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Researchers discover immune system can help predict breast cancer survival

A team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has discovered a new way to predict breast cancer survival based on an "immune profile" - the relative levels of three types of immune cells within a tumor. Knowing a patient's profile may one day help guide treatment.

4 Apr 2011

Study finds increased carbapenem use in VA acute care health facilities over the last 5 years

A large, multi-year study of antibiotic use in Veterans Health Administration's acute care facilities demonstrates dramatically increased use of carbapenems, a powerful class of antibiotics, over the last five years.

4 Apr 2011

Study finds high utilization of CTC and Medicare coverage in recent years

Medicare coverage and nationwide utilization of computed tomographic colonography, commonly referred to as virtual colonoscopy, has tripled in recent years, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

4 Apr 2011

New research reveals potential treatment for HO in children, soldiers

Promising new research reveals a potentially highly effective treatment for heterotopic ossification, a painful and often debilitating abnormal buildup of bone tissue. HO comes in two main forms—one that appears in children and is congenital, another that strikes wounded military personnel and surgery patients and is triggered by severe injuries and wounds.

4 Apr 2011

Positive results from GDC-0973, GDC-0941 combination therapy Phase I trial against cancer

The combination of two compounds that inhibit two of the most frequently mutated cancer pathways is showing promise in an ongoing Phase I trial, according to data presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists identify five new genes that increase risk of developing Alzheimer's

A leading UK scientist's search for factors that increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's has uncovered five new genes to help pinpoint what's going wrong in the brain.

4 Apr 2011

New data: Quadruple therapy can effectively treat patients with HCV

Exciting new data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM 2011 show that quadruple therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients suppressed the emergence of resistant variants and resulted in a 100% rate of sustained virological response - undetectable HCV RNA - 12 weeks after treatment.

4 Apr 2011

Study finds link between smoking and breast cancer risk among non-obese women

Smoking increases the risk of breast cancer, but the risk differs by obesity status in postmenopausal women, according to data from an analysis of the Women's Health Initiative observational study.

4 Apr 2011

Sickle cell trait can cause sudden death in young African-American athletes

The sickle cell trait could be a cause-albeit rare-of sudden death in young African-American competitive athletes, most commonly during football training, according to a scientific poster that will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions, April 1-3, in New Orleans.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists identify new treatment target for squamous cell lung cancer

Scientists at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have identified a mutation in the DDR2 gene that may indicate which patients with squamous cell lung cancer will respond to dasatinib.

4 Apr 2011

New data finds PegIFN-lambda shows RVR in HCV patients with improved safety, tolerability

Highly exciting new data presented today at the International Liver Congress found Pegylated Interferon-lambda shows superior virological response in HCV patients of genotypes 1-4, with improved safety and tolerability, compared to Pegylated Interferon-alpha, the current standard of care in chronic HCV.

4 Apr 2011

FDA releases rules for restaurants to provide calorie information

The federal government on Friday released proposed rules requiring chain restaurants and other businesses that serve food to post calorie counts on menus and menu boards. But after objections from theater chains, the rules give a pass to those box-office snacks — even though a large popcorn and soda can contain as many calories as a typical person needs in a day.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists sequence tumor genomes from 50 breast cancer patients

In one of the largest cancer genomics investigations reported to date, scientists have sequenced the whole genomes of tumors from 50 breast cancer patients and compared them to the matched DNA of the same patients' healthy cells.

4 Apr 2011

New Ulm project shows 24% reduction in acute heart attack rates in five-quarter period

The Heart of New Ulm Project, which is merging environmental, peer leadership and individual interventions across an entire rural Minnesota community with the assistance of a healthcare system, worksites and the general community to prevent coronary heart disease, has shown a 24 percent reduction in the number of acute heart attacks in a five-quarter period, compared with the previous five-quarter period of evaluation.

4 Apr 2011

Positive results from GDC-0449 Phase II data against basal cell nevus syndrome

A new hedgehog pathway inhibitor demonstrated efficacy in preventing and treating basal cell cancer among patients with basal cell nevus syndrome, a rare inheritable disease, according to Phase II data presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held April 2-6.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists confirm metabolic syndrome may raise risk of liver cancer

Scientists have confirmed that metabolic syndrome, a constellation of conditions that increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes, may also increase the risk of the two most common types of liver cancer, according to data presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists identify novel gene markers for EGFR inhibition in patients

Scientists are continuing their work on the Biomarker-integrated Approaches of Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Elimination trial — known more commonly as the BATTLE trial — and presented updated results at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

4 Apr 2011

Lack of doctors accepting Medicaid could complicate health overhaul

As pressure mounts on state Medicaid budgets, the New York Times examines whether the programs can handle the influx expected under the new health law. And The Hill looks at the latest waivers awarded by the administration for insurance plans that don't meet the requirements of the law.

4 Apr 2011

Researchers identify four new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from a consortium of 44 universities and research institutions in the United States, including Rush University Medical Center, identified four new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease. Each gene individually adds to the risk of having this common form of dementia later in life.

4 Apr 2011

Research offers first structural insights into 'client' protein shape in chaperone presence

In the constantly morphing field of protein structure, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute offer yet another surprise: a common "chaperone" protein in cells thought to help other proteins fold has been shown instead to loosen them.

4 Apr 2011