Focus on Cancer

Cancer cells can be made to become more vulnerable to treatments like chemotherapy, and there are therapeutics under development which are designed to impact this so-called microenvironment of tumor cells. John Docherty, president of Toronto-based Helix BioPharma, tells host Bruce Japsen about a new wave of treatments and therapies in the biotechnology industry that could better target cancer cells and in turn help patients deal with the side effects of chemotherapy.

While vaccines have emerged to treat a cancer caused by human papilloma virus, there is still a need for therapies to treat cancerous tissue caused by HPV. John Docherty, president of Toronto-based Helix BioPharma, tells host Bruce Japsen about his company's research and that of the biotech industry in the study and treatment of HPV, a key virus in the development of cervical cancer.

What is the connection between anxiety and pancreatic cancer? Certainly, patients can develop problems with anxiety after a cancer diagnosis. But pancreatic cancer seems to have the curious characteristic of anxiety as a presenting symptom. The age at which anxiety presents itself may be a clue as to whether you're looking at mental illness or a possible cancer diagnosis. Dr. Benjamin Griffith, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Virginia and the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, explains to host Dr. Leslie Lundt.

Dr. Laurie Zoloth, director of the Northwestern University Center for Bioethics, Science and Society, talks about ovarian cryopreservation, maturation of oocytes in vitro, and politicized laboratory breakthroughs that were intended to meet the needs of female cancer survivors. She argues that we need to be prepared to deal with patients who will use the tools offered by oncofertility to delay childbearing, and meet the need for tissue in stem cell research. Hosted by Dr. Maurice Pickard.

The preservation of female cancer patients' fertility after treatment is a new area of concern for researchers, clinicians, and patients. Dr. Laurie Zoloth, professor of medical humanities, bioethics, Jewish studies and religion and also director of the Northwestern University Center for Bioethics, Science and Society, talks with host Dr. Maurice Pickard about broad issues of reproduction, as well as breakthroughs in the lab and how clinicians can handle treatment discussions when they're compounded by the topic of fertility.

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has recently reported results from its first comprehensive study focusing on glioblastoma multiforme. How might this new research help us develop new therapies? Dr. Stephen Baylin, professor of oncology and medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to explain how the TCGA may guide future cancer treatment.

Dr. Anil Vachani, assistant professor of medicine, and director of clinical research in interventional pulmonary services, at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, joins host Dr. Lee Freedman. They talk about Dr. Vachani's exciting work on the development of a blood test that may be useful in distinguishing benign from malignant in patients with lung nodules. Along with researchers at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, Dr. Vachani has developed a test utilizing the profiling of gene expression of peripheral blood lymphocyte involved in tumor immunity. Still in the early stages of development, this work has led to a 24 gene 'signature' that has a sensitivity of 85 percent and specificity of 87 percent. Find out how soon this test might be available for clinical use, and other potential applications of this technology in clinical medicine.

Cancer cells almost always defeat drug therapies. Can combination therapies prevent or overcome drug resistance? Join host Dr. Bruce Bloom as he discusses the research and clinical issues of cancer treatment with Dr. Jeffrey Settleman, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and scientific director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

All the technology and advances in medical science hasn't changed the most difficult thing we do as physicians - relay emotionally charged diagnostic and prognostic information to our patients. How can we do a better job? Communication skills do not automatically improve with increasing physician experience. Dr. Alan Astrow, the director of the division of hematology and medical oncology at Maimonides Cancer Center in New York City explains how we can break bad news to patients in a more effective and supportive way.

In the next year, nearly 120,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States, more than half of which will be invasive disease. Unfortunately, trends indicate the overall incidence will continue to rise in the coming years. Who are the key at-risk populations, and how do we identify early warning signs of cancer? Dr. Désirée Ratner, director of dermatologic surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, shares her expertise with host Dr. Mary Leuchars on strategies to recognize early development and initiate treatment of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.