There is a new blood test that will show doctors treating metastatic breast cancer patients how well their current chemotherapy treatments are progressing in one-third of the time. Cell Search, developed out of Georgetown University, is a blood test that detects the presence and amount of cancer cells in the blood of metastatic breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Kudos to a Massachusetts-based companyby the name of Hologic that takes mammography to a whole new level. Their innovation is something called digital tomosynthesis, which involves taking many pictures of the breast from different angles. The end result is up to 100 images, which can be arranged to form a three dimensional picture of the breast tissues and a more thorough view of the breast, including cancerous tissue hidden behind other tissues.

A recent article in Forbes describes the race underway by pharmaceutical companies to develop the “next big thing” in cancer therapies. It is a race that we want them to win, of course. This article provided some interesting insight into the different approaches that many are taking as well as the downside that some see as a result of their actions.