds to inhi...
More About: Discovery , Development , Cover , Over

Common myths about cancer
2007-02-04 07:50:00
Myths about the causes and prevention of cancer have been floating around for years. While some have been tame, there have been some cancer myths that are downright outlandish and ridiculous. Check out the craziest cancer myths in the following list.Myth: Fellatio Greatly Reduces a Woman's Risk Factor for Breast Cancer Truth: An email circulated with a link to what appeared to be a bonafide CNN news story claiming that a study found that women who performed fellatio reduced their risk of breast cancer. The truth is that there is no evidence that performing fellatio will reduce your risk of cancer.Myth: Designer Lipsticks Contain Lead that Cause Cancer.Truth: The FDA regulates all cosmetics manufacturing. It is logical to think that if a lipstick contained an ingredient that is sure to cause cancer, it would be pulled from the shelves immediately. This email hoax is still popping up in inboxes and striking fear in women. It is a hoax and there is no brand of lipstick that can cause c...
More About: Myths , Common , Comm , Myth

Discovery of stem cells in pancreatic tumors opens a new approach for treat
2007-02-02 15:01:00
The Boston Globe: Researchers have discovered a small population of stem cells in pancreatic cancer that appear to drive tumor growth, opening the door for a potential new approach for treating this particularly deadly disease.Writing in the journal Cancer Research yesterday, University of Michigan scientists said finding cancer stem cells in pancreatic tumors could lead to the development of drugs intended to target and kill these cells.Scientists have toiled with little success to find better ways to treat cancer of the pancreas, which has the lowest survival rate of any major form of cancer.It kills 97 percent of people diagnosed with it within five years -- half within six months of diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer spreads quickly and is rarely detected at an early stage. In the United States alone, it kills 33,000 people a year.The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach that secretes a digestive fluid and the hormone insulin."The clinical implications of this work are signi...
More About: Discovery , Cover , Pens , Over , Stem Cells

Secondhand smoke at workplace doubles the risk of cancer
2007-02-01 15:00:00
eitb24: Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers said that for nonsmokers who were highly exposed to secondhand smoke at work, there was approximately a 100 percent increase in lung cancer risk.High levels of secondhand smoke on the job can double nonsmokers' risk of developing lung cancer, and those who inhale it at work long-term face a 50 percent higher risk, researchers said on Wednesday. Scientists led by epidemiologist Leslie Stayner of the University of Illinois at Chicago combined the results of 22 studies on secondhand smoke conducted in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Japan and China.Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, they said that for nonsmokers who were highly exposed to secondhand smoke at work, there was approximately a 100 percent increase in lung cancer risk.The researchers adopted the previous studies' definitions of high exposure, based on factors like the numbers of smokers present in the workplace and actual amount...
More About: Cancer , Workplace , Smoke , Smoking , Second

Damage to ?insula? in the brain can make people quit smoking
2007-01-30 16:15:01
The Current online.com: Are you a smoker? What if you woke up one day and forgot to smoke? The dream of every smoker who is trying to quit is to have the desire to smoke suddenly vanish. Quitting smoking is a common New Year's resolution. We all know it is bad for us, it is getting harder to be a smoker in a non-smoking world and they are expensive too. But it is so darned hard to quit. Smokers get no sympathy, even from ex-smokers it sometimes seems, who should know exactly how hard it is. Numerous quitting-smoking programs and drugs exist, yet people who know better and want to quit still smoke. So the recent study in the journal Science came as a lightning bolt. A patient who suffered a stroke that injured a particular area of his brain, quit smoking with apparent ease, even without a conscious effort to quit. He just forgot to smoke, as he put it to researcher Antoine Bechara. The study came from the University of Southern California's year-old Brain and Creativity Institute,...
More About: People , Quit Smoking , Rain , Smoking , King

New device for detecting oral cancer
2007-01-30 04:14:01
A new device called ?Vizilite Plus? is now helping doctors in the early detection of oral abnormalities that could lead to cancer. Since early detection is a key in the treatment of oral cancer, this device is helping the medical community to address oral cancer at its most-easily treatable stage. This news story from FOX5 NEWS explains how ?Vizilite Plus? is helping doctors to save the lives of many people.
More About: Cancer , Device , Oral Cancer , Vice , Oral

Does soda cause cancer?
2007-01-28 16:12:02
Does soda cause cancer? Well, this news story from abc7 claims that it does. Watch this news story, which throws more light on the carcinogenic content of sodas.
More About: Cancer , Cause , Soda

