Chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) is the most common form of blood cancer in adults. About 120,000 people in Europe and the USA are affected – most of them over the age of 50.
It is still not known what causes the disease. Among the possibilities discussed are certain kinds of radiation, chemicals, viruses, and genetic factors. One characteristic of CLL is the accumulation of functionally immature white blood corpuscles (lymphocytes) in the bone marrow, the blood, lymphatic tissue and other organs. Lymphocytes occur in the blood in two different forms: as B-cells and T-cells. In 95 percent of all cases of CLL, it is the B-lymphocytes that are affected.
The mutated B-cells live longer than normal, healthy blood cells. The accumulation of functionally immature cells in the marrow impedes the formation of healthy cells and can cause death. Today, all patients must live with the knowledge that CLL is currently incurable. However, in the meantime there are innovative forms of treatment which make it possible to markedly prolong life and improve the patients' quality of life.
Symptom-free for a long time:
A distinction is generally made between the acute and chronic forms of leukemia. Unlike the acute forms, the chronic forms, of which CLL is one, often cause no complaints at all for a long time. Occasionally, CLL is detected by pure coincidence during a routine blood test. Sometimes, however, it can also be indicated by diffuse symptoms such as tiredness, fever, sudden weight loss, night-time sweating, unusually frequent colds or infections, swollen glands in the nape of the neck, the inside of the elbow or groin, or a swollen spleen.It is therefore often not diagnosed – or treated – until quite late in the course of the disease.
Still no cure, but a longer life:
Just a few decades ago there was practically no treatment at all for chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL). In the meantime, however, several drugs have become available. Although they do not lead to a complete cure, they do at least improve the patients' quality of life. As a rule, CLL is first combated with chemotherapy. So-called alkylating substances play an important role here. Sometimes a combination of several such substances is used. If the patient responds to the therapy, the blood-cell count returns to normal – and the quality of life improves. As so often in tumor therapy, however, the insidious thing is that individual malignant cells can survive this initial therapy. After multiplying further, they can even become resistant to the chemotherapeutic agent(s). Then another therapy becomes necessary, the so-called second-line therapy. A substance has been available since 1991 that selectively changes the genetic constitution of the malignant cells. This blocks enzymes that are necessary for cell division. The result is that the malignant cells cannot multiply. An important success in the fight against CLL.
New hope: antibodies:
In the meantime, antibodies have also proved their worth alongside classic chemotherapeutic agents in the fight against CLL. These are structured in such a way that they perfectly fit onto a protein on the surface of lymphocytes. In this way, the antibody marks these cells in a way that is visible to the body's own immune system. The command that goes with it is: "Destroy the cell." After treatment, the remaining stem cells can subsequently supply healthy lymphocytes, so that the immune system is regenerated. In studies, the antibody has also proved effective as a first-line therapy.
Release link :
http://www.bayerscheringpharma.de/scripts/pages/en/health/oncology/chronic_lymphatic_leukemia/index.php
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Breast MRI doubles DCIS detection rate compared with mammography
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast doubles the rate at which ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is detected, and even picks up cases of this early stage tumor that conventional mammography misses.
Reporting their findings in The Lancet, Christiane Kuhl and colleagues from the University of Bonn in Germany comment: "Our study suggests that the sensitivity of film screen or digital mammography for diagnosing DCIS is limited."Of 167 intraductal cancers that had been diagnosed during the study period, 72 (43%) were mammographically occult, but were diagnosed by MRI alone," say Kuhl and team.
They conducted a prospective, observational study that initially involved over 7300 women referred to their institution between 2002 and 2006 for diagnostic assessment and breast screening.Of these women, 193 were given a final surgical pathological diagnosis of DCIS, and 167 of these had both screening mammograms and MRI scans taken before biopsy and were the focus of the team's investigation.Comparing the sensitivities of mammography and MRI to detect all cases of DCIS, Khul and team found that mammography detected 93 (56%) cases and MRI detected 153 (92%) cases (p<0.0001)."of>
Kuhl and team note that while these results support the widespread use of MRI to detect DCIS, their results may not be reproducible in community breast screening services at present."Since breast MRI is currently used only rarely in clinical practice, for the time being, few radiologists can offer a level of expertise for MRI that comes close to that required for diagnostic mammography."They call for a "multi-institutional screening trial" to further investigate the role of MRI for diagnosing DCIS. A comment echoed in an accompanying editorial."These findings can only lead to the conclusion that MRI outperforms mammography in tumor detection and diagnosis," Carla Boetes and Ritse Mann from Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in The Netherlands also write in The Lancet."MRI should no longer be regarded as an adjunct to mammography but as a distinct method to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. A large multicenter breast-screening trial with MRI in the general population is essential."
Release link :
http://www.breastcancersource.com/breastcancersourceHCP/6096_28015___.aspx
Reporting their findings in The Lancet, Christiane Kuhl and colleagues from the University of Bonn in Germany comment: "Our study suggests that the sensitivity of film screen or digital mammography for diagnosing DCIS is limited."Of 167 intraductal cancers that had been diagnosed during the study period, 72 (43%) were mammographically occult, but were diagnosed by MRI alone," say Kuhl and team.
They conducted a prospective, observational study that initially involved over 7300 women referred to their institution between 2002 and 2006 for diagnostic assessment and breast screening.Of these women, 193 were given a final surgical pathological diagnosis of DCIS, and 167 of these had both screening mammograms and MRI scans taken before biopsy and were the focus of the team's investigation.Comparing the sensitivities of mammography and MRI to detect all cases of DCIS, Khul and team found that mammography detected 93 (56%) cases and MRI detected 153 (92%) cases (p<0.0001)."of>
Kuhl and team note that while these results support the widespread use of MRI to detect DCIS, their results may not be reproducible in community breast screening services at present."Since breast MRI is currently used only rarely in clinical practice, for the time being, few radiologists can offer a level of expertise for MRI that comes close to that required for diagnostic mammography."They call for a "multi-institutional screening trial" to further investigate the role of MRI for diagnosing DCIS. A comment echoed in an accompanying editorial."These findings can only lead to the conclusion that MRI outperforms mammography in tumor detection and diagnosis," Carla Boetes and Ritse Mann from Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in The Netherlands also write in The Lancet."MRI should no longer be regarded as an adjunct to mammography but as a distinct method to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. A large multicenter breast-screening trial with MRI in the general population is essential."
