New Atlas

Science Audio available

Study suggests gut microbiome disruptions speed up metastatic spread of breast cancer

Rich Haridy June 10, 2019

New research from the University of Virginia suggests an unhealthy gut microbiome can actively promote the spread of breast cancer. Through a series of animal experiments the new study demonstrated how disruptions to gut bacterial populations can drive metastatic spread of tumor cells.

Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer has been found to spread faster when an animal's microbiome is disrupted

Medical

Researchers developing MRI waistcoat for better breast cancer detection

Nick Lavars March 11, 2019

Researchers in Vienna are making some promising progress in the field of breast cancer detection, developing a new method that revolves around a waistcoat packed with flexible radio frequency coils.

Researchers have designed a vest packed with flexible radio coils they say will improve MRI imaging ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Comprehensive new breast cancer risk prediction tool “could be a game changer”

Rich Haridy January 15, 2019

A new online tool has been developed that allows GPs to effectively calculate a patient's risk of developing breast cancer. The system is the first to combine a broad array of different elements, including genetics and environmental factors, to come up with a precise risk evaluation.

A new online tool developed to calculate breast cancer risk is the first to account for ...

Medical Audio available

Breakthrough biomarker discovery reveals whether metastatic breast cancer is dormant or deadly

Rich Haridy October 15, 2018

Scientists have discovered a protein than can predict whether a patient’s metastasized breast cancer is dormant or about to turn deadly. The research points to new treatments that may be able to stimulate dormancy in cancer cells before they metastasize.

A specific protein, called NR2F1, could improve treatment of breast cancer and spare patients from unnecessary ...

Science Audio available

Early clinical trials showing promise for new kind of cancer vaccine

Rich Haridy September 30, 2018

Promising early results are in from a phase 1 clinical trial into a new cancer vaccine designed to stimulate the immune system into attacking certain cancers known to overexpress a specific protein.

A new cancer vaccine has passed the first phase of human clinical trials

Wearables

Wearable device promises silent-running breast-pumping

Ben Coxworth September 14, 2018

For nursing mothers who don't wish to be tied down to a non-portable breast pump, there are already wearable versions that can be slipped under a bra. Women's tech company Elvie is taking things a step further, by announcing what it claims is the world's first silent wearable breast pump.

The Elvie Pump works with a smartphone app

Biology

Primary tumors found to "freeze" spread of secondary cancers

Michael Irving August 28, 2018

Finding ways to stop metastasis is a key way to improve survival rates for cancer patients. Now researchers have found that primary tumors have their own mechanism for slowing the growth of secondary cancers – which could be tapped into as a new potential treatment option.

Researchers have discovered that primary tumors can prevent the growth of secondary tumors by sending the ...

Medical

Milestone immunotherapy treatment cures terminal breast cancer patient

Rich Haridy June 4, 2018

A case study from an ongoing clinical trial has revealed an experimental immunotherapy treatment has cured a breast cancer patient. The patient, with advanced breast cancer, was given three months to live before enrolling into the trial. Within weeks her tumors had disappeared.

An early case study from an ongoing clinical trial is reporting a new immunotherapy treatment has ...

Medical

Diagnosing breast cancer with a pill that makes tumors glow

Michael Irving May 2, 2018

Mammograms can miss harmful but treatable cancers, while other patients with benign tumors undergo unnecessary invasive procedures. Now scientists have developed a new diagnostic tool that’s much easier to swallow – a pill that makes tumors glow under infrared light.

Researchers at University of Michigan have developed a pill that can help in the diagnosis of ...

Health & Wellbeing

FDA approves, with reservations, the first home DNA test for genetic breast cancer risk

Rich Haridy March 6, 2018

The FDA has authorized, for the first time, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test to report on three genetic variants found on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genetic variants are known to increase a person’s risk for developing primarily breast cancer, but also also ovarian or prostate cancers.

After a rocky road, 23andme has achieved authorization from the FDA to deliver genetic test reports ...