October 2008 Briefing - Oncology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Oncology for October 2008. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Vigorous Exercise Linked to Lower Breast Cancer Risk

FRIDAY, Oct. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal, normal-weight women who undertake regular vigorous exercise such as heavy housework or strenuous sports have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 31 in Breast Cancer Research.

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Gleevec Can Effectively Shrink Neurofibromas

FRIDAY, Oct. 31 (HealthDay News) -- For neurofibromas to develop in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), the NF1 gene must be lost not only in Schwann cells but also in mast cells infiltrating the neurofibromas, according to a study in the Oct. 31 issue of Cell. Imatinib (Gleevec) could substantially reduce tumor size in a child with the disease.

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Researchers Explain Possible Cause of Tamoxifen Resistance

FRIDAY, Oct. 31 (HealthDay News) -- High expression of an overlooked estrogen receptor in breast cancer cells -- estrogen-related receptor gamma -- may explain why one-third of estrogen receptor-positive tumors do not respond to tamoxifen, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of Cancer Research.

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Gestational Hypertension Linked to Testicular Cancer

THURSDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Depending on its severity, gestational hypertension may be associated with a lower or higher risk of testicular cancer in male offspring later in life, according to research published in the Nov. 1 Cancer Research.

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Side Effects Herald Better Breast Cancer Outcome

THURSDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The occurrence of medication side effects, such as vasomotor symptoms and arthritis, in women who received endocrine treatment for breast cancer may indicate a decreased risk of cancer recurrence and act as a marker for treatment success, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Careful Design of Preclinical Cancer Drug Studies Important

THURSDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Preclinical experiments involving rodents that are used to evaluate the efficacy of new cancer treatments must be designed carefully to provide useful data, according to a commentary published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Genetic Variation Linked to Nicotine Dependence

THURSDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Further study is needed to understand the relationships of chromosomal 15q24-25.1 variants with lung cancer and nicotine dependence, according to a report published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Credit Crisis to Take Long-Term Toll on Health System

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Although in the short term the United Kingdom's National Health Service may avoid any serious impact from the credit crisis, in the medium to long term it will stall funding increases at the same time as worsening social deprivation and unemployment will put more pressure on its services, according to a feature published online on Oct. 28 in the BMJ.

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Statins Lower Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Statin treatment significantly lowers levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), particularly in men with large drops in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and in those whose pre-statin PSA levels would have made them candidates for a prostate biopsy, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Tool Measures Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A tool to evaluate quality of life among long-term breast cancer survivors is valid, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Anti-Cancer Drugs Commonly Used Off-Label

TUESDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Off-label use of anti-cancer drugs is common, and most off-label prescriptions are used for palliative care, according to a report in the November issue of The Lancet Oncology.

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Soy Component May Block Immune Killing of Cancer Cells

FRIDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- High consumption of soy-containing products may block the ability of the immune system to kill cancer cells, according to research published in the November issue of Endocrinology.

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Single Adult Stem Cell Can Lead to Mouse Prostate

FRIDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A single adult mouse prostate stem cell is capable of generating a prostate after being transplanted in vivo, according to a letter published online Oct. 22 in the journal Nature.

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US Medical Schools Expand Enrollment to Meet Demand

FRIDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- In response to the increasing demand for physicians, U.S. medical schools have increased first-year enrollment to more than 18,000 students, the highest enrollment in history, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges.

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Placebo Treatments Commonly Utilized

FRIDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians utilizing placebo treatments may not be fully transparent about their use, according to research published Oct. 23 in BMJ Online First.

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President's Cancer Panel Issues 2007-2008 Report

FRIDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Comprehensive strategies are needed to reduce the nation's burden of cancer mortality and morbidity, according to "Maximizing Our Nation's Investment in Cancer: Three Crucial Actions for America's Health," the President's Cancer Panel 2007-2008 Annual Report published Oct. 23 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the National Cancer Institute.

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Acrylamide Not Linked Overall to Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Dietary acrylamide intake does not appear to be related to a higher overall risk of gastrointestinal cancer, according to research published in the Nov. 1 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.

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New Imaging Technique Identifies Cervical Cancer

THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Diffusion-weighted MRI in combination with T2-weighted MRI may improve the detection of small-volume, early-stage invasive cervical cancer, according to the results of a pilot study published in the October issue of Radiology.

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Focus on Appearance Changes Tanning Practice

THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Appearance-focused interventions are useful in changing both behaviors and attitudes related to indoor tanning, according to a report published online Oct. 20 in Cancer.

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New Gene Mutations Linked to Lung Adenocarcinoma

THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 26 genes are frequently mutated and several molecular pathways underlie most of the mutations, a discovery that could lead to more targeted therapies, according to a study published in the Oct. 23 issue of Nature.

