Tiny implants signal new way to treat cancer tumors

What if doctors could get feedback from a tumor to more effectively treat cancer patients?  This is the goal for researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University in London. 

They are making a sensory device about the size of an eyelash to be implanted into a tumor.  The idea is to focus treatment there and give patients a more targeted, more effective treatment course.

The sensors in the device would allow doctors to also monitor how well the tumor is responding to treatment.  This would allow very personalized care and the ability to know if a change in treatment course would be necessary.

This is a 5 year project called the Implantable Microsystems for Personalized Anti-Cancer Therapy (IMPACT), which will cost 5.2 million BPS funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

For the full article, visit http://www.aalatimes.com/2013/03/15/tiny-implants-signal-new-way-to-treat-cancer-tumours/.

New breast cancer drug helps advanced cases

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug that will help women with hard to treat breast cancer.  The type of breast cancer it targets, HER2, is an aggressive form and spreads even with treatment.

This new drug, called Kadcyla, may not cure women of the breast cancer, but it can add many more months onto their lives.

“Kadcyla delivers the drug to the cancer site to shrink the tumor, slow disease progression and prolong survival," Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the FDA's office of hematology and oncology products.In a trial conducted with results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 991 patients with HER2 were treated and lived an average of 5.8 months longer, about half a year longer than others.

“Only a few studies in metastatic breast cancer have shown an improvement in overall survival. It’s tough to do,” Dr. Sunil Verma of the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre in Toronto, who led the study, said in a statement on the National Cancer Institute’s website.

The drug comes with a price - $94,000 for a 10 month supply.  The company will give discounts, or in some cases get it free of charge. Those who have hit their health coverage limit or do not have insurance can get it for free through Genetech, the company who makes the drug.

For more information, visit http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/22/17057745-new-breast-cancer-drug-helps-advanced-cases?lite.

5 cancers men should worry about

There are five types of cancer that men should be aware of and what the symptoms are and what to do about them.  Here is a summary:

1. Prostate Cancer - doctors can run a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test or perform a biopsy. False alarms involve urination problems.
2. Lung Cancer - doctors can perform a biopsy. Pnemonia and tumors both are white on x-rays.  Pnemonia could be a false alarm, since it will go away, but the tumor will still be there after a few weeks.
3. Colorectal Cancer - always be aware if there is blood in stool. This could be the only warning sign, even though the bleeding could be a result of a hemorrhoid, diverticulosis, colitis or a blood vessel. 
4. Bladder Cancer - blood in urine is a reason to go see the doctor. It could be a sign of bladder cancer or kidney stones.  Regardless, go to the doctor.
5. Lymphoma - consult a doctor if swollen lymph nodes are noticed in the neck, armpit or groin area for over a week. Infections make lymph nodes larger, but they should also go back down once the infection is gone. Doctors will know if they need to take a biopsy of the lymph nodes. 

For the full article, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47520976/ns/health-mens_health/.