Cancer Currents: An NCI Cancer Research Blog
A blog featuring news and research updates from the National Cancer Institute. Learn more about Cancer Currents.
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Supporting Vice President Biden's Cancer InitiativeDuring his 2016 State of the Union address to Congress, President Obama tasked Vice President Biden with leading a new initiative to accelerate cancer research. This message from NCI Acting Director Doug Lowy states that the Institute stands ready to work with partners across the cancer research community on the initiative.
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FDA Approves Alectinib for ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung CancerThe FDA has approved alectinib to treat patients with metastatic ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer who have stopped responding to or who are unable to tolerate crizotinib.
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Two Drugs Show Efficacy against Common Form of LeukemiaReports from early-stage trials of two new oral drugs provide hope for patients with high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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Driving New Approaches to Cancer Prevention and Early DetectionResearchers are pioneering new approaches to preventing and screening for cancer, and the management of very early-stage disease.
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Genome Study Links Misfolded DNA to Brain TumorsChanges in the packaging of DNA in the cell nucleus may activate growth-promoting genes that cause cancer.
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Three New Therapies Approved for Multiple MyelomaIn November 2015, the FDA approved three new therapies for patients with multiple myeloma.
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Approval of Osimertinib and Necitumumab Increases Lung Cancer Treatment OptionsThe FDA has approved two targeted therapies, osimertinib (Tagrisso™) and necitumumab (Portrazza™), for the treatment of some patients with advanced lung cancer.
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Cancer Can Lead to Financial Hardship, Study ConfirmsA substantial number of working-age cancer survivors report material or psychological financial hardship associated with their cancer.
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What's New on NCI’s Websites?NCI is constantly publishing new information on its websites, so periodically we provide updates on new content of interest to the cancer community.
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Checking In on Cancer Checkpoint InhibitorsNCI’s Dr. James Gulley discusses cancer checkpoint inhibitors, their impact on patient care, and future directions for these therapies.
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New Drug for Pediatric Neuroblastoma Shows Promise in Preclinical StudiesAn international research team has identified a possible new treatment target for pediatric neuroblastoma and is planning an early-stage clinical trial of a drug that inhibits this target.
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FDA Approves Cobimetinib as Part of Drug Combination for Advanced MelanomaThe FDA has approved the targeted drug cobimetinib, in combination with another targeted therapy, to treat patients with advanced melanoma whose tumors have specific genetic mutations.
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Two Small RNAs, Often Missing from Cancer Cells, May Suppress TumorsTwo small RNAs that are frequently deleted from cancer cells may help suppress tumors by interacting with RAS proteins, a new study suggests.
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Precision Medicine Trials for Cancer: A New EraNCI is designing smaller, quicker, and smarter clinical trials that incorporate the principal tenets of precision medicine.
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Study Sheds Light on Role of Inherited Mutations in Childhood CancerIn the most comprehensive study of its kind conducted to date, more than 8 percent of children with cancer were found to have inherited genetic mutations associated with a predisposition to the disease.
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FDA Approves Trabectedin to Treat Two Types of Soft Tissue SarcomaThe FDA has approved trabectedin for patients with advanced liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma whose cancer has progressed after prior treatment.
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Patient with Brain Tumor Responds Dramatically to Targeted TherapyA patient with a papillary craniopharyngioma saw his tumor shrink more than 80 percent after treatment with a targeted drug that inhibits a mutant form of the BRAF protein.
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Lung Cancer Precision Medicine Trials: Adapting to ProgressPatients with lung cancer are benefiting from the boom in targeted and immune-based therapies. With a series of precision medicine trials, NCI is keeping pace with the rapidly changing treatment landscape for lung cancer.
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FDA Approves Talimogene Laherparepvec to Treat Metastatic MelanomaThe FDA has approved the first oncolytic virus therapy, talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC). The drug was approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma that cannot be removed surgically.
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FDA Approves Irinotecan Liposome to Treat Pancreatic CancerPatients with metastatic pancreatic cancer that has progressed after receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy now have a new treatment option: irinotecan liposome in combination with fluorouracil and leucovorin.