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Mutations Affect Cancer Susceptibility to Cetuximab

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Advanced colorectal cancer patients whose tumors have mutations in the K-ras gene are less likely to respond to cetuximab treatment and have lower survival, researchers report in the Oct. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Financial Bailout Puts US Health Care Reform in Jeopardy

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The health care reform plans of the two U.S. presidential campaigns are both likely to suffer implementation setbacks due to the government's $700 billion bailout of the country's troubled financial sector, according to an article published online Oct. 22 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Race and Therapy Related in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, race is associated with chances of receiving chemotherapy but is not associated with survival, according to research published online Oct. 20 in Cancer.

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Biologicals Prone to Regulatory Actions

TUESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Health care providers should be aware of the potential risks of biological medicinal products, especially those that are the first to be approved in a subgroup, according to research published in the Oct. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Doppler Ultrasound Helps Identify Breast Cancer

TUESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound helps differentiate malignant and benign breast lesions, according to a report in the November issue of Radiology.

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Prognosis Affects Memory of First Cancer Consultation

TUESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with a poorer cancer prognosis recalled less information following an initial visit with their oncologist, according to a report published online Oct. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Chest Scan Crucial in Head and Neck Cancer Follow-Up

MONDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- High-risk head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients should receive postoperative chest computed tomography (CT) every six months during two years of follow-up, according to research published in the October issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.

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Nurses Prefer That Families Don't Attend Breast Biopsies

MONDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Most perioperative nurses do not support the concept of family presence in the operating room during breast biopsy procedures, so the feasibility of instituting family presence intervention would be complicated by system barriers, according to a report published in the October issue of the AORN Journal.

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UK Researchers Demand Regulatory Relief

FRIDAY, Oct. 17 (HealthDay News) -- High-quality clinical research is essential, but a poorly coordinated, inconsistent and illogical bureaucracy placed on investigators threatens continuation of clinical research in the United Kingdom, according to a report published online Oct. 16 in BMJ.

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Nicotine May Promote Spread of Breast Cancer Cells

THURSDAY, Oct. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Nicotine can spur human breast epithelial-like cells and cancer cells to proliferate and migrate, which may point to a role for nicotine in breast cancer due to secondhand smoke, according to research published in the Oct. 15 issue of Cancer Research.

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Gene Signature Predicts Survival After Liver Resection

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- In patients who undergo resection for liver cancer, a gene-expression signature derived from the healthy portion of the liver -- but not from the tumor -- may predict survival, according to a report published online Oct. 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Drug Increases Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Survival

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, treatment with bevacizumab can increase overall survival in patients whose disease progresses and does not affect the frequency of postsurgical complications, according to two studies published online Oct. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Radiation Increases Breast Cancer Risk in Young Women

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing cancer in the opposite breast if they were younger when initially treated, received radiation using tangential fields and have a family history of breast cancer, according to study findings published online Oct. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Grain Fiber May Lower Risk of Small Intestine Cancer

TUESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A diet higher in fiber from grains may be protective against small intestine cancer, according to research published in the October issue of Gastroenterology.

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Caffeine Linked to Breast Cancer Risk in Some Women

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Although high caffeine consumption does not appear to increase the overall risk of breast cancer, it may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women with benign breast disease, and for the development of estrogen receptor-negative and progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer and tumors larger than 2 centimeters, according to study findings published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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CagA Gene Protective Against Esophageal Cancer

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- CagA-positive strains of Helicobacter pylori may reduce the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma by reducing acid reflux into the esophagus, but declining overall rates of H. pylori may result in increased esophageal adenocarcinoma, researchers report in the October issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

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Early Treatment Can Stop Anti-NMDA-Receptor Encephalitis

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The progress of newly diagnosed anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis can be reversed if patients are treated quickly, according to the results of a study published online Oct. 13 in The Lancet Neurology.

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Androgen-Estrogen Ratio Tied to Men's Breast Cancer Risk

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The similarities and differences in risk factors for breast cancer in men and women suggest that the ratio of androgens to bioavailable estrogens may be involved in men's risk, according to research published in the Nov. 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Older Cancer Patients Seem to Benefit from Sorafenib

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Sorafenib appears to be beneficial in advanced renal cell carcinoma regardless of patients' age, according to research published in the Oct. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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NSAIDs May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with risk reduction in breast cancer, the relationship is not a gradient-dose response where increasing dose confers a protective effect, researchers report in the Oct. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Smuggled Tobacco Is Serious Problem in United Kingdom

FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- A reduction in the amount of tobacco smuggled into the United Kingdom would prevent a significant number of premature deaths, but a planned switch in enforcement responsibility from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to the new Border Agency may hamper the effort to combat smuggling, according to an analysis published online Oct. 9 in BMJ Online First.

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Tamoxifen May Shorten Time to ER-Negative Diagnosis

FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The use of tamoxifen doesn't lower the incidence of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer, but it may shorten the time to diagnosis of ER-negative tumors by a significant amount, according to research published in the Oct. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Liver Transplantation Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Liver transplant recipients are nearly three times more likely to develop cancer compared to the general population, according to a report in the October issue of Liver Transplantation.

