Ginger Curbs Sickness of Chemotherapy: Study

Experts say tumors could be treated as chronic diseases

(NEWSER) - Instead of waiting for cancer to return, some doctors are keeping up patients’ chemotherapy even when the threat has lessened, the New York Times reports. With maintenance therapy, some in the medical and drug industries say, it may be possible to treat cancer as a chronic disease, with tumors kept under control longer. But others say it’s not proven and could do more harm than good. More»

(NEWSER) - American Idol winner David Cook lost his brother Adam to cancer yesterday, People reports. Cook announced Adam’s death today at a Race for Hope benefit run for brain cancer research in Washington, DC. "I actually lost my brother yesterday to a brain tumor and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now," Cook told the crowd. His brother had battled cancer for years. More»

Immune system boost wipes out tumors

(NEWSER) - Scientists eliminated a man's late-stage melanoma by giving the body's own defenses a massive boost, Scientific American reports. They removed infection-fighting white blood cells from the patient's body, cloned them in the lab until they numbered in the billions, and injected them back into the patient. He was tumor-free 2 months later and remained so for 2 years. More»

Aromatase inhibitors work after tamoxifen regimen ends

(NEWSER) - New research shows that women can cut the risk of breast cancer recurring years later by taking certain drugs, the Washington Post reports. Studies show that the drugs, known as aromatase inhibitors, sharply reduced the risk of cancer's return after women had finished their regimen of the widely used tamoxifen. The findings could dramatically change the treatments breast cancer survivors are given. More»

Drugs extend life, but can't stop deadly spread of disease

(NEWSER) - Nixon declared war on cancer in '71, but $69 billion in funding and claims of near victory are yet to slow it down, the Boston Globe reports. No one knows what makes it spread—and trigger 90% of cancer deaths—and a drop in deaths is due to lifestyle changes and early diagnosis, not better drugs. Yet one expert claims that progress is being made, quietly, behind closed doors. More»