A new phase II trial finds that a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy led to encouraging survival outcomes and acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The combination of radiation and pembrolizumab may offer a new treatment option for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy, part of standard treatment for the disease. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium, taking place February 27-29 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Read More
CDC: Prevalence of obesity 42.4 percent in 2017 to 2018
(HealthDay)—The prevalence of obesity was 42.4 percent among U.S. adults in 2017 to 2018, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Read More
NTHU research team develops new treatment for cancer
A research team led by Dr. Yunching Chen and Tsai-Te Lu of National Tsing Hua University have recently developed a new treatment for cancer, in which blood vessels within malignant tumors are normalized by injecting a specially developed nanodelivery system for nitric oxide (NanoNO), which also facilitates the delivery of cancer drugs and immunocytes into the tumor.
Read More
Malawi passes medical cannabis legislation
Malawi on Thursday became the latest African country to legalise the growing of cannabis, a crop that could supplement the tobacco industry, which has been the country’s economic mainstay.
Read More
Drug used for breast, kidney cancers may also extend survival for head and neck cancers
A targeted therapy drug used for breast and kidney cancers may also extend progression-free survival for patients with advanced head and neck cancer who are at high risk for recurrence after standard treatment. Patients enrolled in a randomized phase II trial who received the mTOR inhibitor everolimus were more likely to be cancer-free a year after therapy than those who took a placebo drug, and the benefit persisted for those with mutations in their TP53 gene. The findings may present a new treatment option for a group of patients whose survival rates have not improved in more than 30 years.
Read More
Handheld 3-D printers developed to treat musculoskeletal injuries
Biomedical engineers at the UConn School of Dental Medicine recently developed a handheld 3-D bioprinter that could revolutionize the way musculoskeletal surgical procedures are performed.
Read More
High doses of vitamin C found to enhance immunotherapy in combating cancer in mice
A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in Italy has found that giving cancerous mice high doses of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) enhanced immunotherapy, resulting in slowed or stopped tumor growth. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the researchers describe their studies of vitamin C and how it might be used to treat cancer patients.
Read More
New radiopharmaceutical shows promise for improved detection of neuroendocrine tumors
The newly developed [55Co]55Co-DOTATATE imaging agent has emerged as a more accurate and sensitive radiopharmaceutical to aid in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor metastases. According to research published in the February issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging with [55Co]Co-DOTATATE resulted in superior image contrast and enhanced detection of metastases as compared with other commonly used radiopharmaceuticals.
Read More
ASA survey shows health insurers abruptly terminating physician contracts
A new national survey from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) finds physician anesthesiologists are being forced out of network as insurance companies terminate their contracts, often with little or no notice.
Read More
Genetic ‘fingerprints’ implicate gut bacterium in bowel cancer
A common type of bacteria found in our guts could contribute to bowel cancer, according to research funded by a £20 million Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge award and published in Nature today.
Read More