Colon Cancer Survival Improved With Use Of Oxaliplatin
In 2011, about 101, 340 Americans have been diagnosed with colon cancer, a leading worldwide cause of both illness and death, with around one third of cancers being diagnosed as stage III, or node-positive disease. A study published in the January issue of The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals that patients with Stage III colon cancer have an improved rate of survival if they receive an adjuvant treatment of oxaliplatin added to 5-fluorouracil (5FU). To improve outcomes in patients with stage III colon cancer, researchers added oxaliplatin to 5FU in randomized clinical trials (RCTs).
Researchers Develop Novel Drug Delivery System
Long duration, controllable drug delivery is of wide interest to medical researchers and clinicians, particularly those seeking to improve treatment for patients with chronic pain or to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. Now a team of researchers led by Boston University Biomedical Engineer and Chemist Mark Grinstaff has developed a unique material and drug delivery mechanism that could pave the way for implants that release a drug at a designated rate for months. The system consists of a biocompatible, highly porous, three-dimensional polymer material containing a selected drug and a volume of air that slows infiltration from surrounding water.
Liquid Lasers May Better Detect Genes Linked To Cancer
Using a liquid laser, University of Michigan researchers have developed a better way to detect the slight genetic mutations that might predispose a person to a particular type of cancer or other diseases. Their results are published in the current edition of the German journal Angewandte Chemie. This work could advance understanding of the genetic basis of diseases. It also has applications in personalized medicine, which aims to target drugs and other therapies to individual patients based on a thorough knowledge of their genetic information.