Of all the diseases affecting mankind today, cancer is perhaps the most fatal and widespread. Despite various medical institutions and research centers working round-the-clock to find a solution, the cure for cancer remains elusive. In a nutshell, cancer is not just one, but multiple diseases that is caused by uncontrolled and abnormal cellular growth.
With the absence of a cure, most cancer patients and their relatives are all ears whenever new developments on cancer treatment are published by medical experts. Here’s some of the eight most recent Cancer Research news and updates on the dreaded disease that we found on the web:
Cancer Research#1: Low-Fat Diet Combined with Fish Oil Supplement May Help in Prostate Cancer Treatment
A study done by UCLA researchers has found out that men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer could benefit from eating foods with low fat content, as well as fish oil supplement. According to those who conducted the study, those who followed this kind of diet turned out to have fewer pro-inflammatory substances in their system.
More importantly, the participants got lower scores in terms of the body’s cell cycle progression, which is used to predict the chances of a cancer recurring, as well as preventing the prostate cancer cells from being more hostile. The said diet is used in comparison to an average Western diet.
Cancer Research#2: Intestinal Microorganisms Found to be Helpful in Determining the Treatment Outcome for Cancer
A mouse study undertaken by the National Cancer Institute, which operates under the US National Institutes of Health, have discovered that certain microorganisms that live off of digested food in the intestines can contribute to an effective cancer treatment by gauging the possible outcome of a particular treatment method.
According to the study, these microbiota have the ability to influence specific and general inflammation, as well as change the microenvironment of the cancer tumor, which is made up of aggressive cancer cells. It gives off signals that can help catch mechanisms and molecules that promote tumor growth and resistance to prescription drugs. It even raises the issue that there is a probability that the constant use of antibiotics in a given lifetime can affect the outcome of anticancer therapies.
Cancer Research#3: World Health Organization Classifies Outdoor Air Pollution as a Carcinogen
Everyone’s biggest fear has just been confirmed—that pollution that dominates the air outside of our homes has been marked by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a cancer-causing agent. The agency, which works under the World Health Organization, has also previously included diesel exhaust, dust, and solvents to the infamous list of carcinogens.
The IAR’s cancer research has concluded that air pollution proliferating outdoors can actually cause lung cancer, not to mention increase the chances of developing cancer of the bladder. People now have a valid reason not to go outside, as the air that we are breathing on a daily basis is chock-full of cancerous substances. It threatens not one, but a great number of people exposed to such a harmful environment.
This is just one of the many notorious sickness and risks that air pollution can expose people to, particularly diseases that concern the heart and the respiratory system. Although it has been noted that the lung cancer risk connected to filthy air is lower in the United States than in other countries, that is not an excuse for American citizens to be lax in taking preventive and corrective measures.
Cancer Research#4: Oropharyngeal Cancer Rates Increasing, based on Global Trends
The scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have recently reported that the cases of oropharyngeal cancer has increased, in both men and women. from 1983 to 2002, wherein the data collected involved people in developed countries. This type of cancer usually develops at the farthest end of the tongue located at the back of the mouth. This also includes the tonsils and the throat walls.
Cancer Research#5: Low-Intensity Chemotherapy for Burkitt’s Lymphoma Found to be Highly Effective
The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently published a study that low-intensity chemotherapies for patients with Burkitt’s lymphoma have had fruitful outcomes. The survival rates (long-term) for the patients treated with low-intensity therapies are at an impressive 90% and above. This is based on a recent clinical trial results.
The standard previous treatment for Burkitt’s lymphoma has a higher dosage. It is associated with an immensely high toxicity rate that has led to several patient deaths, as only around 60% of the patients are cured. Burkitt’s is known to be the most aggressive among the known types of lymphoma, which dangerously attacks the immune system.
