14 June 2022
In keeping with a renewed pledge help to save Solomon Islander’s lives and try to bring news of new medical developments and research in the world beyond the Solomon Island, I want to share the following information with the MHMS and especially with the team of consultant oncologists at the NRH’s cancer unit.
I very much hope the information I am relaying will serve as a point of reference and will be followed up by the medical authorities.
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Implanted “Drug Factories” DTreatment Research into cancer
In keeping with a renewed pledge help to save Solomon Islander’s lives and try to bring news of new medical developments and research in the world beyond the Solomon Island, I want to share the following information with the MHMS and especially with the team of consultant oncologists at the NRH’s cancer unit.
I very much hope the information I am relaying will serve as a point of reference and will be followed up by the medical authorities.
Severe Side Effects of Cancer Treatment Are More Common in Women than Men
Women are more likely than men to experience severe side effects from cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, a new study finds. Researchers hope the findings will increase awareness of the problem and help guide patient care.
Can mRNA Vaccines Help Treat Cancer?
The success of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 could help accelerate research on using mRNA vaccine technology to treat cancer, including the development of personalized cancer vaccines.
Can an Antibiotic Treat Cancers that Become Resistant to PARP Inhibitors?
In lab studies, the antibiotic novobiocin showed promise as a treatment for cancers that have become resistant to PARP inhibitors. The drug, which inhibits a protein called DNA polymerase theta, will be tested in NCI-supported clinical trials.
Avasopasem Shields Normal Cells from Radiation, Helps Kill Cancer Cells
A drug called avasopasem manganese, which has been found to protect normal tissues from radiation therapy, can also make cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation treatment, a new study in mice suggest.
Could Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Improve Cancer Immunotherapy?
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors may improve the effectiveness of cancer immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to studies in mice. The drugs appear to improve the immunotherapy drugs’ ability to find tumors and slow their growth.
Researchers are developing a new class of cancer drugs called radiopharmaceuticals, which deliver radiation therapy directly and specifically to cancer cells.
FDA Approves Blood Tests That Can Help Guide Cancer Treatment
FDA has recently approved two blood tests, known as liquid biopsies that gather genetic information to help inform treatment decisions for people with cancer. This Cancer Currents story explores how the tests are used and who can get the tests.
Are Cancer Patients Getting the Opioids They Need to Control Pain?
Efforts to contain the opioid epidemic may be preventing people with cancer from receiving appropriate prescriptions for opioids to manage their cancer pain, according to a new study of oncologists’ opioid prescribing patterns.
Mouse Study Points to Strategy for Preserving Bone During Chemotherapy
Bone loss associated with chemotherapy appears to be induced by cells that stop dividing but do not die, a recent study in mice suggests. The researchers tested drugs that could block signals from these senescent cells and reverse bone loss in mice.
FDA Approves Entrectinib Based on Tumor Genetics Rather Than Cancer Type
FDA has approved entrectinib (Rozlytrek) for the treatment of children and adults with tumors bearing an NTRK gene fusion. The approval also covers adults with non-small cell lung cancer harboring a ROS1 gene fusion.
Altering Diet Enhances Response to Cancer Treatments in Mice
A new NCI-supported study showed that altering cancer cell metabolism by feeding mice a diet very low in the nutrient methionine improved the ability of chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink tumors.
Newly Discovered ‘Don’t Eat Me’ Signal May be a Target for Cancer Immunotherapy
Researchers have identified a protein called CD24 that may be a new target for cancer immunotherapy. The protein is a ‘don’t eat me’ signal that prevents immune cells called macrophages from engulfing and eating cells.
Could A Form of Cell Death Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy?
Injecting cells undergoing necroptosis, a form of cell death, into tumours in mice kickstarted an immune response against the tumours, researchers have found. When combined with immunotherapy, the treatment was effective at eliminating tumours in mice.
Managing Cancer Pain: Are Better Approaches on the Horizon?
Pain is a common and much-feared symptom among people with cancer and long-term survivors. As more people survive cancer for longer periods, there is a renewed interest in developing new, nonaddictive approaches for managing their chronic pain.
Dr. Judith Paice, of the Cancer Pain Program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, discusses the impacts of the opioid epidemic on cancer patients and how providers can address concerns about opioid misuse when managing cancer pain.
Can Age Affect Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors?
A new study has linked age with how well patients with melanoma responded to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Experiments in mice suggested that the response pattern may be due to an age-related shift in the kinds of immune cells in tumors.
End of quote.
National Cancer Institute.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
