ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Drug combination improves progression-free survival in melanoma patients

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT

Patients with advanced melanoma skin cancer survive for longer without their disease progressing if they have been treated with a combination of two drugs, nivolumab and ipilimumab, than with either of these drugs alone. New results show that these patients also do better regardless of their age, stage of disease and whether or not they have a cancer-driving mutation in the BRAF gene.

Hormonal therapy may prevent ovarian failure and preserve fertility in breast cancer

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT

Young women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer may be more likely to remain fertile if they also receive hormonal treatment.

Combining 2 targeted therapies results in melanoma patients living significantly longer

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT

Latest results from a trial of a combination of two targeted therapies (dabrafenib and trametinib) to treat advanced melanoma have shown that patients are living significantly longer on the combined therapy than patients treated with another drug, vemurafenib, when used alone.

Post diagnosis aspirin improves survival in all gastrointestinal cancers, study suggests

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT

Aspirin improves survival in patients with tumors situated throughout the gastrointestinal tract, results from a large study show.

Atezolizumab set to change refractory lung cancer treatment

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 09:01 AM PDT

Atezolizumab is set to substantially change treatment strategies for patients with refractory lung cancer, according to new research.

Everolimus improves progression-free survival for patients with advanced, nonfuctional neuroendocrine tumors

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

In an international Phase III randomized study, everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin, has shown to dramatically improve progression-free survival for patients with advanced, nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors of the lung and gastrointestinal tract.

Differences between tumors of younger and older colorectal cancer patients

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Tumors in younger colorectal cancer patients may be molecularly distinct from those of older patients, and that these differences are related to the way genes are switched on and off (epigenetics) in the tumors of the younger patients and may lead to better treatment options.

Treatment of elderly breast cancer patients varies between different European countries

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

The largest international comparison of the treatment of elderly patients with breast cancer has shown there are substantial differences in the use of surgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy between European countries.

Genetic screening of brain metastases could reveal new targets for treatment

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Unravelling the genetic sequences of cancer that has spread to the brain could offer unexpected targets for effective treatment.

Rare cancer responds unusually well to new treatment: Results from the NETTER-1 trial

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Results from a multi-center randomized international trial of an innovative treatment show a marked improvement in the length of time patients with mid-gut neuroendocrine tumors live without the disease getting worse.

Results of international trial show promise in rare, difficult to treat cancer: Results from the RADIANT-4 trial

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

An international team of researchers has shown that the use of the mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, can delay tumour growth among both gastrointestinal and lung neuroendocrine tumours. This is particularly important for patients with lung NETs because there is currently no approved treatment for such cases.

Lung cancer survival rates improve with CT scan follow-up

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Patients with recurrent lung cancer have better post-surgery survival rates if their management includes a follow-up program based on computer tomography of the chest, according to new findings.

Infections in childhood could provide clues to disease development in later life

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

The interaction between infections and the microbiota during infancy in the lungs could help provide clues to disease development later in life, according to the findings of a new study.

Differences found between smokers and non-smokers who develop lung cancer

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Tobacco smoke is known to be the main risk factor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), although non-smokers can get it too. The incidence among non-smokers is increasing in many countries. Now a group of researchers has found significant differences in clinical particularities and survival between smokers and non-smokers who develop NSCLC.

Walking quieter routes to work can avoid peaks in air pollution

Posted: 27 Sep 2015 08:55 AM PDT

Commuting to work by walking on quieter side streets rather than main roads can help people avoid exposure to peaks in harmful air pollution, according to new research.

Security risk: Automated voice imitation can fool humans and machines

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 07:08 PM PDT

Researchers have found automated and human verification for voice-based user authentication vulnerable, and explore how an attacker in possession of voice audio samples could compromise a victim's security, safety and privacy.

Rosetta’s mass spectrometer ROSINA detected argon at comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 07:06 PM PDT

The mass spectrometer ROSINA on ESA's comet probe Rosetta has for the first time detected the noble gas argon in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This measurement adds to the debate about the role of comets in delivering various ingredients to Earth such as water.

