Gleevec, a pill developed in conjunction with the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute is again showing excellent results in preventing a cancer recurrence. [click link for full article]

In the first published nationwide survey of state Medicaid programs on “pay-for-performance” practices, more than half of all programs state that they provide financial incentives to health care providers for better quality care. Almost 85 percent of states plan to have pay-for-performance programs within five years. Researchers also found that most current programs focus on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health issues. [click link for full article]

Recognizing the growing need to nurture the next generation of cancer researchers, Aflac, a leading provider of insurance products, has expanded its generous commitment to the American Association for Cancer Research by sponsoring the new AACR-Aflac Career Development Award for Pediatric Cancer Research, in addition to renewing its support for the AACR Associate Member Council and the AACR-Aflac Scholar-in-Training Awards, now in their 10th year. [click link for full article]

Using a technology that can quickly screen all 20,000-plus human genes for biological activity, scientists have isolated 87 genes that seem to affect how sensitive human cancer cells are to certain chemotherapy drugs.In a study available online and appearing in the the journal Nature, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center describe how they used a library of small RNA molecules - the first used by a university research center - to identify the genes. [click link for full article]

Have you heard the latest news on allergies? What are the newest articles on the Allergies.about.com website? How can you stay up to date on the most recent breakthroughs and…

Studies of human tumor cells implanted in mice have shown that the abnormal activation of four genes drives the spread of breast cancer to the lungs. The new studies by Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers reveal that the aberrant genes work together to promote the growth of primary breast tumors. Cooperation among the four genes also enables cancerous cells to escape into the bloodstream and penetrate through blood vessels into lung tissues. [click link for full article]

The way the liver renews itself may be simpler than scientists had been assuming. A new study, appearing in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, provides new information on the inner workings of cells from regenerating livers that could significantly affect the way physicians make livers regrow in patients with liver diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, or cancer. [click link for full article]

“These data imply that emotional stress may contribute to the development of cancer and may also reduce the effectiveness of cancer treatments,” said George Kulik, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor of cancer biology and senior researcher on the project. [click link for full article]

New research has failed to confirm findings from smaller studies that 85 gene variations are associated with an increased risk for acute coronary syndromes (ACS), which includes heart attack and a type of angina, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.Previous studies have identified a number of genetic variations as potential cardiovascular risk factors, but few, if any, have been established definitively. [click link for full article]

Patients who receive corticosteroids after cardiac surgery have a significantly lower risk of atrial fibrillation in the days following the surgery, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia to occur after cardiac surgery. [click link for full article]