Category Archives: Cancer Research

Research Saves LIves – It Is National Cancer Research Month!

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The sad truth is that most, if not all, of us have been touched by cancer in some way or another. Millions of people are diagnosed each year, but many of these diseases, which used to be death sentences, can now be beaten. Thanks to cancer research, countless lives have been saved over the last few decades, and we continue to inch closer to curing the more than 200 different types of cancer…. This is why Congress unanimously decided to honor May as National Cancer Research Month in 2008. Helping to Solve the Mysteries of Cancer We are

Why are More Younger Women Being Diagnosed with Advanced Breast Cancer?

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It seems that there are a lot more young women who are being diagnosed with an advanced type of breast cancer, compared to about 30 years ago. While the overall rate of cancer still remains low for this age group, a new breast cancer clinical study has shed some light on a potential issue. Medical researchers now say that one out of every 173 women will develop breast cancer before she reaches 40. Too make matters worse, the prognosis is often worse for younger patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer…. The Rate of Breast Cancer among Younger

15-Year-Old Jack Andraka, the “Edison” of Modern Times?

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A 15-year-old teenager could help save millions of people with the revolutionary low-cost diagnostic test that he has invented to detect pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage. Who is this teenage wunderkind? His name is Jack Andraka, and some of the top medical researchers in the United States are calling him the “Edison” of modern times! Andraka has developed a simple dip-stick diagnostic test which can detect levels of mesothelin, a biomarker for early stage pancreatic cancer found in the urine and blood. This new test shows incredible promise, and it could easily revolutionize the treatment of this …

Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas Being Shut Down

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Unfortunate news coming out of Texas. A nonprofit research group set to conduct clinical trials in Texas had received the largest grant ever given out by a Texas-cancer fighting agency is going to be shut down. What makes the incident even more untimely is the fact that the nonprofit group had barely even begun work on this new project at the time of this decision. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas had chosen to give a $25.2 million grant to the Statewide Clinical Trials Network of Texas… in 2010. Things had looked pretty bright for their future after

The Status of Cancer in 2013

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According to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, one can easily see that we have been making progress in the treatment of certain tumors. Unfortunately, further analysis of this report also shows that the rates of human papillomavirus-related cancers are still quite high. Overall things are definitely looking better, as there are now lower cancer rates among both genders, and across all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. for the most common forms of cancer… (including prostate, breast, colon, and lung cancer). On the other hand, the rates of HPV-related cancers, which

Bill Gates Invests in Cancer DNA Sequencing Firm

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In a press release this week, Bill Gates announced that he was investing in Foundation Medicine with some choice words: “Advances in understanding the human genome are having a dramatic impact on almost every area of medicine. Foundation Medicine’s approach in harnessing the power of genomic data to improve care for cancer patients could represent an extremely important step forward in improving routine cancer care. I’m happy to be supporting this quite promising approach.” Foundation Medicine is a cancer research and diagnostics company based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts…. They sell a diagnostic test that is worth $5,800 which uses

Top 5 Cancer Stories of 2012

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As the year of 2012 comes to an end, we wanted to look back at some of the biggest headlines from this memorable year. Some of these stories made us cry, some made us angry, and some showed us the true strength of the human spirit. So as we say goodbye to yet another year of human history, we should remember these stories for some time to come. Lance Armstrong’s Epic Downfall 2012 was certainly a rough year for this former seven-time Tour de France champion. Lance faced a doping scandal… that would cost him not only his sponsors, but

Stand Up To Cancer Funds Cancer Research Dream Teams

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There is hardly a person who walks the earth today who has not been affected by cancer in some way. While many cancer research centers… are closing in on discoveries which could one day save the lives of countless cancer patients, there is also a substantial need for additional funding in order for them to continue their research. This is an area where one movement, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) has started to become a real beacon for hope and support. Just check out what they pulled off at the last World Series, it was truly remarkable:Stand Up To

Treating Patients With Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

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It’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and today we are focussing on some new developments in lung cancer research and treatment. Metastatic cancers are generally incurable by radiation therapy because such cancers are present throughout the body, and radiation cannot treat the entire body. Therefore, it would seem that for extensive stage (ES) small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a metastatic form of lung cancer, radiation therapy is a questionably effectual form of treatment. Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trial A clinical trial is taking place in Jacksonville, Florida… at Integrated Community Oncology Network (ICON) to research whether

