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Treatment
Prevention
Major Meetings
Testing and Screening
Clinical Trial Participation
Coping Strategies
Patient Care Costs
Patient Advocates
Recent Developments Archive
Treatment
Newly Approved Cancer Treatments
(Updated: 08/20/2004) - Information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about recently approved cancer treatments.
Treatment Referral Center Trial of Bevacizumab (Avastin™)
(Updated: 02/20/2004) - A collection of material about a clinical trial that is evaluating bevacizumab (Avastin™), an investigational antiangiogenic agent, for patients with advanced colorectal cancer who are no longer benefiting from standard treatments.
Aromatase Inhibitors
(Updated: 03/25/2004) - A collection of information about aromatase inhibitors, a hormone therapy used in the treatment of some women with breast cancer.
Menopausal Hormone Use
(Updated: 03/02/2004) - A collection of material about research related to the risks and benefits of hormone medication taken to ease symptoms associated with menopause.
High-Dose Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
(Updated: 07/14/2003) - A collection of material about high dose chemotherapy with bone marrow or stem cell transplant as a treatment for breast cancer.
Gleevec (STI571)
(Updated: 05/20/2003) - A collection of material on Gleevec (STI571), the first approved drug to directly turn off the signal of a protein known to cause a cancer.
Radiation Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers
A fact sheet that defines the different types of radiation therapy and discusses scientific advances that improve the effectiveness of this treatment.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors
A collection of material about a group of compounds called angiogenesis inhibitors.
Herceptin
(Updated: 01/09/2003) - A collection of material about Herceptin, a drug for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
Biological Therapies for Cancer: Questions and Answers
A fact sheet that provides an overview of how the immune system functions and describes the actions of available biological therapies.
Gene Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers
A fact sheet that discusses research with genetic material in developing cancer therapies, including risks, benefits, and ethical issues.
Questions and Answers About NCI's Natural Products Branch
A fact sheet that describes the functions of this branch, which collects and analyzes specimens of plant, marine, and microbial origin for possible anticancer properties.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
(Updated: 08/20/2003) - A collection of material about sentinel node biopsy, a less invasive biopsy technique.
Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer
A fact sheet that explains photodynamic therapy, how it is administered, and indications and side effects of treatment.
Lasers in Cancer Treatment
A fact sheet that describes use of high-intensity light in cancer treatment, its advantages and disadvantages, and types of procedures that use it.
Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment
A fact sheet that defines hyperthermia (or treating tumors with heat) and describes its side effects.
Cryosurgery in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
A fact sheet that describes the technique of using extreme cold to treat tumors. Lists the indications, risks, benefits, and side effects of cryotherapy.
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Prevention
The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial
(Updated: 06/24/2003) - A collection of material about a study designed to see whether the drug finasteride (trade name Proscar) can prevent prostate cancer in men ages 55 and older.
The SELECT Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial
(Updated: 08/03/2004) - A collection of material about SELECT (Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial), which will determine whether these two dietary supplements can protect against prostate cancer.
Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) Trial
(Updated: 08/09/2004) - A collection of material about the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene, or STAR trial, one of the largest breast cancer prevention studies ever.
The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial
(Updated: 11/09/2001) - A collection of material about the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial.
Chemoprevention
A fact sheet about NCI's research efforts to find substances that prevent cancer or reduce the risk of cancer recurrence after treatment.
Breast Cancer Prevention Studies
A fact sheet about three clinical trials of methods of preventing breast cancer.
Questions and Answers About Beta Carotene Chemoprevention Trials
A fact sheet about three clinical trials designed to study whether beta carotene and other agents can prevent cancer.
