The official MedZine Blog

British scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research discovered four novel genetic markers that are associated with an elevated risk of testicular cancer. That is written in Nature Communications. Including these four, a total of 25 markers have been discovered, allowing for an easier identification of men with an elevated risk of testicular cancer. Continue reading

In theory, the prescription of medication compensating the deregulation of molecular pathways should lead to better treatment of cancer. However, in a multicentre phase II study in France, this approach did not render longer periods of progression-free survival. The results, published in The Lancet, raise concerns about the implementation of personalised medicine in cancer. Continue reading

Identifying cancerous tissues with your smartphone will soon be possible, according to scientists of the Massachusetts General Hospital. They developed a device that can be connected to smartphones enabling the analysis of blood and tissue samples. This is especially convenient for doctors in remote areas who have no access to laboratory facilities, the investigators write in PNAS Early Edition. Continue reading

Consumption of fish oil and fatty fish could have negative effects on cancer treatment using chemotherapy. That is written by researchers of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Amsterdam, in JAMA Oncology. Led by Emile Voest, PhD, professor of medical oncology, researchers have shown earlier that the effects of chemotherapy in mice with cancer were abolished by certain fatty acids present in fish oil. New research now demonstrates that these compounds are detectable in the blood of healthy volunteers after consumption of fish oil supplements or fatty fish. Continue reading

The non-profit organisation Global Oncology (GO) has launched a website showing which cancer-related research projects and programs exist around the world. The individual registrations are shown on the Global Cancer Project Map that visualises cancer research is not restricted to western countries. Continue reading

Recent research demonstrated that dopamine can be used in the treatment of cancer. The drug is normally used in other therapeutic areas but appears to inhibit vascular growth in cancer in vivo. Researchers from the American Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital (OSUCCC-James) published their findings in the International Journal of Cancer. Continue reading

Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered a molecule that suppresses cancer growth. The molecule, named FDI-6, ensures that transcription factor FOXM1 is not able to bind to DNA. The transcriptional downregulation ensures that tumorgrowth is suppressed. This study could open the door to new treatment methods for cancer. The results are published in the journal Nature Communications. Continue reading

Researchers at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia have discovered that mice that lack the TRAP-1 protein live longer and suffer less from age-related illnesses. Their findings were published yesterday in the open-access journal Cell Press. According to the authors, Sofia Lisanti and colleagues, TRAP-1 could possibly be used in the future, as a target for anti-cancer treatment. Continue reading

The identification of stem cells has boosted research in many areas. This week, MedZine highlights two studies employing stem cells in different settings. The first study describes the first successful generation of lung cells from stem cells. The other study shows that targeting colon cancer stem cells is effective against colon cancer in animals. Continue reading

Here MedZine highlights two studies in the current scientific news. The first describes a new cholera vaccine that provides protection for five years. The second describes the identification of genetic mutations in multiple cancers. Continue reading