Tag Archive
Cancer drug hope for eye disorder
A cheap drug used to treat bowel cancer should also be prescribed to prevent sight loss, say UK researchers. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Lung cancer drug ‘extends life’
Early trial results show a drug can extend life for women with advanced lung cancer. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
One-shot radiation ‘hits cancer’
A single dose of radiation during breast cancer surgery is just as effective as several weeks of post-operative radiotherapy, a study suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Cancer fund cash ‘will run out’
The government will need more money to meet promises made for its fund for cancer drugs, according to a BBC investigation. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Gene test hope for cancer therapy
NHS patients are to be offered personalised cancer treatment under a pilot scheme to carry out genetic tests on tumours. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
NI cancer survival rates improve
Survival rates among cancer patients in Northern Ireland are improving, new research suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Men’s skin cancer rate doubles
The rate of men dying from the deadliest form of skin cancer doubles over the past 30 years, Cancer Research UK says. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Attacking cancer
Genetic research paves way to new approach This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Hopes for breast cancer vaccine
US scientists say they have developed a vaccine which prevents breast cancer in mice. and they plan trials in humans. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Breast cancer gene clue discovery
Five new genetic clues to why some women have a family history of breast cancer have been identified by UK researchers. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
A raw deal for patients with the ‘wrong cancer’
VIEWPOINT New and innovative drugs to treat cancer are being developed at an ever-increasing rate, which is of course a good thing. But this puts an ever increasing pressure on NHS budgets and in this week’s Scrubbing Up, Professor Jane Maher warns that patients with rarer cancers may be being squeezed out. Over the past decade developments... »
Street star Sally fought cancer
Coronation Street star Sally Whittaker has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time her TV character was battling the disease. "If I had not been researching this storyline I may not have discovered the lump in my breast," said Whittaker. Whitaker returns to work in June following six months of treatment.... »
England ‘lagging on lung cancer’
Those diagnosed with lung cancer in England are much less likely to survive the disease than their Scandinavian counterparts, a study suggests. A study published in Thorax finds that despite similar health spending, Swedes have almost double the survival rate after five years with the disease. This was true regardless of the age and sex... »
Prostate cancer vaccine approved
A "vaccine" which harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight prostate cancer has been approved for use by US drug regulators. Provenge – which is designed to be used in men with advanced disease – is the first of its kind to be accepted by the Food and Drug Administration. Each dose has to... »
Cancer woman wins battle for drug
A Kent mother-of-two who is dying from a rare form of glandular cancer has won her fight to have a life-prolonging drug paid for by the NHS. Nikki Phelps, 37, of Luddesdown, appealed against a decision by NHS West Kent not to pay for the drug Sunitinib. She and her husband had faced selling their... »
Brown issues cancer test pledge
No-one will wait more than one week for the results of cancer tests under a future Labour government if they are re-elected, Gordon Brown has said. Speaking to the Royal College of Nursing congress the prime minister said too many people were waiting more than a month for their results. Paying tribute to nurses, Mr... »
DJ Sonique given cancer all-clear
DJ Sonique says she has been given the all-clear by doctors following her battle with breast cancer. The singer, who had a UK number one hit in 2000 with It Feels So Good, was diagnosed at the end of May 2009. She underwent three operations, intensive chemotherapy and a recent batch of preventative radiotherapy. "It’s... »
Vitiligo ‘cancer protection hope’
People with the skin disease vitiligo may have natural protection against skin cancer, a study suggests. The condition, affecting one in 200, causes pale skin patches that lack pigment and burn easily – leading to an assumed increased risk of skin cancer. But the University of London study of 4,300 people identified a common gene... »
Cancer gene therapy result hailed
Scientists believe they may have made a "breakthrough" in using gene therapy to treat cancer tumours. Researchers at Strathclyde University in Glasgow have identified a technique for delivering genes to hard-to-reach tumours without harming healthy tissue. During lab tests the "seek-and-destroy" therapy resulted in 90% of skin cancer tumours disappearing altogether. The team is now... »
Well-done meat ‘is a cancer risk’
Eating lots of meat, especially if it is overcooked, increases the risk of bladder cancer, say experts. Frying, grilling and barbecuing until meat is charred can form cancer-causing chemicals, research shows. In a study, people whose diets included well-done meats were over twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than those who preferred meats rare.... »
