1 in 8 patients with cancer harbour inherited genetic mutations
Posted: 16th December 2020
Categories: Industry news
A US study of 3,000 cancer patients discovered that 13.5% had an inherited genetic mutation that caused their disease. In most cases, these mutations wouldn’t have been detected by clinicians using a standard guideline-based approach, leaving relatives unaware that they could be at an increased risk of developing cancer in the future. The discovery provides […]
Liquid biopsies “substantially improve” breast cancer diagnosis
Posted: 25th November 2020
Categories: Industry news
Liquid biopsies have the potential to “substantially help to improve diagnosis” of breast cancer in women, a new study has found. Researchers writing in EBioMedicine (published by world-leading publisher The Lancet) found that “the clinical validity of liquid biopsy in the early breast cancer setting is more than evident.” Liquid biopsy techniques involve analysing a […]
Cancer gene testing could save millions of lives worldwide
Posted: 11th November 2020
Categories: Industry news
Population-based screening for the BRCA genes that cause ovarian and breast cancer could save millions of lives a year, scientists have found. A new study, published in the journal Cancer, found that population-based genetic testing for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes – where every woman over 30, regardless of risk-factor is screened – was […]
Unlocking the role of genes in hereditary breast cancer
Posted: 28th October 2020
Categories: Industry news
Mutations in genes only appear in 20% of women offered genetic testing for breast cancer, a new study by University of Melbourne researchers. Previously scientists believed that mutations in known breast cancer genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 caused cancer, but in a pioneering study, they were only present in 1 in 5 cases. Instead, […]
Personalised cancer treatment improves patient outcomes
Posted: 16th October 2020
Categories: Industry news
Patients with advanced cancer were more likely to survive for longer or experience longer periods without disease progression if they received personalised cancer therapy, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found. In a recent trial, three-year survival for cancer patients receiving personalised cancer treatments was 55%, compared to 25% […]
Cancer diagnosis delays could cost thousands of lives
Posted: 2nd October 2020
Categories: Industry news
Delays to cancer diagnosis caused by COVID-19 could be responsible for thousands of avoidable deaths in the UK, a new report study published in The Lancet has found. In a ground-breaking new population-based modelling study, a London-based research team has attempted to calculate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cancer diagnosis and treatment outcomes. […]
Scientists identify new biomarker for cancer diagnosis
Posted: 2nd October 2020
Categories: Industry news
Scientists have identified tiny packages of materials released by tumours, called EVPs (extracellular vesicles and particles) that could be a potential biomarker for detecting several types of cancer at an early stage. In a recent study, published in the prestigious Cell journal, a US-based team have identified an exciting new biomarker that could lead to […]
Nutrition as a ‘precision medicine’ in cancer treatment
Posted: 10th September 2020
Categories: Industry news
We know that a healthy diet and good nutrition might contribute in reduction of risk of certain cancers. Diets that are high in plant foods – such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and beans – may protect against certain cancers. For example, diets with a high proportion of these fibre-rich foods can protect against bowel cancer. […]
Liquid biopsy blood tests could be used to diagnose brain tumours
Posted: 26th August 2020
Categories: Industry news
Results of a promising trial in people with brain tumours suggests that a specific blood test could be used for more accurate diagnosis, without the need for invasive procedures. The blood test based on circulating-tumour DNA (ctDNA) has been found to accurately classify different types of brain tumours and could allow for better treatment planning […]
Simple blood tests can be used to look for resistance to chemotherapy
Posted: 15th July 2020
Categories: Industry news
When it comes to treating cancer, there’s good news and bad news. Part of the good news is that there are many effective medicines, known as chemotherapies, that can treat cancer and improve survival. The not so good news is that some cancers that initially respond to chemotherapy can become resistant to treatment. This means […]
Circulating tumour cells may predict breast cancer outcomes
Posted: 30th June 2020
Categories: Industry news
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and there were over 2 million new cases in 2018, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. So there is great research interest in understanding more about what determines how likely people with breast cancer are to survive, and to respond to treatment. Researchers at Cleveland […]
Liquid biopsies shed light on cancer drug resistance
Posted: 18th June 2020
Categories: Industry news
It is not uncommon for people with cancer to have treatment with a drug that is initially effective at shrinking their tumour, only for it to grow back as the cancer cells in the tumour evolve and become resistant to the drugs. It is estimated that drug resistance and the resulting ineffectiveness of treatments are […]