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Study: Patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions need targeted therapies

Exon 20 insertions are the third most common family of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations found in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Little is known about cancers harboring these mutations aside from their lack of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, impairing the development of effective targeted therapies. A recent study published in the February 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, concludes that patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions have similar clinical characteristics to those with common EGFR mutations, but a poorer prognosis.

16 Jan 2013

CDC releases update on polio eradication efforts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released an update on its polio eradication efforts.

16 Jan 2013

Racial and ethnic minorities less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer in the U.S.

A new study conducted in the Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health has determined that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer in the United States.

16 Jan 2013

State roundup: Texas, Ga. companies forming ACOs

College student Emily Howell depended on her local Planned Parenthood clinic. Now, she and nearly 50,000 other Texas women will have to find a new place to get free breast cancer screenings, pap smears and birth control.

16 Jan 2013

New initiative aims to accelerate biomarker search in Parkinson's

A new initiative aims to accelerate the search for biomarkers - changes in the body that can be used to predict, diagnose or monitor a disease - in Parkinson's disease, in part by improving collaboration among researchers and helping patients get involved in clinical studies.

16 Jan 2013

NARAL names Ilyse Hogue to be new president

This former staffer for Media Matters for America and MoveOn.org most recently co-founded Friends of Democracy, a super PAC that raised more than $2.4 million last cycle to support candidates who back campaign finance reform.

16 Jan 2013

Tamoxifen can counteract some pathologic features in mouse model of DMD

A new study has found that tamoxifen, a well-known breast cancer drug, can counteract some pathologic features in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). At present, no treatment is known to produce long-term improvement of the symptoms in boys with DMD, a debilitating muscular disorder that is characterized by progressive muscle wasting, respiratory and cardiac impairments, paralysis, and premature death.

16 Jan 2013

Doctor/nurse shortages come with a twist

A new study said the projected shortage of primary care physicians may be overstated, and new nurses are having trouble finding work.

16 Jan 2013

Blocking cholesterol biosynthesis pathway in cancer cells appears to improve ability of common drugs

Shutting down a specific pathway in cancer cells appears to improve the ability of common drugs to wipe those cells out, according to new research from scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center, published in the January issue of Cancer Discovery.

16 Jan 2013

India marks two years since last diagnosed polio case

On January 13, India "completed two years since the last case of the crippling disease was reported ... a huge achievement for a country that as recently as 2009 reported 741 cases of polio -- more than any other country in the world, and almost half of cases reported globally that year," the Wall Street Journal's "India Real Time" blog reports.

16 Jan 2013

Coenzyme Q10 supplement may boost male fertility

Taking a 3-month course of coenzyme Q10 supplements could improve semen quality among infertile men, show researchers.

16 Jan 2013

Selective strategy for D-dimer testing in DVT

Selecting certain patients for D-dimer testing appears to be a safe and more efficient way of diagnosing deep vein thrombosis than uniformly testing all patients suspected of having the condition, report researchers.

16 Jan 2013

Speech training holds promise for cochlear implant recipients

Behavioral speech therapy programs are effective and efficient for training speech sound production in adults who have received a cochlear implant, exploratory research findings show.

16 Jan 2013

Proteinuria common in canine lymphoma

Approximately a quarter of dogs with lymphoma have proteinuria, a much greater proportion than seen in healthy dogs, indicate research results.

16 Jan 2013

SPECT-CT improves preop foot diagnosis

Research demonstrates the usefulness of radionuclide bone scans with single photon-emission computed tomography and computed tomography for the assessment of patients awaiting foot or angle surgery.

16 Jan 2013

BPA adversely affects kidney function in children

Children with high levels of exposure to bisphenol A are at increased risk for low-grade albuminuria, report researchers.

16 Jan 2013

Berries help women beat heart attack risk

Regular consumption of anthocyanin-rich strawberries and blueberries may help prevent heart attacks in young women, suggest study findings.

16 Jan 2013

Acetaminophen may improve postoperative outcomes

Prophylactically administered intravenous acetaminophen could reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting, research suggests.

16 Jan 2013

Clinician demographics key to primary care career choice

The demographics of physician assistants who choose a career in primary care are similar to those of medical students who also choose primary care, US study findings show.

16 Jan 2013