Mesothelioma Cancer

Experts say the prostate cancer blood test has been successful in the fight against the disease, despite the man behind its creation describing it as “hardly more effective than a coin toss”.

In the 1970s, scientist Richard Ablin discovered that elevated levels of an enzyme made by the prostate gland could indicate cancer.

The PSA test was developed as a result.

But Dr Ablin is now describing the test as a “hugely expensive public health disaster”, arguing drug companies and advocates have pushed its overuse, leading to millions of men having unnecessary treatments.

Director of the St Vincent’s prostate cancer clinic Phillip Stricker says the comments are biased but agrees the test does need to be used wisely.

“The last thing you want to be doing is wasting valuable health dollars to pick up early cancers in older men,” he said.

“That’s rule one. And rule two is, not every person who gets diagnosed needs to be treated.”

Dr Stricker says while the test is not the Holy Grail of prostate cancer treatment, it is a useful tool.

“I think it’s helped us diagnose the cancer earlier, it’s helped us save some lives, but it does have to be used intelligently,” he said.

via:au.news.yahoo.com

A vaccine against mesothelioma, a cancerassociated with exposure to asbestos, has shown early promise in its first clinical trial.

The experimental vaccine is an example ofdendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy, in which the body’s own immune system is harnessed to target and destroy cancer cells.

In the vaccine, a sample of the patient’s ‘dendritic’ immune cells are mixed with proteins taken from their tumour.

When implanted back into the patient, these cells can then activate other elements of the patient’s immune system, known as T-cells, and encourage them to attack and destroy the tumour.

Researchers at Erasmus Medical Center in The Netherlands have previously shown that DC vaccinesbring about an anti-tumour response in mice and decided to test the technique in humans.

They enrolled ten people who had recently been diagnosed with a form of mesothelioma called ‘malignant pleural’ mesothelioma, and who had been previously treated with chemotherapy.

The team took a sample of dendritic cells from each patient’s blood, and exposed them to proteins from their tumours.

The dendritic cell samples were also exposed to a ‘marker’ protein called keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH).

Patients then received three injections of their ‘activated’ dendritic cells over a two-week period.

Publishing their findings in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the researchers revealed that all ten patients had antibodies to the KLH marker in their blood, confirming that the vaccines had brought about an immune response.

Further tests on four of the patients’ tumours revealed that three of the tumours had got smaller, although this could not be conclusively or directly linked to the vaccine…. Read more…

ATLANTA – The American Cancer Society is urging doctors to make clearer to men that the test used to screen for prostate cancer has limits and may lead to unnecessary treatments that do more harm than good.

The cancer society has not recommended routine screening for most men since the mid-1990s, and that is not changing. But its new advice goes farther to warn of the limitations of the PSA blood test that millions of American men get now. It also says digital rectal exams should be an option rather than part of a standard screening.

The new advice is the latest pushback from routine screening to hunt for early cancers. Last year, a government task force said most women don’t need mammograms in their 40s and a doctors group said most women in their 20s don’t need annual Pap tests…. Read more…

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer of men and women in the U.S., and March is awareness month for this disease.

The American Cancer Society says colorectal cancer claims more lives than either breast or prostate cancer. Each year there are about 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer, and 50,000 people lose their lives to the disease.

Colorectal cancer occurs when tumors grow in the colon or rectum, which make up the large intestine. Symptoms might include blood in the stool, general fatigue or the inability to go the bathroom.

The scary thing is that colorectal cancer often shows no symptoms at all, until it`s too late.

“Screening helps you catch it early which is why recommendations start at age 50. It`s kind of a double bonus because if you catch it early, there may not be recommendations for anything beyond surgery and you can avoid chemo and radiation,” said radiation oncologist Dr. John Watkins.

Caught early enough, the small tumors, called polyps, can even be removed during a colonoscopy, but if the symptoms are ignored, or routine screenings are skipped, the results can be serious…. Read more…

A growing number of women with cancer in one breast choose to have their other, healthy breast removed in hopes it will prevent a second cancer. But new research finds that elective surgery improved survival in only a small group of women — those who are under 50 and are in the early stages of a type of breast cancer known as estrogen receptor-negative cancer…. Read more…

THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) — Endometrial cancer patients at medium to high risk for cancer recurrence are more likely to survive if both the pelvic lymph nodes and para-aortic lymph nodes are removed, rather than just the pelvic lymph nodes, say Japanese researchers.

The para-aortic lymph nodes, which are located in front of the lumbar vertebral bodies near the aorta, receive drainage from the lower gastrointestinal tract and the pelvic organs, according to a news release about the study.

