OS Benefit Eludes Second-Line Niraparib Maintenance in Ovarian Cancer
For women with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer, maintenance therapy using an individualized starting dose of niraparib (Zejula) did not improve overall survival (OS) despite producing a statistically and clinically significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit in the phase III NORA study. An interim analysis of the key secondary endpoint showed a median OS of 46.3 months […]
Flu/COVID Co-Infections Potentially More Severe in Kids, CDC Says
The CDC warned that co-infections with COVID-19 and influenza can potentially cause more severe illness in children, and need to be tracked. Surveillance data from the 2021-2022 influenza season revealed that 6% of flu-related hospitalizations and 16% of flu-related deaths involved children co-infected with COVID-19, Katherine Adams, MPH, of the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues […]
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 […]
How Doctors Treat Their Own Colds At Home
Coming down with a cold is a pretty miserable experience. You’re tired, uncomfortable and ready to just feel better. If you have a cold, you may have a runny nose, cough or congestion. You may even have “low-grade fevers, fatigue, sneezing, sinus pressure and muscle soreness,” according to Dr. Christopher Scuderi, a family physician in […]
A Mediterranean diet not only boosts health, but also improves fertility
With an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and legumes, the Mediterranean diet has long been applauded for its multiple health benefits. Now, new research shows that it may also help overcome infertility, making it a non-intrusive and affordable strategy for couples trying to conceive. Conducted by Monash University, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and the […]
Weight Loss Advice From GPs Falls Flat for Patients With Obesity
Weight loss advice given by general practitioners (GPs) to patients with obesity appeared to be lacking, one U.K.-based qualitative study suggested. In an analysis of 159 audio recordings of patient consultations from the Brief Interventions for Weight Loss trial, the most common advice was diet and exercise, typically following an “eat less and do more” […]
COVID-19 Tied to Doubled Risk of Endocarditis in Substance Use Disorder Patients
Patients with cocaine or opioid use disorder (OUD) had a higher risk of endocarditis if they also contracted COVID-19, a retrospective study showed. COVID-19 infection was associated with an increased risk of newly diagnosed cases of endocarditis among patients with opioid use disorder (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.92-2.60) and with cocaine use disorder (HR 2.24, […]
AML Study Suggests Intensive Chemo Unnecessary Before Allo-HCT
NEW ORLEANS — Patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) achieved similar outcomes with allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (allo-HCT) whether they went to transplant as soon as possible or underwent intensive salvage chemotherapy first, the randomized ASAP trial suggested. At day 56 post-transplant, complete remission (CR) rates were a similar 84.1% for patients […]
Sharon Stone’s Uterine Fibroids
In November, actress Sharon Stone, 64, announced on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with a large uterine fibroid that had to be removed. She said that she had previously been “misdiagnosed and undergone an incorrect procedure,” although she did not give specific details. Stone noted that she suffered from severe pain and had received […]
Researchers gain a better understanding of how the most commonly used ADHD medication works
For decades, doctors have treated kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with methylphenidate, a stimulant drug sold as Ritalin and Concerta, making it one of the most widely prescribed medications aimed at the central nervous system. One might expect that researchers would know how methylphenidate works in the brain by now, but little is known about […]