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This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about cancer research. Unfortunately, even after successful treatment, some cancers come back. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center may have found a way to predict which patients with bladder cancer are most likely to have their cancer reoccur.
The researchers discovered a set of biomarkers that are found in cancerous tissue that help predict the chances of the cancer recurring. A routine tissue analysis could tell doctors whether or not the patient is likely to face more cancer after surgery to remove a cancerous bladder. Dr. Jose Karam, the lead author of the UT Southwestern study, says this information could help doctors know which patients might need additional chemotherapy and would help doctors avoid giving unnecessary chemotherapy. Currently, doctors base their decisions on the stage of the cancer when it’s diagnosed or the grade of the malignancy.
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June 2007
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