Release link :
http://www.breastcancersource.com/breastcancersourceHCP/6096_28015___.aspx
News From The Journal Of Neuroscience
1. Docking and Priming with Munc18
Attila Guly's-Kov'cs, Heidi de Wit, Ira Milosevic, Olexiy Kochubey, Ruud Toonen, J'rgen Klingauf, Matthijs Verhage, and Jakob B. S'rensen
This week, Guly's-Kov'cs et al. unmask a dual role for Munc18 in docking and priming of vesicles in chromaffin cells. In vitro, Munc18 binds the "closed" state of syntaxin1 and thus occludes binding of the SNARE proteins SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin. However, Munc18 cannot be simply a negative regulator of exocytosis because vesicles fail to dock in its absence. To address this issue, the authors expressed mutant variants in chromaffin cells from Munc18 null mice and used uncaging of calcium to trigger release of primed vesicles. Expression of the NV mutation that prevents binding to closed syntaxin1 reduced vesicle docking. However, Munc18-1 NV rescued release, albeit to a lesser extent than wild type. Thus, Munc18 regulates a postdocking (priming) step by a mechanism that does not require binding to syntaxin1. In fact, the authors suggest that this second interaction either involves dissociation from syntaxin or a conformational change in the N-terminal domain of Munc18.
2. Pak1 and Neuronal Polarity
Tom Jacobs, Frederic Causeret, Yoshiaki V. Nishimura, Mami Terao, Adele Norman, Mikio Hoshino, and Margareta Nikolic
If you want to make axons, you will need some activated p21-activated kinase (Pak1), according to Jacobs et al. The authors found this CdC42 and cofilin effector in all neurites, but it was activated locally in nascent axons. In cultured hippocampal and cortical neurons, the levels of membrane-associated phosphorylated active) Pak1 peaked at the same time that neurons became polarized with distinct axons and dendrites, at ~ 2--4 d in Vitro (DIV). Total Pak1, in contrast, reached a plateau at 4 DIV and beyond. Total and activated Pak1 were evenly distributed among multiple neurites before polarization, but once a neurite emerged as the axon, activated Pak1 was restricted to the soma and the distal part of the nascent axon, where it reorganized the F-actin cytoskeleton. Expression of constitutively active Pak1 disrupted morphological development of dendrites and axons; neurons did not survive past 7 DIV when Pak1 expression was silenced by RNA interference.
3. Toward an Auditory Midbrain Implant
Hubert H. Lim and David J. Anderson
Cochlear implants have revolutionized the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss, but they don't work for everyone, for example, if the auditory nerve is severely damaged. Lim and Anderson propose the inferior colliculus central nucleus (ICC) as an alternative site for auditory prostheses. For such devices to work, it is necessary to stimulate at sites that tap into the tonotopic organization of the auditory system; but there's more. In this week's Journal, the authors reveal a previously unappreciated complexity in the functional organization of ICC. In anesthetized guinea pigs, the authors stimulated along the isofrequency or rostrocaudal axis in ICC. They measured responses in primary auditory cortex including threshold, evoked potential magnitude, discriminable level steps, and temporal response patterns. These parameters generally were optimal at rostral and slightly ventral ICC stimulation sites. At least two functional regions emerged, one caudal--dorsal and one rostral--ventral, which will require consideration in designing implants.
4. Microglia, Complement, and Neuropathic Pain
Robert S. Griffin, Michael Costigan, Gary J. Brenner, Chi Him Eddie Ma, Joachim Scholz, Andrew Moss, Andrew J. Allchorne, Gregory L. Stahl, and Clifford J. Woolf
In this week's Journal, Griffin et al. used microarrays to narrow in on genes affected in three peripheral nerve injury models of neuropathic pain. The most highly regulated were involved in the microglial complement cascade. Messenger RNAs for C1qb, C3, and C4 were upregulated in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord after injury and were expressed only in microglia. The complement cascade culminates in C5 and C5a receptor (C5aR) activation and formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Both C5 and C5aR were upregulated dramatically after injury. Mice lacking C5 displayed reduced postinjury indicators of neuropathic pain, whereas animals lacking the MAC component C6 did not. Having ruled out C3a and the MAC as major pain effectors, the authors injected naive rats intrathecally with the C5a anaphylatoxin. C5a increased cold pain sensitivity, and a C5a receptor antagonist blocked this effect, consistent with a role for C5a in neuropathic pain.
Rlease link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79114.php
Attila Guly's-Kov'cs, Heidi de Wit, Ira Milosevic, Olexiy Kochubey, Ruud Toonen, J'rgen Klingauf, Matthijs Verhage, and Jakob B. S'rensen
This week, Guly's-Kov'cs et al. unmask a dual role for Munc18 in docking and priming of vesicles in chromaffin cells. In vitro, Munc18 binds the "closed" state of syntaxin1 and thus occludes binding of the SNARE proteins SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin. However, Munc18 cannot be simply a negative regulator of exocytosis because vesicles fail to dock in its absence. To address this issue, the authors expressed mutant variants in chromaffin cells from Munc18 null mice and used uncaging of calcium to trigger release of primed vesicles. Expression of the NV mutation that prevents binding to closed syntaxin1 reduced vesicle docking. However, Munc18-1 NV rescued release, albeit to a lesser extent than wild type. Thus, Munc18 regulates a postdocking (priming) step by a mechanism that does not require binding to syntaxin1. In fact, the authors suggest that this second interaction either involves dissociation from syntaxin or a conformational change in the N-terminal domain of Munc18.
