From Patrick Bartosch A new experimental approach to treating a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma has been developed by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham). The method targets cancer stem cells—the cells that are critical for maintaining tumor growth—and halts their ability to proliferate by inhibiting enzymes that are essential for tumor progression. The process destroys the ability …
Why is cancer care failing?
by: Shirie Leng, MD as seen on KevinMD.com The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report on the state of cancer care in the United States. The IOM generally knows what it’s talking about. It’s a non-profit, non-governmental advisory group essentially. To get on one of their advisory boards you have to be a national, if not international, expert …
SOY. Is It Bad for Me?
by: Dr. Barry Boyd, Oncologist, Hematologist, & Pioneer in Integrative Medicine I get this question almost daily from my breast cancer patients. People are understandably confused. As is the case with other foods, as research evolves, there are changing messages disseminated about their impact on health matters. So, what information compels you to make decisions in life? The story about soy …
Drugstore prescription program helps patients after discharge
From MedCity News by Adams, Pam PEORIA — As if the Walgreen Co. logo wasn’t ubiquitous enough, it now greets visitors and patients in the lobby of UnityPoint Health-Methodist. But the sight of a Walgreen’s pharmacy in the hospital lobby also is a sign of a growing trend in health care. The drugstore chain, which recently took over Methodist’s hospital-owned …
Cancer patient’s compassionate use conundrum incites a social media ambush on BioMarin
by Deanna Pogorelc Posted in MedCity News For the past seven years, Andrea Sloan has been battling ovarian cancer. Now, she’s waging a second battle – this one against BioMarin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BMRN) – after being denied access to an experimental drug she thinks is her last hope. And in the process, she’s raising some tough questions about the process of …
Sanford-Burnham researchers identify new target for melanoma treatment
by Patrick Bartosch Scientists at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) today announced the discovery that a gene encoding an enzyme, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1), plays an essential role in the development and progression of melanoma. The finding offers a new approach to treating this life-threatening disease. The team of researchers, led by Ze’ev Ronai, Ph.D., professor and scientific director of Sanford-Burnham …
A Step Closer to a Breast Cancer Vaccine
Health Hub from Cleveland Clinic Contributor: Vincent Tuohy, PhD We just took a big step toward developing a preventive vaccine for the most dangerous type of breast cancer. Cleveland Clinic Innovations has started a new company, Shield Biotech, to develop a vaccine based on our lab research. This research has shown that a vaccine designed for immune prevention of triple-negative …
Vitamin B Supplements May Guard Against Stroke
From: Drugs.com Taking vitamin B supplements may help reduce your risk of stroke, a new review shows. Previous research has yielded conflicting findings about whether taking vitamin B supplements affects the risk of stroke and heart attack. Some studies have concluded that taking vitamin B supplements may actually increase the risk, according to the review authors. They analyzed the findings …
Shorter Radiation Course Appears Effective for Early Breast Cancer
From: Drugs.com In women with early breast cancer, three weeks of high-dose radiation is as effective as the current standard — five weeks of lower-dose treatment, British researchers say. A short course of radiation given in larger doses — an approach called hypofractionated radiation — is safe and effective and causes less damage to healthy surrounding tissue, according to the …
FDA panel backs drug for early stage breast cancer
by MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press A biotech drug from Roche moved one step closer Thursday to becoming the first medicine approved to treat breast cancer before surgery. The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of cancer experts voted 13-0, with one abstention, that the benefits of Perjeta as an initial treatment for breast cancer outweigh its risks. The recommendation is not …