Markers for Ovarian Cancer May Show Up Years Earlier
TUESDAY, Jan. 5 (HealthDay News) — Concentrations of several biomarkers begin to grow three years before women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, but only reach substantial elevation levels over the 12 months before diagnosis, new research finds.
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America’s First Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine
Last Thursday the Food and Drug Administration approved Provenge for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Provenge is the first therapeutic vaccine to be approved in the U.S. for cancer treatment, ushering in what may be a new era in immune-based cancer treatments. Approval marks the successful conclusion of a 20-year odyssey with some remarkable twists and turns. My part of the story …
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Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States, with approximately 180,000 cases diagnosed each year. Researchers continue to evaluate environmental factors, such as diet, that influence the development of breast cancer. Numerous studies have provided a wealth of often-contradictory information about the detrimental and protective factors of different foods. High fruit and vegetable consumption has been associated with a reduced risk for developing at least 10 different cancers. Studies evaluating the influence of diet on breast cancer prognosis have produced inconsistent results.
Researchers from California and Utah assessed a cohort of 1,901 women from the Life After Cancer Epidemiology (LACE) Study who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between 1997 and 2000. Upon entering the study, the women completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The researchers used the data from the FFQs to identify two dietary patterns among the women: a prudent diet included high intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and poultry, whereas a Western diet included high intakes of red and processed meats and refined grains. The researchers then evaluated the rates of recurrence, overall death, death from breast cancer, and death from causes other than breast cancer. As of May 2008, there were 268 breast cancer recurrences and 226 deaths, 128 of which were attributed to breast cancer.
» Read more: Terramed Alliance News Healthy Diet Can’t Hurt, May Help Breast Cancer Patients