Pancreatic Cancer - Drug May Target Faulty Gene In 15 Of Patients
A new class of cancer drug which targets a faulty gene might be effective in treating some aggressive pancreatic cancers, researchers from Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Research Institute and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute reported in the journal Nature. Pancreatic cancer kills approximately 37, 000 people in the USA and 8, 000 in the UK every year. Even though survival rates have been steadily getting better, fewer than 20% of patients survive for at least 12 months after diagnosis, the authors explained.
Breast Cancer Is 10 Diseases Says Landmark Study
Breast cancer is at least 10 different diseases, each with its own genetic signature and pattern of weak spots, according to a new landmark study that promises to revolutionize diagnosis and prognosis, and pave the way for individualized, tailored treatment. The study group, METABRIC (Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium), reports its findings in the 18 April online issue of Nature. The Cancer Research UK-funded study is the largest global gene study of breast cancer tissue ever conducted, involving a large team of researchers, primarily in the UK and Canada.
Neurofibromatosis: Fruit Fly Study Provides New Knowledge About Uninhibited Cell Growth
In a new study, scientists at the University of Copenhagen show that a specific type of carbohydrate plays an important role in the intercellular signalling that controls the growth and development of the nervous system. In particular, defects in that carbohydrate may result in the uninhibited cell growth that characterizes the genetic disease neurofibromatosis and certain types of cancer. The results have just been published in the well-reputed journal PNAS. Scientists from The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen have put a special type of fruit fly under the microscope.