Some brain tumors may contain small populations of cancer stem cells that are resistant to radiation therapy, and this may help explain why the disease often recurs after treatment, even when there are no detectable signs of cancer.

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that cancer stem cells isolated from brain tumor tissues can survive radiation treatments. Although their DNA is damaged, these cells make repairs more efficiently than other tumor cells. Read more ¹  

Following are Dr. John E. Niederhuber's remarks made at his public swearing-in ceremony as NCI Director on October 18, 2006.

Mr. Secretary, Dr. Zerhouni, fellow directors of the institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health [NIH], honored guests, NCI colleagues, and my many friends: I am deeply indebted to all of you for being here today and for sharing with me this very special occasion in my life.

I want to express my gratitude to President Bush and to [Department of Health and Human Services/HHS] Secretary Leavitt for the privilege and distinct honor of serving as the director of the National Cancer Institute. I am profoundly humbled by your confidence in me and by the fact that you are willing to entrust me with the leadership and the distinguished history of this proud institution. Read more ²  

The NCI Cancer Bulletin is produced by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI, which was established in 1937, leads the national effort to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer. Through basic, clinical, and population-based biomedical research and training, NCI conducts and supports research that will lead to a future in which we can identify the environmental and genetic causes of cancer, prevent cancer before it starts, identify cancers that do develop at the earliest stage, eliminate cancers through innovative treatment interventions, and biologically control those cancers that we cannot eliminate so they become manageable, chronic diseases. For more information on cancer, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit http://www.cancer.gov. NCI Cancer Bulletin staff can be reached at ncicancerbulletin@mail.nih.gov.