University of British Columbia researchers have led the development of a new “toolbox of MiniPromoters” for research and future therapies on brain, spinal cord and eye function. MiniPromoters are small segments of human DNA with the ability to turn genes on and off at specific times and locations. They’re important tools used by scientists and clinicians to mark cells, explore function and deliver therapeutic genetic medicine.

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Siemens has launched a new device in Europe for prostate cancer testing, which is designed to offer improved detection rates. The Advia Centaur free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests have been released after receiving CE-mark accreditation and complete a full menu of prostate cancer tests available from Siemens.

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Roche Holding AG said a study showed that its HPV test can detect cervical pre-cancer that could otherwhise be missed in a cytologic examination. The ATHENA (Addressing THE Need for Advanced HPV Diagnostics) U.S. registration trial of over 47,000 women demonstrates that two human papillomavirus genotypes, HPV 16 and HPV 18, can identify those women with cervical pre-cancer missed by cytologic examination with a Papanicolau (Pap) test.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved GE Healthcare’s hexaminolevulinate HCl (Cysview) technique. The technique can help in detecting the bladder’s non-muscle-invasive papillary cancer for patients with suspected or bladder cancer.

Jerry McGrath, a gastroenterologist at the Health Sciences Centre in the province’s capital, has called on Newfoundland and Labrador to establish a comprehensive colon cancer screening program. He said, “There’s going to need to be more access to colonoscopy because ultimately if people have a positive test on a screening [stool] test they’re going to need to have a colonoscopy done to examine the bowel and, you know, the wait lists are simply too long at present in this province to have a colonoscopy done.” According to Canadian Cancer Society, more than 400 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in the province annually, and every year colorectal cancer kills about 200 people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Some methods of minimally invasive biopsy for breast cancer are nearly as accurate as surgical biopsy but have much less risk of harms, according to a new report funded by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The report, prepared by the ECRI Institute’s Evidence-based Practice Center under contract to AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, compares traditional surgical biopsies with various types of “core needle biopsies.”

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SpectraScience Inc has been awarded Japanese Patent number 4361683 for its Optical Biopsy Forceps System and Method of Sampling Tissue. The invention provides for an optical lumen or lumens that are placed coaxially with the cutting jaws of a biopsy forcep. This allows for an optical reading to be taken from the exact same spot as a physical tissue sample. When used with the WavSTAT Optical Biopsy System, it becomes a diagnostic tool to detect pre-cancer and cancer as well as a therapeutic tool for removal of suspect tissue.  If necessary, the fiber optic can be easily removed so that other tools such as a cytology brush can be inserted coaxially.

SpectraScience Inc has received FDA approval for the WavSTAT System. The system is the first commercially available product that incorporates this innovative technology for clinical use. WavSTAT is indicated for use as an adjunct to lower gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and is intended for the evaluation of polyps less than one centimeter in diameter, which the physician has not already elected to remove.

The FDA has approved a test for women who have developed tumors in the pelvic region known to need surgery. The test, OVA1, will be helpful for doctors in deciding if the tumor is an ovarian cancer and what should be their procedure to advance towards surgery. OVA1 can even detect ovarian cancer in women who have received negative results from standard cancer tests. The test, which has been developed by Vermillion Inc in collaboration with scientists at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, can also identify women whose surgical cases will benefit from the involvement of a gynecological oncologist.

Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry are a step closer after finding substances present in saliva that indicate whether a patient has oral cancer. Researchers have found that low levels of two microRNAs in saliva are indicative of the presence of cancer. The findings published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research show that these microRNAs, which are by-products of the process cells go through to make proteins, are linked to oral cancer.