The cancer battle is lost if patients fail to act
VIEWPOINT Up to 10,000 people a year in England die needlessly from cancer within five years of diagnosis. In this week’s Scrubbing Up, leading cancer expert Professor Nick Lemoine says the battle against cancer will never be won unless patients are more proactive. Encouraging patients to face their fears and see their doctor early is vital if... »
Call for cancer leaflet apology
Labour has been asked to apologise after sending leaflets to thousands of women warning them Tory polices on cancer could endanger their lives. Cards saying the Tories would scrap a Labour guarantee for suspected breast cancer patients to see a specialist within two weeks, were sent to 250,000. Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said he... »
Child brain cancer diagnosis call
UK doctors are to get new guidelines on diagnosing brain tumours in children, in order to tackle delays in treatment. Specialists have produced a set of recommendations for GPs and hospitals on when to consider a brain tumour and what tests are needed. Diagnosis now takes three times longer for UK children than those in... »
Experts discuss cancer advances
Leading scientists are gathering in St Andrews to discuss the latest advances in cancer research. The conference is being held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR). About 200 researchers from 28 different countries will attend the meeting, which runs until Friday. Nobel prize winner Sir Tim Hunt and... »
Five-a-day ‘will not cut cancer’
Eating more fruit and vegetables has only a modest effect on protecting against cancer, a study into the link between diet and disease has found. The study of 500,000 Europeans joins a growing body of evidence undermining the high hopes that pushing "five-a-day" might slash Western cancer rates. The international team of researchers estimates only... »
Tory cancer drug figures disputed
A health think-tank’s economist has disputed Tory claims they could fund more cancer drugs by halting a planned rise in National Insurance (NI). Conservatives say the move would save the NHS £200m in NI contributions for staff, giving doctors more power to choose which drugs are made available. But John Appleby, from the King’s Fund,... »
Cancer: The facts
p.negtop {margin-top: -2.2em; text-align: right; } About this data Source: Cancer Research/NHS One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer during our life. The disease tends to affect older people – but can strike at any time. Excluding certain skin cancers, there were almost 290,000 new cases of the disease in 2005. Some cancer, such... »
Tories urge cancer drugs rethink
Too many new cancer drugs are being turned down or restricted to small groups of NHS patients in England, the Conservatives claim. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said doctors should have a greater role in deciding which drugs to prescribe. The Party is calling for better deals with manufacturers to reduce prices. But the government’s... »
Cheap holidays ’skin cancer link’
The advent of cheap package holidays in the 1970s has led to a "generational shift" in the rates of deadly skin cancer, a charity has warned. People now in their 60s and 70s are more than five times more likely to be diagnosed with malignant melanoma than their parents were, figures show. Men of this... »
Prostate cancer prevention clue
A drug already used in men with enlarged prostates seems to cut the risk of prostate cancer developing, a large international study has shown. A four-year trial in more than 6,500 men found those who took dutasteride had a 23% lower risk of prostate cancer than those who took a dummy pill. The men in... »
Cancer heartache
Advertisement Earlier this month, Sugababe Amelle Berrabah jumped out of a plane to raise money for cancer research. She took part in a tandem skydive with the Red Devils, free-falling for 30 seconds before parachuting to the ground. The cause is one to which the 25-year-old is deeply committed because long before the singer was discovered,... »
Beta-blockers ‘cut cancer spread’
Blood pressure drugs may be able to reduce the ability of breast cancer to spread around the body, researchers have told a European conference. A joint UK and German study found that cancer patients taking beta-blockers had a lower risk of dying. The drugs may block hormones that trigger the spread of cancer cells. However,... »
Non-smokers lung cancer gene clue
A gene that could help explain why some non-smokers develop lung cancer has been pinpointed by US researchers. It is hoped that further research into the GPC5 gene could open the way for new targeted treatments as well as picking out those at high risk. But Cancer Research UK said more work was needed to... »
Setback for cancer test hopes
By Helen BriggsHealth reporter, BBC News Testing for human papillomavirus during cervical screening does not help doctors identify women at risk of cancer, a study suggests. A positive HPV test does not accurately predict which women need an urgent follow-up, say doctors. Each year, millions of UK women have a cervical screening test as part of... »
Cancer patients ‘miss out’ on ã8m
Cancer patients at the end of their lives are losing out on benefit payments worth millions of pounds, according to a leading cancer charity. Macmillan Cancer Support said about £8m in disability benefits went unclaimed by people diagnosed with terminal cancer in Scotland every year. The situation had improved since 2004 when £15m went unclaimed,... »