chemotherapy

Two new studies this week have upended some basic assumptions about ovarian cancer, questioning both the survival rate of this dangerous disease and the best type of chemotherapy to improve those survival odds.

The swift, lethal nature of brain cancer — and the terrible decisions it forces families to face — has been in the news recently, with three of its victims forcing us to think about choices we hope we never have to make.

Former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow that has seen remarkable progress in its treatment in the last 15 years.

High doses of pure American ginseng, taken by cancer patients and survivors for just two months, brought marked improvement in the severe fatigue often experienced both during and after chemotherapy, a new study has found.

Five health news stories from the past week you should know about:

With Medicare cuts from the sequester kicking in this week, cancer doctors warn that they may be forced to stop offering chemotherapy in their offices and clinics.

A lifelong friend received the worst kind of news not long ago when he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given a matter of a few months to live. It had spread to his liver and lungs, and because of its total involvement with his liver it was considered inoperable. They gave him chemo and test trials of various possible cures but nothing worked.  The "Big C," as he put it, could not be stopped.

Grapefruit juice can interfere with a lot of prescription and nonprescription drugs, but cancer researchers found that the tart juice helps the body absorb more of a promising medication, reducing side effects and saving patients money because they need smaller doses.