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AstraZeneca begins selumetinib Phase 3 clinical trial in NSCLC patients

AstraZeneca today announced the first patient randomized in a Phase 3 clinical trial for selumetinib, an oral, potent, selective MEK inhibitor, being investigated as second-line therapy in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer whose tumors are KRAS mutation-positive.

22 Oct 2013

RNA-based gene expression test potentially determine presence or absence of BRAF V600E mutation

Veracyte, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company pioneering the field of molecular cytology, today announced preliminary study results suggesting the potential for an RNA-based gene expression test to accurately detect the BRAF V600E gene mutation in thyroid nodule fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples.

19 Oct 2013

Ultrasound prior to thyroidectomy important for planning surgery

Ultrasound imaging is commonly used to diagnose and evaluate patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, and to determine whether the disease has spread to lymph nodes in the neck that should be removed at the time of thyroidectomy.

17 Oct 2013

Overutilization of radioactive iodine to treat PTC leads to worse access to health care

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommends against the routine use of radioactive iodine after surgery to remove the thyroid in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

17 Oct 2013

Thyroid specialists recommend thyroid function testing for pregnant women

Decreased thyroid function can have a detrimental effect on pregnancy outcomes. A majority of thyroid specialists surveyed recommend thyroid function testing for all pregnant women. The results of a survey conducted at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association will be delivered in a poster to be presented at the upcoming 83rd Annual Meeting of the ATA, October 16-20, 2013, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

17 Oct 2013

BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib effective for patients with papillary thyroid cancer

Mutations in a gene that codes for the enzyme BRAF kinase have been associated with increased risk for papillary thyroid cancer. An early-stage clinical trial of the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib resulted in either a partial response or stable disease in patients with PTC and BRAF mutations.

17 Oct 2013

Study explores advantages of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy for treating hyperparathyroidism

An open surgical procedure called bilateral neck exploration has been the gold standard operation for treating patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. But the development of a minimally invasive procedure to remove the parathyroid gland now offers a new option.

17 Oct 2013

Researchers find novel drug target for anaplastic thyroid carcinomas

Anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are aggressive tumors that do not respond to traditional radio- or chemotherapeutic agents, and there currently is no cure or effective treatment available. Median survival from diagnosis is 5 months, and although ATC accounts for only 1.7% of all thyroid cancers in the U.S., it is responsible for a large proportion of thyroid cancer-related deaths.

17 Oct 2013

Study shows treatment for hypothyroidism is not associated with weight loss in most people

Decreased thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is commonly associated with weight gain. But contrary to popular belief, effective treatment with levothyroxine (LT4) to restore normal thyroid hormone levels is not associated with clinically significant weight loss in most people.

17 Oct 2013

Cdk5 protein may play crucial role in deadly form of thyroid cancer

A specific protein once thought to exist only in the brain may play a crucial role in a deadly form of thyroid cancer, as well as other cancers, and provide a fresh target for researchers seeking ways to stop its progression, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report today in Cancer Cell.

15 Oct 2013

Scientists develop new method to create stem cells for human liver and pancreas

A new method for creating stem cells for the human liver and pancreas, which could enable both cell types to be grown in sufficient quantities for clinical use, has been developed by scientists.

11 Oct 2013

Theraclion unveils very positive initial clinical results in treatment of thyroid nodules

Theraclion, a company specializing in advanced medical equipment for echotherapy (or ultrasound therapy), has unveiled very positive initial clinical results in the treatment of thyroid nodules. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of its Echopulse device in the treatment of this condition.

10 Oct 2013

Uterine fibroids disproportionately impact African American women

A national survey has found that uterine fibroids have a disproportionate impact on African American women, causing more severe symptoms, interfering with their daily life, and causing them to miss work. These new findings are reported in Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

10 Oct 2013

Widespread prescription of levothyroxine medication may cause more harm than good

A study of patients in the United Kingdom suggests widespread prescribing of the medication levothyroxine sodium to boost thyroid function among patients with borderline high levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone thyrotropin (a sign of low thyroid function), raising the possibility of overtreatment, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

9 Oct 2013

Hypothyroidism linked to COPD exacerbation risk

Research shows that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with hypothyroidism have an elevated exacerbation frequency but, despite this, experience similar quality of life to patients with normal thyroid function.

8 Oct 2013

Lone atrial fibrillation in children has substantial symptomatic burden, recurrence rate

Atrial fibrillation (AF), characterized by a rapid and irregular heartbeat, is the most common chronic arrhythmia in adults, but is rare in children. In one of the first studies of pediatric "lone AF" (AF without associated heart disease), researchers found a nearly 40% recurrence rate and that AF in the young is accompanied by substantial symptoms.

8 Oct 2013

Renowned leaders in diabetes prevention, treatment, research to descend at Jefferson Symposium

Renowned national and international leaders in diabetes prevention, treatment and research will descend on Philadelphia for the Second Annual Diabetes Symposium: New Advances and Innovations, a one-day symposium on advancing patient care at the intersection of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, cancer, sexual health and new this year, physicians and diabetes educators will address the latest advances in managing obesity in the diabetic patient.

7 Oct 2013

Study shows PTSD increases individual's risk of metabolic syndrome

People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and death. A new study involving a comprehensive review of the medical literature shows that PTSD also increases an individual's risk of metabolic syndrome.

3 Oct 2013

Discoveries pave way for use of new therapies for advanced thyroid cancer

For many years, patients with advanced thyroid cancer faced bleak prospects and no viable treatment options. But now, building on recent discoveries about the genetics and cell signaling pathways of thyroid tumors, researchers are developing exciting new weapons against the disease, using kinase inhibitors that target tumor cell division and blood vessels.

30 Sep 2013

Banning the use of harmful flame retardants lowers exposures in pregnant women

Phasing out the use of potentially harmful flame retardants in furniture foam, electronics and plastics has lowered pregnant women's exposure to the substances, which are associated with health problems in both pregnant women and their newborns. The new study, which was published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, was the first to examine the phase-out's effectiveness.

26 Sep 2013

Thyroid News and Research

AstraZeneca begins selumetinib Phase 3 clinical trial in NSCLC patients

RNA-based gene expression test potentially determine presence or absence of BRAF V600E mutation

Ultrasound prior to thyroidectomy important for planning surgery

Overutilization of radioactive iodine to treat PTC leads to worse access to health care

Thyroid specialists recommend thyroid function testing for pregnant women

BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib effective for patients with papillary thyroid cancer

Study explores advantages of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy for treating hyperparathyroidism

Researchers find novel drug target for anaplastic thyroid carcinomas

Study shows treatment for hypothyroidism is not associated with weight loss in most people

Cdk5 protein may play crucial role in deadly form of thyroid cancer

Scientists develop new method to create stem cells for human liver and pancreas

Theraclion unveils very positive initial clinical results in treatment of thyroid nodules

Uterine fibroids disproportionately impact African American women

Widespread prescription of levothyroxine medication may cause more harm than good

Hypothyroidism linked to COPD exacerbation risk

Lone atrial fibrillation in children has substantial symptomatic burden, recurrence rate

Renowned leaders in diabetes prevention, treatment, research to descend at Jefferson Symposium

Study shows PTSD increases individual's risk of metabolic syndrome

Discoveries pave way for use of new therapies for advanced thyroid cancer

Banning the use of harmful flame retardants lowers exposures in pregnant women

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

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