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Blood-based DNA test spares bladder cancer patients from unnecessary treatments

Testing for tumor DNA in the blood can successfully identify advanced bladder cancer patients who will not relapse following surgery, new research shows.

4 Apr 2024

Lancet Commission predicts sharp increase in global prostate cancer cases

Cases of prostate cancer are projected to double from 1.4 million per year in 2020 to 2.9 million per year by 2040, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) predicted to see the highest increases in cases, according to The Lancet Commission on prostate cancer which will be launched by a presentation at the European Association of Urology Congress.

4 Apr 2024

Novel SARS-CoV-2 mutations found in floodwaters near homeless communities

Study highlights the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and novel spike gene mutations in flood control channels affected by homeless populations, demonstrating the value of environmental surveillance in understanding public health dynamics.

4 Apr 2024

Gene therapy and glycoside drugs offer new hope for polycystic kidney disease treatment

Researchers have shown that dangerous cysts, which form over time in polycystic kidney disease (PKD), can be prevented by a single normal copy of a defective gene.

4 Apr 2024

Discovery of a fundamental biological mechanism opens path for novel therapies

The lab of Yongchao C. Ma, PhD, at Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago discovered a fundamental biological mechanism that could lead to new treatments for neurological diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and autism, as well as different cancers.

4 Apr 2024

Study shows strong social ties may ease the way for older adults in life's final chapter

Study across 19 countries delves into how social connections influence end-of-life outcomes for older adults, revealing that stronger social ties can affect symptom management, healthcare utilization, and the place of death.

4 Apr 2024

Study reveals the impact of prompt design on ChatGPT's health advice accuracy

Study by CSIRO and The University of Queensland highlights how the phrasing of prompts influences the accuracy of health information provided by ChatGPT, showing a significant variance in effectiveness based on prompt design.

4 Apr 2024

Understanding the mechanisms behind cystic fibrosis infections

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes serious and sometimes fatal respiratory and digestive disorders.

4 Apr 2024

Mayo Clinic research shows health benefits of active workstations

A recent Mayo Clinic study suggests that active workstations incorporating a walking pad, bike, stepper and/or standing desk are successful strategies for reducing sedentary time and improving mental cognition at work without reducing job performance.

4 Apr 2024

BMI influences efficacy of nerve-stimulation treatment for sleep apnea, study finds

A nerve-stimulation treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that originally was approved only for people with body mass indexes (BMIs) in the healthy range recently was extended to patients with BMIs up to 40, a weight range generally described as severely obese.

4 Apr 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Florida limits abortion — for now

Florida this week became a major focus for advocates on both main sides of the abortion debate.

4 Apr 2024

Interferon-beta deficiency alters brain response in neuroHIV mouse model

NeuroHIV refers to the effects of HIV infection on the brain or central nervous system and, to some extent, the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.

4 Apr 2024

Newly discovered cause for asthma sparks hope for treatment

Scientists at King's College London have discovered a new cause for asthma that sparks hope for treatment that could prevent the life-threatening disease.

4 Apr 2024

Unlocking role of the cerebellum in reward-based learning

If you reward a monkey with some juice, it will learn which hand to move in response to a specific visual cue – but only if the cerebellum is functioning properly.

4 Apr 2024

Anti-inflammatory therapy shows promise to treat patients following acute myocardial infarction

Research into the protective effects of two anti-inflammatory molecules, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFβ1) and Heligmosomoides polygyrus TGM (HpTGM), following heart attack found that both proteins reduced the inflammatory response within the injured heart and reduced mature scarring.

4 Apr 2024

Gene defect associated with argininosuccinic aciduria corrected using CRISPR-Cas9 technique

Argininosuccinate lyase deficiency (ASLD), also known as argininosuccinic aciduria, is a disease that has been enriched in the Finnish genetic heritage.

4 Apr 2024

The horrors of TMJ: Chronic pain, metal jaws, and futile treatments

A TMJ patient in Maine had six surgeries to replace part or all of the joints of her jaw.

4 Apr 2024

Study shows safety of avoiding extensive lymph node removal in breast cancer patients

It is possible to leave most of the lymph nodes in the armpit, even if one or two of them have metastases larger than two millimeters? This is shown in a trial enrolling women from five countries, led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

4 Apr 2024

Ketogenic diet offers hope for infants with drug-resistant epilepsy

A ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in fat, shows promise as an alternative treatment option for infants with drug-resistant epilepsy, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH).

4 Apr 2024

UCL and Oxford lead major dementia diagnosis trials

Thousands of people in the UK are to take part in countrywide trials to identify accurate and quick blood tests that can diagnose dementia, led by research teams at UCL and Dementias Platform UK, based at the University of Oxford.

4 Apr 2024