New Virus Linked to Virulent Skin Cancer

Breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma yield to new approaches

(NEWSER) - New treatments for cancer—breast, ovarian, and skin—raised hopes at this weekend's meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. The findings aren't enough for Robert Langreth of Forbes , who sees "serious questions about whether big drug companies may be rushing too fast." Judge for yourself.

• A single dose of radiation administered at the site of tumor removal deterred recurrence of breast cancer as well as the standard grueling course of radiation on the entire breast, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Offers hope in fighting deadly melanoma

(NEWSER) - A new vaccine being tested in the UK may offer hope to patients suffering from the deadliest form of skin cancer. The drug, which attacks tumor cells and boosts the body's response to skin cancer without affecting healthy cells, appears to cure advanced melanoma in some patients. In a study of 50 melanoma patients, 16% who'd been given no more than nine months to live made full recoveries with the vaccine; another 28% saw their tumors shrink to half size. More»

Research ties disease to specific mutations

(NEWSER) - Scientists have mapped the genomes of skin and lung cancer, allowing them to know which specific mutations cause the disease. The development, hailed as a major breakthrough, could lead to earlier detection and better drug treatments. Melanoma and lung cancer are triggered by sets of tens of thousands of errors, mostly caused by overexposure to the sun and cigarette smoke, respectively. One researcher likened the process to Russian roulette—"Most of the time the mutations will land in innocent parts of the genome, but some will hit the right targets for cancer." More»

(NEWSER) - More promising news has emerged from this weekend’s international cancer conference in Florida: Researchers unveiled a drug that shows early promise in fighting the most deadly form of skin cancer. The experimental PLX4032 targets tumor cells that carry a mutation found in 60% of malignant melanomas, and in the 16 patients treated more than half saw their cancer reduced by at least 30%, the BBC reports. More»

More research needed to judge effect on humans, dermatologists say

(NEWSER) - Moisturizers used by millions around the world each day may increase skin cancer in mice, the Daily Mail reports. But many more tests are needed before researchers can draw conclusions about humans. In mouse experiments, animals primed to develop skin cancer were exposed to UV light. The moisturized mice developed non-melanoma cancers at a faster rate than the others, as well as twice as many tumors. More»