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Red Wine Consumption May Lower Lung Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Each glass of red wine consumed per month lowers lung cancer risk by 2 percent in men, but similar reductions were not seen with white wine, beer or liquor, according to a report in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

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Assisted Suicide Laws May Not Protect Depressed Patients

THURSDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The state of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, which enables terminally ill patients to request physician assistance to end their lives, may be failing to protect depressed patients, according to research published Oct. 8 in BMJ Online First.

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Renal Cell Carcinoma Drugs Linked to Heart Events

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiac damage from tyrosine kinase inhibitors may occur more frequently than previously thought, according to research published in the Nov. 10 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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End-of-Life Discussions Improve Patient Care

TUESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Terminally ill patients whose physicians engage them in end-of-life discussions are more likely to be admitted to hospice care earlier and to have less aggressive medical care near death, and such discussions show no evidence of inflicting psychological harm, according to study findings published in the Oct. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Task Force Updates Colorectal Screening Guidelines

TUESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- New guidelines have been issued for colorectal cancer screening, and a second-generation stool DNA test may be an effective alternative to fecal occult blood testing in the detection of colorectal cancer and potentially cancerous polyps, according to two reports published in October in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Disparities Seen in Survival of Head and Neck Cancer

MONDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Black patients and those with lower socioeconomic status appear to face earlier mortality from cancer of the head and neck, according to research released online Oct. 6 in advance of publication in the Nov. 15 issue of Cancer.

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Excess Weight Increases Risk of Prostate Cancer Death

MONDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Men with prostate cancer who are overweight or obese or have high levels of C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion, have a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, according to research published online Oct. 6 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Cutting Solid-Fuel Use, Smoking Could Save Millions of Lives

MONDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 32 million deaths in China over the next 25 years could be averted by phasing out household solid-fuel and eliminating smoking, according to an article published online Oct. 4 in The Lancet.

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Predictive Tool Assesses Outcomes for Prostate Cancer

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A ranking based on a predictive tool known as a "nomogram" may be an objective and reliable measure of treatment outcomes at different institutions for patients with prostate cancer, researchers report in the October issue of Urology.

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Sick Leaves Linked to Higher Subsequent Mortality

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Medically certified absences from work for a variety of common diagnoses were associated with a higher risk of mortality, according to research published Oct. 2 in BMJ Online First.

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Persistent H. Pylori Infection Presents Challenges

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- New treatment strategies are needed to treat Helicobacter pylori infections that persist after standard treatment with antibiotics, according to an article published in the October issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

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Quality of Palliative Care Depends on Where You Live

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Very few U.S. states offer top-quality palliative care to patients with chronic illness, and the quality of care varies widely from state to state, according to a paper published in the October issue of the Journal of Palliative Medicine.

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Hepatitis B Virus Linked to Pancreatic Cancer Risk

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to hepatitis B virus may increase an individual's risk of pancreatic cancer, according to research published in the Oct. 1 Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Birth Size Linked to Breast Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Birth size, particularly birth length, is associated with the risk of breast cancer, according to a report published online Sept. 30 in PLoS Medicine.

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YM155 Shows Indication of Usefulness in Cancer

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- YM155, which inhibits the antiapoptosis protein survivin -- a current target of interest for cancer therapy -- appears to offer antitumor activity, according to the results of a phase I and pharmacokinetic study published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Negative Colonoscopy Predicts Long-Term Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Older patients with a negative complete colonoscopy have a significantly reduced long-term incidence of developing overall or distal colorectal cancer. But their reduced risk of developing proximal colorectal cancer is usually only significant after seven years of follow-up, according to a report published in the October issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

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Cell Adhesion Molecule Linked to Cancerous Changes in Colon

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Deregulated expression of a cell adhesion molecule in the intestine is associated with colon cancer and precancerous changes in the colon, researchers report in the Oct. 1 issue of Cancer Research.

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Obesity Link to Endometrial Cancer Poorly Understood

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Most women are not aware of the relationship between endometrial cancer risk and obesity, and patient education interventions are needed, according to an article in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Salivary Proteins May Give Early Oral Cancer Warning

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Proteins found in the saliva of patients with oral cancer may serve as biomarkers that could assist in the early detection of the disease, researchers report in the Oct. 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

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Vitamin C May Reduce Chemotherapy Effectiveness

THURSDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin C supplementation may reduce the efficacy of a wide range of chemotherapy agents by protecting mitochondria within the cells from damage, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of Cancer Research.

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Computer System Allows for Single Read of Mammograms

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- In the assessment of mammography results, a single reading with a computer-aided detection system can detect small breast cancer as accurately as a standard double reading, according to a report published online Oct. 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Models Offer Guidance on Breast Cancer Variants

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Newly developed classification models for BRCA variants of uncertain significance (VUS) may provide useful information to patients for their risk-management decisions, according to research published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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