Here are a few highlights of cancer research news that have recently caught my attention:

• A recent study conducted by Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that nearly 10 percent of US women live too far from access to gynecologic cancer care. More on this study published in Gynecologic Oncology.

• Researchers at the Annual Meetings of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging demonstrated how a new molecular imaging agent detects prostate cancer that has spread to other tissue. A total of 28 subjects were imaged for this study. For more, read public release.

• Scientists at the Washington University in St Louis found a way to disrupt brain tumor cells. While brain cancer is still very difficult to treat, this new discovery may help attack the essence of some of these deadly tumors. The findings were published in Cell Reports.

• Good mental health, exercise and nutrition can affect how someone lives during and after cancer treatment. Some benefits include: reduction in fatigue, increased bone health and decreased anxiety.  Dr. Arash Ashner, of Cedar-Sinai Medical Center weighs in on the subject in an article published in Los Angeles Times.

• Roughly half of deaths from 12 smoking-related cancers may be linked directly to cigarette use, a U.S. study estimates. These include cancer of the lung, bronchus, trachea and larynx, oral cavity, esophagus and bladder. Read more on the findings in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Please feel free to contact Marisol Hernandez to share any comments.