Washington, Apr 4: Nursing mothers’ breast milk might one day help assess future breast cancer risk, say researchers.

A research team led by environmental toxicologist Kathleen Arcaro of the University of Massachusetts Amherst will be conducting a series of experiments to identify methylated genes that indicate potentially pre-cancerous changes in breast cells.

The test could show signs of elevated breast cancer risk in women at an earlier age than ever before.

Washington, March 27: American scientists have made a significant advance in finding a way to endow human skin cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties without inserting potentially problematic new genes into their DNA.

Washington, Mar 25: A team of scientists has developed a test that could help doctors precisely identify which breast cancer patients should receive aggressive therapy, thereby sparing many women at low risk for metastatic disease from undergoing unnecessary and potentially dangerous treatment.

Researchers developed the test based on an earlier finding that the co-mingling of three cell types can predict whether localized breast cancer will metastasize, or spread throughout the body.

Washington, Mar 2: A new study, conducted on mice, has found that compounds extracted from green vegetables like broccoli and cabbage could be a potent drug against melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

The study found that these compounds, when combined with selenium, target tumours more safely and effectively than conventional therapy.

"There are currently no drugs to target the proteins that trigger melanoma," said Gavin Robertson, associate professor of pharmacology, pathology and dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine.

London, Feb 27: Adding caffeine to sunscreens could boost protection against the most common form of skin cancer, claim scientists.

According to the study, conducted by a team from Harvard Medical School and Pfizer, caffeine has an effect on cells which can go on to cause non-melanoma skin cancers and found that the stimulant encourages the harmful cells to die.

The breakthrough study shows at caffeine helps eliminate human cells damaged by UV light, which can develop into cancer, by causing them to commit suicide, reports The Telegraph.

London, Feb 24 : Women who consume more calcium appear to have lower risk of developing certain cancers, a new study has found.

The research found that low fat milk, cheese and yoghurts could reduce the risk of some cancers by almost a quarter in women.

According to the study, which included almost 500,000 people, women who consumed the most calcium from dairy products or supplements were 23 per cent less likely to develop cancer than woman with the lowest consumption of calcium.