2. Pak1 and Neuronal Polarity
Tom Jacobs, Frederic Causeret, Yoshiaki V. Nishimura, Mami Terao, Adele Norman, Mikio Hoshino, and Margareta Nikolic
If you want to make axons, you will need some activated p21-activated kinase (Pak1), according to Jacobs et al. The authors found this CdC42 and cofilin effector in all neurites, but it was activated locally in nascent axons. In cultured hippocampal and cortical neurons, the levels of membrane-associated phosphorylated active) Pak1 peaked at the same time that neurons became polarized with distinct axons and dendrites, at ~ 2--4 d in Vitro (DIV). Total Pak1, in contrast, reached a plateau at 4 DIV and beyond. Total and activated Pak1 were evenly distributed among multiple neurites before polarization, but once a neurite emerged as the axon, activated Pak1 was restricted to the soma and the distal part of the nascent axon, where it reorganized the F-actin cytoskeleton. Expression of constitutively active Pak1 disrupted morphological development of dendrites and axons; neurons did not survive past 7 DIV when Pak1 expression was silenced by RNA interference.
3. Toward an Auditory Midbrain Implant
Hubert H. Lim and David J. Anderson
Cochlear implants have revolutionized the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss, but they don't work for everyone, for example, if the auditory nerve is severely damaged. Lim and Anderson propose the inferior colliculus central nucleus (ICC) as an alternative site for auditory prostheses. For such devices to work, it is necessary to stimulate at sites that tap into the tonotopic organization of the auditory system; but there's more. In this week's Journal, the authors reveal a previously unappreciated complexity in the functional organization of ICC. In anesthetized guinea pigs, the authors stimulated along the isofrequency or rostrocaudal axis in ICC. They measured responses in primary auditory cortex including threshold, evoked potential magnitude, discriminable level steps, and temporal response patterns. These parameters generally were optimal at rostral and slightly ventral ICC stimulation sites. At least two functional regions emerged, one caudal--dorsal and one rostral--ventral, which will require consideration in designing implants.
4. Microglia, Complement, and Neuropathic Pain
Robert S. Griffin, Michael Costigan, Gary J. Brenner, Chi Him Eddie Ma, Joachim Scholz, Andrew Moss, Andrew J. Allchorne, Gregory L. Stahl, and Clifford J. Woolf
In this week's Journal, Griffin et al. used microarrays to narrow in on genes affected in three peripheral nerve injury models of neuropathic pain. The most highly regulated were involved in the microglial complement cascade. Messenger RNAs for C1qb, C3, and C4 were upregulated in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord after injury and were expressed only in microglia. The complement cascade culminates in C5 and C5a receptor (C5aR) activation and formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Both C5 and C5aR were upregulated dramatically after injury. Mice lacking C5 displayed reduced postinjury indicators of neuropathic pain, whereas animals lacking the MAC component C6 did not. Having ruled out C3a and the MAC as major pain effectors, the authors injected naive rats intrathecally with the C5a anaphylatoxin. C5a increased cold pain sensitivity, and a C5a receptor antagonist blocked this effect, consistent with a role for C5a in neuropathic pain.
Rlease link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79114.php
Fewer Vaccines Available For Vulnerable Children
Due to limited federal and state funding for vaccines, underinsured children in the United States are increasingly at risk for not getting needed vaccines, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study, led by Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston Assistant Professor Grace Lee, found that many underinsured children are unable to receive publicly purchased vaccines in either the private or public sector. The authors state, "The most commonly cited barriers to implementation in underinsured children were lack of sufficient federal and state funding to purchase vaccines." "Childhood immunization is ranked as one of the most important preventive health services we can offer," says Dr. Lee, who is a member of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention at the medical school and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. "Due to the increased cost of recently recommended vaccines and the lack of available funding, many states have been forced to adopt more restrictive policies for the provision of publicly purchased vaccines. Underinsured children, who used to be able to rely on public health clinics as a safety net in the past, are now at risk of not getting immunized for serious childhood illnesses."
Childhood vaccines are funded by a patchwork of public and private sources. While some private health insurance plans cover recommended vaccines for children, an increasing number of plans require patients to pay out of pocket for many of these vaccines. However, children who are either uninsured or publicly insured through Medicaid can receive vaccines through the federal entitlement program Vaccines for Children Program (VFC).
According to Dr. Lee, many survey participants voiced concern about their inability to provide immunizations to underinsured children. In fact, since 2004, 10 states have revised their policies in order to restrict underinsured children's access to select new vaccines. Lee warns that the situation is creating significant ethical dilemmas for public health clinicians who are being forced to turn these children away or ask families to pay for needed vaccinations. "Despite the ability of vaccines to prevent illness and death, our current public safety net for these services is under considerable strain," says Lee. "Strategies are needed to enhance immunization benefits for underinsured children in private health plans and to support the public sector safety net in order to ensure the protection of this vulnerable group of children."
Release link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79122.php
The study, led by Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston Assistant Professor Grace Lee, found that many underinsured children are unable to receive publicly purchased vaccines in either the private or public sector. The authors state, "The most commonly cited barriers to implementation in underinsured children were lack of sufficient federal and state funding to purchase vaccines." "Childhood immunization is ranked as one of the most important preventive health services we can offer," says Dr. Lee, who is a member of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention at the medical school and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. "Due to the increased cost of recently recommended vaccines and the lack of available funding, many states have been forced to adopt more restrictive policies for the provision of publicly purchased vaccines. Underinsured children, who used to be able to rely on public health clinics as a safety net in the past, are now at risk of not getting immunized for serious childhood illnesses."
Childhood vaccines are funded by a patchwork of public and private sources. While some private health insurance plans cover recommended vaccines for children, an increasing number of plans require patients to pay out of pocket for many of these vaccines. However, children who are either uninsured or publicly insured through Medicaid can receive vaccines through the federal entitlement program Vaccines for Children Program (VFC).
