The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. accelerated review of its drug ponatinib to treat patients who have chronic myeloid leukemia ( CML ) that doesn’t respond to current medications.

The Senator who served the state of Pennsylvania for longer than anyone in history – Arlen Specter – has lost his years-long battle with cancer. He died of complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in his Philadelphia home this morning.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, that’s made up of tiny tubes that run throughout the body. One subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) – mantle cell lymphoma – needs more treatment options and research is under way to find those solutions.

Melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – is increasing in this country for a number of reasons, including tanning beds. Some cancer patients are especially at risk and need to be especially vigilant of their skin.

If you’re familiar with Debra Winger, you may know she’s died from cancer at least a couple times – in her movies Terms of Endearment and Shadowlands . While cancer can make for heart-wrenching drama, such bleak portrayals of the disease are far from the truth.

One of the genes that helps to keep cancer from ever forming is the p53 gene. It works by blocking cancer cells from killing themselves. When p53 is messed up in some way, cancer cells go to town and wreak havoc.

People living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are at greater risk of various forms of cancer. In fact, when these cancers appear, it means the virus has turned into full-blown AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Chronic myeloid leukemia often responds to first-line treatment. Gleevec ( imatinib ) is the standard first-line medication. The disease usually quiets for a time, then comes back. A new drug has been approved to treat this blood and bone marrow cancer.

When monitored and managed properly, the outlook is quite good for people living with chronic myeloid leukemia ( CML ). There are three targeted therapies that are effective in controlling this disease. One of the keys to success is close monitoring.

So what’s a genetic signature you ask? Basically it’s a set of genes in a cell that are involved in how disease starts, grows and spreads. This is hugely complicated and exciting science.