The origin and spread of 'Emperor's rice'

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:18 PM PDT

Black rice was prized in ancient times for its color and is prized in modern times for its high levels of antioxidants, but its early history has been shrouded in mystery until now. Scientists have now discovered the mutation that caused black rice and how it was spread into other varieties.

COPD heightens deadly lung cancer risk in smokers

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:18 PM PDT

Smokers who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder may face nearly twice the risk of getting small cell lung cancer -- the deadliest form of lung cancer -- than smokers who don't have COPD, according to a large worldwide study.

Pacific bluefin tunas' favorite feeding spots discovered

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

Scientists devised a new methodology for measuring how and when ocean predators consume prey, and identified the Pacific bluefin's favorite hot spots, information that can inform conservation strategies.

Four distinct types of millennial news consumers identified

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

A new study explores the news habits of Millennials and identifies four distinct groups of news consumers: the Unattached, the Explorers, the Distracted, and the Activists. The study finds that as it relates to their information use and the way they consume information about different topics, adults age 18 to 34 are not a monolithic group.

Survival advantage with immune checkpoint inhibitor for advanced kidney cancer patients

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

For the first time, an immune checkpoint inhibitor has been proven to increase survival among patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, a patient population for whom treatment options are currently limited.

Primary surgery is linked with survival benefit in patients with advanced throat cancer

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

Patients with cancers of the mid- and lower throat may have higher survival rates if their initial treatment includes surgery, according to new research presented to the 2015 European Cancer Congress on Saturday.

Cabozantinib improves survival in patients with advanced kidney cancer: Results from the METEOR trial

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

Patients with advanced kidney cancer live for nearly twice as long without their disease progressing if they are treated with cabozantinib, a drug that inhibits the action of tyrosine kinases -- enzymes that function as an 'on' or 'off' switch in many cellular processes, including cancer. The research will be presented in the presidential session of the 2015 European Cancer Congress on Saturday.

Nivolumab improves overall survival in patients with advanced kidney cancer: Results from the CheckMate 025 trial

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

The targeted drug nivolumab significantly prolongs survival in patients with advanced kidney cancer, whose disease has progressed after their first treatment, according to results to be presented at the 2015 European Cancer Congress on Saturday and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Childhood cancers in Europe: Progress has been made, but much remains to be done

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

Each year in Europe, 6,000 young people die from cancer, and two-thirds of those who survive suffer from treatment-related side effects. Although there has been considerable progress in the treatment of childhood cancers over the past few decades, and cancer in childhood is rare, these are major problems that need to be overcome, says a report from SIOPE, the European Society for Paediatric Oncology.

The Lancet Oncology: Tackling the global shortfall in radiotherapy could save millions of lives and boost the economy of poorer countries

Posted: 26 Sep 2015 04:17 PM PDT

Millions of people are dying from potentially treatable cancers like breast and prostate because of a chronic underinvestment in radiotherapy resources, according to a major new Commission on access to radiotherapy, published in The Lancet Oncology, and being presented at the 2015 European Cancer Congress in Vienna, Austria.

Should I stay or should I go? On the importance of aversive memories and the endogenous cannabinoid

Posted: 25 Sep 2015 10:14 AM PDT

Memory is not a simple box of souvenirs; it is also, and most importantly, a safety system for organisms. With the help of negative memories, known as "aversive" memories, we can avoid a threat that we have already confronted. Researchers have discovered that the cannabinoid receptors of the brain control these memories that are crucial for survival.

Companies increase profits with multichannel shoppers: Study in INFORMS' Marketing Science

Posted: 25 Sep 2015 10:14 AM PDT

Companies can increase profits by getting customers to buy through more than one channel, for example the bricks-and-mortar store and the Internet rather than the store alone. However, this strategy requires a well-honed marketing campaign that combines the right message and incentive, according to a new study.