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Major Meetings
Highlights from ASCO 2004
A collection of links to material summarizing some of the important clinical trial results announced at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Highlights from ASCO 2003
(Updated: 06/12/2003) - A collection of links to material summarizing some of the important clinical trial results announced at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Highlights from ASCO 2002
(Posted: 05/18/2002) - A collection of links to material summarizing some of the important clinical trial results announced at the 2002 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Highlights from ASCO 2001
(Posted: 05/10/2001) - A roundup of news highlights from the 2001 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Highlights from ASCO 2000
(Updated: 04/15/2003) - A roundup of news highlights from the 2000 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
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Testing and Screening
National Lung Screening Trial (NLST)
(Posted: 09/18/2002, Updated: 07/20/2004) - NLST, the National Lung Screening Trial, is a research study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute for men and women at risk for lung cancer.
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Clinical Trial Participation
Boosting Cancer Trial Participation
(Updated: 05/31/2003) - A collection of material about the barriers keeping people from participating in cancer clinical trials.
Protecting Participants in Clinical Trials
(Updated: 08/30/2001) - A collection of material about the ways in which clinical trials participants are protected before and during the conduct of a study.
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Coping Strategies
Support Groups May Boost Quality of Life, Not Survival
(Posted: 01/23/2002) - Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine on December 13, 2001, found that breast cancer support groups had no effect on length of survival, but did improve patients' mood and pain perception.
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Patient Care Costs
Cost of Clinical Trials
(Updated: 06/23/2003) - A collection of material about studies showing that patient care costs for clinical trials are not appreciably higher than costs for patients not enrolled in trials.
States That Require Health Plans to Cover Patient Care Costs in Clinical Trials
(Posted: 12/19/2002, Updated: 06/14/2004) - A searchable list and map of U.S. states that require health plans to pay for the patient care costs associated with clinical trials. Key provisions are summarized.
Clinical Trials and Insurance Coverage - A Resource Guide
(Updated: 01/30/2002) - A guide to information about insurance coverage of the patient care costs associated with clinical trials.
Private Insurers' Coverage of Clinical Trials
(Posted: 08/22/2001) - A collection of material about private insurers that have agreed to provide beneficiaries with access to NCI-sponsored cancer clinical trials.
Medicare Coverage of Clinical Trials
(Posted: 08/22/2001) - A collection of material about Medicare's policy of covering routine patient care costs associated with clinical trials.
Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Beneficiaries
(Updated: 07/21/2003) - A collection of material about an agreement allowing U.S. veterans and Department of Defense TRICARE beneficiaries to participate in NCI-sponsored cancer clinical trials as part of their health benefits.
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Patient Advocates
Cancer Advocates in Research: The Movement Evolves
(Posted: 01/19/2001) - Advocates and researchers discussed the role of patient advocacy in the research process at an NCI workshop in September 2000.
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Recent Developments Archive
Q&A;: The Phase III Gonzalez Protocol Trial
(Posted: 12/30/1999, Updated: 06/26/2002) - Commonly asked questions about the Phase III Gonzalez Protocol Trial of pancreatic enzymes for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Aromatase Inhibitors Show Promise for Early Breast Cancer
(Posted: 03/04/2002, Updated: 07/07/2003) - Results of three large international clinical trials published in 2001 showed that a class of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors delayed progression of breast cancer longer than tamoxifen in women with advanced disease whose tumors were sensitive to the hormones estrogen or progesterone.
National Cancer Institute Launches Capital Area SERM Study
(Updated: 10/03/2001) - The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched the first long-term clinical research study to evaluate the safety of the drug raloxifene (Evista) in premenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer.
High-Dose Interferon Prolongs Time to Recurrence in Melanoma
(Updated: 10/02/2001) - High-dose interferon alfa-2b significantly prolongs the time before melanoma recurs compared to low-dose interferon or no therapy, according to the findings of a large, randomized clinical trial.
Review Published of Now-Reopened Colorectal Cancer Trials
(Posted: 09/20/2001) - The trials are both studying a standard treatment for colorectal cancer known as the Saltz regimen - a combination of three drugs including irinotecan (CPT-11), 5-flurouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV).