According to Dr. Lee, many survey participants voiced concern about their inability to provide immunizations to underinsured children. In fact, since 2004, 10 states have revised their policies in order to restrict underinsured children's access to select new vaccines. Lee warns that the situation is creating significant ethical dilemmas for public health clinicians who are being forced to turn these children away or ask families to pay for needed vaccinations. "Despite the ability of vaccines to prevent illness and death, our current public safety net for these services is under considerable strain," says Lee. "Strategies are needed to enhance immunization benefits for underinsured children in private health plans and to support the public sector safety net in order to ensure the protection of this vulnerable group of children."
Release link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79122.php
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Evolution Is Driven By Gene Regulation
It is not just what's in your genes, it's how you turn them on that accounts for the difference between species - at least in yeast - according to a report by Yale researchers in this week's issue of Science.
"We've known for a while that the protein coding genes of humans and chimpanzees are about 99 percent the same," said senior author Michael Snyder, the Cullman Professor of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale.
"The challenge for biologists is accounting for what causes the substantial difference between the person and the chimp." Conventional wisdom has been that if the difference is not the gene content, the difference must be in the way regulation of genes produces their protein products. Comparing gene regulation across similar organisms has been difficult because the nucleotide sequence of DNA regulatory regions, or promoters, are more variable than the sequences of their corresponding protein-coding regions, making them harder to identify by standard computer comparisons. "While many molecules that bind DNA regulatory regions have been identified as transcription factors mediating gene regulation, we have now shown that we can functionally map these interactions and identify the specific targeted promoters," said Snyder.
"We were startled to find that even the closely related species of yeast had extensively differing patterns of regulation." In this study, the authors found the DNA binding sites by aiming at their function, rather than their sequence. First, they isolated transcription factors that were specifically bound to DNA at their promoter sites. Then, they analyzed the sequences that were isolated to determine the similarities and differences in regulatory regions between the different species. "By using a group of closely and more distantly related yeast whose sequences were well documented, we were able to see functional differences that had been invisible to researchers before," said Snyder.
"We expect that this approach will get us closer to understanding the balance between gene content and gene regulation in the question of human-chimp diversity." Other authors on the paper were Mark Gerstein, Anthony R. Borneman, Tara A. Gianoulis, Zhengdong D. Zhang, Haiyuan Yu, Joel Rozowsky and Michael R. Seringhaus at Yale and Lu Yong Wang at Siemans Corporate Research, Princeton NJ. The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation.
Reference Link : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79324.php
"We've known for a while that the protein coding genes of humans and chimpanzees are about 99 percent the same," said senior author Michael Snyder, the Cullman Professor of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale.
"The challenge for biologists is accounting for what causes the substantial difference between the person and the chimp." Conventional wisdom has been that if the difference is not the gene content, the difference must be in the way regulation of genes produces their protein products. Comparing gene regulation across similar organisms has been difficult because the nucleotide sequence of DNA regulatory regions, or promoters, are more variable than the sequences of their corresponding protein-coding regions, making them harder to identify by standard computer comparisons. "While many molecules that bind DNA regulatory regions have been identified as transcription factors mediating gene regulation, we have now shown that we can functionally map these interactions and identify the specific targeted promoters," said Snyder.
"We were startled to find that even the closely related species of yeast had extensively differing patterns of regulation." In this study, the authors found the DNA binding sites by aiming at their function, rather than their sequence. First, they isolated transcription factors that were specifically bound to DNA at their promoter sites. Then, they analyzed the sequences that were isolated to determine the similarities and differences in regulatory regions between the different species. "By using a group of closely and more distantly related yeast whose sequences were well documented, we were able to see functional differences that had been invisible to researchers before," said Snyder.
"We expect that this approach will get us closer to understanding the balance between gene content and gene regulation in the question of human-chimp diversity." Other authors on the paper were Mark Gerstein, Anthony R. Borneman, Tara A. Gianoulis, Zhengdong D. Zhang, Haiyuan Yu, Joel Rozowsky and Michael R. Seringhaus at Yale and Lu Yong Wang at Siemans Corporate Research, Princeton NJ. The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation.
Reference Link : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79324.php
Thursday, August 9, 2007
High-choline diet linked to colorectal polyps in women
Diets high in choline may raise a woman's risk of distal colorectal adenoma, according to findings from the Nurses' Health Study. Whether it is the choline itself that contributes to the risk, or other components of a high-choline diet, has yet to be explored, according to research results published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute for August 15th.
The research team, led by Dr. Eunyoung Cho at Brigham and Women' Hospital in Boston, also examined the effects of choline's oxidation product betaine, and observed no significant effect on the incidence of colorectal polyps.Because dietary choline is a methyl-group donor, as is folate, the investigators suspected it would have folate's anti-cancer characteristics.Dr. Cho's group notes that theirs is the first epidemiologic study to evaluate the effect of dietary choline and betaine and the risk of chronic diseases, including colorectal adenoma, probably because food composition databases have only recently been available.
Their analysis included women who had provided diet information in 1984 and underwent a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy between 1984 and 2002 (n = 39,246). Every 2 to 4 years, the subjects completed food frequency questionnaires. During the study period, 2408 women were diagnosed with adenoma (1841 distal colon adenomas and 675 rectal adenomas), Dr. Cho and colleagues report.In multivariable analysis of quintiles of dietary choline, the relative risk increased from 1.00 for the lowest quintile to 1.45 for the top quintile (p < trend =" 0.09).Dr.">
Release link :
http://www.oncolink.org/resources/article.cfm?c=3&s=8&ss=23&Year=2007&Month=08&id=14453
The research team, led by Dr. Eunyoung Cho at Brigham and Women' Hospital in Boston, also examined the effects of choline's oxidation product betaine, and observed no significant effect on the incidence of colorectal polyps.Because dietary choline is a methyl-group donor, as is folate, the investigators suspected it would have folate's anti-cancer characteristics.Dr. Cho's group notes that theirs is the first epidemiologic study to evaluate the effect of dietary choline and betaine and the risk of chronic diseases, including colorectal adenoma, probably because food composition databases have only recently been available.
