Stomach News and Research

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The rise in over the counter drugs, why?

Switching of prescription drugs to over the counter availability is increasingly common, but what are the motives behind this trend, ask US researchers in this week's BMJ?

3 Jan 2005

Does cancer run in families?

If you have a relative with cancer, probably one of the most pressing questions is what your chances are of getting it yourself. In a paper published in PloS Medicine, the premier medical journal freely available online, Laufey Amundadottir and colleagues from deCODE genetics (a company that is using genetics to develop new drug treatments) and Iceland’s National-University Hospital go some way toward answering that question.

28 Dec 2004

Research animals experience severe stress response at slightest contact with researchers

Mice, rabbits, rats, beagles, geese, and other animals all show measurable physiological stress responses to routine laboratory procedures that have been up until now viewed as relatively benign.

28 Dec 2004

Evidence suggests that changes in the bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract can intensify the immune system's reaction to common allergens

If you want to avoid allergies or asthma, scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School suggest you start paying more attention to what's in your gut.

23 Dec 2004

Advice for patients who have been taking Celebrex or Bextra

The recent announcement that Celebrex, a popular pain drug in the same family as Vioxx, has been found to pose an increased risk of heart problems is bound to leave many pain patients stunned, confused and worried.

20 Dec 2004

Wiping out a protein in skin cancer cells could significantly stall melanoma tumor development

The protein, Akt3, appears to be responsible for promoting tumor cell survival and development in 43 percent to 60 percent of non-inherited melanomas.

13 Dec 2004

Model may explain how alcohol stimulates tumor growth

The investigators found that compared to the saline control group, the embryos exposed to ethanol experienced increases in tumor size, tumor blood vessel density, cancer cell infiltration of blood vessels, and VEGF levels.

13 Dec 2004

Animal model helps explain how AIDS virus spreads throughout the body following oral exposure

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have utilized an animal model to trace how the virus that causes AIDS in humans may enter and spread throughout the body following an oral exposure.

3 Dec 2004

Cryotherapy and MRI shows tumors freezing in real time

Cryotherapy combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is giving doctors unprecedented control during liver cancer treatment by allowing them to observe the tumors freezing in real time, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

30 Nov 2004

Study finds that stomach cancer originates from bone marrow derived stem cells, rather than from stomach stem cells

A common assumption among cancer specialists is that most cancers originate from tissue stem cells – for example, the gastric stem cells contained in the lining of the stomach.

29 Nov 2004

Stem cells' repair skills could be link to cancer

Johns Hopkins researchers say there is growing evidence that stem cells gone awry in their efforts to repair tissue damage could help explain why long-term irritation, such as from alcohol or heartburn, can create a breeding ground for certain cancers.

23 Nov 2004

Transport route explain why peanuts are one of the most allergenic foods

A UK scientist has discovered the route and type of transport taken by peanut proteins through the gut to the immune system. This route favours an immune response, which helps explain why peanuts are one of the most allergenic foods.

18 Nov 2004

Chronic pain influenced by social background

Griffith University research has shown that recovery from chronic pain is heavily dependent on the socio-economic status of the patient, rather than the nature of the healthcare they receive.

16 Nov 2004

World’s strongest acid may have a role in synthesizing pharmaceuticals

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered the world’s strongest acid. Remarkably it is also the gentlest acid. This non-toxic and non-corrosive acid may have a role in processes such as improving the quality of gasoline, developing polymers and synthesizing pharmaceuticals.

16 Nov 2004

Study clarifies BRCA1 and BRCA2 links with other cancers

The largest population study ever done into the risk of cancer in families that fulfil the criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation testing has confirmed that breast and ovarian cancers are the major concerns for geneticists and doctors counselling families.

14 Nov 2004

Low carb diets, like the Atkins and South Beach Diets, may be the best option for men who want to slim

New research, published in the BioMedCentral journal, Nutrition & Metabolism, shows that over 70% of men lost more weight and fat on a low carbohydrate diet, despite eating more calories.

14 Nov 2004

Smoking and high salt intake, but not tea and alcohol, implicated in acid reflux

Smoking and a high dietary salt intake significantly increase the risk of acid reflux, but tea and alcohol, often thought to be culprits, seem to have little impact, finds a large study in Gut.

10 Nov 2004

Cranberry juice may help prevent gum disease

New research presented at a recent symposium suggests that cranberry juice may help prevent certain oral health problems, including diseases of the gums and teeth.

9 Nov 2004

New study to determine whether natural tomato oil may reverse or delay progression of prostate cancer

Lycopene, an antioxidant commonly found in tomatoes and tomato-based products, is commonly perceived to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

8 Nov 2004

Treatment to control gastroesophageal reflux disease in children found to be ineffective

According to a study published in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, more than 60 percent of the children who received surgical fundoplication to control gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) had recurring symptoms of the disease months following surgery.

4 Nov 2004