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Broccoli sprout extract may help prevent cancer recurrence in head and neck cancer survivors

Potent doses of broccoli sprout extract activate a "detoxification" gene and may help prevent cancer recurrence in survivors of head and neck cancer, according to a trial by the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, partner with UPMC CancerCenter, confirming preliminary results presented last year at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting.

24 Jun 2016

Drinking piping hot beverages may increase risk of esophagus tumors

Drinking piping hot coffee, tea and the caffeine-infused beverage yerba mate probably causes cancer, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday.

16 Jun 2016

Very hot drinks probably cause cancer, warns WHO

The cancer agency of the World Health Organization says drinking very hot beverages is probably associated with esophageal cancer.

16 Jun 2016

FDA approves novel stomach-draining device to treat obesity

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new obesity treatment device that uses a surgically-placed tube to drain a portion of the stomach contents after every meal.

15 Jun 2016

New experimental antibiotic can help combat MRSA infections

A new experimental antibiotic developed by a team of scientists at Rutgers University successfully treats the deadly MRSA infection and restores the efficacy of a commonly prescribed antibiotic that has become ineffective against MRSA.

14 Jun 2016

U-M researchers explore new way to improve cognitive issues in MS patients

Multiple sclerosis looks different from person to person. In many individuals, though, the difficulty in maintaining a sense of self and in keeping up intellectually can be the disease's most devastating manifestations.

14 Jun 2016

Pembrolizumab drug shows significant clinical responses in metastatic head and neck cancer patients

Treating head and neck cancer patients with recurrent or metastatic disease with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab resulted in significant clinical responses in a fifth of the patients from a phase II clinical trial, researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions reported at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

7 Jun 2016

Metformin along with chemotherapy/radiation improves outcomes in head and neck cancer patients

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have found that adding increasing doses of an approved Type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, to a chemotherapy and radiation treatment regimen in head and neck cancer patients is not well tolerated if escalated too quickly, but allowing slower escalation could be beneficial.

6 Jun 2016

Computerized virtual haptic system for NGT placement can provide students with safe, self-paced training

Nasogastric intubation, through the nostril and the throat, is an essential clinical procedure for inserting a plastic tube into the stomach for feeding or drainage. However, the placement is a blind process in which the tube may be misplaced and could lead to unexpected complications or fatal incidents.

1 Jun 2016

Ocaliva drug gets FDA approval for primary biliary cholangitis treatment

On Friday, May 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for Ocaliva (obeticholic acid) for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA, or as a single therapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA.

1 Jun 2016

Zinbryta gets FDA approval for treating adults with relapsing forms of MS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zinbryta (daclizumab) for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Zinbryta is a long-acting injection that is self- administered by the patient monthly.

28 May 2016

Researchers partially restore lost function of isolated cystic fibrosis lung cells

In experiments with isolated cystic fibrosis lung cells, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues from two other institutions have partially restored the lost function of those cells.

26 May 2016

Common misconception about penicillin allergies

It's time for your primary care check-up, and the doctor asks you to list any known drug allergies. "Penicillin," you say immediately, although you can't remember actually taking the drug or having a reaction to it—it was your parents who said so. According to a Texas A&M Health Science Center allergist, many people who believe they're allergic to this antibiotic may not actually be allergic at all.

5 May 2016

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

In a study prompted in part by suggestions from people with mental illness, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a history of Candida yeast infections was more common in a group of men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder than in those without these disorders, and that women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who tested positive for Candida performed worse on a standard memory test than women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who had no evidence of past infection.

4 May 2016

Study estimates 30% of outpatient oral antibiotic prescription in the U.S as inappropriate

An estimated 30 percent of outpatient oral antibiotic prescriptions in the U.S. in 2010-2011 may have been inappropriate, findings that support the need for establishing a goal for outpatient antibiotic stewardship, according to a study appearing in the May 3 issue of JAMA.

4 May 2016

UGA researcher works to advance effective treatment for infectious mononucleosis

The University of Georgia's Mark Ebell wasn't impressed with research on infectious mononucleosis when he wrote his first published review on it back in the 1990s. He still isn't—a subject he discusses in the April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

3 May 2016

Acid suppression drugs frequently prescribed for high-risk newborns, study shows

Since 2006, several published studies have associated the use of some acid suppression medications in hospitalized high-risk babies with infections, necrotizing enterocolitis and increased risk of death. Those medications - histamine-2 receptor antagonists, such as ranitidine (Zantac and others), and proton pump inhibitors, such as esomeprazole (Nexium and others) - were originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in adults and older children.

27 Apr 2016

New KidsMD Alexa skill device allows parents to get easier to access medical information

"My child has a fever of 101. Should I be concerned?" Through a new skill created for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices, parents will now be able to ask Alexa a variety of questions around fever and other common symptoms. The KidsMD Alexa skill was developed by the Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator team at Boston Children's Hospital and launched today.

13 Apr 2016

Vanderbilt's A.S.A.P sees increase in number of patients treated for alpha-gal syndrome

Vanderbilt's Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program (A.S.A.P) has seen an increase in the number of patients being treated for alpha-gal syndrome, commonly known as the red meat allergy linked to tick bites.

7 Apr 2016

Oventus gains FDA clearance for medical device designed to alleviate snoring, OSA

Australian medical device company, Oventus Medical Ltd., has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the O2VENT device, an oral appliance intended to reduce or alleviate snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.