Their analysis included women who had provided diet information in 1984 and underwent a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy between 1984 and 2002 (n = 39,246). Every 2 to 4 years, the subjects completed food frequency questionnaires. During the study period, 2408 women were diagnosed with adenoma (1841 distal colon adenomas and 675 rectal adenomas), Dr. Cho and colleagues report.In multivariable analysis of quintiles of dietary choline, the relative risk increased from 1.00 for the lowest quintile to 1.45 for the top quintile (p < trend =" 0.09).Dr.">
Release link :
http://www.oncolink.org/resources/article.cfm?c=3&s=8&ss=23&Year=2007&Month=08&id=14453
Research Into Memory With Implications For Future Treatment Of Alzheimer's
Research persons: Gemma Guillazo
Location: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, United States
A research with experimental rats carried out by the Institute of Neuroscience of the UAB describes the brain region connected to how our declarative memory functions. According to this experiment, part of the prefrontal cortex plays a key role in the social transmission of food preference. This research has helped learn more about how this type of memory functions. In the future, this information could be useful to find new treatment for diseases that affect the memory, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Declarative memory is described as a flexible, conscience and associative type of memory (i.e., it is based on relations between different stimuli). It differs from other types of memories that allow us to recall effective or emotionally-charged data, or carry out processes such as riding a bicycle or playing an instrument. Declarative memory allows us to remember things such as specific moments of our lives, names of people, what we ate for lunch, the capitals of the world, etc. The malfunctioning of this type of memory is one of the most common symptoms found in those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A useful model from which to learn about how declarative memory functions is the social transmission of food preference. In other species, this task is connected to the survival of the species and plays a crucial role in their evolution. In this research, the social transmission of food preference was carried out with experimental rats. When one rodent sniffs another rodent's snout right after the second one has eaten, the first one will later choose to eat the same exact food. Animals learn to remember what their congeners eat and, in that way, lower the risk of eating new foods that could be harmful to them. In addition, they must later use this information acquired during a brief episode of social interaction in very different circumstances. Therefore, they need the flexible expression of memory, which is one of the main traits of declarative memory. This task depends on learning how to associate smells, a function that is commanded by a specific region of the brain, the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM), which produces acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter that "transfers information" from one neurone to another through synapses). This chemical substance is essential in making the memory work correctly. The nucleus basalis magnocellularis equivalent in humans is the nucleus basalis Meynert. Precisely this is one of the regions of the brain that shown signs of degeneration among those who suffer from Alzheimer's (and who are often treated with drugs that help to produce acetylcholine). The acetylcholine produced by the nucleus basalis is transferred to other regions of the brain, where it is "recognised" by receptor molecules. The research team examined the possibility of one part of the brain, the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, being linked to the social transmission of food preference. To do so, they applied a chemical compound to the experimental rats that neutralised the acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic cholinergic receptor) of this region. By blocking the receptor, the effect of the neurotransmitter was also neutralised and the changes in the animals' behaviour were observed. The results demonstrated that the social transmission of food preference was clearly affected after neutralising the acetylcholine receptors. Researchers also verified that the effects were not due to other aspects that could alter the experiment, such as lack of olfactory perception, motivation or social interaction. The results therefore suggest that the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, via the use of acetylcholine, regulates cognitive operations (e.g. flexibility in behaviour, attention or strategic planning) that could be needed to correctly express social transmission of food preference, and therefore necessary for our declarative memory.
If you want to know more this research please visit :
http://www.pharmacyka.com/research/Research_Into_Memory_With_Implications_For_Future_Treatment_Of_Alzheimer_s-51.html
Location: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, United States
A research with experimental rats carried out by the Institute of Neuroscience of the UAB describes the brain region connected to how our declarative memory functions. According to this experiment, part of the prefrontal cortex plays a key role in the social transmission of food preference. This research has helped learn more about how this type of memory functions. In the future, this information could be useful to find new treatment for diseases that affect the memory, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Declarative memory is described as a flexible, conscience and associative type of memory (i.e., it is based on relations between different stimuli). It differs from other types of memories that allow us to recall effective or emotionally-charged data, or carry out processes such as riding a bicycle or playing an instrument. Declarative memory allows us to remember things such as specific moments of our lives, names of people, what we ate for lunch, the capitals of the world, etc. The malfunctioning of this type of memory is one of the most common symptoms found in those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A useful model from which to learn about how declarative memory functions is the social transmission of food preference. In other species, this task is connected to the survival of the species and plays a crucial role in their evolution. In this research, the social transmission of food preference was carried out with experimental rats. When one rodent sniffs another rodent's snout right after the second one has eaten, the first one will later choose to eat the same exact food. Animals learn to remember what their congeners eat and, in that way, lower the risk of eating new foods that could be harmful to them. In addition, they must later use this information acquired during a brief episode of social interaction in very different circumstances. Therefore, they need the flexible expression of memory, which is one of the main traits of declarative memory. This task depends on learning how to associate smells, a function that is commanded by a specific region of the brain, the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM), which produces acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter that "transfers information" from one neurone to another through synapses). This chemical substance is essential in making the memory work correctly. The nucleus basalis magnocellularis equivalent in humans is the nucleus basalis Meynert. Precisely this is one of the regions of the brain that shown signs of degeneration among those who suffer from Alzheimer's (and who are often treated with drugs that help to produce acetylcholine). The acetylcholine produced by the nucleus basalis is transferred to other regions of the brain, where it is "recognised" by receptor molecules. The research team examined the possibility of one part of the brain, the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, being linked to the social transmission of food preference. To do so, they applied a chemical compound to the experimental rats that neutralised the acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic cholinergic receptor) of this region. By blocking the receptor, the effect of the neurotransmitter was also neutralised and the changes in the animals' behaviour were observed. The results demonstrated that the social transmission of food preference was clearly affected after neutralising the acetylcholine receptors. Researchers also verified that the effects were not due to other aspects that could alter the experiment, such as lack of olfactory perception, motivation or social interaction. The results therefore suggest that the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, via the use of acetylcholine, regulates cognitive operations (e.g. flexibility in behaviour, attention or strategic planning) that could be needed to correctly express social transmission of food preference, and therefore necessary for our declarative memory.
