Research on treating disease with medication. Covers psychedelics, combination cancer therapy, opioid treatment in pregnancy, and personalized guidelines.
A systematic review found that children and teenagers diagnosed with PTSD showed signs of improvement up to three months following treatment. Psychological therapies, particularly cognitive behavioural therapy, have been shown to be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder in children, reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.
A groundbreaking clinical trial reveals that women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer who take tamoxifen for 10 years have a lower risk of recurrence and mortality rate compared to those taking the drug for 5 years. This new finding may prompt patients to reconsider their treatment options, particularly premenopausal women.
A new targeted drug, regorafenib, has demonstrated its ability to control metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in patients who have become resistant to all existing therapies. The treatment improved disease control and survival rates for nearly four months longer than placebo.
Researchers identified potent antiepileptic fatty acids in the ketogenic diet, which could lead to a new pill for controlling seizures. The discovery aims to replace the high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with a safer treatment option.
Researchers explored the benefits of adding radionuclide therapy to cancer treatment regimens for patients with advanced disease. Studies found improved tumor control rates and longer patient survival without significant side effects, suggesting a potential paradigm shift in cancer control.
A new study found that adding Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin to chemotherapy treatment improved the effectiveness of cancer treatment without increasing side effects in older AML patients. The results show a 22% lower risk of relapse and a 13% lower mortality rate compared to standard treatment.
Researchers at MIT developed a microfluidic device that captures circulating tumor cells using DNA 'tentacles' inspired by jellyfish. The device increases flow rates 10 times higher than existing ones, enabling rapid processing of blood samples and potential monitoring of cancer patients.
A new study by the American Psychological Association found that about half of addiction counselors in the US now find moderate drug use acceptable as an intermediate goal, while one-third consider it acceptable as a final goal. However, for clients with severe dependence, limits on consumption are still widely rejected.
A new study published in CNS Drugs found that a single dose of etanercept can rapidly improve chronic neurological dysfunction caused by stroke or traumatic brain injury, even years after the event. The observational study involved 629 patients and documented positive effects on motor impairment, spasticity, cognition, and more.
Cardiac arrhythmias affect over one million people in the UK, with a growing gap between technology advancements and biological understanding. The Lancet series explores new treatments and future directions for arrhythmia management.
Researchers are developing new medications and oral immunotherapy to treat food allergies, such as egg and peanut allergies. These treatments show promise in reducing emergency room visits and healthcare costs associated with food allergies.
A new study found a connection between Alzheimer's disease and the activity level of eIF2alpha protein. Researchers believe altering this protein via drug therapy could lead to a treatment for the incurable disease.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine applied Toyota's lean manufacturing process to improve stroke treatment times, reducing average door-to-needle time from 58 to 37 minutes. The new protocol eliminated inefficient steps and allowed for simultaneous patient care tasks.
Researchers have developed a novel compound from vegetable sources that demonstrates superior anticancer activities, particularly against triple-negative breast cancer. The orally active compounds could offer safer and more effective treatment options for patients.
Dr. Bowen Chung is conducting two studies to improve mental health care for troubled youths and adolescents, focusing on family therapy and resiliency classes. The first study will test the effectiveness of family-focused therapy in improving treatment outcomes for psychotic and bipolar adolescents.
A new study comparing oral medication and Botox injections for treating urge urinary incontinence in women found that both treatments were effective in reducing symptoms, but with varying side effects. The study, which involved nearly 250 women, showed that Botox was more likely to completely eliminate urinary leakage, while oral medic...
Researchers have found that one year of treatment with trastuzumab is as good as two years of treatment, improving outcomes and reducing the risk of disease recurrence. This conclusion comes from the HERA trial, which involved over 5100 women with early HER2-positive breast cancer.
Researchers have discovered a new PET imaging agent that can predict the early response to treatment for head and neck cancer patients. The agent, 3'-deoxy-3'F-18-fluorothymidine (18-F-FLT), showed high accuracy in detecting therapeutic responses and identifying patients needing close follow-up.
Researchers found that administering immunotherapy for three years can achieve long-term control of allergic asthma and reduce symptoms. After three years, 50 percent of children with dust mite-induced asthma experienced remission, needing reduced or no controller medications.
A post-hoc analysis of the phase III MISSION trial suggests that patients with EGFR-mutant tumors may benefit from sorafenib, which showed improved progression-free survival and disease control rates. In contrast, median overall survival was similar between treatment groups.
