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Genomic fortune-telling fails to provide informative guidance to most people

With sharp declines in the cost of whole genome sequencing, the day of accurately deciphering disease risk based on an individual's genome may seem at hand. But a study involving data of thousands of identical twins by Johns Hopkins investigators finds that genomic fortune-telling fails to provide informative guidance to most people about their risk for most common diseases, and warns against complacency born of negative genome test results.

3 Apr 2012

Study shows how morphine creates inflammatory response in the brain

An international team of researchers involving the University of Adelaide and University of Colorado has made a major discovery that could lead to more effective treatment of severe pain using morphine.

3 Apr 2012

Secondary cancer risk from MDCT scans is low among older adults

The secondary cancer risk from multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans is low among older adults, according to a study from Stanford University in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. MDCT is a high-speed imaging technique that is commonly used to diagnose a variety of diseases and conditions.

3 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: 'Outrageously high fee' for emergency services; Mysterious rise in autism cases

The calculus for medical charges in general is beyond comprehension, with outrageously high fees used as a starting point in a bizarre game of bargaining. Glenn Melnick, who teaches hospital finance at USC, told me it's as crazy as if he asked to buy the TV in my living room, and I gave him a price of $1 million to start the conversation.

3 Apr 2012

Onyx announces results from regorafenib Phase 3 trial on GIST

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced results from the Phase 3 trial GRID (GIST – Regorafenib in Progressive Disease) evaluating the investigational compound regorafenib (BAY 73-4506), a Bayer-owned compound, for the treatment of patients with metastatic and/or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) whose disease has progressed despite prior treatment with at least imatinib and sunitinib.

3 Apr 2012

TLR4/MD-2 protein complex triggers morphine-induced inflammation

A University of Colorado Boulder-led research team has discovered that two protein receptors in the central nervous system team up to respond to morphine and cause unwanted neuroinflammation, a finding with implications for improving the efficacy of the widely used painkiller while decreasing its abuse potential.

3 Apr 2012

NutraGene introduces first ever commercial type 2 diabetes genetic test

With the launch of the country's first ever commercial genetic test for type 2 diabetes, Indians will now have access to clinically relevant and cost effective genetic risk assessment services. NutraGene, a Delhi based genomics company that launched the tests believes that its type 2 diabetes genetic test will provide physicians an effective tool in assessing the risk of diabetes in the Indian population and will help in implementing personalized prevention and management strategies.

3 Apr 2012

Meda opens China affiliate based in Beijing

Meda has established an affiliate in Hong Kong. At the end of last year, Meda opened its China affiliate based in Beijing. Meda will begin by commercializing two of its well-established products in Hong Kong; Elidel for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (eczema) and azelastine for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

3 Apr 2012

Combination treatment effective against melanoma

Research from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) shows that a coordinated effort to block signaling pathways that promote cancer cell growth and survival enhances programmed cell death in melanoma.

3 Apr 2012

Expensive robotic-assisted bladder cancer surgery results in fewer deaths, in-patient complications

With technological advancements opening the door to less invasive medical procedures, robotic-assisted surgery is becoming increasingly popular, despite being more expensive than traditional surgery. Robotic-assisted surgical removal of the bladder due to cancer is a new approach to the traditional "open" - or more invasive - operation called a radical cystectomy.

3 Apr 2012

New data demonstrates anti-cancer activities of Oncoprex

New data demonstrating the anti-cancer activities of Oncoprex were presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Chicago, IL. The study, "Synergistic antitumor activity of AKT inhibitor MK2206 and FUS1 nanoparticles in LKB1 mutant NSCLC" (Meng J, Lara-Guerra H, Ji L, Roth JA) is authored by a team of investigators from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

3 Apr 2012

Transgenic mice to visualize metastasis and inflammation

One of the major routes of tumor cell dissemination to form metastasis at distant organs in the body is the lymphatic system. To study this process, still poorly understood, and to gain information on which tumors prefer this route for dissemination and how to block it, researchers of the Spanish National Cancer Research Center, led by researcher Sagrario Ortega, have created transgenic mice in which, for the first time, the growth of the lymphatic vessels can be visualized in the whole animal, by a light-emitting reaction, as tumor progresses and forms metastasis.

3 Apr 2012

UCD develops Adult Dose-Risk Smartcard

According to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, the department of radiology at the University of Colorado in Denver has developed a convenient, pocket-sized reference card to communicate the effective doses and radiation risks of common adult radiologic exams to referring physicians and patients.

3 Apr 2012

UCB receives FDA approval for Neupro to treat idiopathic Parkinson's, RLS

UCB announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and as a treatment for moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome.

3 Apr 2012

ACOEM joins AHA, ALA and other organizations to formally oppose S.J. Res. 37

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) has joined the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and other leading organizations to formally oppose S.J. Res. 37, a resolution by Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla) that employs the Congressional Review Act to reverse the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Power Plants.

3 Apr 2012

Avedro, ACOS commence accelerated corneal cross-linking Phase 3 study

ACOS and Avedro, Inc. jointly announced today the initiation of a Phase 3, multi-center, randomized, controlled evaluation to study accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking in eyes with keratoconus or corneal ectasia after refractive surgery.

3 Apr 2012

PET allows survival predictions in sarcoma after initial cycle of neoadjuvant chemo

An early Positron Emission Tomography (PET) response after the initial cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be used to predict increased survival in patients with soft tissue sarcomas, according to a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

3 Apr 2012

MMRF announces unique oncology research partnership

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) today announced a unique oncology research partnership. This multi-year agreement involves several partners including the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Spectrum Health, and the Van Andel Research Institute.

3 Apr 2012

Patients prefer immediate access to radiology reports

You've been experiencing severe back pain and weakness in your right leg. Your doctor orders a spinal MRI to help determine the cause. The radiology report diagnoses cancer. Would you rather read the detailed medical report right away at home or wait until your doctor was available to explain the test results, diagnosis and treatment options? This scenario was part of a study at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center designed to determine if patients wanted online access to radiology test results and, if so, how quickly.

3 Apr 2012

Detailed information on how metastasin protein facilitates spread of tumour cells

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Gothenburg have managed for the first time to obtain detailed information about the role of the protein metastasin in the spread of tumour cells.

3 Apr 2012