After 30 years without progress in screening methods, a new screening test has been identified for detecting prostate cancer. The only place in the southeast part of the United States offering the new technique – MRI-US image fusion technique, is the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Researchers say, “We are utilizing prostate MRI and fusing it with real time ultrasound for image-guided prostate biopsies; this can detect prostate...

A new study published in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics concluded that a set of RNA molecules could be detected in tissue samples and the urine of prostate cancer patients but not in normal healthy individuals. These results could mean the development of more sensitive and specific non-invasive tests for prostate cancer than currently available and could reduce the need for many prostate biopsies. Current methods of testing for high...

The Prostate Health Index (phi), a simple, non-invasive blood test that is three times more specific than the PSA to detect prostate cancer is now available according to a report in Science Digest. This may reduce the need for men to need a biopsy, when they test positive for prostate cancer using  a PSA test. Researchers said, “The PSA test is based on the fact that men with higher levels of PSA protein are more likely to have prostate...

Prostate cancer detection is currently done by a biopsy that is painful and involves risks. A less invasive procedure was researched and presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Stockholm this week that may reduce or eliminate the need for biopsies. The researchers developed a method to investigate whether and where men have prostate cancer using existing ultrasound scanners that create images in the body using sound waves....

New research presented recently at the American Society for Microbiology’s annual meeting concluded that patients with pancreatic cancer have a different and distinct profile of specific bacteria in their saliva compared to healthy controls and  patients with other cancers or pancreatic disease. The researchers believe that the ratio of particular types of bacteria in the saliva may indicate pancreatic cancer. In their study, the...

A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported a new method that identifies the pancreatic cancer’s visible precursors with 97% certainty and may aid in the early discovery of cancer and minimize the risk of unnecessary surgery in the future. Currently poor prognosis of survival from pancreatic cancer is due to late detection. Researchers have discovered that fluid filled cysts in the pancreas found in about one...

A recent study to be published in  the Annals of Internal Medicine and reported by Science Digest concluded that medicare beneficiaries should not be excluded from screening. In the study researchers analyzed the benefits and harm of screening by age and found that even though smoking is the most important risk factor for lung cancer there was a reduction in lung cancer mortality in high risk populations who were randomly assigned to low-dose...

A new study presented recently at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago concluded that a new breathalyzer using a NaNose nanotech chip may accurately detect lung cancer and identify the stage of progression. The breath analyzer is based upon the knowledge that lung cancer tumors produce chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOC) that easily evaporate into air and produce a discernible scent.  The study included...

A new study reported in in the journal Chromatographia concluded that the concentration of certain molecules, mainly ethenol and 2-butanone, are higher in individuals with cancer, and therefore  act as potential markers of the disease for various types of cancers of the head and neck and larynx.   In their study, researchers compared the volatile substances exhaled by 11 patients with cancer of the larynx with those of 20 healthy people....

A new study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research have taken a first step toward identifying glycans–sugars attached to proteins—that could help clinicians diagnose gastric cancer before it becomes deadly.  Helicobacter pylori infection is a common origin of duodenal ulcers, gastritis and gastric cancer and there is no reliable way to determine whether patiuents with this infection will go on to develop asymptomatic gastritis or...

A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that a simgle stool sample collected by patients at home and sent to a lab for analysis  will detect 79 percent of colorectal cancers. The researchers said “We know the FIT is easy to use, and now we also know this tool is a great tool for assessing which patients have cancer and which patients don’t.” The test has been recommended since 2008 but many people still do not know about it. And...

A new study published in PLOS ONE concluded that using the heat profile from a person’s blood, a plasma thermogram, can serve as an indicator for the presence or absence of cervical cancer, including the stage 9f cancer. The researchers said “We have been able to demonstrate a more convenient, less intrusive test for detecting and staging cervical cancer.” Researchers said plasma thermograms have different patterns associated with different...