An observational study found that delamanid can improve outcomes and reduce mortality among MDR-TB and XDR-TB patients when taken for at least 6 months. The treatment resulted in a 74.5% favourable outcome rate, significantly higher than the 55% rate for shorter treatment periods.
Researchers developed a novel microscopy technique that captures precise motion paths in three dimensions, tracking over 24,000 rapidly moving cells. The technique reveals previously unknown statistical pathways for human male gamete cells, showing complex twists and turns in their movements.
Researchers have developed a novel microscopy technique that captures precise motion paths of large numbers of rapidly moving objects under a microscope. The technique recorded the paths of 24,000 human male gamete cells over several seconds, revealing previously unknown statistical pathways.
A new study suggests a personalized approach to treating mild persistent asthma, where patients take inhaled corticosteroids only when needed. This approach, called 'temporal personalization,' has been shown to reduce medication usage and severity of symptoms without impacting quality of life.
Scientists at NIEHS discover a way to turn off P-glycoprotein, a major gatekeeper preventing medicinal drugs from reaching the brain, allowing small therapeutic agents to cross the blood-brain barrier. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for central nervous system diseases such as brain and spinal cord injury, brain cancer, ...
A new study found that brain scans can predict patients' responses to cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder. The researchers measured brain activity while patients looked at faces before treatment and found those with greater activity in high-level visual processing areas showed the most improvement after therapy.
A new study found that patients with common kidney disease IgA nephropathy who have normal kidney function and only minor urinary abnormalities at diagnosis experience remission without special treatments. No patients developed kidney failure over a 20-year follow-up, indicating an excellent prognosis.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation has published new guidelines to help doctors assess treatment efficacy in patients who experience a fracture while on medication for osteoporosis. The guidelines outline a checklist of pragmatic criteria that can be used to define treatment failure and take appropriate action.
A study at ESC Congress 2012 found that renal denervation improved contractile function of the left side of the heart by more than 10% in patients with advanced heart failure. In contrast, standard drug treatment showed no change in contractile function.
A new study found that LCZ696 significantly reduces NT-proBNP levels and left atrium volume in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. The results suggest potential benefits of LCZ696 in treating this type of heart failure.
New devices, such as Solitaire and Trevo, show significant improvements in restoring blood flow and patient outcomes after stroke. These advancements could lead to better treatment options for patients whose traditional drug treatment has failed.
A new channel-forming protein, Panx1, has been identified as a potential target for the treatment of melanoma skin cancer. Over-expression of Panx1 in melanoma cells enables aggressive tumor behavior and metastasis. Researchers suggest targeting this protein with a topical medication to treat melanoma lesions.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine discovered that an enzyme called HDAC2 is involved in reducing the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenic patients. The team found that inhibiting HDAC2 can improve therapeutic effects of antipsychotics and prevent drug resistance.
A new study suggests that hormone acting drugs combined with uterine artery embolization can effectively treat large uterine fibroids without the need for surgery. The treatment has been shown to reduce complications and shrink fibroids by an average of 36%.
Researchers have identified sphingosine kinase as a key player in promoting resistance to breast cancer therapies, such as tamoxifen. Targeted inhibition of SK has shown potential in inducing cell death and blocking tumor growth in drug-resistant models.
A study published in Hepatology reports a promising new therapy for liver fibrosis, a scarring process associated with chronic liver disease that can lead to organ failure. The NADPH oxidase inhibitor GKT137831 was found to suppress fibrotic gene expression and prevent further fibrosis in mouse models.
A team of researchers used computational analysis to identify a new therapeutic strategy for treating drug-resistant breast cancer. The study found that disrupting glucose metabolism is an effective approach, targeting existing drugs like Lapatinib. This discovery may offer improved treatments for breast cancer patients.
A study found that interferon beta treatment did not slow disease progression in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. The researchers compared patients treated with interferon beta to those without treatment, but did not find a significant difference in disability progression.
Researchers discovered an uncommon mutation of the BRAF gene in melanoma patients that responds to MEK inhibitor drugs. The BRAF L597 mutation is adjacent to the V600 mutation and was found in 4% of tumor samples, suggesting potential benefits from MEK inhibitors.
A Harvard researcher predicts that a multi-drug approach could make many cancers 'manageable' by targeting the KRAS gene. This strategy involves using at least two drugs to combat drug resistance, which currently limits targeted therapy's effectiveness.