First Major Trial of Digital Mammography Launched
(Posted: 09/04/2001) - The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) announced on Sept. 4, 2001, the launching of the first large, multicenter study to compare digital mammography to standard mammography for the detection of breast cancer.
NCI Clinical Announcement on Cervical Cancer
(Updated: 05/01/2001) - A collection of material on NCI's February 1999 clinical announcement on cervical cancer.
Small Breast Tumors: Does More Treatment Help?
(Posted: 02/15/2001) - More patients than ever are diagnosed at an early stage, when tumors are still small and confined to a limited area. What is the best way to treat these very small tumors?
Post-Surgical Therapy May Benefit Patients with Small Breast Tumors
(Posted: 01/18/2001) - Whether or not patients with very small breast tumors need chemotherapy or hormonal therapy after surgery is a matter of debate. Now a new look at earlier studies suggests that post-surgical, or adjuvant, treatment should be considered as a treatment option.
Ovarian Cancer: New Treatments in the Pipeline
(Posted: 11/03/2000) - The outlook for patients with advanced ovarian cancer brightened in the 1980s and 1990s with the development of a number of new treatments.
NIH Consensus Panel Recommends a Range of Adjuvant Therapies for Women with Breast Cancer
(Posted: 11/03/2000) - Treatment with a combination of chemotherapy drugs improves survival and should be recommended for most women with localized breast cancer, according to a consensus panel convened by the National Institutes of Health.
Best Way to Screen for Breast Cancer Under Debate
(Posted: 09/19/2000) - Long-term results from a major mammography screening trial were released September 2000, offering more information about a major questions: What is the best way to screen for breast cancer?
Special Project to Examine Spiral CT Scans for Lung Cancer
(Posted: 09/08/2000) - The National Cancer Institute is conducting a study to examine spiral CT scans as a method for lung cancer screening.
Mayo Lung Project: After 20 Years, No Benefit from Chest X-rays
(Posted: 08/21/2000) - After tracking smokers for 20 years, a large study indicates that screening for lung cancer with chest X-rays does not save lives.
Colon Cancer Screening: More Data for the Debate on Colonoscopy
(Updated: 07/28/2000) - The use of a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening is supported by two new studies.
NCI-Sponsored Clinical Studies of Celecoxib for Cancer Prevention
(Updated: 07/11/2000) - The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Division of Cancer Prevention is collaborating with Searle, Skokie, Ill., (now a part of Pharmacia Corp., Peapack, N.J.) and Pfizer Inc., New York, N.Y., to study the drug celecoxib (Celebrex TM )
FDA Approves Drug for First Treatment of Advanced Colon Cancer
(Posted: 04/28/2000) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Camptosar® (also called irinotecan or CPT-11) for a new indication for first-line therapy in combination with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (5-FU/LV) to treat metastatic colorectal cancer.
Fertility Sparing Surgery an Option for Some Ovarian Cancer Patients
(Posted: 04/28/2000) - For women diagnosed with early-stage ovarian cancer, removal of one ovary has become a real option. This conservative surgery greatly increases the chances of preserving fertility.
Q&A;: The Polyp Prevention Trial and the Wheat Bran Fiber Study
(Posted: 04/24/2000) - Commonly asked questions about two important studies of colorectal polyps.
Q&A;: The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial
(Posted: 10/08/1999, Updated: 03/29/2000) - A round-up of questions and answers about the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial, a study investigating whether the drug tamoxifen can prevent the disease in women at increased risk.
FDA Advisory Board Approves Celecoxib
(Posted: 01/11/2000) - A proposed new use for a prescription arthritis drug may help patients with a rare, genetic disease that almost inevitably leads to colorectal cancer.
Lymphoma Vaccine Enters Large-Scale Clinical Trials
(Updated: 09/27/1999) - Results of a lymphoma cancer vaccine study show that there is a clear anti-tumor effect in a small group of patients who were vaccinated over the course of five years, according to researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
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