Breaking News from the NCI Cancer Bulletin

May 17, 2010 President Obama to Appoint Harold Varmus, M.D., to Lead the National Cancer Institute Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Harold Varmus, M.D., to serve as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). In an e-mail to the NCI staff, Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health, said that Varmus "brings unmatched expertise at all levels - not only in cutting edge scientific research, but also as a leader in the development of strategies for improving patient care, in scientific education and training, and in the design of novel public-private partnerships." Read more >>

NCI Cancer Bulletin for May 4, 2010

May 4, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 9 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue FDA Approves First Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine »  Breast Tissues May Express Biomarkers Linked to DCIS Recurrence »  Circulating Tumor Cells Detected in Patients with Localized Cancers »  Costs and Use of Diagnostic Imaging Rise among Medicare Patients »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: NCCCP—Building a Community-based Research Platform and Enhancing Cancer Care » In Depth Read This Issue Sigmoidoscopy Markedly Reduces Colorectal Cancer Incidence, Mortality »  When Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants Fail »  Featured Clinical Trial: Vaccine Therapy for Patients with Recurrent Blood Cancers »  Updates Read This Issue FDA Update »  Legislative Update »  Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for April 20, 2010

April 20, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 8 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Long-term Follow-up Confirms Breast Cancer Risk Reduction with Raloxifene »  MicroRNAs Linked to Trastuzumab Resistance, Brain Metastases »  Diabetes Drug Metformin Prevents Lung Tumors in Mice »  Cancer Risk Tools May Need Regular Recalibration »  Profiling Airway Cells May Identify Smokers at Highest Risk of Cancer »  Peptide Helps Chemotherapy Penetrate Deep into Tumors »  Commentary Read This Issue Director's Update: An Unexpected Opportunity, a Welcome Honor » Guest Commentary by Dr. Carolyn Clancy: Focusing the Research Enterprise on the Patient » In Depth Read This Issue Trial Makes Push Toward More Individualized Lung Cancer Therapy »  Genome Study of Aggressive Breast Cancer Yields Clues to Metastasis »  Featured Clinical Trial: Pioglitazone for Oral Premalignant Lesions »  IoM Committee Recommends Overhaul of NCI Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program »  Updates Read This Issue FDA Update »  Legislative Update »  Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for April 6, 2010

April 6, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 7 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Dutasteride Decreases Prostate Cancer Risk »  Phase III Lung and Pancreatic Cancer Trials Stopped »  Use of Health Care Services May Contribute to Colorectal Cancer Disparities »  Complementary and Alternative Medicine Commonly Used by Pediatric Patients »  Breast Cancer Study Tests Effects of Zoledronic Acid »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Improving the Efficiency of Clinical Trials—Decreasing Activation Times by Fifty Percent » Guest Commentary by Ambassador Nancy Brinker: Collaborating Globally to Address Breast Cancer in Latin America » A Conversation with Dr. Robert T. Croyle on Communicating Science » In Depth Read This Issue Scientists Restore DNA Repair in Mice with BRCA1 Gene Mutations »  Focusing on Older Cancer Patients: A Clinical Need and a Research Necessity »  Featured Clinical Trial: New Chemotherapy Drug for Advanced Cervical Cancer »  Cancer Center Profile: Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center »  Updates Read This Issue Legislative Update »  FDA Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for March 23, 2010

March 23, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 6 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue I-SPY2: Breast-cancer Trial Aims to Speed Drugs to the Clinic »  Many Older Colorectal Cancer Patients Do Not Receive Adjuvant Chemotherapy »  Drug Slows Progression of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma »  Prognostic Marker for Hodgkin Lymphoma Could Improve Care »  Nanoparticle-based Therapy Triggers RNA Interference in Human Tumors »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Improving Delivery of Quality Cancer Care » Guest Commentary by Dr. Andrea Barsevick: Fatigue—Is it Normal or Pathological? And How Can We Best Treat It? » A Conversation with Dr. Ann Berger on Palliative Care at NIH » In Depth Read This Issue Common Genetic Variants Modestly Improve Breast-cancer Risk Models »  Training Providers and Patients to Talk about End-of-Life Care »  Treating the Whole Person in the City of Hope Lung Cancer Study »  Featured Clinical Trial: Vaccine Therapy for Patients with Progressive Stage D0 Prostate Cancer »  Palliative Care Education: Focusing on Care and Not Just Disease »  Updates Read This Issue Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for March 9, 2010

March 9, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 5 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Experimental Drug Benefits Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer »  Internal Radiation Effectively Reduces Local Recurrence of Some Endometrial Cancers »  Extensive Lymph Node Removal May Improve Survival in Some Women with Endometrial Cancer »  Children and Teens Less Likely Than Young Adults to Die of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma »  Older Women Are at Low Risk of New HPV Infections, Infections that Progress to Cervical Cancer »  People Continue to Trust Physicians, Despite Increasing Health Information Online »  Commentary Read This Issue Director's Update: Mapping a Strategic Scientific Vision for the National Cancer Program » In Depth Read This Issue Searching for Commonalities between Two Deadly Lung Diseases »  The Heart: An Unintended Victim of Some Targeted Cancer Therapies »  Featured Clinical Trial: Extending Targeted Immune Depletion to Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation »  Updates Read This Issue Legislative Update »  FDA Update »  Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for February 23, 2010