Tobacco doesn?t always kill!
2007-01-27 04:10:04
You can still live as a smoker, but you may have to part with a few of your organs and this video talks about it.
More About: Toba , Kill , Always , Tobacco

Scientists develop new tool to help cancer patients in coping with their di
2007-01-27 04:10:04
Innovations Report: A tool to detect depression in cancer patients launched by the University of Liverpool will vastly improve patients? ability to come to terms with their disease.Depression affects 25% of patients with advanced cancer ? the stage at which the disease has begun to spread from its original tumour. At this stage, depression is difficult to diagnose as symptoms can be confused with a patient displaying ?appropriate sadness? ? feelings which commonly result from suffering a terminal illness.A team from the University?s Division of Primary Care has created a method of testing for depression so clinicians can introduce additional treatment to enable patients to cope with the cancer more effectively. The tool could also be applied to sufferers of other serious illnesses such as Parkinson?s Disease and chronic heart disease.Based on a screening system originally developed for sufferers of post-natal depression, the new tool - known as the ?Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale?...
More About: Cancer , Scientist , With , Tool , Coping

Scientists identify ?junk? DNA that can switch off cancer tumors
2007-01-26 04:10:03
EARTHtimes.org: Recently, scientists at the University of Oxford have discovered that 'junk' genetic material can switch off cancer tumours, preventing them from growing. Dr. Alexandre Akoulitchev at the university has found that it is possible to use large molecules of RNA to regulate the activity of a gene called dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) which produces an enzyme that is responsible for the rapid spread of tumour. Almost 34,000 genes are responsible for producing proteins according to the Human Genome Project. The rest are considered to be scrap. The DNA and the proteins they produce are connected through the RNA when the proteins are activated. Though not all RNA are directly involved in protein synthesis, about 500,000 varieties of RNA of unknown function have been estimated to be produced by 'junk' DNA.The team at the University of Oxford has shown that certain RNA can be used to directly control the gene DHFR. When this gene is inhibited, the thymine?a chemical that i...
More About: Cancer , Scientist , Hat , Tumor , Switch

Aspirin can save cancer patients experiencing heart attack
2007-01-22 16:07:03
The Hindu: Aspirin can prove to be a life saviour for cancer patients who have heart attacks, claims a new research. And, the medical decision to not give aspirin to cancer patients who have heart attacks (based on the premise it could cause lethal bleeding) is a deadly mistake, it says. Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, however, say that notion is now proven wrong and that without aspirin, the majority of these patients will die. They say that their study, turns common medical assumptions upside down and will likely change medical practice for cancer patients. Because aspirin can thin blood and cancer patients experience low platelet counts and abnormal clotting, physicians view aspirin as a relative contra-indication. Given that blood platelets are responsible for the clotting process, physicians do not eagerly prescribe aspirin as a standard treatment. The study to be published in the February 1, 2007 issue of the journal Cancer, found that 9 of...
More About: Hear , Heart , Patients

The Scotsman: Scientists are preparing to conduct the first
2007-01-15 04:00:02
The Scotsman: Scientist s are preparing to conduct the first British clinical trials of a revolutionary drug extracted from mushrooms that is set to begin a new era in the treatment of cancer. The drugs, which are based on a number of exotic species of fungi, are credited with dramatic benefits for stomach and bowel cancer sufferers in the Far East, with studies showing substantial increases to life expectancy rates in China and Japan. Until now, British patients have missed out on the potential benefits from the drugs, because western researchers - particularly in the UK - have been slow to study the area. Despite the delays, however, a team of scientists now plans to conduct trials in the UK after they convince regulators that the drugs pose no risk and are effective at treating the disease. Authorities in the United States have already certified the drugs as safe, and are expected to complete their approval in the summer. There are 4,262 stomach and bowel cancer sufferers in Scotl...
More About: Ring , First , Scientists , Prep

CBC News: Researchers think they have discovered how to boos
2007-01-14 04:00:07
CBC News : Research ers think they have discovered how to boost one of the body's natural cancer fighters.It might be possible to superpower the gene, known as PTEN, by tinkering with an enzyme that regulates its activity, scientists report in the Jan. 12 issue of Cell.Although they are a long way from developing an actual drug based on the discovery, the ability to manipulate the tumor-suppressor gene is "potentially a real breakthrough," said study author Dr. Pier Paolo Pandolfi, a professor of cancer biology and genetics at MemorialSloan-KetteringCancerCenter.Pando lfi and other researchers at Sloan-Kettering and Columbia University were intrigued by the PTEN gene, which suppresses tumors by preventing "excessive proliferation [of cells] that's associated with cancers and [inducing] cells to die when they misbehave and act as a tumor," Pandolfi explained.Essentially, the PTEN gene acts as a guard inside a cell, explained Xuejun Jiang, director of a Sloan-Kettering laboratory that ...
More About: How To , Search , C News

