Cancer

Better detection and management of malnutrition and muscle loss could improve treatment results for women with ovarian cancer, new research has found. The study involved a 24-item survey of 57 healthcare professionals across Australia, looking at awareness of nutrition issues, screening practices and barriers to support at diagnosis, during treatment and after treatment. Weight loss, [...]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track status to stenoparib, an ovarian cancer drug for patients who cannot tolerate platinum-based treatments. The designation, given to medicines addressing serious medical needs, allows more frequent FDA communication and may enable accelerated approval if criteria are met. Allarity Therapeutics is developing stenoparib as an [...]

Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a new diamond-based sensor they say could be a “game changer” in detecting the spread of tumours. The non-toxic and non-radioactive device uses the unique properties of diamonds to diagnose metastasised breast cancer. Metastasis is the process where cancer spreads through the body, often through lymph nodes. [...]

By Paula Bellostas Muguerza, Global Lead, Healthcare and Life Sciences at Kearney The lack of female representation in clinical research is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a driving factor of the gender health gap. With only 7 per cent of healthcare research focused on conditions that exclusively impact women’s health, it’s an area [...]

Scientists have warned that chemicals in plastics are driving falling sperm counts, after talks on a global pollution treaty collapsed over disputes about chemical regulation. Last week, after nearly two weeks of negotiations, delegates left Geneva on Friday without agreement, after oil- and gas-producing nations objected to production limits and chemical curbs. Almost 100 nations [...]

Mifepristone, widely used in medical abortions, may also lower breast cancer risk in women more likely to develop the disease. Doctors and scientists say stigma surrounding mifepristone is deterring pharmaceutical firms from examining its use as a preventive drug, even though three studies suggest it can slow cancer cell growth. They argue the drug’s link [...]

Missed medical appointments cost billions, and can mean the difference between early detection and a devastating diagnosis. A pioneering AI platform is tackling medical ‘no-shows’ and getting more women into lifesaving cervical screenings. The US loses US$150bn to missed medical appointments each year, with the cost of no-shows thought to be around £1.2bn in the [...]

Femtech World explores the latest research and science developments in the world of women’s health. AI models independently interpret mammograms AI models have shown excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammography images. The algorithms, submitted for a 2023 AI Challenge hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), demonstrated increased screening sensitivity while [...]

AI is increasingly being leveraged to address challenges in breast cancer care, from a “second set of eyes” during screening to enabling more personalised treatments. Innovators say it can not only deliver better outcomes, but also make medicine more accurate and accessible. Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women globally, affecting around two million [...]

A new MRI breast screening trial aims to find cancers missed by mammograms in women with average breast density. The Fast MRI Dyamond study will involve around 1,000 women aged 50 to 52 at six NHS sites, including Cheltenham, Swindon and Truro. The scans, which take around three minutes, will test whether the method can [...]