Brain cancer

In a development likened to targeting the roots rather than cutting the weeds, scientists have identified proteins that may help unravel low-lying but dangerous cancer stem cells, which could translate to new treatments for aggressive brain tumors.

In the wide-ranging search for new weapons against cancer, some see great potential in the idea of a urine test that can reveal telltale signs of the disease. So where does the technology stand right now?

Scientists in the UK have identified a promising new possibility in brain cancer diagnostics, demonstrating a first-of-a-kind test that can detect tiny DNA mutations shed by dying tumor cells in bodily fluids such as blood and urine.

New data from a preliminary trial testing a novel kind of brain cancer drug has found incredibly promising responses in a particular subset of patients. A Phase 2 trial is now underway concentrating on patients with a specific biomarker.

Scientists at Japan's Nagoya University have demonstrated how brain tumors might be detected far earlier, leading to better outcomes for patients, through a simple urine test that has shown high accuracy in early experiments.

One of cancer’s crafty tricks involves manipulating the host’s immune cells to protect tumors instead of fighting them. Now researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have turned the tables again, transforming these cells back into cancer killers.

Scientists at Sweden's Linköping University have developed a new tool to tackle risky remnants of malignant brain tumors, demonstrating how an ion pump can take highly effective chemotherapy drugs directly to the source of the problem.

A new article is reporting promising results from a Phase 1 human trial testing a vaccine designed to help a patient's immune system better target brain tumors. The data suggests the vaccine is safe and stimulates a significant immune response.

Researchers have developed a new tool that could help form more effective brain cancer treatments, with an ability to classify the deadliest cells to help gauge how aggressive a patient’s disease might be.

A new blood test is promising a non-invasive way for clinicians to diagnose and classify brain tumors. The test will need further verification before it is available but it points to a novel way to detect brain cancer without needing tissue biopsies.

Scientists may have uncovered a powerful new tool in the fight against glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain cancer. An already-approved malaria drug was found to boost the effectiveness of existing treatments in mice.

Promising new research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), suggests an old schizophrenia drug could significantly enhance the efficacy of radiation treatment for one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.