Severe mental illness linked to low attendance at cancer screening

People with severe mental illness are less likely to attend cancer screening compared to those who do not have such conditions, according to new research from the University of Surrey and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) at the Department of Health and Social Care. Funded by OHID and NHS England, with support from Cancer Research UK, the […]

Medicinal cannabis can safely relieve cancer pain and curb total meds and opioid use

Medicinal cannabis can safely relieve cancer pain, while curbing the total number of meds and opioids taken, suggest the results of a multicentre registry study, published online in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Products with an equal balance of the active ingredients tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), rather than a dominance of either one, seem to be particularly effective, the data […]

A new method to test cancer drug toxicity

For people with cancer, chemotherapy saves lives, but for some patients, the treatment comes with a side effect—heart damage. Screening cancer drugs for cardiotoxicity has been an ongoing challenge as heart cells don’t naturally grow in a dish, requiring researchers to do this critical testing using cardiac tissue from rodent models. A new study from researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary […]

Study shows promising results for immunotherapy targeting skin cancer

A new class of immunotherapy shows promising results for fighting the most aggressive form of skin cancer. The study, published today in Nature Communications by researchers from King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, investigates whether a novel antibody can target and treat melanomas. The results show that the antibody activates the immune response to fight cancer and […]

Survival rates similar with different treatments of localized prostate cancer

Patients who chose active monitoring of their localized prostate cancer have achieved the same high survival rates as those who chose radiotherapy or surgery. Researchers reported these findings on March 11, 2023 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Lead investigator Freddie Hamdy, MD,  Professor of Surgery, Professor of Urology and Head of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences at […]

Female healthworkers need better radiation protection to minimise breast cancer risk

Women working in healthcare who are regularly exposed to radiation from x-rays and other imaging procedures need better ionising radiation protection to help minimise their risk of developing breast cancer, argue doctors in The BMJ today. Ionising radiation is a known human carcinogen and breast tissue is highly radiation sensitive. As such, there are concerns that regular exposure to ionising radiation during image guided […]

Gut bacteria play role in CAR-T cancer therapy

CAR-T cell therapy has been shown to be highly effective in treating some cancers. However, responses to this relatively new form of immunotherapy can vary, making it difficult for patients and doctors to predict cancer outcomes. Scientists have been puzzled by the range of responses. Now a new study by the German Cancer Research Centre (KDFZ), in collaboration with researchers […]

Study finds “important shortcomings” in official cancer drug information

Important information about cancer drug benefits, and related uncertainties, is frequently omitted from official prescription drug information sources for clinicians and patients in Europe, finds an analysis published by The BMJ today. Despite the commitment of medicines regulators to shared decision making and person centred care, the researchers say better information on the benefits and potential harms of medicines are needed to […]

Lighting up tumours could help surgeons remove them more precisely

A new technique that combines highly detailed, real-time images of inside the body with a type of infrared light has, for the first time, been used during surgery to differentiate between cancerous tumours and healthy tissue. The pioneering technique, demonstrated in mice, has been developed by engineers at the Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS) at UCL and […]