If you want to know more this research please visit :
http://www.pharmacyka.com/research/Research_Into_Memory_With_Implications_For_Future_Treatment_Of_Alzheimer_s-51.html
Which countries are affected at present and what recommendations are given to travelers?
This avian influenza epidemic started in 2003. Since then, foci of infection have been reported in Asia, then in Africa (Egypt, Nigeria), in the Middle East and in Europe (Turkey).
This epidemic of avian influenza is now endemic on three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. Furthermore, at the end of March 2007, cases where the virus had been transmitted to man were identified in 12 countries (Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Laos and Nigeria). The WHO regularly updates a map of the countries affected by avian influenza as well as the human cases. It is available on the WHO site:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/
The recommendations given to people traveling to, or living in, the affected countries are as follows:
Avoid all contact with live or dead (uncooked) poultry.
Do not visit farms, zoos which have avian fauna, or poultry and bird markets.
Avoid contact with surfaces contaminated by faeces.
Do not bring back birds which originate in these areas.
Do not eat poorly or inadequately cooked poultry or egg-based products.
And, of course, obey the rules of hygiene.
If you have a temperature, breathing difficulties, or a cough, consult a doctor, telling him of any contact with poultry.
This epidemic of avian influenza is now endemic on three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. Furthermore, at the end of March 2007, cases where the virus had been transmitted to man were identified in 12 countries (Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Laos and Nigeria). The WHO regularly updates a map of the countries affected by avian influenza as well as the human cases. It is available on the WHO site:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/
The recommendations given to people traveling to, or living in, the affected countries are as follows:
Avoid all contact with live or dead (uncooked) poultry.
Do not visit farms, zoos which have avian fauna, or poultry and bird markets.
Avoid contact with surfaces contaminated by faeces.
Do not bring back birds which originate in these areas.
Do not eat poorly or inadequately cooked poultry or egg-based products.
And, of course, obey the rules of hygiene.
If you have a temperature, breathing difficulties, or a cough, consult a doctor, telling him of any contact with poultry.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Five-year surveillance interval after polypectomy appropriate
Results of a study support recent recommendations to wait at least 5 years following polypectomy for low-risk adenomas before performing surveillance colonoscopy. A 5-year surveillance window might also be sufficient after removal of high-risk adenomas, according to the study.
Dr. Hermann Brenner, from the German Centre for Research on Ageing in Heidelberg, and colleagues compared the risk of colorectal cancer up to 10 years after large bowel endoscopy in 454 patients who had polypectomy with the risk for 391 matched subjects who had never undergone large bowel endoscopy (the controls).Polypectomy patients had a "strongly and significantly reduced risk" of colorectal cancer up to 5 years after endoscopy, relative to subjects who had never had endoscopy, the investigators report in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Compared to this latter group, the odds ratios of colorectal cancer up to 2 years and 3 to 5 years after polypectomy were 0.16 and 0.27, respectively.Risk of colorectal cancer was significantly reduced (OR, 0.27) within 5 years even after detection and removal of high-risk polyps, Dr. Brenner and colleagues also found.
Although a nonsignificantly increased risk of colorectal cancer was found between 6 and 10 years after polypectomy, overall risk reduction within 10 years following polypectomy remained strong and statistically significant among patients for whom no high-risk adenomas were recorded, the authors report.In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Theodore R. Levin of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Walnut Creek, California makes the point that post-polypectomy surveillance colonoscopy is "often done sooner than guidelines recommend."Aggressive post-polypectomy surveillance, he warns, "exposes patients to risk of complications, with minimal benefit, (and) diverts colonoscopy resources away from the more valuable practice of primary screening."
Reference :
http://www.oncolink.org/resources/article.cfm?c=3&s=8&ss=23&Year=2007&Month=08&id=14449
Dr. Hermann Brenner, from the German Centre for Research on Ageing in Heidelberg, and colleagues compared the risk of colorectal cancer up to 10 years after large bowel endoscopy in 454 patients who had polypectomy with the risk for 391 matched subjects who had never undergone large bowel endoscopy (the controls).Polypectomy patients had a "strongly and significantly reduced risk" of colorectal cancer up to 5 years after endoscopy, relative to subjects who had never had endoscopy, the investigators report in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Compared to this latter group, the odds ratios of colorectal cancer up to 2 years and 3 to 5 years after polypectomy were 0.16 and 0.27, respectively.Risk of colorectal cancer was significantly reduced (OR, 0.27) within 5 years even after detection and removal of high-risk polyps, Dr. Brenner and colleagues also found.
Although a nonsignificantly increased risk of colorectal cancer was found between 6 and 10 years after polypectomy, overall risk reduction within 10 years following polypectomy remained strong and statistically significant among patients for whom no high-risk adenomas were recorded, the authors report.In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Theodore R. Levin of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Walnut Creek, California makes the point that post-polypectomy surveillance colonoscopy is "often done sooner than guidelines recommend."Aggressive post-polypectomy surveillance, he warns, "exposes patients to risk of complications, with minimal benefit, (and) diverts colonoscopy resources away from the more valuable practice of primary screening."
Reference :
http://www.oncolink.org/resources/article.cfm?c=3&s=8&ss=23&Year=2007&Month=08&id=14449
Adult Binge Drinkers Prefer Beer
A new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that three quarters of American adults who binge on alcohol prefer to drink beer. The researchers recommend tightening up control of sales and marketing and raising tax on beer to bring it in line with the policies that apply to other alcoholic beverages.
The study is to be published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and is available as an online pre print edition.Binge drinking, defined as drinking five or more drinks at one sitting, is an important public health problem in the United States, and little is known about the types of drinks consumed by binge drinkers.
Data on what binge drinkers drink could help guide decisions aimed at curbing the problem, especially since beer, wine and liquor are taxed, marketed, sold and distributed differently, they added.Lead author, Dr Timothy Naimi, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC's Division of Adult and Community Health said that:"This study isn't looking at alcohol consumed by people drinking responsibly, or moderately; this is alcohol consumed by people drinking five or more drinks in a sitting, so almost all of them are going to be impaired, if not overtly intoxicated."
"This is exactly the kind of drinking behavior that leads to so many deaths and secondhand problems that inflict real pain and costs on society, not just the drinker," added Naimi.Naimi and colleagues analysed data from 14,150 adult binge drinkers across 18 states who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System binge-drinking survey in 2003 and 2004. This included information on the amount and type of alcohol each participant consumed during their most recent binge session.The overall results showed that: Beer was the predominant or exclusive alcoholic beverage consumed by 74.4 per cent of binge drinkers. 80.5 per cent of binge drinkers drank some beer. Of all binge drinks consumed, beer accounted for 67.1 per cent, liquor for 21.9 per cent, and wine for 10.9 per cent. Beer also accounted for most of the alcohol consumed by those participants at highest risk of becoming harmed or causing harm as a result of drinking alcohol.
Naimi said that some of the most dangerous groups are the underage drinkers, people who drank eight or more drinks in one session, and those who drove while drinking or just afterwards. The researchers found that among those at highest risk of causing or incurring harm as a result of drinking alcohol: For the 18 to 20 year olds, beer accounted for 67 per cent of the drinks consumed. For those who had three or more binge sessions a month, beer accounted for 70.7 per cent of drinks consumed.
For those who drank eight or more drinks per binge session, beer accounted for 69.9 per cent of drinks consumed. For those who binge drank in public places, beer accounted for 64.4 per cent of drinks consumed. For those who drove during or within 2 hours of a binge session, beer accounted for 67.1 per cent of drinks consumed. Naimi and colleagues concluded that:"Beer accounted for two thirds of all alcohol consumed by binge drinkers and accounted for most alcohol consumed by those at greatest risk of causing or incurring alcohol-related harm."Speculating on what might lie behing these statistics, they said that:"Lower excise taxes and relatively permissive sales and marketing practices for beer as compared with other beverage types may account for some of these findings."And they suggested one way to curb the problem of excessive drinking would be to equalize "alcohol control policies at more stringent levels"."Sadly, there's lots of binge drinking going on with all kinds of drinks, and there are lots of effective polices that haven't been widely adopted," said Naimi."And there are other laws, like those related to selling alcohol to minors or selling to those who are already drunk, that aren't reliably enforced," he added.In the US, beer enjoys favourable treatment compared to liquor and wine said the authors. As Naimi explained:"Beer is sold in far more locations, especially outlets like convenience stores and gas stations, where impulse purchases are common. Beer taxes at the state and federal level are low and beer is king in terms of aggressive marketing to young adults, who are especially likely to drink and get drunk."However, the authors were keen to point out these factors are probably only part of the explanation.
Choosing a drink is a complex psychological decision, of which policies surrounding access and availablity is only one factor. There are social factors too, like family habits, culture, country of origin. The authors said this was probably the biggest limitation of their study.
For more Details :
Monday, August 6, 2007
Scientists Discover Clues To Rosacea Skin Ailment
A new study by scientists from the US, France and Japan appears to have found what causes acne rosacea to develop, a common inflammatory skin ailment that affects the over 30s and is also known as adult acne.The research is published in the advanced online edition of the journal Nature Medicine and was led by Dr Richard L. Gallo, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the Dermatology section of the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.Acne rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease that affects about 14 million Americans between the age of 30 and 60 and is more common in women than in men. It is more likely to affect fair skinned people of European or Celtic descent. Rosacea is characterized by facial redness (erythema), bumps and pimples (papulopustules), and spider veins (telangiectasia). The condition is chronic and gets worse over time. It is cyclical and flares up for weeks and months and then subsides. There is no effective treatment although antibiotics are sometimes prescribed with mixed results.Triggers for rosacea usually involve anything that causes the face to become flushed such as demanding exercise, sunburn, stress, anxiety, and sudden changes in temperature like moving from a cold to a hot environment. Other triggers arise from food and drink that cause flushing such as alcohol, hot caffeine drinks (tea, coffee), and certain spicy foods. Rosacea can even be triggered by blushing with embarrassment.The scientists found that people with rosacea have high levels of the anti microbial peptide cathelicidin in their skin and the proteins this produces are different to those found in people who do not have the disease. Another important contributor is an enzyme called stratum corneum tryptic enzyme (SCTE).
If you want to know more on these news please visit the following link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/78839.php
If you want to know more on these news please visit the following link :
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/78839.php
Generex's product pipeline is driven by its proprietary drug delivery platform, RapidMist™, and its proprietary T helper stimulatory platform techn
Generex's buccal delivery technology, RapidMist™, is comprised of a proprietary formulation and a proprietary device.The resulting formulation is aerosolized with a pharmaceutical grade chemical propellant and is administered to the patient using our proprietary RapidMist™ device. The device is a small, lightweight, hand-held, easy-to-use aerosol applicator comprised of a container for the formulation, a metered dose valve, an actuator and dust cap. Using the device, the patient self-administers the formulation by spraying it into the mouth. The device contains multiple applications, the number being dependent, among other things, on the concentration of the formulation. Absorption of the pharmaceutical agent occurs in the buccal cavity, principally through the inner cheek walls.In clinical studies of our insulin product Generex Oral-lyn™, insulin absorption in the buccal cavity has been shown to be very efficacious. We are also evaluating the use of our RapidMist™ device for the delivery of both morphine and fentanyl.