Lung Cancer Awareness Month: No One Deserves to Die

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November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and that means that people all across the country will be showing their support for the lung cancer community. We wanted to show our support this year with some info detailing the impact that this deadly disease. In 1995, the movement to raise further awareness for lung cancer… started with Lung Cancer Awareness Day. As support for the lung cancer movement and community grew, more events were held in honor of the many people who are battling this disease. One of this year’s intriguing messages comes from the Lung Cancer Alliance with their campaign:

Recent Developments in Pancreatic, Breast & Colorectal Cancer Research

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All over the world, there are ongoing cancer clinical trials… which are providing new insights into some of the most deadly diseases known to human kind. With every successful study, medical researchers are developing better treatments and methods of detection which will be used to save many thousands of lives all over the world. Forward progress can be slow and requires a tremendous amount of effort, but they are making some very positive steps in a number of different fields. There aren’t many people out there today who have not been touched by cancer in one form or another. For

Recent Breakthroughs in Breast Cancer Research

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If you or someone you love is affected by breast cancer, there is hope. Almost daily, new breakthroughs in research are being made. Stem Cells To Fight Breast Cancer Stem cell research continues to lead to new discoveries in science and medicine. Recently, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center identified a gene (RhoC) which may prevent the spread of breast cancer. The results of this research… “suggest new avenues to combating the deadliest cells driving the most lethal stage of breast cancer progression” by targeting this gene in order to stop the spread of cancer

What an Obama Presidency Has Meant for Cancer Research

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While campaigning for the Presidency in 2008, President Obama and his running mate Joe Biden had been pretty vocal about the continued need for federal funding of cancer research. During the 2008 campaign, they even published their plan to effectively combat cancer while in office by doubling the federal funding for cancer clinical trials and research studies within the next 5 years. Obama would primarily focus on working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute…, and Congress in order to increase the national funding for cancer related research grants as well as to provide more

What a Mitt Romney Presidency Means for Cancer Research

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As we edge closer to November and the 2012 Presidential Election, there has been plenty of discussion about the differences between Mitt Romney and President Obama. A key factor for many people is the stance that these two men take on stem cell research as it pertains to future cancer treatments…. As a candidate for the Presidency in 2008, Barrack Obama made a pledge to double the funding for cancer research over the next five years. However, during the time that he has been in office, the national funding for cancer research has increased only slightly from its 2008

Recent Breakthroughs in Cancer Research

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Ongoing cancer clinical trials are being conducted all over the world. As medical researchers learn more about these diseases, we inch closer and closer to developing a comprehensive cure for cancer. 2012 has been a great year for medical research in general, but researchers have been seeing some very positive outcomes in the field of cancer clinical research…. In the present world, many of us have been touched by cancer in some way or another. With every year that passes, medical researchers are working together to develop better cancer treatments and therapies, which have been helping more and more

4 of The Top Cancer Research Centers in America…and What They’re Up To

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All around the United States, researchers at the top cancer research centers… are hard at work developing new ways to treat a myriad of different cancers. Thanks to the research done at these facilities; we now have the ability to diagnose and treat various forms of cancer which had alluded us not long ago. This ongoing cancer research is imperative to one day developing a comprehensive cure, but the road ahead is long and very difficult. Despite the hardships they face, these researchers continue to make new breakthroughs which have improved our understanding of how these diseases work. So without

CPS-3 Clinical Trial Now Enrolling in Tampa, Florida

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A new landmark clinical study is taking place to determine the best ways to prevent cancer. St. Joseph’s Hospital, a cancer treatment center in Florida, is helping the ACS find “cancer fighters” living near Tampa Bay who wish to join this new study being conducted nationwide. The research study is about how lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors might cause or even prevent cancer. This oncology clinical study… is open to both men and women between the ages of 30 and 65, with the only major stipulation being that participants have never been diagnosed with any type of cancer. If

