Tumor

A render of the Canady Helios Cold Plasma System and Scalpel, which has just been approved by the FDA for use in a clinical trial against cancer

Medical

FDA approves clinical trial of cold plasma "scalpel" for cancer treatment

A cold atmospheric plasma system designed to prevent cancer relapse has been approved for human clinical trials by the FDA.

The left image shows clusters of pancreatic cancer cells, while the right image shows cancer treated with the new drug PTC596 (DNA in blue, black are the microtubule structures targeted by the drug)

Medical

Slow-and-steady drug combo wins race against pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of the disease, thanks largely to the fact that the tumors tend to be much more solid. But now researchers have identified a promising new drug candidate that could linger for longer to worm its way in, and works when paired with other cancer drugs.

Vanderbilt researchers have developed a new technique to wipe out travelling cancer cells in the bloodstream before they metastasize

Medical

Coating immune cells in nanoparticles helps seek and destroy rogue cancer cells

One of the main reasons cancer is hard to beat is because it spreads through the body. But now researchers from Vanderbilt University have developed a new technique that uses nanoparticles to enhance immune cells, helping them hunt down cancer cells migrating through the bloodstream.

The FDA has approved a new type of cancer drug called selinexor

Medical

FDA approves risky new type of cancer drug – with caveats

The FDA has granted accelerated approval to a new cancer drug called selinexor. This pill has been found to be successful in treating multiple myeloma in patients that hadn’t had success with other treatments. But at this very early stage the drug comes with some major caveats.

This image shows six devices (on a 3-inch-wide piece of glass) with biosensors to detect whether a cancer cell has responded to specific chemotherapy

Medical

Portable platform predicts chemo effectiveness for individual cancer patients

Researchers have created a portable device they say can determine the efficacy of patient-specific cancer drugs with an accuracy of almost 96 percent. Teaming sensors with machine learning, the device provides rapid results, aiding the selection of better drugs while reducing potential side effects.

Cancer immunotherapy could be improved by adding proteins that bind molecules to cancer cells like Velcro

Medical

Velcro-like proteins keep cancer drugs inside the cancer

Cytokines are small proteins that could help fight cancer, but they're toxic to healthy cells. Now, researchers from MIT have managed to keep cytokines contained in cancer cells, attaching them with proteins that stick like Velcro.

Researchers have found out why a promising class of cancer drugs failed – and how to fix them

Medical

Scientists discover why a promising cancer drug failed in clinical trials – and how to fix it

As promising as some treatments are in lab tests, unfortunately they don’t always meet hopes when translated to the real world. Now scientists have found out why a class of cancer drugs failed in human trials, and gone on to identify another drug that could finally make the treatment work.

Researchers have used molecules from the lamprey's immune system to help fight brain cancer

Medical

Lamprey molecules squirm into the brain to deliver cancer drugs

The lamprey is not something you’d normally want anywhere near your brain. But now, researchers have used molecules taken from the freaky fish’s immune system to deliver drugs inside the body – and even managed to sneak them into the brain.

A peptide in scorpion venom was found to selectively bind to brain tumor cells, so a synthesized version was made for use in surgical imaging scenarios

Medical

How scorpion venom is helping surgeons detect brain cancer

A new imaging technique designed to help surgeons identify the location of malignant brain tumors during surgery is showing promising early clinical trial results. The technique combines a near-infrared camera with a special imaging agent synthesized from an amino acid found in scorpion venom.

(Left) Normal expression of the protein activin B (red) in a healthy pancreas, which forms a barrier to cancer. (Right) Tumors can overcome that barrier by playing down the ALK7 pathway (cell nuclei are marked in cyan)

Medical

Biological barrier could keep cancer from metastasizing

Cancer might not be so difficult to kill if it didn’t have the terrifying ability to spread throughout the body. Now, researchers have discovered a particular protein signalling pathway that controls whether a tumor can spread or not, making it a good target for future drugs.

A study has revealed certain cancer drugs can be more, or less, effective when administered at different times of the day

Medical

How circadian disruptions promote tumor growth and timing of cancer drugs may be vital

A detailed study has offered new insight into how disrupting circadian rhythms can promote tumor growth. The research also suggests that the efficacy of cancer therapies can be improved by more specifically timing the administration of certain drugs to a patient’s particular circadian rhythm.

New research reveals specific DNA signatures of 41 different carcinogenic agents can be identified in tumors

Medical

Cancer DNA study helps uncover specific chemical causes of tumors

We have known for well over a century that exposure to certain environmental agents can result in DNA mutations that ultimately cause cancer. Now a team of UK scientists has developed a way to identify specific mutational signatures in tumors that can be linked to certain carcinogens.