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New development of genetic tool to speed discovery of novel genes involved in cancer

Researchers have developed a genetic tool in mice to speed the discovery of novel genes involved in cancer. The system - called PiggyBac - has already been used by the team to identify novel candidate cancer-causing genes.

15 Oct 2010

Journal of Clinical Oncology publishes IPI-504 Phase 2 study results

Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that results from its Phase 2 study of IPI-504, a novel IV-administered Hsp90 chaperone inhibitor, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

15 Oct 2010

FibroGen announces initiation of FG-3019 phase 2 study for reversing liver fibrosis

FibroGen, Inc. today announced initiation of a phase 2 study to compare the efficacy of FG-3019, a human monoclonal antibody against connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), with placebo in reversing liver fibrosis (scarring of the liver) due to chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV).

15 Oct 2010

BIOTRONIK announces European release of TI Trend Chart

BIOTRONIK SE Co. & KG, leading manufacturer of cardiovascular devices, has announced the European release of its Thoracic Impedance (TI) Trend Chart via its pioneering BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring technology and Lumax 540 implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) series.

15 Oct 2010

Cancer cluster among Sydney Harbour Bridge workers triggers investigation

There are reports of a cancer cluster among Sydney Harbour Bridge workers with at least eight known cases that unions believe are linked to the use of lead paint. The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) will investigate the matter. Of the eight workers five have already died and all of them had been involved in painting and maintaining the bridge for more than 10 years, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said. This included scraping off lead paint, initially with little protective equipment.

14 Oct 2010

28% of health care workers in 'work risk' category will not get flu vaccine

A new Consumer Reports Health poll reveals a disconcerting proportion of "at risk" groups who will not get the flu vaccine this year. Of most concern, only 40% of Americans in the "work risk" category—meaning those who care for young children and those who work in residential nursing homes, hospitals, and other health care environments—said they would definitely get the vaccine this year, which combines the seasonal and the 2009 H1N1 (swine) flus, while 28% said they would definitely not get the vaccine.

14 Oct 2010

ERS calls Europeans for lung test on World Spirometry Day

With new data revealing 23 Europeans die each hour from a preventable lung condition, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) is calling on people across Europe to get their lungs tested on the first ever World Spirometry Day 14th October.

14 Oct 2010

IsoRay initiates study of Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds for NSCLC cancer

IsoRay, Inc. announced today the initiation of a multi-institutional study of Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds (internal radiation therapy) for use in Non Small Cell Lung Cancers (NSCLC). A number of institutions and physicians will be working to collect scientific data to further the use of Cesium-131 internal radiation therapy in conjunction with surgery for NSCLC.

14 Oct 2010

Humanitas Clinic treats first cancer patient using TrueBeam technology

A 54-year-old head & neck cancer patient has become the first person in Italy to be treated using a revolutionary new linear accelerator that can deliver radiotherapy twice as fast as conventional therapy machines. The Humanitas Clinic in Rozzano-Milan carried out the treatment last week, becoming only the third hospital in Europe to begin clinical treatments using TrueBeam from Varian Medical Systems.

13 Oct 2010

Research may pave way to cure cystic fibrosis

A University of Missouri researcher believes his latest work moves scientists closer to a cure for cystic fibrosis, one of the world's most common fatal genetic diseases.

13 Oct 2010

Researchers investigate statin drugs to treat lung disease

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast are investigating a potential new treatment for lung disease that could save many lives each year. The research team is studying how statins, drugs which are commonly used to treat high cholesterol, can be used to treat lung disease.

13 Oct 2010

Cancer Research UK launches programme to turn genetic revolution into better treatment for cancer patients

Cancer Research UK has launched a multimillion pound programme, alongside the Technology Strategy Board's Innovation Platform, to help turn the genetic revolution into better treatment for cancer patients.

13 Oct 2010

Studies examine risk factors for hospital readmission

In two studies published today in the Journal of Hospital Medicine, the risk factors for readmission to the hospital are examined based upon general medicine inpatients and those with at least two admissions in a six-month period. Alongside clinical factors such as having cancer, chronic diseases such as heart failure or lung disease, or being on high-risk medications, the studies identified other factors which increase the likelihood of a patient being readmitted which could help hospitalists focus in on these groups.

13 Oct 2010

Patients with advanced cancer undergo common non-beneficial cancer screening tests

A sizeable proportion of patients with advanced cancer and a life expectancy of only a few years continue to undergo common cancer screening tests that are unlikely to provide meaningful benefit, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Oct 2010

Threshold announces TH-302 Phase 1/2 clinical trial interim results

Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced interim results from an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial in various solid tumors related to its hypoxia-activated prodrug, TH-302. The results were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting being held in Milan, Italy.

13 Oct 2010

Kennedy Krieger Institute launches phase II clinical trial to investigate Revatio for DMD treatment

Kennedy Krieger Institute announced today the launch of a first‐of‐its‐kind, phase II clinical trial to investigate a treatment for heart disease in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

13 Oct 2010

US Oncology enrolls 1,000th patient in Phase I clinical trial

US Oncology, Inc., the nation's leading integrated oncology company, announced today that it has enrolled the 1,000th patient in a Phase I clinical trial through its US Oncology Research Network. Phase I clinical trials present special challenges, including increased safety concerns, higher variability of patient disease, more complex trial designs, and some first-in-human trials, making Phase I trials more difficult to operate in the community setting.

13 Oct 2010

Cancer patients getting unnecessary tests: Study

US researchers revealed that many cancer patients with only a few years to live often continue to get routine mammograms or blood tests for prostate cancer even though they are not likely to live long enough to benefit from them. This not only wastes money but also exposes patients to unnecessary worry and distress.

12 Oct 2010

Trapped Chilean miners might be changed forever: Psychologists

The Chilean miners who have been trapped for more than two months may emerge with psychological problems say experts as the rescue approached. Rescue teams were set to start hoisting up the first of 33 miners, trapped down around 700 metres, to the surface around midnight on Tuesday (1400 AEDT Wednesday), Mines Minister Laurence Golborne said.

12 Oct 2010

Challenges in provision of high-quality health care at end of life

Health care in the last six months of life has become progressively more expensive for patients with heart failure both among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States and older adults in Canada, with a high rate of hospitalizations in the final six months of life in both countries, according to two reports posted online today that will be published in the February 14 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010