GERD May Increase Your Risk of Esophageal Cancer

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A new GERD clinical study has had some interesting results. This recent study was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. The medical researchers that were conducting this study came to a new conclusion which may shock the many Americans who live with gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD). Their study has shown that inflammation could play a crucial role in the progression from reflux to esophageal cancer…. Rune Erichsen, MD, one of the medical researchers from Aarhus University Hospital, served as the lead author of this GERD clinical study. She stated

New Approach to Screening Chemo Drugs

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Researchers are now able to use a 3D computer model which helps them to screen millions of chemo drugs. This brand new approach has been able to give researchers a fully movable view of the structure of a protein that is believed played a crucial role in chemotherapy… failure. For the longest time, medical researchers could only use still images of the proteins linked to recurring forms of cancer. They hoped that studying these images would provide them with an understanding of exactly why these proteins could make some chemotherapies fail. Fortunately, staring at those still images will soon be

Have We Beaten Prostate Cancer?

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When the clinical trial for Johnson & Johnson’s new cancer drug went better than anyone could have expected, it caused quite a stir. Usually, the whole clinical trial process can take some time. Medical researchers have to analyze the results of the trial, which (if the results are positive) often leads to further tests on more participants. So it came as a bit of a shock when this latest clinical trial was actually shut down in order to administer this new drug to all of the participants. Johnson & Johnson’s Zytiga… was approved by the FDA only last year. Since

Nano-Technology Provides New Cancer Treatment Options

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Within the last decade, nanotechnology has impacted the health care system greatly. This interest has provided an emergence of studies and experiments in the biotechnology and medical field and has provided us with new visions toward the future of medicine. Eric Drexler, author of the bible of nanotechnology, “Engines of Creation” proposed the idea that this new technology “is truly something wonderful that will change the world forever”. With this type of technology, new treatment of cancers… and disease can occur by redesigning the molecular chains. Redesigning molecular chains is done by zeroing down into the atomic structure and manipulating

FDA Approves New Skin Cancer Drug Erivedge

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For the first time, the most common type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), has a miracle drug to treat it. This pill is called Erivedge. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug… on January 30th of this year. Genentech, a division of Swiss drug company Roche and creator of Erivedge (vismodegib), says that the new drug will be available in one or two weeks from now. Adult BCC patients who are not candidates for surgery and whose cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body can take Erivedge once a day and find themselves

Federal Judge Allows Lawsuit Against Anti-Miscarriage Drugs for Cancer Link

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Between 1938 and the early 1970’s, up to six million women worldwide were prescribed Diethylstilbestrol (DES)…, a synthetic hormone meant to prevent a miscarriage. On January 19, 2012, fifty three woman were given the green light in a Boston based Federal Court to move forward with a lawsuit against 14 pharmaceutical manufacturers who made DES, claiming that their exposure to DES in utero has caused cancer. After a two-hour final hearing, Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler denied the motion to dismiss made by the drug companies. The drug companies argued that the opinions of the women’s experts were not

LIVESTRONG Celebrates 15 Years of Cancer Awareness

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Just 15 years ago, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong created one of the most important non-profit brands in history, LIVESTRONG. The goal of this organization is to advocate for policies and funding opportunities that benefit cancer research, as well as providing direct services for those individuals who have survived cancer. Armstrong is a cancer survivor himself, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer (technically known as embryonal carcinoma…) at age 25. SInce founding the organization, LIVESTRONG has contributed over $275 million into various programs that aim to help cancer survivors. Here’s a quick breakdown of how that

Open-Source Cancer Research (TED Talk)

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We recently came across this amazing Ted Talk by Jay Bradner and felt compelled to share! Jay asks the interesting question of, “How does cancer know it’s cancer”?  Bradner, a researcher at Harvard and Dana Farber in Boston (*also check out some other amazing cancer research centers…), works on a breakthrough approach for subverting cancer … and he’s giving the secret away. Jay and his team believe that they have found a molecule that might hold the answer, and its called JQ1. what even cooler, is that instead of patenting JQ1 themselves, they published their findings and mailed samples

Gov. Rick Perry Announces Institute for Applied Cancer Science at MD Anderson Cancer Center

