New Insights Into Better Immunotherapy; Diabetes and Cancer; Skin Cancer Advice
In preclinical studies, a small-molecule activator of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 showed potential for transforming “cold” tumors into “hot” ones that are more responsive to immunotherapy. (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Journal of Clinical Investigation) Helper T cells (CD4+) may have a bigger role in immune-system activity against cancer than previously recognized. (Washington […]
DNA shed from colon cancers into bloodstream successfully guides chemotherapy after surgery: Helps clarify the benefit of chemotherapy in stage II cancers
A new research study showed that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) — genetic material shed from tumors into the bloodstream — can identify stage II colon cancer patients who can most benefit from chemotherapy following surgery and spare other patients the need for this form of treatment. The multi-institutional, international study, led by researchers at the […]
Black Man Accuses LA Hospital Of Racism In C-Section Death Of Wife
In April 2016, Kira Johnson showed up for her scheduled caesarian section at the renowned Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to deliver her second child with husband Charles Johnson. The procedure took just 17 minutes. Advertisement Less than 12 hours later, the 39-year-old was dead of a massive internal injury ― doctors found three […]
Genetic Score Shows Promise for Honing PSA Precision
NEW ORLEANS — Adjusting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels for normal genetic variations showed potential for making PSA testing more useful, including reducing unnecessary prostate biopsies, a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) suggested. A “polygenic score” (PGS) that accounted for noncancerous variations in PSA values explained 7.3%-8.8% of the variation in baseline PSA values in two […]
Cellular therapy improves signs and symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Clinical trial results promising for people with the debilitating disorder
A clinical trial at UC Davis Health and six other sites showed that a cellular therapy offers promise for patients with late-stage Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder causing muscle loss and physical impairments in young people. The therapy appears to be safe and effective in stopping the deterioration of upper limb and […]
COVID Antivirals Appear to Hold Up Against BA.2
While two monoclonal antibody combinations showed neutralizing activity against the Omicron subvariant BA.2, both required substantially higher concentrations to produce a response in patients with COVID-19, Japanese researchers said, while antivirals appeared to be less affected. Casirivimab/imdevimab (REGEN-COV) and tixagevimab/cilgavimab (Evusheld) inhibited BA.2, but the titer of monoclonal antibodies “required for a 50% reduction in […]
Microbiome of mother’s vagina may affect infant mortality risk and baby’s development, study in mice shows
A new study in mice from University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers showed that an unhealthy vaginal microbiome in pregnant mothers in combination with an unhealthy diet contributed to increased pup deaths and altered development in the surviving babies. The researchers offset these deaths from the unhealthy vaginal microbiome by giving the mothers a […]
Ripretinib Continues to Demonstrate Benefit in Advanced GIST
An updated analysis of the phase III INVICTUS trial showed improved survival in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) treated with ripretinib (Qinlock) as later-line therapy, a researcher reported. At 19 months after the primary analysis, median progression-free survival (PFS) with the fourth- or later-line therapy remained stable, at 6.3 months with ripretinib versus […]
No Long-Term Cognitive Benefit in Fortified Baby Formulas
Infants raised on fortified formula milk showed no advantage in academic performance later on as adolescents, researchers found using data from England. No significant differences in U.K. math exam scores were found in students at age 16 who, as infants, had participated in clinical trials comparing formulas enriched with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), […]
Brepocitinib Shows Promise in Phase II Trial for PsA
The oral tyrosine kinase 2/Janus kinase 1 inhibitor brepocitinib showed efficacy for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a phase IIb trial. At week 16, a 20% improvement on the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) was observed in 66.7% of patients receiving 30 mg brepocitinib daily as did 74.6% of those given 60 mg […]