A Dartmouth research team has found a machine learning method to predict atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) upgrade to cancer. The model identifies 98% of all malignant cases prior to surgery while sparing 16% of women who would have undergone unnecessary surgery for a benign lesion.
A Dartmouth-led study reveals that exposure to sugary breakfast cereal advertising directly influences children's diets, leading to increased intake of those cereals. The research suggests a concerning link between child-directed high-sugar cereal TV advertising and brand-specific cereal consumption among preschoolers.
A study at Dartmouth has uncovered two significant pathogenic pathways contributing to the development of lung cancer. The research, led by Xuemie Ji, identified interaction pathways in the nervous system and cellular processes involved in nutrient transport and immune response.
A new clinical trial has found that 92.9% of women with two or three sites of cancer in a single breast can undergo breast-conserving surgery, replacing mastectomy as the preferred treatment option for this condition.
Researchers have discovered a new function of the APC protein, which puts the brakes on colon cancer activators. This finding may lead to identification of additional drug targets and improved therapeutic strategies for colon cancer patients.
A new study by Dartmouth Health suggests that e-cigarette use may be more harmful than beneficial, particularly among adolescents and young adults. The research found that e-cigarettes could lead to over 1.5 million years of life lost due to increased smoking rates among youth.
Scientists have identified a therapeutic approach targeting glioma stem cells, which could lead to improved patient survival. By utilizing drugs that target these cancerous cells, the team aims to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy agents and prevent recurrences.
A large genome-wide association analysis identifies novel gene-smoking interactions in lung cancer development, providing new candidate biomarkers. The study found three SNPs associated with non-small cell and squamous cell lung cancer risk, stratifying lung cancer risk by smoking behavior.
Research finds that people with both serrated polyps and conventional adenomas are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer than those with conventional adenomas alone. The study suggests that these individuals may need more intense surveillance to detect potential high-risk adenomas.
A new study by Dartmouth researchers has precisely determined the mechanism of cancer drug gemcitabine in human patients, enabling more effective combination therapies and rational clinical trial design. The research bridged the gap between experimental models and human trials, providing valuable insights into the drug's effects on cel...
A new study found that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab therapy demonstrates manageable safety, notable antitumor activity, and durable responses with promising long-term overall survival in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer. The treatment shows enhanced antitumor activity compared to monotherapy in tumor types such...
Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have discovered a novel synthetic lethality screen to discover molecules that target genetically modified yeast lacking NF1. The team identified one lead candidate called Y100, which disrupts tumor cell growth and induces oxidative stress causing death of NF1-deficient cancer cells.
Researchers found that age is the most strongly associated breast cancer risk factor with normal breast DNA methylation differences. The study characterized molecular differences in healthy tissues that may contribute to cancer risk, providing insight into how epigenetic dysregulation contributes to breast cancer.
Researchers at Dartmouth Health have received a five-year, $12.1 million NIH grant to study and improve the precision of lung cancer risk and screening. The team aims to enhance understanding of gene-environment interactions in lung cancer etiology and translate observations into improved screening eligibility criteria.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies found strong evidence that e-cigarette use increases the risk of subsequent cigarette smoking among adolescents and young adults. E-cigarettes may mimic smoking behavior through similar hand-to-mouth movements and contain nicotine, potentially enhancing addiction.
Researchers have identified 18 new lung cancer susceptibility loci, including 10 novel ones, in the largest genome-wide association study to date. The study found variation around a subunit of the nicotinic receptor and genes related to telomere function play a significant role in adenocarcinoma risk.
A new study by Dartmouth researchers reveals that resident memory T cells reside in the skin, where they can quickly eliminate melanoma cells. This finding suggests that these immune cells play a crucial role in protecting against future tumors and may serve as a target for future cancer therapies.
A new computational method allows researchers to quickly compute immune cell infiltration and calculate personal immune response profiles for thousands of patients. The study reveals complex interactions between different immune cell types in the tumor microenvironment play meaningful roles in patient survival.
A Dartmouth study found that health insurance reduces cancer disparities, but does not eliminate them. Patients from disadvantaged communities showed a larger benefit from health insurance, highlighting the need for improved access to care.
Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have identified the functional role of two distinct DNA modifications, 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), in glioblastoma tissues. The study found that 5hmC signatures had a strong association with patient survival.
The OncoArray technology uses a novel, inexpensive genotyping microarray to analyze DNA variations associated with cancer. Researchers have identified over 100 new loci contributing to common cancers, including lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
A study by Dartmouth Health found that children genetically predisposed to obesity overeat when exposed to TV food ads. The study showed a significant increase in calorie consumption among children who watched food commercials compared to those who watched toy ads.
Underage youths exposed to alcohol ads on TV are more likely to drink and engage in binge drinking, a study suggests. Higher receptivity scores among underage participants predicted the onset of drinking, binge drinking, and hazardous drinking.
Researchers found a significant reduction in Medicare spending of $721 annually per patient, with no adverse consequences for survival, through the use of accountable care organizations (ACOs). ACOs led to better management of acute care, resulting in fewer hospital admissions among beneficiaries with prevalent cancer.
A proposed funding mechanism coupled with a competitive peer-review process may transform the physician workforce, according to an analysis in Health Affairs. The current system is inflexible, ignoring growing needs for competencies beyond acute patient care.
A study suggests that reducing inefficiency in primary care practices can yield dramatic gains in physician capacity and reduce burnout. Modest improvements, such as delegating tasks to non-physicians and reengineering workflows, could result in millions of additional patient visits per year.
