Colorectal Cancer :: Statin use not associated with colorectal cancer risk
Regular use of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins is not associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, according to a population-based case-control study.
Medical
Chemotherapy :: Study examines drug delivery with liposomes
Several chemotherapy drugs can only be given at certain doses because they’re highly toxic to healthy cells, and at those doses, the concentration of the drug that reaches cells in the tumor may be quite low. Scientists have been investigating the use of liposomes, hollow spheres of fat molecules, to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to tumors. These liposomes melt and release their contents when exposed to heat.
Leukemia :: Arsenic triggers unique mechanism in rare leukemia
There are few treatments for a rare cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Arsenite is a form of arsenic that’s particularly effective against this cancer. In a new study, researchers identify a novel mechanism by which arsenite acts in APL cells.
Cancer :: Study examines risk of soft tissue sarcomas in hereditary retinoblastoma survivors
A study in the Jan. 3 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute quantifies the risk of hereditary retinoblastoma survivors developing specific subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas and finds that this risk persists for decades after the original retinoblastoma diagnosis. The findings emphasize the importance of regular medical surveillance for these patients, the authors say.
Cancer :: Study calculates patient time costs associated with cancer care
In 2005, the overall cost of patients’ time spent on cancer care was $2.3 billion in the first year after diagnosis, according to a new study in the Jan. 3 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The time costs for the 11 cancers studied and for different phases of cancer care varied widely, they write.
Heart Failure :: Most hospital performance measures for heart failure not linked to improved patient outcomes
Four of five hospital performance measures for heart failure do not appear to accurately reflect the quality of care provided, according to a study in the January 3 issue of JAMA.
Meningitis :: Clinical guidelines help identify children at risk of bacterial meningitis
A set of guidelines have been developed that can help predict the risk of bacterial meningitis for children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (presence of greater number of white blood cells than normal), reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and antibiotics, according to a study in the January 3 issue of JAMA.
Heart Failure :: Limitations in publicly reported quality-of-care indicators for heart-failure patients
Researchers reported that all five standard hospital-based performance measures used to gauge quality-of-care for hospitalized heart-failure patients may not be the best benchmarks since none were significant predictors of patient mortality during the critical first 60 to 90 days immediately following hospital discharge.
Cholesterol :: Sugars in liver found to clear fats from the bloodstream
In work with mice, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine discovered a factor that could be responsible for many unexplained cases of elevated triglyceride levels.
Gene :: ‘Marathon mice’ elucidate little-known muscle type
Researchers report in the January issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, published by Cell Press, the discovery of a genetic “switch” that drives the formation of a poorly understood type of muscle. Moreover, they found, animals whose muscles were full of the so-called IIX fibers were able to run farther and at higher work loads than normal mice could.