Tissue studies indicate that nanoparticles, engineered materials about a billionth of a meter in size, could damage DNA and lead to cancer, according to research presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.Nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate cell membranes and defenses, yet they are large enough to cause trouble by interfering with normal cell processes, researchers at the University of Massachusetts say. [click link for full article]

A cancer-suppressing gene has been successfully delivered into the tumors of stage 4 lung cancer patients via an intravenously administered lipid nanoparticle in a phase I clinical trial at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The gene, FUS1, also was found to be active in the metastatic non-small cell lung cancer tumors. [click link for full article]

GE Healthcare announced today that it has received clearance from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the company’s next-generation volume PET/CT application to help clinicians diagnose, stage, treat and monitor tumors and other lesions in the body. The new software application, PET VCAR (Volume Computer-Assisted Reading), will be showcased at the 45th annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, June 2-6, in Washington, D.C. [click link for full article]

Siemens Medical Solutions Service Division has added a new product to its already expansive portfolio of services. Remote CardiacIT Administrator, available on syngo® Dynamics Server or Acom. Net, is a server maintenance package that proactively ensures servers stay up and running, sparing cardiology facilities from costly downtime. Servers require regular and consistent monitoring, especially mission-critical systems like the Acom. [click link for full article]

A review of previous studies indicates that the benefits of antidepressants for children and teens with depression or anxiety disorders may outweigh their risks, and that the increased risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts from using these medications is not statistically significant, according to an article in JAMA. [click link for full article]

Potential drug interactions from prescribed medications are common among cancer patients and may cause unnecessary harm, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.Cancer patients often take several medications at the same time, not only for treating their cancer but also for side effects and other secondary illnesses. Because of this, they can be at high risk for adverse drug interactions and duplicate medications. [click link for full article]

A 13-country Brandeis study of life skills programs run by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia demonstrates significant increases in young people’s educational readiness, engagement in their communities, and their self-confidence and focus on the future. The study’s results were released during a symposium attended by international and U.S. program and policy leaders at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. [click link for full article]

Breast cancer cells expressing a shortened form of the HER2 gene can be treated with lapatinib, but they are resistant to another drug known as trastuzumab.HER2 is a gene in the epidermal growth factor receptor family that plays a role in regulating cell growth. In about 15 to 20 percent of breast cancers, HER2 is overexpressed, and women with these kinds of tumors have a worse than average prognosis. [click link for full article]

A novel cell culture technique for a noninvasive breast malignancy known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) could facilitate the discovery of new drugs to prevent DCIS recurrence or progression.Gillian Farnie, Ph.D, of the University of Manchester in England, and colleagues developed a novel method to culture DCIS cells, and using this method, they examined the role of the epidermal growth factor receptor and Notch signaling pathways in the growth of DCIS. [click link for full article]

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the Merlin.net Patient Care Network, (PCN), an Internet-based central repository for patient device data that enables physicians and clinicians to connect directly to their patients’ stored device data at any time, from anywhere, that Internet access is available. Merlin.net PCN collects data from implant procedures, remote transmissions and in-clinic follow-up sessions. [click link for full article]