Latest and Breaking Cancer News

Marked for destruction: Newly developed compound triggers cancer cell death
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Journal of Clinical Investigation) As published in the next issue of the JCI, a research group from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, led by Dr. Loren Walensky, developed a compound that enhance cell death in cancer cells.

JCI early table of contents for May 24, 2012
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Journal of Clinical Investigation) This release contains summaries, links to PDFs, and contact information for the following newsworthy papers to be published online, May 24, 2012, in the JCI: A change in fate: lymphatic vessels reprogrammed to blood vessels, Newly identified microRNA regulates vascular inflammation, Cancer stem cells self-renewal capacity is independent of their ability to initiate leukemia, and more.

Knowing genetic makeup may not significantly improve disease risk prediction
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Harvard School of Public Health) Harvard School of Public Health researchers have found that detailed knowledge about your genetic makeup -- the interplay between genetic variants and other genetic variants, or between genetic variants and environmental risk factors -- may only change your estimated disease prediction risk for three common diseases by a few percentage points, which is typically not enough to make a difference in prevention or treatment plans.

New clues about cancer cell metabolism emerge
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard) Researchers from the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital looked across 60 well-studied cancer cell lines, analyzing which of more than 200 metabolites were consumed or released by the fastest dividing cells. Their research yields the first large-scale atlas of cancer metabolism and points to a key role for the smallest amino acid, glycine, in cancer cell proliferation. Their results appear in the May 25 issue of the journal Science.

Key gene found responsible for chronic inflammation, accelerated aging and cancer
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine) Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have, for the first time, identified a single gene that simultaneously controls inflammation, accelerated aging and cancer.

The cells' petrol pump is finally identified
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Université de Genève) The oxygen and food we consume are converted into energy by tiny organelles present in each cell, the mitochondria. These 'power plants' must be continuously supplied with fuel, to maintain all vital functions. A team led by Jean-Claude Martinou, professor at the University of Geneva, has identified this fuel's carrier, baptized Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier. The study, published online by Science, henceforth allows the researchers to investigate how the activity of the carrier is modulated.

Pivotal role for proteins -- from helping turn carbs into energy to causing devastating disease
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(University of Utah Health Sciences) Research into how carbohydrates are converted into energy has led to a surprising discovery with implications for the treatment of a perplexing and potentially fatal neuromuscular disorder and possibly even cancer and heart disease.

Anti-psychotic drug pushes cancer stem cells over the edge
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(Cell Press) An anti-psychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia appears to get rid of cancer stem cells by helping them differentiate into less threatening cell types. The discovery reported in the Cell Press journal Cell on May 24 comes after researchers screened hundreds of compounds in search of those that would selectively inhibit human cancer stem cells, and it may lead rather swiftly to a clinical trial.

News media registration open for ENDO 2012
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(The Endocrine Society) Media registration is open for the Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting & EXPO taking place in Houston, TX on June 23-26, 2012. ENDO 2012 is a unique opportunity for journalists to learn about the latest research in fields as diverse as obesity, endocrine disruptors, diabetes, growth hormones, sex steroids, thyroid cancer and much more.

McMaster University researchers discover drug destroys human cancer stem cells but not healthy ones
24 May 2012, 4:00 am
(McMaster University) A team of scientists at McMaster University has discovered a drug, thioridazine, successfully kills cancer stem cells in the human while avoiding the toxic side-effects of conventional cancer treatments. To test more than a dozen different compounds, McMaster researchers pioneered a fully automated robotic system to identify several drugs, including thioridazine.