Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog

Microscopic image showing chromosomes extracted from glioblastoma cells.

Conditional Reprogramming: An Interview with Dr. Richard Schlegel on Growing Cancer Cells

By NCI Staff
February 22, 2017

Dr. Richard Schlegel describes an innovative cell culture technique he helped to develop. Called conditional reprogramming, the technique can be used to rapidly establish cell cultures of normal and tumor cells from patient samples.

U.S. Cancer Mortality Rates Falling, But Some Regions Left Behind, Study Finds

By NCI Staff
February 21, 2017

A study of nationwide mortality data found that, while cancer deaths in the U.S. dropped between 1980 and 2014, disparities persisted, and in 160 counties cancer mortality rose substantially.

Cancer Moonshot Moves Forward, Bringing Funding Opportunities for Researchers

By Douglas R. Lowy, M.D.
February 17, 2017

NCI has issued a series of funding opportunity announcements aligned with goals of the recommendations in the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot℠ Blue Ribbon Panel report released last fall.

A two-panel image compares receptor activation and antagonist antibody locks in a receptor resting state. On the left, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) binds to TNFR2 receptors, shown in yellow and blue, leading to downstream signaling. On the right, an antagonist antibody, shown in pink and blue, binds to the receptors, locking them in a resting state and preventing TNF binding. This results in no signaling, indicated by a red cross at the bottom.

Potential New Cancer Therapy Could Target Tumors Two Ways

By NCI Staff
February 15, 2017

A team of researchers has developed a potential new therapy that may work in two distinct ways to attack tumors, by directly killing cancer cells and immune cells that can suppress the anti-cancer immune response.

Illustration of the male endocrine system focusing on hormone regulation. It shows the brain, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland producing LHRH, which stimulates the release of LH. Arrows indicate the feedback loop of hormone regulation within the body.

Combination Therapy Improves Survival for Some Men with Recurrent Prostate Cancer

By NCI Staff
February 13, 2017

Long-term results from an NCI-sponsored clinical trial suggest that adding androgen deprivation therapy to radiation therapy can improve survival for some men with recurrent prostate cancer.

Bortezomib blocks the action of the proteasome.

Three-Drug Combination Extends Survival for Patients with Multiple Myeloma

By NCI Staff
February 10, 2017

A phase III clinical trial demonstrates that adding the drug bortezomib to a commonly used two-drug regimen extends survival in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Person working at a laptop, with various digital icons connected by dotted lines. Symbols include DNA strands with binary code, a medical clipboard, facial recognition images, and a computer screen displaying data analysis.

NCTN/NCORP Data Archive: Expanding Access to Clinical Trial Data

By Jeff Abrams, M.D., and Warren Kibbe, Ph.D.
February 6, 2017

NCI is launching the NCTN/NCORP Data Archive, a centralized repository of patient-level data from phase III clinical trials conducted by NCI’s NCTN and NCORP trials programs and the National Cancer Institute of Canada-Clinical Trials Group.

An illustration of the gastrointestinal system labeling the stomach, colon, rectum, appendix and small intestine. The small intestine section further labels the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

New Therapy Benefits Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors

By NCI Staff
February 2, 2017

Results from a clinical trial suggest that 177 Lu-Dotatate may soon be a new treatment option for some patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors.

Microscopic image showing cancer cells (purple) with bone tissue (orange) and osteoclasts (red) that break down bone during metastasis, illustrating how cancer spreads to bone.

Less-Frequent Zoledronic Acid Treatment Effective at Preventing Bone Metastasis Complications

By NCI Staff
January 30, 2017

In a clinical trial involving patients with metastatic cancer, administration of zoledronic acid every 12 weeks was as effective at preventing skeletal-related events caused by bone metastases as administration every 4 weeks.

Genome Study Points to New Subtypes of Esophageal Cancer

By NCI Staff
January 25, 2017

A new study by The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network could help classify esophageal cancers according to their genetic and molecular alterations and identify potential new treatment options.