Category: Cancer

Difficult-to-treat bowel cancers respond in first study of new drug combination

Dublin, Ireland: Early results from a phase I trial in a small group of patients with advanced cancer using two drugs (nivolumab and pixatimod) that stimulate the immune system report that patients with bowel cancer may benefit from the combination. Dr James Kuo, a medical oncologist and the deputy medical director of Scientia Clinical Research, […]

Drug combination makes cancer disappear in mice with neuroblastoma: ‘significant’ findings suggest potential for effective, non-toxic treatment for this aggressive childhood cancer

Dublin, Ireland: Researchers investigating new treatments for neuroblastoma – one of the most common childhood cancers – have found that a combination of two drugs made tumours disappear in mice, making it more effective than any other drugs tested in these animals. Professor Murray Norris, deputy director of the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia for Medical […]

Two genomic tests identify groups of patients most likely to benefit from new drugs: latest results from I-SPY 2 trial

Dublin, Ireland: New results from a long-running trial to identify which new drugs or combinations of drugs are most effective in which types of breast cancer, show that two genomic tests are bringing the era of truly personalised medicine ever nearer. Professor Laura van ‘t Veer, leader of the Breast Oncology Program at the University […]

New oral drug designed to boost radiotherapy for hard-to-treat cancers can be taken safely by patients

Dublin, Ireland: A new drug designed to make radiotherapy more effective in treating cancer has been given to patients while they are receiving radiation and shown to be safe, according to research presented at the 30th EORTC-NCI-AACR [1] Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Dublin, Ireland. The drug, called 5-iodo-2-pyrimidinone-2’-deoxribose (IPdR), or ropidoxuridine, […]

Patients with cancers of the gullet, stomach and bowel respond well to new anti-HER2 drug

Dublin, Ireland: An antibody that binds simultaneously to two distinct regions of the HER2 receptor to block the growth of cancer cells has shown promising signs of anti-tumour activity in a number of cancers including those of the gullet (oesophagus), stomach and bowel. Results from the phase I clinical trial of the drug, called ZW25, […]

Drug matched to cancer patients according to tumour gene testing shows signs of being effective in early trial

Dublin, Ireland: Treatment with capivasertib, a drug designed to work against a particular gene mutation found in some tumours, shows signs of being effective in a trial of 35 patients presented at the 30th EORTC-NCI-AACR [1] Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Dublin, Ireland. The phase 2 trial (EAY131-Y) is part of a […]

Campaigners call for stronger rights to work for people living with breast cancer. Governments challenged over disconnect between cancer care costs and patient outcomes

Brussels, Belgium: Campaigners are calling on EU parliamentarians to make it easier for people with advanced breast cancer to return to work and to support them properly with flexible working arrangements. At an event at the European Union Parliament hosted by MEP Lieve Wierinck, members of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance highlighted to […]

Women who are ‘larks’ have a lower risk of developing breast cancer: analyses of genetic variants show the effect of sleep on breast cancer risk

Glasgow, UK: Women who are “larks”, functioning better at the beginning of the day than the end of the day, have a lower of risk breast cancer, according to new research presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference today. The study of several hundred thousand women, which was investigating whether the way people sleep can […]

Gap in research means millions living with long-term consequences of cancer: work needed in ten key areas

Glasgow, UK: Millions of people are living with the long-term consequences of cancer and its treatment, but currently there is very little research on the problems they face and how these can be tackled, according to the UK’s National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI). Thanks to successes in research on diagnosing and treating cancer, more people […]

Gut stem cells offer clues for preventing tumours in inherited bowel cancer

Glasgow, UK: Treating pre-cancerous stem cells at an early stage could be key to preventing bowel cancer in people born with a very high risk of the disease, according to a study in mice presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference. Previous research has suggested that stem cells play a key role in the development […]