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The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center just got a turbo boost! This week, Gov. Perry made public the creation of the Institute for Applied Cancer Science which is aimed at turning scientific discovery into actual therapies! Back in 2007, Perry spearheaded a movement to make Texas a hub for the future of cancer treatment…. This initiative spawned the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) which was funded by bonds approved by voters, which allowed the state of Texas to finance research grants, allowing them to attract top talent. Since 2010, the Cancer Prevention and Research

Top 5 Cancer Treatment Centers in America

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Cancer care is a multi-faceted task, and a reputable treatment center is critical in obtaining the best service for your medical needs. Listed here are 5 top cancer treatment centers in America, in a traditional hospital setting. Not all centers are alike; some will have a higher level of expertise in certain cancer types than others; therefore, it is suggested to do as much research as you can to find the center that is highly-ranked in your specialty. MD Anderson Cancer Center First on the list is the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center… , with a

New Vaccine for Breast Cancer & Ovarian Cancer Shows Promise

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Could we one day see a vaccine for certain types of cancer? Those at the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute are hoping so! Here’s the quick abstract: Purpose: PANVAC is a recombinant poxviral vaccine that contains transgenes for MUC-1, CEA, and 3 T-cell costimulatory molecules. This study was conducted to obtain preliminary evidence of clinical response in metastatic breast and ovarian cancer patients. You can read an overview of the results here…. Monthly shots of a cancer vaccine produced encouraging results in a small, very early trial of 26

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

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Get out your Gold Ribbons! On September 1, 2011, Barack Obama proclaimed that September 2011 is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The Facts About Childhood Cancer:Each year in the United States approximately 12,400 children from birth to 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer. Approximately 1 in 300 boys and 1 in 333 girls will develop cancer before the age of 20. Children who have had radiation or chemotherapy for prior cancer treatments are at higher risk to get cancer again.Types of Childhood Cancer Childhood Cancer rates vary by cancer type. Unfortunately, many childhood cancers have about a…

Top 10 Most Common Types of Cancer

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Cancer. Who would have ever thought it could be so common? Statistics show that half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. This equates to approximately 11.7 million people in the United States alive today who have had some type of cancer. Survival rates vary based on the individual’s health and the type of cancer. It can be helpful to be aware of some of the more common cancers for two reasons: 1) to realize we are not alone in this health challenge and 2) to learn that …

Recent Breakthroughs in Cancer Drugs

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As long as there is the possibility for newer and better drugs to fight cancer, there remains hope. A few of the recent breakthroughs in cancer drugs are listed below: Breast cancer that has metastasized in patients who have already been treated with chemotherapy at least twice can be treated with a new drug called eribulin mesylate. The FDA approved use of this drug on November 15, 2010. Trademarked under the name Halaven…, it is manufactured by a company called Eisai, Ltd., and has been shown to improve overall survival in patients by 2.5 months on average.

Ice Age: Cryotherapy may be the future of cancer treatment

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For more than 100 years, doctors have used extreme cold to destroy and prevent the spread of abnormal tissue growth, a method known as cryotherapy, to treat everything from unwanted freckles to stomach ulcers. Though early researchers suggested cryotherapy might be effective in treating cancer, it was originally determined to be too complicated. In recent years, however, cryotherapy research has once more come to the forefront as a legitimate alternative to cancer surgery.  With new technologies that prevent damage to healthy tissue and nearby organs, doctors have started using it to treat prostate and liver cancers…, and new

Beyond Chemo: Reducing Stress Gives You an Edge Against Cancer

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It may come as no surprise that happy people are healthy people (and vice versa). Researchers are finding that this may be especially important when it comes to cancer. Although treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation are typically essential for combating cancer, recent research shows that psychological health may be just as important to surviving—and perhaps even preventing—the disease. Eleven years ago, researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus began a clinical study called the Stress and Immunity Breast Cancer Project. Women with breast cancer… were divided into two groups: Some received counseling on topics such as learning

Food and Cancer: How To Interpret the Research

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There is no shortage of advertising and news articles about the health benefits of everything from ginger to green tea, but often claims are based on preliminary or incomplete research findings. Here are four questions to ask yourself when you’re reading about the latest health craze. The answers will help you navigate ‘superfood’ claims so that you can make educated decisions about whether or not you really need to eat, say, sea kelp. Have these claims been tested in humans? A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan showed that sulforaphane—a chemical found in broccoli—destroyed breast cancer cells…

