Cancer News Review

In this month’s Cancer News Review podcast, Dr. William Nelson, director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, discusses top cancer stories on research about diabetes drugs linked to pancreatic cancer, African American men with prostate cancer, patient-centered drug development, and the link between omega three fatty acids and breast cancer risk. First, on the podcast, Nelson discusses reports linking diabetes drugs and pancreatic cancer in some people. Research on the potential link between type II diabetes as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer is underway, however there is not enough definitive data that diabetes drugs are directly related to causing pancreatic cancer, he says. Nelson says it is a cause for concern that should be studied, not only for these drugs but any new drugs.

Next on Cancer News Review, Nelson reviews a recent article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology that examines active surveillance of prostate cancer in African American men. The study reviews the type and location of prostate cancer typically found in African Americans. Dr. Nelson also discusses patient-centered drug development, focusing on the variability in reactions to new treatments among patients. He stresses the importance of collecting accurate patient reports on reactions to new cancer treatments.

Finally, the podcast concludes with a discussion on a study from China that tested the association between omega three fatty acids in fish and plant-based foods and their effect to reducing breast cancer risk. The study concluded that eating fish containing omega three fatty acids reduces breast cancer risk by 14 percent. The reduction in risk was not seen in plant-based foods containing the compound.

Program notes:

0:11 Do new medications for diabetes cause pancreas cancer?
1:13 Don’t have definitive data
2:11 Mechanism isn’t understood
3:05 African American men with prostate cancer different
4:05 More likely in anterior part of gland
5:21 How drug development could be more patient centered
6:21 We need to collect patient reported effects of treatment
7:21 Patient experience should be factored in
8:01 Can omega three fatty acids reduce breast cancer risk?
9:05 In general fish helpful in diet
9:36 End

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