Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog

Illustration of a human figure annotated with various medical conditions, each represented by differently sized circles. Larger circles indicate common conditions, and smaller ones indicate rarer issues. Conditions include central neurologic disorder, hypothyroidism, myocarditis, pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, AKI (acute kidney injury), anemia, lymphopenia, and skin-related issues. Lines connect each condition to specific body areas.

New Drugs, New Side Effects: Complications of Cancer Immunotherapy

By Edward Winstead
May 10, 2019

The expanding use of cancer immunotherapy has revealed a variety of side effects associated with this treatment approach. Researchers are now trying to better understand how and why these side effects occur and develop strategies for better managing them.

Illustration titled “Liver PRETEXT I”. Two depictions of the liver are side by side. The left labels a mass of cancer on the liver and shows veins behind the liver. The right shows the cancer mass in a different position on the liver and doesn’t show any veins. Above both illustrations, text reads “Cancer is found in one section of the liver. Three sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them.”

Some Children with Liver Cancer May Need Less Chemotherapy, Study Suggests

By NCI Staff
May 9, 2019

Some children with liver cancer may need less chemotherapy than is typically used, new research suggests. The study included children and infants with hepatoblastoma whose tumors had been surgically removed when the disease was diagnosed.

Illustration depicting the adaptive immunity process. On the left, antigen-specific T cells are shown. The right side features a cross-section of a lymph node, highlighting B cell and T cell activation. Arrows indicate the movement of cells and activation processes. Below, dendritic cells present antigens, initiating the immune response. The diagram uses labeled arrows and sections to visualize the interaction and activation within the immune system.

A Vaccine to Treat Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Advancing in Clinical Trials

By NCI Staff
May 7, 2019

In some people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), treating a single tumor with an in situ vaccine can help to shrink, or eliminate, tumors in other parts of the body, findings from a small clinical trial suggest.

Physical therapist assisting an older male patient with resistance band exercises in a bright therapy clinic, with the patient stretching the red resistance band while the therapist provides guidance and support.

Telephone-Based Rehab Program Helps People with Advanced Cancer Maintain Independence

By NCI Staff
April 29, 2019

A physical rehabilitation program delivered by telephone improved function and reduced pain for people with advanced cancer, a clinical trial shows. The program also reduced the time patients spent in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

3D model of a bifunctional molecule showing anti-PD-L1 moiety and TGF-β trap moiety used in cancer immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy Drug with Two Targets Shows Promise against HPV-Related Cancers

By NCI Staff
April 25, 2019

The investigational immunotherapy drug bintrafusp alfa (also called M7824), a bifunctional fusion protein, shrank the tumors of some patients with advanced HPV-related cancers, according to results from a phase 1 clinical trial.

Female health care provider talks to young boy seated next to her.

Study Advances Fertility Preservation Approach for Male Cancer Survivors

By NCI Staff
April 24, 2019

In a study in young monkeys, researchers showed that a technique using stored testicular tissue led to successful conception. Researchers are hopeful the approach could eventually be a fertility preservation option for young boys being treated for cancer.

Immune cell (pink and red) killing a tumor cell (blue) expressing neoantigens.

Could a Vaccine Prevent Colorectal Cancer in People with Lynch Syndrome?

By NCI Staff
April 19, 2019

Findings from an NCI-funded study suggest a new vaccine approach may have the potential to prevent colorectal cancer in people with Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases an individual's risk for developing certain types of cancer.

Ensuring a Smooth Leadership Transition at NCI

By Douglas R. Lowy, M.D.
April 10, 2019

Doug Lowy, M.D., a long-time researcher and deputy director at NCI, addresses the cancer community as the institute's acting director, a position he previously held for more than 2 years.

Artistic illustration of a magnifying glass revealing a DNA double helix structure over a background of colorful genetic data.

Fewer Women with Ovarian, Breast Cancer Undergo Genetic Testing than Expected

By NCI Staff
April 9, 2019

Many women diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer are not undergoing tests for inherited genetic mutations that can provide important information to help guide decisions about treatment and longer-term cancer screening, a new study has found.

Researchers Discover Potential Way to Hit Elusive Target in Pancreatic Cancer

By NCI Staff
April 4, 2019

Three research groups have found a potential way to kill cancer cells in pancreatic tumors by simultaneously blocking the activity of proteins that interact with KRAS proteins and disrupting an energy-creating process called autophagy.