The Dartmouth Atlas report shows wide variation in prescription drug use among Medicare patients across US regions, with higher spending not related to proven treatment use. Effective therapies are underused in some areas, while potentially harmful medications are overprescribed.
Researchers at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice found that more than half the US population lives in areas where ACOs have been established. These areas tend to have higher performance on quality measures, greater managed care penetration and lower poverty rates.
Researchers found that six out of ten claims made by TV drug ads are potentially misleading, leaving out important information or exaggerating benefits. The study analyzed advertisements for prescription and over-the-counter drugs aired between 2008 and 2010 and found that most claims were either false or misleading.
A study found that access to healthcare is a key driver in the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer. Insured individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer than those without insurance, highlighting the need for targeted measures to prevent overdiagnosis.
A subgroup analysis from a phase III clinical trial found that eribulin demonstrated a greater potential benefit in overall survival compared to capecitabine for women with previously treated metastatic breast cancer. Specifically, patients with multiple organs involved, those who had not received chemotherapy for six months or longer,...
Researchers identified unique properties of normal MLL1 pathway in hematopoietic stem cells that may be exploited to treat leukemia with MLL1 translocations. This could lead to improved transplantation outcomes for chemotherapy-resistant cancers.
Researchers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center are testing the safety of Nivolumab, a PD-1 receptor blocking antibody, in combination with other drugs in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The study aims to assess safety and tolerability, as well as preliminary antitumor activity.
A recent study suggests that movie advertisements for alcohol products can influence adolescent drinking behavior and that current regulations are insufficient to restrict these placements. The authors propose rating system changes to restrict depictions of drinking in youth-rated movies.
Researchers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have found an innovative drug combination that targets the stubborn CLL cells. The combination of gossypol and navitoclax has shown to be effective in killing CLL cells, offering a new hope for patients with this disease.
Researchers have identified a link between SNPs associated with breast cancer risk and the binding affinity of pioneer factor FOXA1. The study found that most risk-associated SNPs modulate FOXA1 binding, which is crucial for chromatin opening and transcription factor recruitment.
Researchers have identified the importance of Plvap/PV1 gene in forming endothelial caveolae diaphragms, which maintain basal permeability and homeostasis of blood plasma. The study found that PV1 is crucial for the survival of vascular endothelial cells and preventing protein loss.
A phase III clinical trial compared eribulin mesylate to capecitabine in women with previously treated metastatic breast cancer, showing a trend towards improved overall survival. The median overall survival was 15.9 months for eribulin and 14.5 months for capecitabine.
Researchers Samir Soneji and Gary King found that outdated forecasting methods have led to a $730 billion error in the Social Security Trust Fund's prediction for 2030. The study suggests using age- and sex-specific forecasts, as well as risk factors like smoking and obesity, to improve the financial viability of Social Security.
A new probe developed at Norris Cotton Cancer Center and Dartmouth College helps surgeons differentiate between cancerous tissue and normal tissue in low-grade tumors. The probe reads how light travels through tissue, producing a straightforward answer as to whether the tissue is cancerous.
A new study published in Pediatrics found that rating films with an R for smoking can significantly reduce smoking onset in U.S. adolescents. The research, conducted at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, estimates that eliminating smoking from PG-13 movies could lower adolescent smoking rates by as much as 18 percent.
The High Value Healthcare Collaborative will use the grant to implement shared decision making for patients facing hip, knee or spine surgery and for those with diabetes or congestive heart failure. The project aims to reduce utilization and costs by $64 million over three years through patient engagement and activation.
A growing concern overdiagnosis is harming the healthy, with evidence mounting that it's occurring for a wide range of conditions. Overdiagnosis occurs when people are diagnosed and treated for conditions that will never cause them harm.
A study of nearly 11,000 total knee replacements across five top health systems revealed significant variations in length of stay, operating room time, and in-hospital complications. The data showed that surgeons with higher volumes tend to have shorter procedures, while older and sicker patients had longer hospital stays.
Research at Dartmouth-Hitchcock investigates the use of stem cells to treat lower-limb peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition affecting 9 million US patients. The study shows significant improvement in blood flow and reduced risk of amputation among patients who received stem cell therapy.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded Dartmouth Medical School a $11 million grant to establish a network of institutions in northern New England for quantitative biologists. The Center of Biomedical Research Excellence will recruit, train, and support young scientists to investigate the interaction between genes and environment.
A Dartmouth HIV/AIDS study found that a protease inhibitor was working better than nevirapine among infants with no previous exposure to the popular anti-retroviral. The treatment could turn treatment 'on its head' in resource-limited countries, where cheaper alternatives are often preferred.
Four Dartmouth professors, including three from Medical School, were elevated to AAAS Fellows for their outstanding work in protein trafficking, cholesterol metabolism, and bacterial secretory protein translocation. This recognition honors the individual and interdisciplinary achievements of these scientists at Dartmouth.
A new dendritic cell vaccine has been developed at Dartmouth Health, which uses the patient's own tumor cells to stimulate an anti-tumor response. The study found that over 60% of patients who received the vaccine developed immune responses against their tumors, with a significant survival rate five years after treatment.
A new study from Dartmouth Medical School examines the impact of food product placements in movies on children's dietary choices. The research found that sugar-sweetened beverages account for the largest proportion of movie-based brand placements, targeting older children and teenagers who are gaining independence in their food choices.