Cryobiopsy and Forceps Biopsy Go Head-to-Head for Diagnosing Lung Lesions
As a supplement to standard needle aspiration for diagnosing lung lesions, cryobiopsy was no better than forceps biopsy for producing a definite diagnosis in a randomized trial, but the tissue-freezing procedure was less time-consuming and did produce biopsy samples more suitable to molecular testing. Tested alone, the diagnostic yield was higher with mediastinal cryobiopsy versus […]
If It Resembles Cancer but Doesn’t Act Like Cancer, Is It Cancer?
In January 2021, a movement to redefine low-risk Gleason 6 lesions as noncancers or precancers made its debut in this blog under the headline: “Is This Really Cancer?” Urologic oncologist Scott Eggener, MD, vice chair of urology at University of Chicago Medicine, threw down the gauntlet, saying Gleason 6 lesions may resemble cancers, but don’t […]
Topical Gene Therapy Heals Blistering Skin Disease Lesions
A novel topical gene therapy healed most lesions among patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic blistering skin disease, the GEM-3 trial showed. Topical administration of beremagene geperpavec (B-VEC) led to complete healing of 67% of treated wounds as compared with 22% of those exposed to placebo at 6 months (P=0.002), reported M. Peter […]
HPV Vaccination Close to Surgery May Reduce Recurrent Cervical Lesions
Vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV) near the time of surgery for precancerous cervical lesions significantly reduced the rate of lesion recurrence, a meta-analysis showed. Overall, vaccination reduced the risk of recurrent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2+ (CIN2+) by 57% as compared with surgery alone. An even larger risk reduction (74%) occurred when the analysis was […]
Early Anal Lesion Treatment Cuts Cancer Risk in People With HIV
Treating precancerous anal lesions in people with HIV reduced their risk of developing anal cancer by more than half compared with active monitoring, according to results from the ANCHOR study. In the randomized phase III trial of more than 4,500 individuals with anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), nine of those assigned to treatment with […]
Paramagnetic Rim Lesions Highly Specific in MS Diagnosis
The presence of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) on MRI was highly specific for multiple sclerosis (MS) in people suspected to have the disease, a prospective multicenter study showed. Based on 2017 McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis, the presence of one or more PRLs showed 88% specificity (95% CI 79-98%), 80% sensitivity (95% CI 68-91%), and […]
Meningococcal Disease: Meningitidis, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Vaccine
Meningococcal disease (meningococcemia) facts This photo depicts purple necrotic lesions on the legs of a person who has meningococcemia. Meningococcal disease (meningococcemia) is a bloodstream infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus. N. meningitidis is a contagious bacterium that spreads from person to person via respiratory secretions. Initially, patients present with fever […]
Ablating High-Grade Anal Lesions Thwarts Progression to Cancer
A protocol in which high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) of the anal canal were immediately treated was more effective for preventing incidence of anal cancer in people with HIV, a randomized trial found. In the study involving nearly 4,500 individuals with anal HSIL detected by screening, nine of those assigned to aggressive therapy — mostly […]