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African-American men at increased risk of dying of prostate cancer than Caucasian men

African-American men are more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer compared to Caucasian men. World renowned robotic prostate surgeon, Dr. David Samadi, encourages them to have a complete family history of prostate cancer as part of their prevention plan.

15 Sep 2015

Hastings Center receives NSF grant for ethical analysis of next-generation prenatal genetic tests

Prenatal testing is changing dramatically. With greatly expanded low-cost genetic tests - some as simple as a maternal blood test - prospective parents will soon be able to learn far more, far earlier, than ever before about their fetuses' medical conditions and risks, and some nonmedical traits.

11 Sep 2015

SKA2 gene may play a role in development of PTSD

A gene linked in previous research, appears to predict more severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as a thinner cortex in regions of the brain critical for regulating strong emotions and coping with stressful experiences. This study is believed to be the first to show that the spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 2 (SKA2) gene may play a role in the development of PTSD.

2 Sep 2015

Diagnosing traumatic brain injury through a blood test: an interview with Dr Korley

The severity of traumatic brain injury is currently crudely classified as mild, moderate or severe. However, often patients referred to as mild have debilitating symptoms that are not “mild”. Additionally, there are patients currently classified as moderate or severe who regain their pre-injury functional status whereas others don’t.

1 Sep 2015

MACC1 gene can help predict better treatment options for patients with Klatskin carcinoma

Bile duct cancer is rare and is usually detected too late. Often only extensive liver surgery can help or, in rare cases, liver transplantation. But which patients will benefit from surgery and which will not, because their risk of cancer recurrence is too high? With the oncogene MACC1 as a biomarker, physicians for the first time have a tool to decide which treatment option is best for patients with Klatskin carcinoma, one type of bile duct cancer.

1 Sep 2015

Moffitt researchers hope to improve pancreatic cancer survival rates by developing blood test to identify IPMNs

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States and has a 5-year survival rate of only 6 percent, which is the lowest rate of all types of cancer according to the American Cancer Society.

29 Aug 2015

New test predicts breast cancer relapse months in advance

UK-based researchers have developed a blood test that can predict whether patients with breast cancer will experience a relapse after receiving treatment, months before tumors are visible using hospital scans.

27 Aug 2015

Commonly used heart attack blood test may identify people at risk for hypertension

Analysis of blood samples from more than 5,000 people suggests that a more sensitive version of a blood test long used to verify heart muscle damage from heart attacks could also identify people on their way to developing hypertension well before the so-called silent killer shows up on a blood pressure machine.

27 Aug 2015

Researchers find way to screen blood samples to detect presence of precancerous polyps in the colon

Canadian researchers have found a way to screen blood samples for molecular traces that indicate the presence of precancerous polyps in the colon, a key warning sign for colon cancer. Their results, published this week in the journal Biomedical Optics Express, from The Optical Society, may yield a cheaper and less invasive initial screening test for colon cancer that could complement colonoscopy, though further clinical trials will need to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the blood test before it is routinely used.

25 Aug 2015

Electronic triggers can help identify, reduce follow-up delays in evaluation for cancer diagnosis

Electronic triggers designed to search for key data, developed by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, were able to identify and reduce follow-up delays for patients being evaluated for a diagnosis of colon or prostate cancer.

25 Aug 2015

Multi-national group of scientists developing new test for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

A group of clinicians and geochemists are working to develop a test for the most common form of primary liver cancer, HCC (Hepatocellular Carcinoma). HCC kills over 600,000 people worldwide every year.

19 Aug 2015

Tips for preventing ticks, Lyme disease

When a mosquito decides to dine on your blood, you typically know it - there's pain, itch, and annoyance. Ticks, on the other hand, take a stealthier approach, burrowing into hard-to-spot areas and hanging around for hours or days at a time.

14 Aug 2015

Researcher study potential biomarker to determine patients at risk for aggressive breast cancer

Biomarkers are an important part in detecting certain cancers such as the BRCA gene in breast cancer and the PSA antigen in prostate cancer. They are easy to identify in a blood test and can help in diagnosing and giving a prognosis.

12 Aug 2015

Sheffield researchers win national awards for pioneering work on coeliac disease, IBS

Researchers at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have received awards for their work investigating coeliac disease and irritable bowel syndrome, two common gastrointestinal conditions.

10 Aug 2015

New technology that tracks patients' eye movements may accurately measure brain injury

New technology that tracks the eye movements of patients may be a more accurate measure of brain injury than any other diagnostic measurements currently in use, according to a study recently published in the journal Concussion.

7 Aug 2015

New blood test could help diagnose severity of traumatic brain injury

A new blood test could help emergency room doctors quickly diagnose traumatic brain injury and determine its severity.

31 Jul 2015

Resistance training can help reduce liver fat levels in patients suffering from fatty liver disease

Resistance training in the gym leads to a fall in liver fat levels. This is the finding of a new study held at the University of Haifa in cooperation with Tel Aviv Medical Center and Tel Aviv University.

28 Jul 2015

Prostate cancer patients more likely to receive medical care matched to level of risk

After decades of overtreatment for low-risk prostate cancer and inadequate management of its more aggressive forms, patients are now more likely to receive medical care matched to level of risk, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco.

25 Jul 2015

Experts to highlight new diagnostic products, tools to identify heart attacks at 2015 AACC Annual Meeting

The 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, the leading annual event for laboratory medicine, will open on Sunday, July 26, in Atlanta, Georgia. This year's meeting will host more than 400 educational sessions on topics ranging from personalized medicine and infectious diseases to point-of-care and laboratory-developed tests, and will feature more than 200 new cutting edge diagnostic products.

23 Jul 2015

New findings point toward potential blood test to detect schizophrenia

High blood levels of a growth factor known to enable new blood vessel development and brain cell protection correlate with a smaller size of brain areas key to complex thought, emotion and behavior in patients with schizophrenia, researchers report in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

16 Jul 2015