Surgery News and Research

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Double-lung transplants work better than single for long-term survival

Having both lungs replaced instead of just one is the single most important feature determining who lives longest after having a lung transplant, more than doubling an organ recipient's chances of extending their life by over a decade, a study by a team of transplant surgeons at Johns Hopkins shows.

22 Apr 2009

Number of women dying from breast cancer hits record low

The number of women dying from breast cancer has fallen to less than 12,000 for the first time since national statistics were recorded almost 40 years ago, Cancer Research UK reveals today.

22 Apr 2009

Discovery of genetic pattern that may predict response to Gleevec in GIST

Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center uncovered a genetic pattern that may help predict how gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients respond to the targeted therapy imatinib mesylate (Gleevec).

22 Apr 2009

First human study of pioneering 'cell bandage' technology

A company co-founded by Professor Anthony Hollander has raised over £1.6 million to fund trials, including the first human study, of its pioneering 'cell bandage' technology, which aims to save thousands of patients from the type of knee surgery that currently leads to premature osteoarthritis.

22 Apr 2009

Novel microparticle-based immune response modifier shows broad effects against recurrent or metastatic cancer

MIS416, a novel microparticle-based immune response modifier, demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce the number and size of metastatic tumors in preclinical mouse models of lung and breast cancers, Innate Therapeutics (formerly Virionyx Corporation) announced.

22 Apr 2009

Valve implantation on the beating heart

Transcatheter valve implantation is a newly developed technique for the curative treatment of high-grade aortic stenosis.

21 Apr 2009

Surgical education programs have demand for physician assistants and nurse practitioners

New research published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons indicates that large numbers of physician assistants and nurse practitioners – collectively known as physician extenders (PEs) – have been hired by general surgery residency programs in the last five years to enable the resident education experience, and these professionals continue to be in demand.

21 Apr 2009

Robot-assisted surgery appears useful for removal of some head and neck tumors

Robot-assisted surgery appears feasible for treatment of selected head and neck cancers, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

21 Apr 2009

Study examines outcomes of gastric bypass surgery in morbidly obese and superobese patients

Superobese gastric bypass patients appear to have improvements in quality of life and obesity-related co-existing conditions, and despite losing weight remain obese after surgery, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery.

21 Apr 2009

Radiation exposure linked to more aggressive thyroid cancer

Patients with thyroid cancer who have previously been exposed to radiation - for example, in the workplace, through environmental exposure or for treatment of acne or another condition - appear to have more aggressive disease and tend to have worse outcomes in the long term, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

21 Apr 2009

Psoriasis increases risk for developing diabetes and hypertension in women

Women with psoriasis appear to have an increased risk for developing diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology.

21 Apr 2009

Removal of ovaries during hysterectomy increases risk of death, outweighs benefits

Results of a landmark study led by a doctor at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center raises serious questions about the long-term survival benefits of removing a woman's ovaries during routine hysterectomy.

20 Apr 2009

Grapefruit juice boosts efficacy of drug rapamycin

In a small, early clinical trial, researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center have found that combining eight ounces of grapefruit juice with the drug rapamycin can increase drug levels, allowing lower doses of the drug to be given.

20 Apr 2009

Genetic source of rare cancer pleuropulmonary blastoma discovered

The search for the cause of an inherited form of a rare, aggressive childhood lung cancer has uncovered important information about how the cancer develops and potentially sheds light on the development of other cancers.

20 Apr 2009

Complications, death rates similar at bariatric surgery centers of excellence, other hospitals

Patients who undergo bariatric surgery at hospitals designated as centers of excellence do not appear to have lower mortality rates or lower rates of complications than those whose procedures are performed at other hospitals, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

20 Apr 2009