February 23, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 4 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Shorter Course of Radiation Effective and Safe for Some Women with Early-stage Breast Cancer »  Lower-dose Radiation Regimen for Breast Cancer Less Harmful to Quality of Life »  Chemo-switch Plus Sorafenib Regimen Shows Promise in Advanced Kidney Cancer »  Scientists Map Gains, Losses of DNA in Thousands of Tumors »  Researchers Learn How a microRNA May Promote the Spread of Breast Cancer »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Working within Radiation Oncology to Maximize Benefits and Minimize Harms » In Depth Read This Issue Personalizing Biomarkers for Cancer »  Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy »  Featured Clinical Trial: Treating Pain from Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy »  Preventing Cancer by Taking Steps to Reduce Childhood Obesity »  Updates Read This Issue FDA Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for February 9, 2010

February 9, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 3 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Melanoma Drugs Have Unintended Effects in Some Tumors »  Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer May Not Help Early Detection »  Trastuzumab Benefits Women with Locally Advanced, Inflammatory Breast Cancer »  Tumor-targeting Antibodies Against Glycoproteins May Be Markers of Early Cancer »  Gene Mutation Linked to Poor Survival in Children with Medulloblastoma »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Join the Cancer.gov Evolution » In Depth Read This Issue Experts Recommend Steps to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Primary Care »  Profiles in Cancer Research: Dr. Raju Kucherlapati »  Cancer Center Profile: The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center »  Featured Clinical Trial: Optimizing Chemotherapy with Bevacizumab for Ovarian Cancer »  Operation Cessation: Curbing Military and Veteran Tobacco Use »  Updates Read This Issue FDA Update »  NIH Update »  Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for January 26, 2010

January 26, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 2 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue St. Jude, Washington University Launch Genome Project for Childhood Cancers »  Adjuvant Chemotherapy May Benefit Older Patients with Colorectal Cancer »  Brain Cancer, Like Other Cancers, Has Distinct Subtypes »  Strategy May Enhance Umbilical Cord Blood Transplants »  Acupuncture Reduces Joint Pain in Some Women with Breast Cancer »  Genome Scans for Pancreatic Cancer Yield Clues to Risk »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Major Grant Application Changes Now in Effect » A Conversation about Sequencing Cancer Genomes with Dr. Elaine Mardis » In Depth Read This Issue Trials Point to Potential Advances in Lung Cancer Treatment »  Helping Breast Cancer Gene Mutation Carriers Weigh Prevention Choices »  The Downside of Diagnostic Imaging »  Featured Clinical Trial: Adjuvant Bevacizumab and Chemotherapy for High-risk Breast Cancer »  Chinese and American Scientists Meet to Discuss Environmental Causes of Cancer »  Updates Read This Issue Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for January 12, 2010

January 12, 2010 • Volume 7 / Number 1 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Physicians Urged to Consider Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer »  Study Weighs Comparative Effectiveness of Low-risk Prostate Cancer Treatments »  Lenalidomide Helps Delay Progression of Multiple Myeloma »  Genetic Study of Lymphoma Tumors Points to Possible Therapies »  Vaccine Kills Residual Leukemia Cells in Patients Treated with Imatinib »  Cancer Cells Use Stored Fats to Fuel Aggressive Growth and Spread »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Targeting Barriers, including Insurance Coverage, to Improve Clinical Trial Participation » Guest Commentary by Brenda Nevidjon: Health Care Changes—How Cancer Care Initiatives Can Help » In Depth Read This Issue Ovarian Cancer Study Tests Lead Time of Potential Biomarkers »  New Cancer Drugs Bring New Side Effects, and Nurses Respond »  Video Eases End-of-Life Care Discussions »  Featured Clinical Trial: PARP Inhibitor and Metronomic Chemotherapy for Refractory Cancer »  Updates Read This Issue CDC Update »  Notes »

Happy New Year from the NCI Cancer Bulletin

December 29, 2009 Dear NCI Cancer Bulletin Subscriber, The editors, writers, and technical staff of the NCI Cancer Bulletin would like to wish each of you a happy and healthy new year. Before we embark on our 7th year of publication, here is a list of the 10 most popular and frequently viewed NCI Cancer Bulletin feature stories of 2009: Delving Into Possible Mechanisms for Chemobrain (March 24) Cancer Survivors and Their Doctors Have Different Expectations about Care (April 7) New Lung Cancer Treatment Approach Raises Hopes and Debate (July 28) Cutting Calories to Prevent Cancer (July 14) In Cancer, Hitting a Target Called Hedgehog (September 8) Ovarian Cancer Markers Validated for Early Detection (April 21) Moving Ahead with the Stimulus Funds (February 24) Treatment Approach Using Radiofrequency Waves Heats Up (March 24) Dietary Supplements and Cancer Treatment: A Risky Mixture (August 11) Independent Task Force Updates Recommendations on Breast Cancer Screening (November 17) In addition to covering the timely news stories in 2009, we launched a new online format that took advantage of the latest Web technologies, including navigation options and graphical presentations. We also introduced a number of video and audio features, such as Inside NCI and In Their Own Words, to enhance our in-depth articles. And we have expanded the options for readers to better engage our content by using RSS and, in the near future, Twitter feeds. Looking ahead to 2010, we plan on adding additional interactive features in an effort to enhance your reading experience and better serve your information needs. So thank you again for your interest and support in 2009. We hope you'll continue to read each issue in 2010 and encourage others to subscribe. We also appreciate your story ideas and welcome more suggestions in the coming months, which you can send to us by e-mail at ncicancerbulletin@mail.nih.gov. Best regards, The NCI Cancer Bulletin Team