Cancer Treatment: Five Drugs To Watch

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Scientists may not have found a cure for cancer yet, but these five drugs could be the next best things: Denosumab Denosumab—a human monoclonal antibody developed by Amgen—targets RANKL, a protein essential for bone cell formation and normal function. In June, the drug, whose brand name is Prolia, was approved to treat osteoporosis. New research shows that the drug could also be effective against breast cancer…. Scientists have found that the RANKL protein appears to play more than a role in bone formation; it may also be activated by progesterone to cause breast cancer. Amgen scientists discovered that blocking

TED Talk: A new strategy in the war on cancer

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This AMAZING TED Talk by Dr. David Agus is just another example of great people making strides in cancer research and prevention.  It truly provides hope to all of us that a cure is attainable in our lifetime. Please take the time to watch this and leave your comments below. Also, please share this with others, as it is without a doubt an "Idea worth Spreading". Traditionally, David Agus explains, cancer treatments… have had a short-sighted focus on the offending individual cells. He suggests a new, cross-disciplinary approach, using atypical drugs, computer modeling and protein analysis to treat and analyze

Medical Marijuana now being grown in America’s Garden (State)!

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On Monday, The New Jersey Legislature approved a measure that will legalize marijuana for medical use by those with chronic illnesses like cancer, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gherig's Disease and AIDS. This move makes New Jersey one of the few east coast states to take such action, and only the 14th state to pass such legislation.Within 9 months, the state plans to have 6 dispensaries in which cancer patients can receive prescribed doses of medical marijuana from their doctors. It will be interesting to see the reaction from Oncologists in New Jersey… over the next few weeks as

The IsoFlow Catheter: Giving Tumors a Taste of Their Own Medicine

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I came across an article the other day regarding a new medical device that just obtained marketing clearance from the FDA.  It’s called the IsoFlow Infusion Catheter and is designed by Vascular Designs, a company founded by Robert Goldman.  Mr. Goldman had no prior experience inventing medical equipment and had already made his money selling intellectual property in the late 1990’s. It was his sister’s cancer diagnosis that inspired him to start researching various cancer treatments…, which spawned the idea of the IsoFlow Catheter.  This device allows direct delivery of drugs to a targeted area such as

The Marrow Miner, Making Donating Bone Marrow an Easier Process

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I think that anyone who has donated Bone Marrow knows what a painful and insidious procedure it is. However, because this procedure can save a life… it’s endured. Daniel Kraft, a pediatric oncologist and stem-cell researcher at Stanford University, has a great deal of experience harvesting bone marrow. Through his experience and research, Dr. Kraft developed a device called the Marrow Miner. This device quickly harvests bone marrow with minimal pain to the donor and may actually enable you to bank your own marrow stem cells… when you’re young, in the unfortunate case you would need them later. I don’t

A Breakthrough for Cancer Patients Dealing with Mucositis

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Oral Mucositis…, a common complication of radiation and chemotherapy treatment, affects up to 50% of all patients who receive this combination. Patients receiving chemotherapy alone also have a high occurrence of the debilitating condition. How Does Mucositis Develop? Aggressive cancer treatments, such as radio- and chemotherapy, often involve painful side effects and complications. Mucositis is one of them. Cells, normally located in the mouth, have a delicate balance of natural bacteria. This balance can be adversely affected by radio- and chemotherapy, leaving the mouth open to ulcers and infections. Stages of Mucositis: •    The initial symptoms are marked with

Nanotechnology takes those Pesky Cancer Cells by Storm

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Nanoscience and nanotechnology got started in the early 1980’s and if you can believe it, the first use of its concepts was in a talk given by physicist Richard Feynman on December 29, 1959 called “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”. This technology can be used in a broad range of applications such as electronics and medicine. The National Cancer Institute’s Alliance for Nanotechnology in cancer has put together a video giving you a look at this revolutionary approach to cancer treatment. The science of building small is changing the way we look at cancer treatment… as doctors