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Articles on Oncology

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How cancer vaccines are delivered into the body influences their effectiveness. Liuhsihsiang/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Brain cancer in children is notoriously hard to treat – a new mRNA cancer vaccine triggers an attack from within

Cancer vaccines have gained much interest among scientists but face a number of hurdles. A new mRNA vaccine for glioma offers a step forward in training the immune system to fight cancer.
Some cancer patients receive additional treatment after surgery with the goal of eliminating any remaining tumor cells. BSIP/Collection Mix: Subjects via Getty Images

Cancer often requires more than one treatment − an oncologist explains why some patients like Kate Middleton receive both chemotherapy and surgery

There are many approaches to treating cancer. Which ones work best is determined on an individual basis and informed by each tumor.
Nurturing hope among patients with cancer and their caregivers is possible and includes coping strategies and exploring realistic goals. (Shutterstock)

Incurable but not hopeless: How hope shapes patients’ awareness of their advanced cancer prognosis

Patients with incurable cancer want to be informed about their disease and its treatment, but must also maintain hope. This inner conflict can affect how they process information about their prognosis.
A proton therapy treatment room at a facility in Prague, Czech Republic. Canada lags behind other countries in providing this treatment. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Proton beam therapy: A modern treatment for cancer, but not in Canada (yet)

Proton beam therapy is a precise form of radiation that can reduce the side-effects of cancer treatment. It is available around the world, but not in Canada.
Advances in radiotherapy involve combining new technologies with clinical expertise. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Radiation therapy takes advantage of cancer’s poor DNA repair abilities – an oncologist and physicist explain how

Radiotherapy takes many forms: from directing powerful high-energy beams toward specific areas of the body to placing radioactive seeds right next to tumors.
Many patients with less aggressive prostate cancer elect active surveillance instead of treatment. triloks/E+ via Getty Images

Prostate cancer treatment is not always the best option – a cancer researcher walks her father through his diagnosis

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Although watchful waiting is appropriate for low-risk cases, many are diagnosed at an advanced stage because of racial health disparities.
This microscopy image shows a cytotoxic T cell (blue) attacking a cancer cell (green) by releasing toxic chemicals (red). Alex Ritter and Jennifer Lippincott Schwartz and Gillian Griffiths/National Institutes of Health via Flickr

Immune cells that fight cancer become exhausted within hours of first encountering tumors – new research

T cells recognize and kill cancer cells but quickly lose their effectiveness. This fast dysfunction may help explain why immunotherapy doesn’t lead to long-term remission for many patients.
Most tumors are made up of many different kinds of cancer cells, as shown in this pancreatic cancer sample from a mouse. Ravikanth Maddipati/Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania via National Cancer Institute

Every cancer is unique – why different cancers require different treatments, and how evolution drives drug resistance

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating cancer. Understanding how cancer cells evolve could help researchers develop more effective drugs.
Psilocybin and other psychedelics could help patients process the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Psychedelics may better treat depression and anxiety symptoms than prescription antidepressants for patients with advanced cancer

Receiving a cancer diagnosis and undergoing cancer treatment can be a traumatizing experience. Psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and MDMA could help alleviate symptoms from cancer-related PTSD.

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