Bruce Ponder: plugging the research gaps
Just do it is a lesson Bruce Ponder learnt early in his research career, and it has stood him in good stead. He is now director designate of one of Europe’s largest cancer research centres, [more]
2005
Treating anaemia: damned if you do, damned if you don’t
Many cancer patients suffer unnecessary levels of fatigue due to a failure to treat their anaemia. But just as the cost of erythropoiesis-stimulating proteins looks set to fall, surprise research results are prompting questions over [more]
Brainwaves in drug delivery
Delivering drugs through the blood-brain barrier has always confounded scientists, but new developments in both non-invasive targeted brain delivery and brain-implanted drug formulations may provide a way forward. Download full article
Jean-Claude Horiot: the innocent inquisitor
In 1972 Jean-Claude Horiot left a wonderful research job in the US to join a cancer centre in Dijon that was too small to conduct clinical trials on its own. He teamed up with similar [more]
Women doctors offer alternative to costly mammography
Breast examination by specially trained young women doctors is proving effective at picking up tumours in the general population in a number of developing countries. If it can be shown to affect mortality rates, this [more]
Poorer countries take their place at the World Cancer Conference
Last November 800 people working to control cancer in 82 countries across the world gathered in Dublin to share their experiences of what works and what doesn’t. This was the fourth World Conference of Cancer [more]
Has tamoxifen had its day?
Anastrozole is being hailed by some as the new tamoxifen. But many researchers feel there is a great deal more we need to know before we consider casting aside the hormonal treatment that has served [more]
Look no strings!
As patient groups begin to gain access to the corridors of power, the spotlight is falling on their relations with the powerful pharmaceutical industry. In an effort to protect their credibility from a murky sea [more]
Cancer nurses partners in care
Cancer nursing is changing across Europe. Nurses are studying to higher levels, taking greater responsibility and making more autonomous clinical decisions. One important result is that they are better able to help cancer patients make [more]
Portrait of palliative medicine as a young art
This is an excellent reference book for anyone involved in palliative care. It covers every aspect of the specialty, and is accessible to medical professionals and lay readers alike. Download full article
End this secrecy over clinical trials
Ninety-six of every 100 adult cancer patients do not enrol in a clinical trial. One reason is that many trials are shrouded in a veil of secrecy, and patients find it hard to locate one [more]
Stella Kyriakides: the torch bearer
When Dolly Triantafyllides, a prominent member of Cypriot society, contracted breast cancer in the late 1960s, she broke with traditional taboos and went public, becoming one of the island’s first advocates. Many years after her [more]
Let’s talk Chinese milk vetch
Quack remedies’ have long been a thorn in the side of the medical establishment, but fear of ridicule means many patients don’t tell their doctors about any additional medicines they may be using. This problem [more]