NCI Cancer Bulletin for December 15, 2009

December 15, 2009 • Volume 6 / Number 24 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Trial Suggests New First-line Treatment Option for Slow-growing Lymphomas »  Bone Drugs Linked to Fewer Cases of Breast Cancer »  U.S. Cancer Cases and Deaths Continued to Decline in 2006 »  Nilotinib Effective and Safe in Initial Treatment of Chronic Leukemia »  Androgen Deprivation Therapy Linked to Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes »  Antioxidant Supplement May Prevent Return of Precancerous Colorectal Growths »  Commentary Read This Issue Director's Update: Modeling a Future without Cancer » Guest Commentary by Dr. Alan G. Thorson: Moving Toward a World with Less Cancer and More Birthdays » In Depth Read This Issue Adapting the Science of Supplements and Cancer Prevention »  Putting Circulating Tumor Cells to the Test »  Featured Clinical Trial: Defining Optimal Therapy for Metastatic and Recurrent Cervical Cancer »  Cancer Center Profile: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center »  Updates Read This Issue Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for December 1, 2009

December 1, 2009 • Volume 6 / Number 23 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. Commentary Read This Issue Director's Update: Success Against Cancer Depends on a Vibrant, Well-trained Workforce »  Inside NCI: A Conversation with Dr. Jonathan Wiest about Cancer Research Training »  News Read This Issue Academia and Beyond: Supporting the Biomedical Workforce of the Future »  Intramural Training at NCI: A Wealth of Opportunities »  Ensuring a Diverse Cancer Research Workforce »  Catalyzing a National Shift toward Translational Research »  NCI Trains Future International Research Leaders »  Opportunities in a Nontraditional but Much-needed Science Workforce »  Oncology Training Resources »  Highlights Read This Issue Cervical Cancer Screening Can Be Done Later and Less Often, According to ACOG »  Long-term Follow-up Provides New Insights on Adjuvant Therapy for Lung Cancer »  No Evidence that Hookah Smoking Is Less Harmful than Cigarette Smoking »  No Significant Change in Smoking Rate from 2007 to 2008 »  Home Care Nursing Improves Cancer Symptom Management »  Updates Read This Issue Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for November 17, 2009

November 17, 2009 • Volume 6 / Number 22 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Independent Task Force Updates Recommendations on Breast Cancer Screening »  New Drug Blocks "Undruggable" Target in Cancer Cells »  Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer May Target Tumor Microenvironment »  Survey Finds Pain Is Common Years after Breast Cancer Surgery »  Hormone Therapy Use Linked to Benign Breast Condition »  Targeted Treatment Shows Promise for Older Patients with Advanced Leukemia »  Potential Strategy for Treating Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Found »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Modeling for Research Success » In Depth Read This Issue Exploring the Reasons Women Choose Mastectomies »  Featured Clinical Trial: Combination Therapy for Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes »  U.S.-China Cancer Research Collaborations to Be Expanded »  Updates Read This Issue FDA Update »  Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »

NCI Cancer Bulletin for November 3, 2009

November 3, 2009 • Volume 6 / Number 21 Read the NCI Cancer Bulletin The latest issue of the NCI Cancer Bulletin is now available at http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin. Keep up to date on the latest research and advances in the prevention, treatment, and understanding of cancer. News Read This Issue Pancreatic Cancer Report Urges Changes in Clinical Trials »  Even With Very Small Breast Tumors, Studies Find HER2 Status Matters »  Risk of Contralateral Breast Cancer Estimated for BRCA Families »  Lower Total Blood Cholesterol Levels Are Not Linked to Higher Cancer Risk »  Tests for Catching Cervical Precancers Show Equivalent Accuracy »  Nicotine Patch and Lozenge Combination Helps Smokers Quit for Longer »  Personalized Phone Counseling Helps Teens Quit Smoking »  Commentary Read This Issue Guest Director's Update: Entering a New Era in Tobacco Control Research » In Depth Read This Issue How Gene Fusions May Occur in Prostate Cancer »  Profiles in Cancer Research: Dr. Marcia R. Cruz-Correa »  Featured Clinical Trial: Combining Chemotherapy and a PARP Inhibitor for Advanced Solid Tumors »  Local Partners Study Mobile Support for DC Tobacco Quitline »  Updates Read This Issue Cancer.gov Update »  Notes »