| Ovarian cancer risk tied to protein | | Posted Wednesday, September 27, 2006 10:57:50 AM by Blog57 Team | | Some women at risk for ovarian cancer have ovaries that make only small amounts of a DNA-repairing protein, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University report. The discovery might help identify women who are at high risk for cancer, even though they don't have mutant forms of BRCA1 or BRCA2, genes known to add cancer risk. Turning this discovery into a test has one big problem, though: The low protein levels were found only in cells taken from the ovaries of at-risk women. Their blood cells had normal levels of the protein. So testing for this telltale protein would require a procedure to harvest tissue from ovaries, something that might be acceptable to certain women, said Dr. Tanja Pejovic, the OHSU obstetrics and gynecology researcher who led the study.... | |
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| | | Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers find ginseng may ... | | Posted Wednesday, August 16, 2006 9:00:16 PM by Blog57 Team | | Ginseng, one of the most widely used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, may improve survival and quality of life after a diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a recent study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers. The large epidemiological study, led by Xiao-Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., was published online recently in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Ginseng is a slow-growing perennial herb whose roots have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. The two main classes of ginseng red and white have different biological effects, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory. White, or unprocessed, ginseng is used over long periods to promote general health, vitality and longevity. Red, or processed, ginseng provides a much stronger effect and is used for short periods to aid in disease recovery.... | |
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| | | Blood test for lung cancer may be close | | Posted Tuesday, July 18, 2006 3:00:19 PM by Blog57 Team | | ROCKVILLE, MD ? July 17, 2006 ? A blood test may be able to detect lung cancer much earlier than the most accurate imaging systems now used, say researchers. Led by Drs. Edward Hirschowitz and Li Zhong, of the University of Kentucky, a research team has developed a blood test that assesses multiple markers in the blood able to detect non-small cell lung cancer. If the reliability of the test can be confirmed on larger numbers of patient samples, the company will seek to introduce what would be the first new blood screen for any cancer since the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test was introduced in the 1970s. The test has already been licensed by the biotechnology company, 20/20 GeneSystems, which is developing biomarker systems for diagnostics, and therapeutics.... | |
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