May 11, 2012 Connie K. Ho for RedOrbit.com Researchers at Loyola University Chicagos Stritch School of Medicine have found that patients see both benefits and risks from direct-to-consumer genetic tests. Dr. Katherine Wasson, a specialist on the ethics of direct-to-consumer genetic tests, and colleagues conducted the experiment. The study, published in the American Journal of Bioethics Primary Research, showed that the patients were concerned about the end game of the genetic test results. There are a few companies, such as 23andMe, deCODE Genetics and Navigenics, that currently test consumers for single gene disorders like cystic fibrosis; complex disorders with multiple genes like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; traits like hair color, eye color, and baldness; as well as allergies to drugs like Coumadin for a fee ranging from $100 to $1,500. Normally, consumers can order these tests directly and receive the exams without having to go through a health-care professional like a geneticist or a genetic counselor. In the study, the researchers conducted four focus groups with 29 participants who were primary care patients at Loyola University Medical Center. After they received information about the direct-to-consumer genetic testing, they were to give their opinions on the exams. The focus groups … Continue reading →

Public release date: 11-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Dianne G. Shaw dgs@med.unc.edu 919-966-7834 University of North Carolina School of Medicine Cancer therapies targeting specific molecular subtypes of the disease allow physicians to tailor treatment to a patient's individual molecular profile. But scientists are finding that in many types of cancer the molecular subtypes are more varied than previously thought and contain further genetic alterations that can affect a patient's response to therapy. A UNC-led team of scientists has shown for the first time that lung cancer molecular subtypes correlate with distinct genetic alterations and with patient response to therapy. These findings in pre-clinical models and patient tumor samples build on their previous report of three molecular subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer and refines their molecular analysis of tumors. Their findings were published in the May 10, 2012 online edition of the Public Library of Science One. Study senior author, Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, says, "It has been known for about a decade of using gene expression arrays that "molecular subtypes" exist. These subtypes have molecular "fingerprints" and frequently have different clinical outcomes. However, the underlying etiologies of the subtypes have not been … Continue reading →

By Cathy C. Yamsuan Philippine Daily Inquirer Former President Joseph Erap Estrada had always maintained that giving generously to friends and forgiving opponents are the secrets to staying young. But time has a way of catching up with even the most formidable leading men. Since he entered national politics 25 years ago, Estrada has struggled with the attributes of old ageweight gain, a painful knee here, a cataract there. He needed some kind of elixir of youth to put to right what nature has put asunder. And to get back on his feet in time to serve the people, he said which has no age limit. So he did it, and is very open about it. What is it? At the prodding of friends, the 75-year-old Estrada flew to Frankfurt, Germany, last month to undergo fresh cell therapy (also known as stem cell treatment), an innovative albeit controversial procedure where fresh cells from donor animals are injected into the human body to treat diseases or reverse the aging process. Fresh cell therapy operates under the principle of like heals like. The fresh cells from a donor animals organ are infused into the human counterpart. Substances in the donors blood are … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Main Category: Ear, Nose and Throat Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine;Cancer / Oncology;Stem Cell Research Article Date: 11 May 2012 - 10:00 PDT Current Article Ratings: The researchers note this finding could enhance the quality of life of 500,000 individuals with head and neck cancer each year worldwide. The team found that the stem cells needed for regenerating the parotid gland (the largest pair of salivary glands) were primarily located in the major ducts of the gland. According to the researchers, these cells could be easily avoided during radiotherapy or given a minimal radiation dose. Dr. Peter van Luijk, a research associate at the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands, explained: Findings from the study were presented at the 31st conference of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO31). Dry mouth syndrome is a condition in which there is not enough saliva in the mouth. The condition can occur when the parotid gland stops functioning properly after radiation damage. Symptoms of dry mouth syndrome include difficulty sleeping, eating, tooth decay or loss, and bad breath. These symptoms lead to poorer quality of life and difficulty working, as well as social isolation. The majority of treatments … Continue reading →

By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- A new treatment that involves spinning bone marrow stem cells to enhance their healing potential may help people with advanced heart failure feel and function better, a small study suggests. Researchers developed the treatment by culturing a patient's own bone marrow for 12 days. This process helped increase the amount of immune cells and stem cells that can differentiate into several different cell types, including heart cells. Those cells were then injected into heart muscle. The study was funded by treatment manufacturer Aastrom Biosciences. According to the findings, this treatment was safe, helped repair the damaged heart muscle and reversed some heart failure symptoms, when compared to a placebo injection. The findings were to be presented Thursday at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions annual meeting, in Las Vegas. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that about 5.8 million people in the United States have heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and abdomen. There is no cure; treatment … Continue reading →

Philippine Daily Inquirer Former President and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was suffering from a mineral deficiency in her bones arising from two corrective surgeries last September, wanted to seek alternative stem cell therapy abroad. However, she was barred from leaving the country last November after Justice Secretary Leila de Lima refused to honor the temporary restraining order issued by the high court on the inclusion of Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Mike Arroyo in the immigration bureaus watch list. In the wake of Arroyos supposed plan to try the radical technology at stem cell centers abroad to cure what her doctors here described as a rare bone disease, a province mate and a colleague of the former President filed a bill to put up a stem cell center in the country. Pampanga Rep. Carmelo F. Lazatin, a member of the minority bloc in Congress, has filed House Bill No. 5287 mandating the establishment of a research facility to explore the benefits of stem cell technology as a potential cure for incurable diseases. Blank cells Stem cells, the foundation of every organ, tissue and cell within the human body, are like blank cells that do not yet have … Continue reading →