2015 - Cancer Currents Blog

A double helix illustration. On top, the helix is blue and green on a flat blue background; on bottom, the helix has lines within its silhouette, the letters ACGT repeat in the background in different configurations, and the background also has squares of different sizes.

Genetic Studies Yield Clues to Treatment-Related Side Effects in Children with Cancer

By NCI Staff
February 26, 2015

Researchers have identified genetic variations in children with brain cancer that increased their risk of rapid hearing loss after treatment.

Four brochures from the National Cancer Institute with information about understand cancer treatment and managing side effects. Each brochure has a photo of a different person and uses a individual color for design.

New from NCI: Resources, Tools, and News

By NCI Staff
February 20, 2015

NCI is constantly publishing new information on its websites, so periodically we provide updates on new content of interest to the cancer community.

"Flipping the Switch": An Interview with Dr. Mark Gilbert, Chief of NIH’s Neuro-Oncology Branch

By NCI Staff
February 18, 2015

NCI's Dr. Mark Gilbert discusses new developments in neuro-oncology and the priorities of the Neuro-Oncology Branch.

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Plummets, but Disparities Persist

By NCI Staff
February 13, 2015

Second-hand smoke exposure has fallen by 50 percent since 1999, a new study finds, but millions are still routinely exposed to secondhand smoke.

Three orange medicine bottles with white caps and labels with a multitude of differently colored, sized, and shaped pills in front of the bottles.

FDA Grants Palbociclib Accelerated Approval for Advanced Breast Cancer

By NCI Staff
February 11, 2015

Palbociclib (Ibrance) is approved to be used in combination with letrozole (Femara) to treat postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer.

A patient holds their arms up while going through a CT scanning machine. A smiling doctor, with one hand on the CT machine, looks down at the patient.

Medicare to Cover Annual Lung Cancer Screening for Some Beneficiaries

By NCI Staff
February 6, 2015

For the first time, Medicare will cover the costs of lung cancer screening for some beneficiaries, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on February 5.

An illustrated cross section of the head and neck, with labels focusing on the pharynx, nasal and oral cavities. The pharynx section further labels the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharnyx. The larynx, esophagus and trachea are also labeled.

Genome Study Yields Clues to Head and Neck Cancers

By NCI Staff
February 3, 2015

Researchers have surveyed the genetic changes in nearly 300 head and neck cancers, revealing some previously unknown alterations that may play a role in the disease, including in patients whose cancer is associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV).