Health News

More Genes Discovered In The Fight Against Breast Cancer

Date: May-18-2012
In a study published in Nature, researchers describe nine new genes that drive the development of breast cancer. This takes the tally of all genes associated with breast cancer development to 40. The team examined all the genes in the genomes of 100 cases of breast cancer. The mutated cancer-causing genes were different in different cancer samples, indicating that breast cancer is genetically very diverse. Understanding the consequences of this diversity will be important in progressing towards more rational treatment. Changes to DNA lie behind all cases of cancer. Cancer develops as a result...

Minimal Residual Disease Detected In Nearly Double The Number Of Leukemia Patients Using High-Throughput Sequencing

Date: May-18-2012
A study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that a next-generation, high-speed DNA-decoding technology called high-throughput sequencing can detect the earliest signs of potential relapse in nearly twice the number of leukemia patients as compared to flow cytometry, the current gold standard for detecting minimal residual disease. The results of the study, led by Hutchinson Center computational biologist Harlan Robins, Ph.D., are reported in Science Translational Medicine. "The ability to predict disease relapse sooner with high-throughput sequencing would...

New Clues On How ApoE4 Affects Alzheimer's Risk

Date: May-18-2012
Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. Now, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that in mice, having the most risky variant of ApoE damages the blood vessels that feed the brain. The researchers found that the high-risk variant, ApoE4, triggers an inflammatory reaction that weakens the blood-brain barrier, a network of cells and other components that lines brain's brain vessels. Normally, this barrier allows nutrients into the brain...

Google Algorithm Finds Cancer Biomarkers

Date: May-17-2012
Seven proteins that can help physicians evaluate how aggressive a patient's cancer is and whether or not they should receive chemotherapy have been identified by German researchers.  Using a strategy similar to Google's PageRank algorithm, the researchers from Dresden University of Technology, Germany, were able to rank around 20,000 proteins by their genetic relevance to the progression of pancreatic cancer. The study is published in PLoS Computational Biology. The team used their own version of the Google algorithm in order to identify new biomarkers, which are molecules produced by cancer...

Should Children Be Made To Have Vaccines?

Date: May-17-2012
Two experts discuss in the journal BMJ whether childhood vaccination should be mandatory in the UK. According to Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, mandatory vaccination is essential to protect those who are vulnerable from infection. 

 Offit argues that the impact of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children not only affects their own children, it also affects those who come in contact with their children, including those that are too young to be vaccinated and those who cannot be vaccinated, who depend on those around them to be...

General Practice - Uk India Partnership Initiative

Date: May-17-2012
An article featured in BMJ reports on a 'white paper', which investigates as to how India and the UK can collaborate more closely in an equal partnership to improve both nations' primary health care. The paper lists a number of opportunities based on India's plans to achieve Universal Health Coverage, which requires the collaboration of the UK and India to benefit both nations by strengthening primary care in India and bringing expertise and innovations from India to improve care in the UK. In 2010, the British and Indian prime ministers established the India-UK CEO Forum, which the...

Controlling Blood Pressure - Team Based Care Vital

Date: May-17-2012
High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for approximately 336,000 Americans in 2007. If all patients with high blood pressure were treated to goal as outlined in current clinical guidelines, it is estimated that 46,000 deaths might be averted each year. Total annual costs associated with hypertension are $156 billion, including medical costs of $131 billion and lost productivity costs of $25 billion. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends team-based care (TBC) to improve blood pressure (BP) control. The recommendation follows evidence from...

Palpitations May Mean Looming Atrial Fibrillation

Date: May-17-2012
The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology reveals that the emergence of palpitations is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). Findings of a large population study reveal the strongest risk factors for atrial fibrillation in both men and women to be a history of palpitations and hypertension. Although it is a well-known fact that hypertension is a risk factor for AF, the researchers say, that "the impact of self-reported palpitations on later occurrence of AF has not been documented earlier". Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia, a problem with the rate or rhythm...

Brushing Teeth - Which Way Is The Right Way?

Date: May-17-2012
Twenty five percent of teenagers in Sweden do not brush their teeth regularly and only 10% of Swedes know how to use toothpaste effectively, according to researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Even though the majority of people in Sweden brush their teeth, only 1 in 10 brush in a way that effectively prevents tooth decay. Pia Gabre and her colleagues examined the toothbrushing habits of 2,013 Swedes aged between 15 to 80 years old. The researchers set out to determine how often and how long they brushed their teeth, how much toothpaste is put on the toothbrush, how...

Education And Income Affect Health Levels Considerably

Date: May-17-2012
An annual report on American's health reveals that individuals with lower income levels and lower education are more likely to develop chronic diseases than people with higher incomes and higher levels of education. The report, entitled "Health, United States, 2011" was conducted by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Obesity According to the report, in 2007-2010, women aged 25+ were less likely to be obese (25%) if they had a bachelor's degree or higher than women who did not (39-43%) have a degree at all. In addition, children of parents with higher levels of education were less...