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Chemo improves survival among older breast cancer patients

The average age of a woman diagnosed with breast cancer is 63, so it is critical to have effective proven, therapies for an older patient population. But older women with breast cancer are underrepresented in clinic trials, so there is little data on the effects of chemotherapy used in addition to other therapies such as surgery.

13 May 2009

Few dentists in Wisconsin accept patients enrolled in BadgerCare Plus

Few dentists in Wisconsin are accepting patients insured by BadgerCare Plus, and children in particular are affected, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

12 May 2009

Sanofi-aventis to acquire Oforta, oral chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment

Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced today that it has acquired from biotechnology company Antisoma plc the U.S. commercial rights to Oforta (fludarabine phosphate film-coated tablets), an oral B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) drug. Oforta is currently approved in the United States for use as a second-line therapy to treat adults with B-cell CLL.

12 May 2009

Closer to an effective treatment for gum disease in smokers

Scientists in the USA have discovered why smokers may be more prone to chronic gum disease (periodontitis). One of the bacteria responsible for this infection responds to cigarette smoke - changing its properties and the way it infects a smokers mouth.

11 May 2009

X-rays help predict permanent bone damage from bisphosphonates

Breast cancer patients, individuals at risk for osteoporosis and those undergoing certain types of bone cancer therapies often take drugs containing bisphosphonates. These drugs have been found to place people at risk for developing osteonecrosis of the jaws (a rotting of the jaw bones).

7 May 2009

Zinc supplementation can be ineffective in the treatment of diarrhea

Zinc supplementation can be ineffective in the treatment of diarrhea. A randomised controlled trial published in the open access journal BMC Medicine has shown that supplementation with either zinc or zinc and copper is no more effective than placebo.

5 May 2009

ADA releases official stance on obesity, reproduction and pregnancy outcomes

Diet and nutrition counseling for virtually all overweight and obese women of childbearing age can reduce health risks associated with excess weight for mothers and children alike, according to a newly released position paper from the American Dietetic Association and the American Society of Nutrition.

30 Apr 2009

Oral delivery system for RNAi therapeutics

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) report on a novel approach to the delivery of small bits of genetic material in order to silence genes using "RNA interference"-and in the process, discovered a potent method of suppressing inflammation in mice similar to what occurs in a range of human diseases.

30 Apr 2009

Household bleach has a surprising new role: an effective treatment for kids' chronic eczema

Researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered powerful relief in the form of diluted beach baths. It's a cheap, simple and safe treatment that drastically improves the rash as well as reduces flare-ups of eczema, which affects 17 percent of school-age children.

27 Apr 2009

Voice response system useful for monitoring anticoagulant patients

Interactive voice response systems may help improve monitoring of patients taking anticoagulants such as warfarin while reducing the workload of clinical staff, found a study by Ottawa researchers in CMAJ.

27 Apr 2009

Research sheds new light on causes of sepsis

New research from Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine is helping physicians unravel the cause of a deadly and mysterious bowel disease that strikes medically fragile newborn babies.

27 Apr 2009

Roche and Pharmasset start phase IIb clinical trial of R7128 nucleoside polymerase inhibitor for chronic hepatitis C

Pharmasset, Inc. and Roche have announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase IIb study of R7128, the nucleoside polymerase inhibitor most advanced in development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV).

26 Apr 2009

Seattle Genetics presents new data on antibody-drug conjugate

Seattle Genetics, Inc. has announced that data from its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs, SGN-35 and SGN-75, were presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) being held in Denver, CO. Preclinical data with SGN-35 further elucidate its mechanism of action and demonstrate its superior antitumor activity in lymphoma compared with non-targeted agents. In addition, data with SGN-75 indicate its therapeutic potential in multiple types of solid tumors.

22 Apr 2009

Hormone therapy may lower colorectal cancer risk in women

In a large study, a national team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic scientists observed that self-reported use of hormone therapy was associated with a significantly lower colorectal cancer risk.

22 Apr 2009

AcelRx starts cancer breakthrough pain program

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that it has initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of ARX-02, a proprietary sublingual sufentanil NanoTab product candidate for cancer breakthrough pain control.

22 Apr 2009

AEterna Zentaris presents results for AEZS-112 in advanced cancer and lymphoma

AEterna Zentaris Inc. has presented a poster outlining Phase 1 results for its orally-active tubulin and topoisomerase II inhibitor compound, AEZS-112, in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphoma, which may potentially provide a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer.

22 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

Ardea Biosciences announces positive results from a phase 1 study of lead candidate for hyperuricemia and gout

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. has announced positive results from a Phase 1 study in normal, healthy volunteers of RDEA594, its lead product candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, and a pilot Phase 2a proof-of-concept study in gout patients of RDEA594's prodrug, RDEA806 (RDEA806 is converted to RDEA594 in the body).

20 Apr 2009

Acupuncture relieves symptoms of xerostomia

Twice weekly acupuncture treatments relieve debilitating symptoms of xerostomia - severe dry mouth - among patients treated with radiation for head and neck cancer, researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the current online issue of Head & Neck.

20 Apr 2009

Oral contraceptives impair muscle mass gains in young women

Many active young women use oral contraceptives (OC) yet its effect on their body composition and exercise performance has not been thoroughly studied.

20 Apr 2009