Cancer Information Highlights, November 21, 2017

Cancer Information Highlights, November 21, 2017

Cancer Information Highlights From the National Cancer Institute Updating you about cancer causes, prevention, screening, treatment, coping, and more   New from NCI Liquid Biopsies: Using DNA in Blood to Detect, Track, and Treat Cancer   Researchers who are developing liquid biopsies hope the tests may one day be used routinely with or instead of tissue biopsies, which can be invasive, risky, costly, and painful. Tracking Treatment Resistance in Metastatic Breast Cancer   A new study suggests that the tumors of women with metastatic breast cancer that have stopped responding to treatment have some common features that might lead to new treatments. Many Ovarian Cancers May Start in Fallopian Tubes, Study Finds  A new study provides more evidence that the most common form of ovarian cancer may start in the fallopian tubes. The findings may have important effects on the best ways to prevent, detect, and treat this disease. PDQ Summary Updates Breast Cancer Treatment We’ve revised our PDQ summary on breast cancer with updated information on the different types of treatment used in the disease, including those used for different stages of breast cancer. Drug Information Updates New Drug Approved for Mantle Cell Lymphoma We’ve added a new drug information summary for acalabrutinib (Calquence), which was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat mantle cell lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Valrubicin for Bladder Cancer We’ve added a new drug information summary for valrubicin (Valstar), which is used to treat bladder cancer. Vemurafenib for Erdheim-Chester Disease We’ve updated our drug information summary for vemurafenib (Zelboraf). It was recently approved by FDA to treat certain types of Erdheim-Chester disease, which is a form of histiocytosis.   Also of Interest Targeted Therapy Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that targets the changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread. Learn how targeted therapy works against cancer and what you can expect during treatment. Metastatic Cancer Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from where it started to another part of the body. Learn how cancer spreads, possible symptoms, common areas where different cancers spread, and how to find out about treatment options. Managing Cancer Care This section is full of information about health care services, insurance options, advance directives, and the importance of using trusted resources when looking for print and online sources of health information.