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Non-Invasive prenatal blood test to detect chromosomal abnormalities in foetus

Researchers in The Netherlands believe they are on the verge of developing a simple, prenatal blood test that would be able to detect accurately chromosomal abnormalities in the developing foetus. At present, the only reliable way to do this is through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, both of which are invasive and carry the risk of triggering a miscarriage.

29 Jun 2010

Blood test to help predict when women will hit menopause

Researchers have developed a way of accurately predicting when women will hit the menopause using a simple blood test. The average difference between the predicted age and the actual age that the women in their study reached the menopause was only a third of a year, and the maximum margin of error was between three and four years.

28 Jun 2010

FDA approves OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test for HCV

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced approval of the first rapid blood test for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus for individuals 15 years and older.

25 Jun 2010

HQC report presents different aspects of health care delivered in Saskatchewan hospitals

There's been little change over the last three years in how patients rate the care they receive in Saskatchewan hospitals, according to a report released today by the province's Health Quality Council. The report, entitled Quality Insight 2010, presents an overview of aspects of quality of care delivered in hospitals, in the community for people living with certain chronic diseases, and for seniors taking prescription drugs.

25 Jun 2010

USPTO grants Tethys key patent for PreDx Diabetes Risk Score test

Tethys Bioscience, Inc., a privately held company, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted the Company US Patent 7,723,050. The patent is directed to the company's groundbreaking PreDx™ Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) test and relates to proprietary methods for assessing the risk of developing a diabetic condition.

24 Jun 2010

Pregnant women with thyroid hormone levels on upper end of normal at increased risk for miscarriage

Pregnant women with thyroid function test results in the upper half of the normal range have an increased chance of miscarriage, even when they lack thyroid-harming antibodies, according to a new study. The results, which the authors say show the need to change screening practices for pregnant women, will be presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting, ENDO 2010, in San Diego on June 22 by Alex Stagnaro-Green, M.D., senior author and senior associate dean for education at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

24 Jun 2010

Diet with high fructose, trans fats lead to fatty liver disease with scar tissue

Scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have discovered that a diet with high levels of fructose - levels equivalent to that in high fructose corn syrup - and of trans fats not only increases obesity, but also leads to significant fatty liver disease with scar tissue.

23 Jun 2010

Metabolic syndrome can negatively affect donor's kidney function outcome, study finds

People who donate one of their kidneys experience faster deterioration of their other kidney if they have the metabolic syndrome at the time of donation, a new study finds. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

22 Jun 2010

Cancer overtreatment raises concern; Physicians tend to use new technology even before solid evidence backs it

The Associated Press/Arizona Republic: "It's an unthinkable notion for a generation raised on the message that early cancer detection saves lives, but specialists say more tumors actually are being found too early. That is raising uncomfortable questions about how aggressively to treat early growths -- in some cases, even how aggressively to test -- along with a push for more of the informed-choice programs.

16 Jun 2010

CT angiography not necessary in patients suspected with pulmonary embolism

A new study suggests that computed tomography (CT) angiography might be unnecessary in many patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE), based on the results of risk assessment analysis. PE risk assessment could help reduce radiation exposure and costs associated with CT angiography. The results of the study appear in the online edition and August print issue of the journal Radiology.

15 Jun 2010

Telomere length can act as stopwatch to predict progression of leukaemia: Research

Scientists have pinpointed key changes to the telomeres in the cells of leukaemia patients which could play a crucial role in the earliest stages of the disease, according to research published online in the journal Blood.

11 Jun 2010

Correlogic Systems' OvaCheck blood test for detection of epithelial ovarian cancer receives CE Mark

Correlogic Systems, Inc. announced today that OvaCheck, the company's blood test for the detection of epithelial ovarian cancer, has fulfilled European Union regulatory requirements (CE marking) for distribution and sale of the test. The path is now cleared for the test to be made available to patients in Europe through their physicians.