A weekly stress management program for patients with multiple sclerosis prevented the development of new brain lesions, a marker of the disease's activity in the brain. The study showed that stress management therapy reduced two types of new brain lesions common in multiple sclerosis.
Pre-notification by EMS significantly improved treatment times for stroke patients, including arrival-to-imaging and tPA treatment within 60 minutes. However, rates varied widely among hospitals and states, highlighting the need for improved stroke care systems.
A new second-line treatment for Type 2 diabetes, linagliptin, has shown less hypoglycemia and weight gain compared to sulphonylureas. Patients treated with linagliptin experienced lower rates of cardiovascular events, but further studies are needed to confirm this finding.
A landmark randomized clinical trial is testing whether earlier treatment can prevent or delay heart damage in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The study uses enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect early changes in heart function and evaluate the effectiveness of an anti-fibrosis drug regimen.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has released comprehensive reviews of the most effective treatments for alcohol dependence, emphasizing medication and psychosocial therapies. These interventions have been shown to be effective in treating problem alcohol use and concurrent disorders.
The Feinstein Institute has received a $9.3 million federal grant to train clinicians on better care for patients with schizophrenia. The three-year grant will educate providers on new mental health protocols and technology resources to deliver more-effective treatments.
The new drug dabrafenib has shown significant improvements in progression-free survival for patients with BRAF mutation-positive melanoma, with an average of 5.1 months compared to 2.7 months with existing treatment dacarbazine. The results also suggest that dabrafenib may have fewer severe side effects than other BRAF inhibitors.
A proposed drug treatment has shown promise in reversing Huntington's disease symptoms in animal models, with sustained motor and neurological benefits reported. The therapy silences the mutated gene responsible for the disease by using antisense oligonucleotides to destroy toxic proteins.
A novel chemotherapeutic agent, BAY 86-9766, has shown dramatic tumor shrinkage and prolonged survival in a genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The treatment was effective even in animals with advanced tumors and ascites, a common presentation in humans.
A new trial shows that a short-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment can prevent recurrences of atrial fibrillation as effectively as long-term treatment. The Flec-SL trial found that patients treated with flecainide for four weeks had fewer AF relapses than those receiving long-term treatment.
A telephone intervention trial found that patients with glaucoma showed improved medication adherence when receiving automated calls and printed materials. However, interactive voice recognition devices may play a supportive role in improving adherence, while further study is needed.
A new treatment method using computers to address childhood anxiety disorders has shown promising results. The Attention Bias Modification (ABM) program, which uses a technique to reduce anxiety by changing thought patterns, was found to be as effective as medication and cognitive therapy for children.
A study at EULAR 2012 found that tailoring biologic treatment to individual patients with rheumatoid arthritis can save €2,595,557 in costs over three years while increasing effectiveness by an average of 3.67 quality-adjusted life years
A new study identifies a unique alliance of proteins that plays a major role in the development of heart failure. Chronic high levels of adrenaline spur activation of PAR1, which causes cardiac dysfunction. Targeting either protein in the pathway may hold promise for treatment.
A new frontline treatment regimen combining carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and low-dose dexamethasone resulted in complete or near complete remission in a majority of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The study found that the regimen was well-tolerated, with improved responses as treatment continued.
Researchers discovered that GPR21 inhibition improves insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure in mice with obesity. The absence of GPR21 also reduces inflammation and decreases body weight under normal diet conditions. Additionally, another study found that FOXO1 plays a critical role in regulating energy balance and glucose metabol...
Scientists have identified a highly conserved 'switch' in the Hepatitis C virus that can be targeted by custom-designed drugs to lock it into an inactive state. This discovery offers a promising approach to treating the virus, which affects over 170 million people worldwide.
A study found that doctors who rarely meet with pharmaceutical sales representatives are slower to change prescriptions based on new information, taking up to four times longer than their peers. The study suggests that limiting access to reps can result in serious information gaps and affect prescription behavior.
Researchers have identified a biomarker that can predict which patients will benefit from bevacizumab treatment. The variant in DNA found in blood samples of cancer patients showed predictive value for treatment with bevacizumab, potentially allowing for patient-tailored use of the drug and increasing the chances of survival.
Researchers found an association between bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures in patients age 50 years and older. The study suggests that the risk is significantly higher for patients treated with bisphosphonates for longer periods, supporting the notion of a causal link.