RapidMist™ Features and Benefits:
1. Needle-free, pain-free technology (non-invasive)
2. Rapid onset of action
3. No lung deposition (absorption in the buccal mucosa)
4. Established safety profile (FDA approved excipients)
5. Precise dose control (meeting USP guideline)
6. Expected Improvement in Compliance
7. Easy self-administration (small device-MDI) Convenient to carry and handle .
Generex is engaged in the research and development of drug delivery systems and technologies. Generex has developed a proprietary platform technology for the delivery of drugs into the human body through the oral cavity (with no deposit in the lungs). The Company's proprietary liquid formulations allow drugs typically administered by injection to be absorbed into the body by the lining of the inner mouth using the Company's proprietary RapidMist(tm) device. The Company's flagship product, oral insulin (Generex Oral-lyn(tm)), which is available for sale in Ecuador for the treatment of patients with Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes and before the end of 2007 the Company expects to begin Phase 3 trials of the product in the United States, Canada and Europe. For more information, visit the Generex website at www.generex.com. Safe Harbor Statement: This release and oral statements made from time to time by Generex representatives concerning the same subject matter may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by introductory words such as "expects," "plans," "intends," "believes," "will," "estimates," "forecasts," "projects" or words of similar meaning, and by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements frequently are used in discussing potential product applications, potential collaborations, product development activities, clinical studies, regulatory submissions and approvals, and similar operating matters. Many factors may cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements, including inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of risks and uncertainties, some of which are known and others of which are not. Known risks and uncertainties include those identified from time to time in the reports filed by Generex with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which should be considered together with any forward-looking statement. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results or events, and one should avoid placing undue reliance on such statements. Generex cannot be sure when or if it will be permitted by regulatory agencies to undertake additional clinical trials or to commence any particular phase of clinical trials. Because of this, statements regarding the expected timing of clinical trials cannot be regarded as actual predictions of when Generex will obtain regulatory approval for any "phase" of clinical trials. Generex claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements that is contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act.
CONTACT:
American Capital Ventures, Inc.Craig Kulman305-918-7000
CEO cast, Inc.
Andrew Hellman
212-732-4300
If you want to more please visit the following link :
"Mammogram "High-tech investment with device for breast cancer
Mammograms are probably the most important tool doctors have to help them diagnose, evaluate, and follow women who've had breast cancer. Safe and highly accurate, a mammogram is an X-ray photograph of the breast. The technique has been in use for about thirty years.Mammograms don't prevent breast cancer, but they can save lives by finding breast cancer as early as possible. For example, mammograms have been shown to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 35% in women over the age of 50; studies suggest for women between 40 and 50 they may lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 25–35%.Leading experts, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the American College of Radiology now recommend annual mammograms for women over 40.Finding breast cancers early with mammography has also meant that many more women being treated for breast cancer are able to keep their breasts. When caught early, localized cancers can be removed without resorting to breast removal (mastectomy).Mammograms aren't perfect. Normal breast tissue can hide a breast cancer, so that it doesn't show up on the mammogram. This is called a false negative. And mammography can identify an abnormality that looks like a cancer, but turns out to be normal. This "false alarm" is called a false positive. To make up for these limitations, more than mammography is needed.
Women also need to practice breast self-examination, get regular breast examination by an experienced health care professional, and, in some cases, also get another form of breast imaging, like ultrasound or MRI scanning.4 Important Things to Know About Mammograms1. They can save your life. Finding breast cancer early reduces your risk of dying from the disease by 25 - 30% or more. Women should begin having mammograms yearly at age 40, or earlier if they're at high risk.2. Don't be afraid. It's a fast procedure (about 5 - 10 minutes), and discomfort is minimal. The procedure is safe: there's only a very tiny amount of radiation exposure from a mammogram. To relieve the anxiety of waiting for results, go to a center that will give you results before you leave.3. Get the best quality you can.If you have dense breasts or are under age 50, try to get a digital mammogram.Bring your old mammogram films with you for comparison.Have more than one radiologist read your study.Ask if your center has CAD—computer aided detection—which calls the radiologist's attention to any possible areas of concern.Make sure the doctor who referred you for the mammogram includes an explicit note when ordering the study (providing clinical correlations—e.g. "palpable mass in the upper outer quadrant, rule out abnormality").Correlate your results with other tests you've had done, like ultrasound or MRI.Discuss your family history of breast and other cancers—from both your mother's AND father's side—with your doctor.4. It is our most powerful breast cancer detection tool. However, mammograms can still miss 15—20% of breast cancers that are simply not visible using this technique. Other important tools—such as breast self-exam, clinical breast examination, ultrasound, and MRI—can and should be used as complementary tools, but there are no substitutes or replacements for a mammogram.
Breaking news about current breast cancer research. News articles are continually updated with reviews and commentary from our breastcancer.org experts visit the following link :
http://www.breastcancer.org/
Women also need to practice breast self-examination, get regular breast examination by an experienced health care professional, and, in some cases, also get another form of breast imaging, like ultrasound or MRI scanning.4 Important Things to Know About Mammograms1. They can save your life. Finding breast cancer early reduces your risk of dying from the disease by 25 - 30% or more. Women should begin having mammograms yearly at age 40, or earlier if they're at high risk.2. Don't be afraid. It's a fast procedure (about 5 - 10 minutes), and discomfort is minimal. The procedure is safe: there's only a very tiny amount of radiation exposure from a mammogram. To relieve the anxiety of waiting for results, go to a center that will give you results before you leave.3. Get the best quality you can.If you have dense breasts or are under age 50, try to get a digital mammogram.Bring your old mammogram films with you for comparison.Have more than one radiologist read your study.Ask if your center has CAD—computer aided detection—which calls the radiologist's attention to any possible areas of concern.Make sure the doctor who referred you for the mammogram includes an explicit note when ordering the study (providing clinical correlations—e.g. "palpable mass in the upper outer quadrant, rule out abnormality").Correlate your results with other tests you've had done, like ultrasound or MRI.Discuss your family history of breast and other cancers—from both your mother's AND father's side—with your doctor.4. It is our most powerful breast cancer detection tool. However, mammograms can still miss 15—20% of breast cancers that are simply not visible using this technique. Other important tools—such as breast self-exam, clinical breast examination, ultrasound, and MRI—can and should be used as complementary tools, but there are no substitutes or replacements for a mammogram.
Breaking news about current breast cancer research. News articles are continually updated with reviews and commentary from our breastcancer.org experts visit the following link :
http://www.breastcancer.org/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