9 Jun 2010

Additional markers of risk for diabetic microvascular complications beyond Hemoglobin A1c needed

The "gold standard" diabetes test, Hemoglobin A1c (A1C), explains much less about the risk of cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes than originally thought, according to an article in the June 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The article entitled, "Beyond HbA1c: Need for Additional Markers of Risk for Diabetic Microvascular Complications," was co-authored by Irl Hirsch, M.D., of the University of Washington Medical School (Seattle, WA) and Michael Brownlee, M.D., of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

9 Jun 2010

Chronix' DNA blood tests detect prostate, breast cancer with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity

Chronix Biomedical today reported new data further demonstrating that its DNA blood tests have the potential to accurately detect early stage breast and prostate cancers. Chronix's proprietary technology identifies disease-specific genetic fingerprints based on DNA fragments that are released into the bloodstream by damaged and dying (apoptotic) cells.

8 Jun 2010

Genentech reports results from Phase III study of Avastin in women with advanced ovarian cancer

Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, today announced results from a Phase III study of Avastin (bevacizumab) that showed women with previously untreated advanced ovarian cancer who received Avastin in combination with chemotherapy, followed by the continuation of Avastin alone, had a 39 percent improvement in the likelihood of living longer without the disease worsening (progression-free survival or PFS) compared to chemotherapy alone.

7 Jun 2010

FDA clears Abbott's new ARCHITECT HE4 assay for monitoring ovarian cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a new diagnostic test to monitor ovarian cancer, a disease that will strike an estimated one out of every 71 women in the United States in their lifetimes. Abbott's new ARCHITECT HE4 (human epididymis protein 4) assay, the first automated test of its kind available in the United States, uses a simple blood test to aid in monitoring for the recurrence or progression of this disease.

4 Jun 2010

Testosterone deficiency can lead to multiple disorders

Almost a quarter of men treated for cancer in their childhood suffer from a deficiency of the male sex hormone testosterone.

3 Jun 2010

New oral blood-thinning drugs may have dangerous interactions when taken with prescription drugs : Study

Three new oral blood-thinning drugs nearing approval by the Food and Drug Administration are more convenient than the standard drug Coumadin® because they do not require monthly visits to adjust doses.

2 Jun 2010

CCAC applauds Quebec Ministry of Health's colorectal cancer screening pilot

The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) applauds the decision of the Quebec Ministry of Health and its Minister Yves Bolduc to implement a colorectal cancer screening pilot in anticipation of launching a province wide colorectal cancer screening program.

2 Jun 2010

Chronix Biomedical to launch new disease detection, monitoring service for cancer researchers at 2010 ASCO

Chronix Biomedical today announced that it will launch a new disease detection and monitoring service for cancer researchers at the upcoming 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting. The "For Investigational Use Only" laboratory-based testing service uses Chronix's breakthrough approach—the Chronix Apoptotic DNA Blood Test—which analyzes apoptotic DNA from dead and dying cells to identify and track ongoing changes associated with specific cancers and other chronic diseases.

2 Jun 2010

Blood Test News and Research

Non-Invasive prenatal blood test to detect chromosomal abnormalities in foetus

Blood test to help predict when women will hit menopause

FDA approves OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test for HCV

HQC report presents different aspects of health care delivered in Saskatchewan hospitals

USPTO grants Tethys key patent for PreDx Diabetes Risk Score test

Pregnant women with thyroid hormone levels on upper end of normal at increased risk for miscarriage

Diet with high fructose, trans fats lead to fatty liver disease with scar tissue

Metabolic syndrome can negatively affect donor's kidney function outcome, study finds

Cancer overtreatment raises concern; Physicians tend to use new technology even before solid evidence backs it

CT angiography not necessary in patients suspected with pulmonary embolism

Telomere length can act as stopwatch to predict progression of leukaemia: Research

Correlogic Systems' OvaCheck blood test for detection of epithelial ovarian cancer receives CE Mark

Additional markers of risk for diabetic microvascular complications beyond Hemoglobin A1c needed

Chronix' DNA blood tests detect prostate, breast cancer with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity

Genentech reports results from Phase III study of Avastin in women with advanced ovarian cancer

FDA clears Abbott's new ARCHITECT HE4 assay for monitoring ovarian cancer

Testosterone deficiency can lead to multiple disorders

New oral blood-thinning drugs may have dangerous interactions when taken with prescription drugs : Study

CCAC applauds Quebec Ministry of Health's colorectal cancer screening pilot

Chronix Biomedical to launch new disease detection, monitoring service for cancer researchers at 2010 ASCO

Lab Matters host Harriet Gould on building a more connected lab community

The Critical Role of Sample Storage in Drug Discovery and Development

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

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