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NIH-funded study suggests potential to predict peanut allergy immunotherapy outcomes

A new NIH-funded study suggests that changes in immune cell subtypes after oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy can help predict treatment success. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found a novel T-cell population that likely would not mount an allergic response expanded with treatment.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 25, 2016

Autoimmune cerebellar ataxia

A Mayo Clinic study found that nearly three-quarters of patients with autoimmune cerebellar ataxia were women. The median duration from symptom onset to last follow-up was 25 months, with 51 patients experiencing physician-reported neurologic improvement with immunotherapy and cancer therapy.

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalJAMA Neurology·DateSep 29, 2015

Ludwig Cancer Research and the Cancer Research Institute evaluate immunotherapeutic strategies for brain cancer and other types of solid tumors

Ludwig Cancer Research and the Cancer Research Institute launched clinical trials to evaluate immunotherapeutic strategies for brain cancer and various solid tumors. The trials will test MedImmune's checkpoint blockade antibody durvalumab in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly form of adult brain cancer.

State-of-the-science help for hay fever sufferers

Hay fever sufferers can benefit from state-of-the-science treatments like sublingual immunotherapy. The American Academy of Otolaryngology recommends this treatment for patients with specific allergies who don't respond to other treatments, with a completion period of up to five years. Other key recommendations include diagnosing and t...

Desensitisation approaches effective against hayfever-like allergies

A new Cochrane Systematic Review finds sublingual immunotherapy significantly reduces symptoms of allergic rhinitis and medication requirements. The treatment has very few serious adverse effects and is effective in children, offering a convenient alternative to injection immunotherapy.

SourceWiley·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·DateDec 7, 2010

Carbon nanotubes boost cancer-fighting cells

Researchers at Yale University found that carbon nanotubes cause T cell antigens to cluster in high concentrations, stimulating the body's natural immune response. This breakthrough could improve current adoptive immunotherapy for cancer treatment by increasing T cell proliferation.

SourceYale University·JournalLangmuir·DateApr 20, 2010

Warning sign for potential anti-cancer approach

A new study suggests that stimulating human lung cancer cells with TLR7 or TLR8 agonists can lead to increased tumor cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy. This approach is being investigated as an adjuvant for anticancer immunotherapies, but caution should be exercised due to these potential risks.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 8, 2010

Drinking milk to ease milk allergy?

Researchers found that gradually increasing doses of milk protein over time can help children with severe and persistent milk allergy tolerate the allergen, reducing symptoms and building tolerance. The study suggests oral immunotherapy may be a promising treatment option for food allergies.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateOct 30, 2008

Children with serious insect-sting allergies should get shots to avoid life-threatening reactions

Researchers found that children who received venom allergy shots had significantly fewer life-threatening reactions when restung, even years later. Dr. Rebecca Gruchalla recommends the shots for kids with severe allergic reactions to insect stings, which are responsible for at least 40 fatal stings per year.

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateAug 11, 2004

Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer offers no survival benefit after 10 years

A randomized clinical trial showed that adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy for colon cancer patients offer no disease-free or overall survival benefits after 10 years. The improvements in 5-year survival rates observed in the past have disappeared over time, suggesting that newer chemotherapy regimens may be more effective.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateAug 3, 2004

Potential allergy vaccine boosts hope for sufferers

Researchers at the University of Melbourne have developed a potential allergy vaccine using a modified rye grass protein that reduces allergenic response while boosting immune system. The vaccine, delivered in its pure form, may significantly reduce risk of anaphylactic shock and increase immunotherapy efficacy.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalEuropean Journal of Immunology·DateFeb 6, 2002