Combination therapy with lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVD) plus stem-cell transplantation is associated with longer progression-free survival than RVD alone for adults with multiple myeloma, according to a study published in the April 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The Study: Michel Attal, M.D., from the Institut Universitaire du Cancer de Toulouse-Oncopole...
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Chewing gum detecting Cancer
Key notes: Cancer detecting chewing gum to replace blood tests, a new product absorbs compounds released by tumors into the saliva. A biotech company has created a chewing gum that detects cancer Volatile organic compounds, unique to each type of cancer, are produced in the body The gum traps the compounds, which will then be...
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Facial-recognition software finds a new use: diagnosing genetic disorders
Dr. Maximilian Muenke has a superpower: He can diagnose disease just by looking at a person’s face. Specifically, he can spot certain genetic disorders that make telltale impressions on facial features. “Once you’ve done it for a certain amount of years, you walk into a room and it’s like, oh, that child has Williams syndrome,”...
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Screening the Dark genome for disease
Researchers have developed a method to swiftly screen the non-coding DNA of the human genome for links to diseases that are driven by changes in gene regulation. The technique could revolutionize modern medicine’s understanding of the genetically inherited risks of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders and others, and lead to new treatments. “Identifying...
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Hand held scanner to detect bed sores before they occur
Key notes: A new target for the life-on-Mars probe: Nasa hand-held scanner is being used to detect bed sores before they occur A hand-held scanner used for Mars missions is being used by NHS doctors The device works by moisture under the skin in commonly-affected areas There are 500,000 reported cases each year in the...
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Stem cell drug screen yields potential alternative to statins
IMAGE: THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION FEATURING FOXGLOVE, THE PLANT FROM WHICH CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES ARE DERIVED. Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have found that a class of heart failure drugs might decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients who do not respond to statins. In a study appearing in the April...
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Molecular ‘GPS’ helps stem cells navigate inside the body
Recent research has identified a novel molecule that could help localise stem cells within the body. Cell therapy holds significant promise for treating a wide range of diseases and tissue defects including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. But in current therapies, most cell types do not reach diseased or damaged tissues efficiently....
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Genetic risk screening for certain conditions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has allowed marketing of 23andMe Personal Genome Service Genetic Health Risk (GHR) tests for 10 diseases or conditions. These are the first direct-to-consumer (DTC) tests authorized by the FDA that provide information on an individual’s genetic predisposition to certain medical diseases or conditions, which may help to make decisions...
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Team examines use of antiparasitic drug as new treatment for brain tumors
Marc Symons, PhD, professor at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is examining if a common medication administered to treat pinworms, could replace the current treatment used for certain brain cancers. Marc Symons, PhD, professor in The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research’s Karches Center for Oncology Research, is examining if a common medication administered...
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Engineered E. Coli could diagnose gut problems
Humans have an uneasy relationship with bacteria- they can make us very sick, but we also couldn’t live without the complex society residing in our guts. Now, researchers at Rice University have engineered E.coli to help detect inflammation in the colon of mice by infiltrating that microbiome and sending color signals through their feces. Eventually...