Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in European countries is highly effective in reducing mortality from the disease. Some of the resources currently being devoted to breast and prostate screening programmes, where the evidence of effectiveness is much less clear-cut, should be reallocated to the early detection of CRC, the 2013 European Cancer […]
Diabetes increases the risk of developing and dying from breast and colon cancer
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Diabetes is linked to an increased risk of developing cancer, and now researchers have performed a unique meta-analysis that excludes all other causes of death and found that diabetic patients not only have an increased risk of developing breast and colon cancer but an even higher risk of dying from them. Dr […]
Everolimus slows disease progression in advanced papillary kidney cancer patients
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: The first Phase II study to investigate the use of the anti-cancer drug, everolimus, for the initial treatment of advanced papillary kidney cancer has shown that it is successful in slowing or preventing the spread of the disease, according to research presented on Sunday at the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013) [1]. […]
Young patients with metastatic colorectal cancer are at high risk of disease progression and death
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Younger patients with colorectal cancer that has spread (metastasised) to other parts of the body represent a high-risk group that is less likely to respond to anti-cancer treatments. Their disease is more likely to progress and they are at greater risk of death than other age groups, according to new research presented […]
Treating chest lymph nodes in patients with early breast cancer improves survival without increasing side effects
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Giving radiation therapy to the lymph nodes located behind the breast bone and above the collar bone to patients with early breast cancer improves overall survival without increasing side effects. This new finding ends the uncertainty about whether the beneficial effect of radiation therapy in such patients was simply the result of […]
Hyperfractionated radiotherapy improves survival in head and neck cancer patients
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: The use of an intensified form of radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers can improve overall survival rates compared with standard radiation therapy, according to results from a large study presented on Saturday at the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013) [1]. A comparison of altered fractionation radiotherapy (AFRT) […]
Longest follow-up of largest number of melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab shows some survive up to ten years
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Patients with advanced melanoma, who have been treated with the monoclonal antibody, ipilimumab, can survive for up to ten years, according to the largest analysis of overall survival for these patients, presented at the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013) [1] on Saturday. Professor Stephen Hodi (MD), Assistant Professor of Medicine at the […]
Anti-cancer drug T-DM1 benefits women with advanced breast cancer who have failed several previous treatments: results from TH3RESA trial
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: First results from a phase III clinical trial of the combination drug, T-DM1, show that it significantly improves the length of time before the disease worsens in women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer whose cancer has recurred or progressed despite previous treatments, including trastuzumab and lapatinib. In a late-breaking presentation to […]
First randomised trial of targeted cancer medicine in all tumour types to be presented at ECC2013; results will pave the way for personalised treatment
A further step along the road to the personalisation of cancer medicine, where treatment is based on the individual molecular characteristics of tumours rather than their primary site, will be presented at the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013), which starts on Friday 27 September in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Dr Christophe Le Tourneau, Head of the […]
Length of human pregnancies can vary naturally by as much as five weeks
The length of a human pregnancy can vary naturally by as much as five weeks, according to research published online in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction [1]. Normally, women are given a date for the likely delivery of their baby that is calculated as 280 days after the onset of their last menstrual […]