Oncology news

Screening for and treatment of an early form of breast cancer has been found to prevent subsequent invasive cancer, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

There might be a beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil in the primary prevention of breast cancer. Results of a randomised clinical trial have been recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine [1].

The European Commission has published the supplements to the 2nd edition of the European guidelines for cervical cancer screening.

After many years of bad news, it seems that the Czech Republic is beginning to reap the benefits of the challenging fight against cancer. A programme of nationwide personalised invitations to cancer screening programmes has been launched, incidence trends of most cancer types – including the most common ones – have stabilised, and long-term survival rates of cancer patients have increased. Despite these encouraging facts, the Czech cancer care still faces challenges to be addressed, which might influence the lives of tens of thousands of current and future cancer patients.

A single dose of the bivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (Cervarix®, GlaxoSmithKline group of companies) may offer a similar level of protection against HPV-16/18 infections, which cause about 70% of cervical cancers, as the current two- and three-dose schedules, according to new research combining data from two large phase 3 trials published in The Lancet Oncology [1, 2].

A group of 29 independent international experts from 16 countries, convened by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has assessed the cancer-preventive and adverse effects of various methods of screening for breast cancer.

UK researchers claim living a healthy lifestyle before diagnosis could improve a person’s chances of surviving bowel cancer. Findings from Imperial College London suggest eating a balanced diet, keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy weight were associated with an improved likelihood of survival.

The project of personalised invitations of citizens to cancer screening programmes was launched in the Czech Republic in January 2014. Women are invited to participate in breast cancer screening and cervical cancer screening; men and women are invited to participate in colorectal cancer screening. The project aims to enhance the current cancer prevention programmes, and to increase their participation rates; therefore, personalised invitations are sent to citizens who do not participate in cancer screening programmes in the long term, and thus are at a higher risk of developing cancer.

The European Association of Urology (EAU) is pleased to announce the launch of its Patient Information on Prostate Cancer [1], available immediately.

Screening for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection alone gives more accurate results than Pap (smear) testing for cervical cancer, say the authors of two papers to published today in the journal Gynecologic Oncology. HPV infection causes almost all cervical cancer, and it is estimated that more than half of sexually active people are infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Now new research has shown that in many cases, an HPV test alone can be used for cervical cancer screening instead of a Pap or cotesting with both an HPV and a Pap test, the researchers say.