Potential To Double The Efficacy Of Radiation Therapy
Scientists may have a way to double the efficacy and reduce the side effects of radiation therapy. Georgia Health Sciences University scientists have devised a way to reduce lung cancer cells' ability to repair the lethal double-strand DNA breaks caused by radiation therapy. "Radiation is a great therapy - the problem is the side effects, " said Dr. William S. Dynan, biochemist and Associate Director of Research and Chief, Nanomedicine and Gene Regulation at the GHSU Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics.
Silicon Breast Implants Must Be Removed?
In news that sounds more like something from an automotive, or white goods recall, French authorities have announced that a certain type of silicone breast implant can rupture and might cause cancer. The French authorities are in the process of deciding whether to issue a "recall" and recommend up to 30, 000 French women have their implants changed or removed. Meanwhile in the UK, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised that there is not enough evidence to warrant removal.
Neurotransmitter Might Improve The Treatment Of Cancer
Doses of a neurotransmitter might offer a way to boost the effectiveness of anticancer drugs and radiation therapy, according to a new study led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Using animal models of human breast and prostate cancers, the researchers found that injections of the neurotransmitter dopamine can improve blood flow to tumors and improve delivery of an anticancer drug, doubling the drug's concentration in tumors and increasing its effectiveness.