Lifeboat Foundation

Vaccination has beaten back infections for more than a century. Now, it may be the next big step in battling cancer.

A clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators showed that a nasal spray that patients administer at home, without a physician, successfully and safely treated recurrent episodes of a condition that causes rapid abnormal heart rhythms. The study, published March 25 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, provides real-world evidence that a wide range of patients can safely and effectively use the experimental drug, called etripamil, to treat recurrent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes at home, potentially sparing them the need for repeated hospital trips for more invasive treatments.

The study is the latest in a series of studies by lead author Dr. James Ip, professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a cardiologist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and colleagues to demonstrate the potential of nasal spray calcium-channel blocker etripamil as an at-home treatment PSVT.

Dr. Ip received compensation as a steering committee member for Milestone Pharmaceuticals, the maker of etripamil and sponsor of the trial.

A new paper that combines antigenic analysis of dengue virus with two decades of hospital data in Thailand teases apart how different combinations of serotypes shape the risk of severe secondary infections in children.

In a new study, a Yale Pathology team has identified a possible therapeutic target for treating obesity-induced liver cancer.

Researchers say inhibiting a molecule called fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) could block tumor progression in many cases:

Inhibiting a certain protein in mice reduced obesity-induced liver tumor development, Yale researchers found. It could reveal a future treatment route.

Continue reading “Study identifies driver of liver cancer that could be target for treatment” »

An antibody screen of two distinct multiple sclerosis cohorts reveals an autoantibody signature that is detectable years before symptom onset and linked to a common microbial motif, according to a paper in Nature Medicine. Read the paper:

Abstract. In recent years, brain research has indisputably entered a new epoch, driven by substantial methodological advances and digitally enabled data integration and modelling at multiple scales—from molecules to the whole brain. Major advances are emerging at the intersection of neuroscience with technology and computing. This new science of the brain combines high-quality research, data integration across multiple scales, a new culture of multidisciplinary large-scale collaboration, and translation into applications. As pioneered in Europe’s Human Brain Project (HBP), a systematic approach will be essential for meeting the coming decade’s pressing medical and technological challenges.

The hypertension drug rilmenidine has been shown to slow down aging in worms, an effect that in humans could hypothetically help us live longer and keep us healthier in our latter years.

Previous research has shown rilmenidine mimics the effects of caloric restriction on a cellular level. Reducing available energy while maintaining nutrition within the body has been shown to extend lifespans in several animal models.

Whether this translates to human biology, or is a potential risk to our health, is a topic of ongoing debate. Finding ways to achieve the same benefits without the costs of extreme calorie cutting could lead to new ways to improve health in old age.

MEDIA ADVISORY: An international team of researchers, led by NCI scientists, has identified 50 new areas across the human genome that are associated with the risk of developing kidney cancer.

In a new analysis of genetic susceptibility to kidney cancer, an international team of researchers has identified 50 new areas across the genome that are associated with the risk of developing kidney cancer. These insights could one day be used to advance our understanding of the molecular basis of kidney cancer, inform screening efforts for those at highest risk, and identify new drug targets. The study was led by scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) of people of European ancestry identified 13 regions of the genome that are associated with kidney cancer risk. However, the study population was not diverse. To identify additional regions, researchers conducted a GWAS in participants of many different genetic ancestries that included 29,020 people with kidney cancer and 835,670 people without kidney cancer. Analysis of the data, which came from published studies, biobanks, and a new study, resulted in the identification of 50 new regions associated with the risk of developing kidney cancer, bringing the total number of such regions to 63.

Continue reading “New study provides genomic insights into kidney cancer risk” »

Technology views living cancer cell:

This technique could provide valuable insights into how different types of cancer respond to treatments. It might also help doctors understand the impact of irradiation on cells, specifically how some cancer cells resist radiation treatment. This resistance may result in relapse of the cancer.

A deeper understanding of cancer biology may lead to the development of more effective treatments in the future.

Continue reading “In a first, scientists use new tech to see inside cancer cells” »