icWales.co.uk: The chemical in chillies that makes them hot
2007-01-14 04:00:07
icWales .co.uk: The chemical in chillies that makes them hot to taste could be used to combat cancerous tumors, a new study has found.Dr Andrew Westwell, a senior lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, said the chemical compound capsaicin, that gives spicy food like curry its kick, could hold the key to the next generation of anti-cancer drugs that will kill tumours.He was an adviser in a study, published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications that has proven for the first time that capsaicin can kill cells by directly targeting their energy source.Working in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, Dr Westwell said the beauty of the laboratory test discovery was that the compound would have few or no side effects for the patient. It could also mean that patients could control or prevent the onset of cancer by eating a diet rich in capsaicin. Dr Westwell said, "We found that in cancer cells grown in the lab, capsaicin can ...
More About: Chilli , Chillies , Hat , Them

PressZoom: A pattern of micro molecules can distinguish panc
2007-01-14 04:00:07
PressZoom : A pattern of micro molecules can distinguish pancreatic cancer from normal and benign pancreatic tissue, new research suggests. The study examined human pancreatic tumor tissue and compared it to nearby normal tissue and control tissue for levels of microRNA (miRNA). It identified about 100 different miRNAs that are present usually at very high levels in the tumor tissue compared with their levels in normal pancreatic tissue. The findings suggest that miRNAs form a signature, or expression pattern, that may offer new clues about how pancreatic cancer develops, and they could lead to new molecular markers that might improve doctors' ability to diagnose and treat the disease. Pancreatic Cancer is expected to strike 33,700 Americans and to kill 32,300 others this year, making it the fourth leading cause of cancer death. The high mortality rate the number of new cases nearly equals the number of deaths exists because the disease is difficult to diagnosis early and treatment...
More About: Press , Pattern , Sting , Micro

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cance
2007-01-14 04:00:07
Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults and till now it has been diagnosed using CAT scan or MRI scan. 20 to 30 % of the kidney masses that appears to the malignant in the CAT or MRI scans are not cancerous and surgery is the only way to find whether the masses are really cancerous or not.Scientists have now developed a ?Urine Test? that can determine the nature of the tumors in the kidney and can actually distinguish between malignant and benign tumors. This new method can put an end to the problems faced during the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma and can indeed help in early detection of this disease.This news story throws more light on this new method which could be available in the market in the next five years.
More About: Cell , Common , Type , Most , Comm

Role of genetics in lung cancer care ? Taiwanese researchers
2007-01-04 15:55:02
HealthDay News: A cluster of five genes may predict a better outcome after treatment for patients with lung cancer, Taiwan ese researchers report.The study highlights the increasingly important role of genetics in lung cancer care, one U.S. expert said."This is one of several studies over the last few years looking at genes to predict that if a tumor is removed surgically, who does well and who should get more aggressive therapy," said Dr. Roy S. Herbst, chief of the section of thoracic medical oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and co-author of an editorial accompanying the report in the Jan. 4 New England Journal of Medicine."Now, we have to move toward personalizing therapy," Herbst said. In the study, a team of cancer specialists at National Taiwan University, Taipei, studied the expression of a variety of genes in tissue samples from 125 people who had surgery for lung cancer. They identified 16 genes associated with better survival.They then narrowed their ...
More About: Research , Search , Care

Saving rainforests can save thousands from cancer!
2007-01-03 03:54:01
Many plant species in the tropical rainforests have the potential to fight cancer and saving them from extinction means a lot to us. This video explains how saving rainforests could save the lives of cancer patients.
More About: Cancer , Info , Rain , Sand , Rest

Many smokers are unaware of the multitude of poisonous subst
2007-01-02 03:53:01
Medical News Today: The British public is unaware of the multitude of poisonous chemicals found in cigarette smoke - according to a survey carried out for Cancer Research UK.Smoke from cigarettes contains some 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. But three quarters of people surveyed were not able to name a single chemical, other than nicotine and tar which are listed on cigarette packs. Of those who said they know a lot about the dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, 68 per cent could not name any. Even when given a list of poisons to choose from, more than two in five people were not able to identify a single one.The results of the survey were published today (Monday) at the launch of the charity?s hard-hitting new anti-tobacco campaign, ?Smoke is Poison?. By raising awareness of the poisons in cigarette smoke - which include, arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde - the campaign aims to save some of the tens of thousands of lives lost to smoking related diseases e...
More About: War , Ware , Multi , Smoker

