The Latest in the World of Cancer Research

• Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines may reduce risk of disease. A recent systematic review conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona found that studies consistently demonstrate reductions in overall incidence and mortality. Results are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

• A clinical trial conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital found that the use of patient navigators increased cancer screening rates in low-income and ethnic minority groups. This randomized clinical trial was conducted from April 2014 to December 2014 in 18 practices and included 1,612 patients. The findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

• In a landmark study, scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their international collaborators have shown that Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) is not a single disorder, but at least 11 different diseases, and that genetic changes explain differences in survival among young AML patients. The study results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

• Raelene Wouda, a veterinarian and assistant professor at Kansas State University, is currently conducting clinical trials to treat cancers in dogs, cats and other companion animals. Many cancers in animals — especially dogs — are similar to those in humans, which means that the diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and response to treatment are also similar. Further details on her study can be found in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

• A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center shows that contagious cancers are spreading among shellfish and the idea of direct transmission may be more common that once thought. Results were published in Nature.