The presence of a particular type of immune cell can predict how long patients with ovarian cancer will remain cancer-free after chemotherapy and helps determine their overall chances of survival, according to research led by the laboratory of George Coukos, MD, PhD of the University of Pennsylvania. This research marks the first time researchers have found that a spontaneous immune response against cancer influences the course of the disease. Dr. Coukos and colleagues hope to develop individualized treatments based on this information to improve
the outcome for ovarian cancer patients.

According to the newly released Cancer Facts & Figures, 1,334,100 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2003, and 556,500 Americans will die from cancer this year. The report is released each year by the American Cancer Society and provides U.S. national and state estimates of new cases and deaths for almost every type of cancer. A sister report called Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2003 contains information about national and state tobacco use, nutrition, physical activity, and the use of cancer screening tests. A special section on smoking cessation is also included.

Though many young women with breast cancer are treated with chemotherapy to help destroy cancer cells and prevent a recurrence of the disease, chemotherapy can cause infertility in these women. Now, a new study shows that hormonal drug therapy may be as effective as chemotherapy in young women with breast cancer, while helping women to preserve their fertility. Though the number of young women who died from breast cancer was equal in the study regardless of treatment, those who were given hormonal therapy were less likely to experience a recurrence of breast cancer, compared to the women who received chemotherapy. Based on these results, researchers say hormonal therapy is a viable alternative to chemotherapy for young women with breast cancer.

A new study finds that ultrasound, also called sonography, may be more accurate than mammography at detecting breast cancer in young women who have symptoms of the disease. This may be the case, researchers say, because younger women tend to have dense breast tissue, which can eclipse cancer on mammogram films. However, the researchers do not advocate ultrasound as a screening tool. In the study, it was effective on women who already had cancer symptoms, such as breast lumps. The study could be valuable to radiologists who investigate breast abnormalities in younger women.

Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to stop cancer cells from growing and dividing. The treatment is often used to destroy any remaining breast cancer cells in the breast, chest wall, or axilla (underarm) area after breast cancer surgery. Occasionally, radiation therapy is used before surgery to shrink the size of a tumor. This article explains how radiation therapy works, possible side effects, and new developments.