Cancer Treatment Updates
NCI study finds gut microbiome can control antitumor immune function in liver
May 24th, 2018
An NCI study in mice that found a connection between gut bacteria and antitumor immune responses in the liver has implications for understanding mechanisms that lead to liver cancer and for potential treatments. The study was published in Science.
Annual Report to the Nation: overall cancer mortality continues to decline, prostate cancer mortality has stabilized
May 22nd, 2018
The 2018 Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer finds overall cancer death rates continue to decline and cancer incidence dropped in men and remained stable in women. A companion study reports on recent changes in prostate cancer trends.
NCI study revises molecular classification for most common type of lymphoma
April 11th, 2018
In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, NCI researchers identified genetic subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common type of lymphoma, that could help explain why some patients with the disease respond to treatment and others don’t.
NIH completes in-depth genomic analysis of 33 cancer types
April 5th, 2018
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), supported by NIH’s NHGRI and NCI, concludes with an in-depth genomic analysis of 33 cancer types called the PanCancer Atlas. Findings are being published as a collection of 27 papers across multiple Cell journals.
NIH-funded study shows sorafenib improves progression-free survival for patients with rare sarcomas
March 28th, 2018
Interim results from a clinical trial for patients with desmoid tumors or aggressive fibromatosis (DT/DF) show that the drug sorafenib tosylate (Nexavar) extended progression-free survival compared with a placebo.
Szent-Györgyi Prize to honor NCI’s Douglas R. Lowy and John T. Schiller
February 15th, 2018
Dr. Douglas R. Lowy and Dr. John T. Schiller of the National Cancer Institute will receive the 2018 Szent-Gyorgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research for the development of HPV vaccines.
Norman Sharpless sworn in as director of the National Cancer Institute
October 17th, 2017
Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless, M.D., becomes the 15th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He comes to NCI from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he was director of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
NCI-funded TMIST study compares 2-D and 3-D mammography for finding breast cancers
September 25th, 2017
TMIST, the first randomized trial comparing two types of digital mammography for breast cancer screening, is enrolling participants. Developed by ECOG-ACRIN and NCI, the trial is comparing 2-D and 3-D mammography for finding breast cancers.
NCI’s Douglas R. Lowy and John T. Schiller to receive 2017 Lasker Award
September 5th, 2017
Dr. Douglas R. Lowy and Dr. John T. Schiller of the National Cancer Institute receive the 2017 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for their significant research leading to the development of HPV vaccines.
NCI study identifies essential genes for cancer immunotherapy
August 6th, 2017
A new NCI study identifies genes in cancer cells that are necessary for them to be killed by T cells, and therefore could be partially responsible for why immunotherapy doesn’t work in some patients.