Dangers of tanning ? Miss Maryland 2006 explain how tanning
2007-01-02 03:53:01
In this video, Brittany Lietz, Miss Mary land 2006, explains how tanning almost killed her. She was diagnosed with Stage-2 melanoma earlier this year and she believes that her choice to get tanned was the reason behind her skin cancer. She has now recovered and is trying to educate other young women on the darker side of tanning.
More About: Plain , Tanning

Housework could save you from breast cancer!
2006-12-29 09:49:01
BBC News: Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a study suggests. The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport. Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job. The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing. Experts have long known that physical exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer, probably through hormonal and metabolic changes. But it has been less clear how much and what types of exercise are necessary for this risk reduction. And much of past work has examined the link between exercise and breast cancer in post-menopausal women only. The latest study looked at both pre- and post-menopausal women and a range of activities, including work, leisure and housework. All forms of physical activity combined reduced the brea...
More About: House , Work , East , Breast Cancer

New drug offers hope to women in early phases of breast canc
2006-12-28 15:48:01
The Age: A new treatment that dramatically slows the spread of aggressive late-stage breast cancer is offering hope of a cure for women in the early phases of the disease.By combining their normal chemotherapy with the drug Tykerb, a study found that women with late-stage or metastatic breast cancer benefited from significant delays in the spread of their disease to other parts of the body. The results, published in The New England Journal of Medicine today, show that women on the combined treatment had an average wait of 36.9 weeks before the disease spread, compared with 19.7 weeks for women on chemotherapy alone.More than 300 women, including several Australians, took part in the study. Co-author Arlene Chan, a breast cancer oncologist at the Mount Hospital in Perth, said the combined treatment could only extend and improve the quality of life for late-stage sufferers.Such was the trial's success, she said there was a good chance the treatment would also help eliminate some earl...
More About: Women , Men , East , Breast , Hope

Four teaspoons of olive oil a day, keeps cancer at bay!
2006-12-27 21:46:01
Daily Express: Four teaspoons of olive oil a day can help prevent cancer, scientists revealed yesterday.The oil, found in Mediterranean diets, cuts levels of substances in the blood which can trigger the disease. Just a small amount of the oil every day helps protect against cell damage which can lead to tumours developing. The research may help explain why many cancer rates are higher in northern Europe than in the south, where olive oil is a major part of the cuisine. Researchers also suggest that combining a wider Mediterranean diet ? rich in fruit, vegetables and pasta ? with the use of olive oil provides an even greater chance of cutting the risk of cancer as well as fighting Alzheimer?s, obesity and heart disease.People in Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Italy live longer than those in other European countries, while rates of breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer are much lower. Dr Henrik Poulsen, who led the research, said: ?Every piece of evidence so far point...
More About: Cancer , Olive Oil , Oil , Live , Keep

Hormones and breast cancer
2006-12-27 09:45:02
The New York Times: When researchers reported recently that a precipitous drop in breast cancer rates might be explained by a corresponding decrease in the use of hormones for menopause, women reacted with shock, anger and, in some cases, profound relief that they had never taken the drugs. But many also had questions. How certain were scientists that the hormones were responsible? How could stopping hormones have such an immediate and pronounced effect? And how much did scientists really know about the biology of breast cancer and hormones?The data seemed clear enough. In 2003, after climbing for almost seven decades, the breast cancer rate fell for the first time in the United States, and it fell sharply. Over all, the incidence of newly diagnosed breast cancer dropped 7 percent, and it dropped 15 percent among women with cancers whose growth is fueled by estrogen.There also was no question that at the same time, women had begun to abandon hormones as a treatment for menopause. In...
More About: Cancer , East , Breast Cancer , Breast , Hormones

The story behind the ban on red-yolk duck eggs in China
2006-12-25 15:42:01
Health officials in China recently banned the sale of red-yolk duck eggs, as they were found to contain a carcinogenic substance called ?Sudan IV?. Farmers in Hebei province have been feeding their ducks with a carcinogenic substance to make the yolk of the egg, red. Red-yolk eggs were very famous in the Chinese capital and they cost more because they were believed to be healthier than normal duck eggs. This video explains how the farmers in Hebei used a dye to change the color to the yolk.
More About: Story , Eggs , Stor , The Story