Study reveals genomic similarities between breast and ovarian cancers
September 24, 2012A new study from The Cancer Genome Atlas captured a complete view of genomic alterations in breast cancer and classified them into four intrinsic subtypes, one of which shares many genetic features with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Depicted are breast cancer cells with the HER2 protein, which can trigger cell growth responses, lit up in bright red. (Photo credit: NIST)
The NCI-60: Assessing drug effectiveness
August 27, 2012For decades, lead compounds were tested principally in mice. The downsides were time, expense, and limited accuracy. Enter NCI’s In Vitro Cell Line Screening Project, better known as the NCI-60, a protocol that makes it possible to analyze the anti-cancer properties of a compound in human tumor samples from 60 different cell cultures, sometimes referred to as lines, representing several different types of cancer.
Burkitt Lymphoma — A paradigm for global cancer research and discovery?
August 15, 2012Contrary to frequent belief, Burkitt lymphoma (shown, at left, in a pathology slide) is not a disease confined to the African continent. First identified as a distinct form of lymphoma by Irish surgeon Dennis Burkitt in Uganda in 1958, there are well documented cases in the United States, Latin America, and other countries that point to the global aspects of this disease.
Sequencing techniques uncover mutations in genes that can increase cancer risk
August 15, 2012Now that the findings from the Human Genome Project are widely available, scientists are working to put that data to work to understand the genetic causes of many diseases, including cancer, by using the latest sequencing techniques.
Microbes within our bodies may cause or contribute to cancer
August 15, 2012Are microbes the likes of bacteria and viruses helpful or hurtful? Do microbes affect each of us differently? Because these questions are still unanswered in several areas of science, researchers are beginning to pay much more attention to these tiny, mostly microscopic, life forms.
Breast cancer patients with dense breasts do not have increased death risk
August 20, 2012High mammographic breast density, which is a marker of increased risk of developing breast cancer, does not seem to increase the risk of death among breast cancer patients, according to a study led by Gretchen L. Gierach, Ph.D., NCI.
- Major cancer protein amplifies global gene expressionSeptember 27, 2012
- Genomic similarities between breast and ovarian cancersSeptember 24, 2012
- NCI Director Harold Varmus to address National Press ClubSeptember 21, 2012
- Rare cancers yield potential source of tumor growthSeptember 17, 2012
NCI-designated Cancer Centers: dedicated to research
August 15, 2012Obtaining an NCI designation for a cancer center is usually a years-long process of building — facilities, faculty, and most importantly, a research portfolio — culminated by a rigorous review process. Selection provides recognition of research excellence
- Blocking tumor-induced inflammation impacts cancer developmentOctober 4, 2012
- Missing link between players in the epigenetic codeOctober 3, 2012
- UCSF-led analysis links tanning beds to non-melanoma skin cancerOctober 3, 2012
- Duration of trastuzumab for women with HER2+ early breast cancerOctober 2, 2012