Stockholm, Sweden: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide, and its economic burden grows year by year. In 2008, the worldwide cost of cancer due to premature death and disability, excluding direct medical costs, was estimated to be US$895 billion. An expert report from The Lancet Oncology Commission [1], a […]
Category: Cancer
Smaller, faster trials can improve cancer patient survival; new drugs could become available more quickly
Stockholm, Sweden: With the advent of personalised medicine, gains in cancer survival over the long term could be improved by running smaller, faster trials with less stringent evidence criteria, a researcher told the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress [1]. The introduction of targeted treatments means the traditional large-scale clinical trial is not always the most […]
Breast cancer tumour make-up changes through the course of disease; regular biopsies needed to ensure correct treatment in patients who relapse
Stockholm, Sweden: New research has found that breast cancer tumours change their hormonal status throughout the course of disease, whereas the decision about the most effective treatment for the patient is usually only based on one biopsy of the primary tumour. For some patients, biopsy verifications of any relapse will be very important because it […]
Bone-strengthening drug gives pain relief in prostate cancer bone metastases
Stockholm, Sweden: Many prostate cancer patients develop bone metastases, and controlling the pain these cause can be difficult. Now the first large randomised Phase III trial of a bisphosphonate drug in these patients has shown that a single dose of the drug is as good for pain relief as single dose radiotherapy, the standard treatment […]
New bone-targeting drug delays onset of metastases in hormone-resistant prostate cancer patients; quality of life can be significantly improved
Stockholm, Sweden: Inhibiting a protein involved in bone metabolism can delay the onset of the bone metastases which are common in men with a particular form of prostate cancer, a researcher told the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress [1]. Professor Stéphane Oudard, Head of the Oncology Department at the Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France, said […]
Treatment of rectal cancer varies enormously between different countries according to a study that hopes to standardise clinical practice across Europe
Stockholm, Sweden: First results from an international comparison of the care of patients with rectal cancer have shown there are substantial differences in the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy between European countries. The European Registration of Cancer Care (EURECCA) study, initiated by ECCO – the European CanCer Organisation – compared the treatment of 6,597 patients […]
First Phase III trial of an alpha-pharmaceutical shows improved survival in patients with bone metastases and advanced prostate cancer
Stockholm, Sweden: Until recently, options for patients with bone metastases from advanced prostate cancer have been very limited. But now the first Phase III study of an alpha-pharmaceutical in these patients has shown that it can prolong survival significantly, according to research reported at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress [1]. Dr. Chris Parker, Consultant […]
Infusing chemotherapy directly into the liver delivers extra months of disease-free life for melanoma patients
Stockholm, Sweden: Melanoma of the eye (ocular or uveal melanoma) frequently spreads to the liver and, once this has happened, there is no effective treatment and patients die within an average of two to four months. Only about one in ten patients live for a year. Now, final results from a phase III study have […]
Diabetes and a history of heart disease increase the risk of heart problems for elderly breast cancer patients on trastuzumab
The first study to investigate the effect of the breast cancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) on heart and vascular function in elderly patients has found that it increases the risk of heart problems, particularly in women with a history of heart disease, diabetes or both. Authors of the study, published in the cancer journal, Annals of […]
Research suggests that lipofilling may be safe during conservation treatment for breast cancer
A new study has gone some way to answering the question about whether or not a technique called lipofilling is safe for women who are having their breasts reconstructed after surgery for breast cancer. Lipofilling involves taking some fat from another area of a woman’s body, such as her abdomen, and using it to fill […]