Swallowing News and Research

RSS

Researchers to wind down HIV prevention trial in women after interim results find drug not offering protection from HIV

Researchers on Monday announced they were calling off a trial to test whether taking an oral HIV drug reduces the risk of HIV infection in women after interim analysis of the study showed women taking the medication were no less likely to become infected with HIV than those who were not taking the medicine, the Associated Press reports.

20 Apr 2011

Early recognition of oral cancer symptoms

For decades, the incidence of oral cancer has remained nearly constant, partly because it can be difficult to detect. However, during April, Oral Cancer Awareness Month, Western Dental Services, Inc., is joining the national effort to support early recognition of oral cancer symptoms.

15 Apr 2011

AstraZeneca receives FDA approval for vandetanib to treat medullary thyroid cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved vandetanib to treat adult patients with late-stage (metastatic) medullary thyroid cancer who are ineligible for surgery and who have disease that is growing or causing symptoms.

7 Apr 2011

AGA guidelines recommend RFA for removal of precancerous cells in patients with Barrett's esophagus

New guidelines issued by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) support the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to remove precancerous cells in patients with Barrett's esophagus, a condition most commonly caused by chronic acid reflux, or GERD. Barrett's esophagus is the leading cause of esophageal cancer and affects an estimated two million Americans.

5 Apr 2011

Aspen Dental reminds patients about oral cancer screening importance

Aspen Dental, one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of dental care providers in the U.S., is reminding patients about the importance of oral cancer screening and early detection in recognition of Oral Cancer Awareness Month.

1 Apr 2011

New research sheds light on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

New research published today in The Journal of Physiology sheds light on areas of the brain thought to be the root cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - the poorly understood condition also known as 'cot death'.

1 Apr 2011

Mucus may play a key role in penetration of hydrophobic substances into cells

Are our bodies vulnerable to some pollutants whose lack of solubility in water, or "hydrophobicity," has always been thought to protect us from them? New Tel Aviv University research has discovered that this is indeed the case.

31 Mar 2011

Swallowed button battery can generate electrical current and cause serious tissue damage

To mark National Poison Prevention week, Trauma specialists at The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre are urging parents to seek immediate medical attention if their child has swallowed a button battery. Parents should not assume the tiny battery will harmlessly pass through their child's system.

25 Mar 2011

Non-invasive brain stimulation improves swallowing ability among stroke survivors

Stroke patients who received electrical brain stimulation coupled with swallowing exercises showed greater improvement in swallowing ability than patients who did not receive this stimulation, according to a pilot study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Mar 2011

MnSOD oral drug can protect against lung cancer radiation therapy

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer can safely take an experimental oral drug intended to protect healthy tissue from the effects of radiation, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and published in this month's issue of Human Gene Therapy.

23 Mar 2011

Researchers develop diagnostic test for motor neurone disease

NeuRA researchers are one step closer to developing a diagnostic test for motor neurone disease. Dr Steve Vucic, from Neuroscience Research Australia, says the test will allow people with motor neurone disease to be diagnosed up to eight months earlier than is currently possible.

17 Mar 2011

New lozenge clinical trial for dry mouth treatment

A clinical trial using an all-natural lozenge to treat dry mouth, a condition that impacts 40 percent of American adults, is under way at Georgia Health Sciences University College of Dental Medicine.

17 Mar 2011

Electrical stimulation may help bring back the voice of stroke patients

A Virginia Tech College of Engineering researcher is seeking a new way to help those who are unable to speak to find their voice. But this isn't "The King's Speech," the Academy Award-winning film about a British royal undergoing speech therapy to battle a stammer. Instead, Alexander Leonessa wants to help bring back the voice of stroke patients and others who have suffered paralysis of the vocal folds, through electrical stimulation.

4 Mar 2011

Scientists discover new way to generate human motor nerve cells

Scientists have discovered a new way to generate human motor nerve cells in a development that will help research into motor neurone disease.

2 Mar 2011

Good oral health habits begin even before the first baby teeth appear

For many parents, thoughts of their children's dental health often comes long after the first baby teeth appear. Yet a lifetime of good oral health habits begins even with toothless infants, says Dr. Louis Amendola, D.D.S., Chief Dental Director at Western Dental Services, Inc.

2 Mar 2011

New study identifies recurrent wound botulism among injection drug users

Botulism is a rare disease and recurrent botulism even more rare. However, in California, recurrent wound botulism among injection drug users has been on the rise and makes up three-quarters of reported cases in the United States.

28 Feb 2011

Study investigates risk of dysphagia after radiotherapy treatment for head & neck cancer

At the 3rd International Conference on innovative approaches in Head and Neck Oncology (ICHNO), Dr Hanna Rahbek Mortensen and colleagues at hospitals and institutes in Denmark presented results from a large prospective trial, the DAHANCA 6 & 7 study. The study, conducted across the country, investigated risk factors for developing dysphagia (swallowing dysfunction), after undergoing radiotherapy treatment for a head & neck cancer.

25 Feb 2011

Tulane surgeon performs new robotic-assisted surgery to treat head, neck cancers

Tulane University School of Medicine surgeon Dr. Paul Friedlander is performing a new, less-invasive form of robotic surgery to treat head and neck cancers.

9 Feb 2011

Study finds heartburn as a common condition in Iceland

Heartburn is a signature symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is a cluster of symptoms and signs associated with regurgitation of stomach acid up to the pharynx and mouth. Patient-based studies of GERD have shown high prevalence and chronicity, particularly in Western societies. GERD is associated with significant health-care utilization and diminished quality of life.

8 Feb 2011

Dermatologists offer preventative tips to minimize pesky skin problems caused by plants

What may start as a seemingly harmless day of gardening or yard work can quickly take a turn for the worse when common plants make their mark on the skin, causing a host of mild to even severe skin reactions. That is why dermatologists are arming outdoor enthusiasts with preventative tips to keep these perils of the great outdoors at arm's length.

4 Feb 2011