New Prostate Cancer Ultrasound Treatment Shows Promise
A new experimental treatment for localized prostate cancer that uses high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) promises to be more effective and have fewer side effects than conventional treatments, according to a new study published early online in The Lancet Oncology on Tuesday. HIFU, which involves removing small lumps of cancerous prostate tissue, is being investigated as an alternative to conventional treatments such as radical whole-gland removal (radical prostatectomy) in men with localized prostate cancer.
Promising Handheld Diagnostic Device To Help Doctors, Dentists Detect Oral Cancer
A team of American researchers have created a portable, miniature microscope in the hope of reducing the time taken to diagnose oral cancer. The probe, which is around 20 cm long and 1 cm wide at its tip, could be used by doctors to diagnose oral cancer in real-time or as a surgical guidance tool; dentists could also use it to screen for early-stage cancer cells. The probe has been presented in IOP Publishing's Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, and has shown good agreement with images of oral cancers obtained using conventional, much slower techniques at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, TX.
The Aggressiveness Of Prostate Cancer Determined By New Diagnostic Tool
One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, the second leading cause of death among men in the United States. It's a serious problem and current diagnostic tests aren't very specific. But a research team at the University of Central Florida NanoScience Technology Center has found a more accurate test that not only determines whether a patient has prostate cancer, but also how aggressive it is. "That's really what is unique and exciting about our new discovery, " said associate professor Qun "Treen" Huo, the lead investigator on the project.