The study included 671 women with endometrial cancer who had pelvic lymph nodes removed or both pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes removed. Women at medium or high risk for cancer recurrence were offered additional treatment in the form of chemotherapy or radiotherapy…. Read more…

NEWTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Novelos Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: NVLT – News), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics to treat cancer and hepatitis, today announced that the primary endpoint of improvement in overall survival was not met in Novelos’ pivotal Phase 3 trial in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) studying its lead product, NOV-002, in combination with first-line chemotherapy. Detailed trial results are expected to be presented via appropriate scientific venue later this year.

This randomized, controlled, open-label Phase 3 trial, conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) and Fast Track designation, had enrolled 903 patients with Stage IIIb/IV NSCLC, which includes all histological subtypes. The trial, conducted across approximately 100 clinical sites in 12 countries, evaluated NOV-002 in combination with first-line paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy versus paclitaxel and carboplatin alone. The primary efficacy endpoint of the trial was improvement in overall survival. Enrollment commenced in November 2006, target enrollment was achieved in March 2008, and the 725 event (patient death) was announced in early January 2010. According to the trial’s Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP), a total of 725 events were required to detect a 25% improvement (12.5 months versus 10 months) in overall median survival (hazard ratio of 0.8) with 85% power and a two-sided significance level of 0.05. No interim analysis was performed.

“We are very disappointed that our pivotal Phase 3 lung cancer trial did not meet the primary survival endpoint,” said Harry Palmin, President and CEO of Novelos. “We were hopeful of a positive outcome based on our statistical model simulations and stated assumptions. In retrospect, it appears our simulations were inaccurate due to trial data deviating from our statistical model, the impact of censoring patterns, and control arm survival exceeding our expectations based on historical precedents. We will conduct a thorough analysis of all the data, and expect to present detailed Phase 3 lung cancer trial results later this year. Meanwhile, we are scheduled to present new NOV-002 preclinical data at the AACR Annual Meeting in April 2010, and we are on track for results from a NOV-002 Phase 2 breast cancer trial in 3Q 2010. We are also on track to initiate a Phase 2 hepatitis C trial shortly, with our second compound NOV-205.”…. Read more…

TRENTON — Katie Viger, who received her honorary nursing license from the state Feb. 12, died of brain cancer Thursday morning.

She was 23.

Viger fought cancer for six months.

She was a “vibrant young woman” who was “so full of life,” said Cathy Wakefield of Allen Park, one of Viger’s nursing instructors at Henry Ford Community College who became a friend.

Viger graduated with a nursing degree in May. Days before she was to take an exam to be certified as a registered nurse in August, doctors diagnosed her with terminal brain cancer.

She remained upbeat, despite her prognosis. One of her only regrets was not being able to complete the requirements to receive her registered nursing license.

She underwent experimental treatments, mostly to alleviate the symptoms of her illness. However, just a few weeks ago, Viger entered hospice care as her health began to decline swiftly.

It was then that Wakefield decided to find a way to get Viger an honorary nursing license. Though she encountered considerable political red tape, Wakefield found an ally in state Sen. Raymond Basham (D-Taylor).

Basham was immediately on board with the cause and pushed his fellow legislators to consider what came to be called Katie’s Bill.

Wakefield also started a group on Facebook to support the cause. Thousands of Downriver residents and others joined the cause and sent letters and e-mails to their state legislators. Many who joined had never met Viger.

With strong bipartisan support, Katie’s Bill will be introduced in the Legislature soon. It will provide the state nursing board with the authority to issue honorary licenses for those in the health care field who fall short of their dreams because of severe illness or death.

Basham presented Viger’s parents, Joe and Cathy Viger, and her brother, Mark, with the honorary license….

The Facebook page, originally called “Give Katie Viger her honorary nursing license,” was flooded with congratulations from its many members. Wakefield then changed the name of the group to “Katie Viger Gets Her Honorary Nursing License 2-12-10. … Thank You!”

“We got exactly what we were fighting for,” Wakefield said, adding that she was humbled to know how many lives Viger’s story had touched.

Viger lived to see her dream come true…. Read more…

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cancer cells. Most commonly, the term is used to refer to cancer-killing drugs.Its Alternative names are Cancer chemotherapy; Cancer drug therapy; Cytotoxic chemotherapy… Read more…

NILES — Hundreds gathered at a Niles bowling alley Saturday to strike back at cancer. The popular “Bowl for the Cure” event raised money for the continuing fight against breast cancer.

“Anything to save someone else you do,” said Cheryl Culp, a breast cancer survivor and “Bowl for The Cure” supporter. “It’s hard to explain, but when you go through the experience yourself, it’s good to see this many people.”

Culp said breast cancer affects not only the victim, but everyone around them. For supporter Shaun Harner, that fact couldn’t be more true. His grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. She died two years later…. Read more…