Biopsy News and Research

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Biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue. There are many different types of biopsy procedures. The most common types include: (1) incisional biopsy, in which only a sample of tissue is removed; (2) excisional biopsy, in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed; and (3) needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease after liver transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease continues to be the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the United States accounting for nearly 50% of all liver transplants. Recurrence is universal in patients viremic at the time of transplantation with histological hepatitis developing in the majority of patients. Although the natural history of recurrent HCV is difficult to predict, it is widely accepted that cirrhosis from recurrent HCV occurs in up to 30% of patients within five years of transplantation.

8 Jun 2011

NYU Cancer Institute scientists present new research findings at ASCO 2011

Experts from The Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated cancer center, at NYU Langone Medical Center presented new research findings at the 47th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2011 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

8 Jun 2011

DxTerity acquires intellectual property rights to blood based genomic testing from SourceMDx

DxTerity Diagnostics announced today that it has acquired intellectual property rights to several blood based cancer diagnostic tests from SourceMDx Inc.

7 Jun 2011

EUS-guided GI biopsies with Cook Medical's new, large-core biopsy needle overcomes limitations

Results from a multicenter European study suggest that a new, large-core biopsy needle designed for use with an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) scope may help to overcome limitations of current EUS methods for biopsies of lesions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and surrounding tissue.

6 Jun 2011

Alnylam's ALN-VSP Phase I trial data on liver cancer presented at ASCO 2011

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today the results from its Phase I clinical trial with ALN-VSP, a systemically delivered RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of advanced solid tumors with liver involvement.

6 Jun 2011

Telethermographic device is not approved for screening breast cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned women not to substitute breast thermography for mammography to screen for breast cancer.

3 Jun 2011

Dilon Diagnostics to introduce latest advancement in molecular breast imaging at SNM meeting

Dilon Diagnostics will introduce the latest advancement in molecular breast imaging (MBI) this week at the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, with the premiere of its FDA-cleared Dilon 6800® Acella Gamma Camera system.

3 Jun 2011

Elastography and serum markers show promise in patients with liver disease

Patients who are evaluated for liver diseases such as hepatitis C (HCV) are typically recommended for liver biopsy to determine the extent of disease progression.

3 Jun 2011

Noninvasive diagnostics may offer alternative to liver biopsy for assessing liver fibrosis

Patients who are evaluated for liver diseases such as hepatitis C (HCV) are typically recommended for liver biopsy to determine the extent of disease progression. For patients who question whether less invasive testing is available, clinicians now have alternatives options to consider. Elastography and serum markers are two such diagnostic options reviewed in an editorial published in the June issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

2 Jun 2011

Octomom’s fertility specialist loses license

A Beverly Hills fertility doctor who assisted Nadya Suleman in conceiving octuplets is set to lose his medical license, the Medical Board of California announced Wednesday.

2 Jun 2011

PCF funds 14 new Creativity Awards for advanced prostate cancer research

The Prostate Cancer Foundation today announced that it has funded 14 new Creativity Awards for advanced prostate cancer research. These two-year awards are designed to support innovative research ideas that have the potential to achieve breakthroughs for improved prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

2 Jun 2011

Latest Breast cancer screening guidelines deemed unsafe by 80% women

Nearly 80 percent of women feel the new guidelines against breast cancer are unsafe as they stated that screening for those under 50 is not mandatory. The controversy over screening mammography flared up in late 2009, when a government-funded group of independent experts decided to change its recommendations. Instead of advising annual mammograms in all women age 40 and above, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said women shouldn't routinely get screened until they hit 50, and those between 50 and 74 should only have mammograms every two years. But most of the women also seriously overestimate their risk of developing the disease, researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester found.

31 May 2011

Switching to a newer electronic health record system reduces prescription errors

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the government is investing billions of dollars to encourage health care providers to use electronic health record systems. Many providers will probably switch from older systems to new systems to qualify for the federal incentives, but whether the upgrade improves patient care and safety has remained an open question.

27 May 2011

Pan-Canadian surgical study offers new hope for patients with early-stage oral cancer

Currently, about 30 per cent of patients who receive oral surgery have their cancer recur. But a new, Canada-wide surgical trial using a new approach to remove tumours and pre-cancerous cells from the mouths of those diagnosed with early-stage oral cancer offers new hope for patients.

27 May 2011

Neoprobe, Devicor sign gamma detection device asset purchase agreement

Neoprobe Corporation, a diversified developer of innovative oncology surgical and diagnostic products, today announced that it has signed a definitive asset purchase agreement to sell its neoprobe GDS line of gamma detection device systems to Devicor Medical Products, Inc. for $30 million in cash, plus a contingent value provision for payment to Neoprobe of up to an additional $20 million in royalties.

26 May 2011

New clinical research study to compare two medications for bipolar disorder

Patients with bipolar disorder may be eligible for a new clinical research study comparing two medications -- quetiapine, a widely prescribed second-generation antipsychotic mood-stabilizing medication, and lithium, the gold-standard mood stabilizer.

25 May 2011

New combination therapy eradicates acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, older adults

In a significant breakthrough, investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, San Francisco, have been able to overcome resistance of a form of leukemia to targeted therapy, demonstrating complete eradication of the cancer in cell and animal studies.

25 May 2011

Shave biopsies accurate in initial diagnosis of suspicious skin lesions

A shave biopsy is a reasonably safe and accurate method for the initial diagnosis of melanoma, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In the past, some physicians have criticized shave biopsies for not providing accurate T (tumor) stage information, thereby complicating treatment planning.

24 May 2011

RTOG reports on largest trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma

RTOG reports on the largest trial to-date for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma demonstrating the importance and feasibility of prospective molecular analysis of tumor tissue although finding that patients received no additional benefit from dose-intensive temozolomide as compared to standard adjuvant temozolomide after combined temozolomide and radiotherapy.

20 May 2011