Cell Conversion Shows Promise for Diabetes Treatment

But researchers must figure out how to keep new beta cells under control FRIDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- European scientists have identified a transcription factor that plays a key role in the conversion of pancreas cells into insulin-producing beta cells, and the finding could lead...

New Diagnostic Biomarker Test Shows Promise in Monitoring Ovarian Cancer

CHICAGO, July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ovarian malignancies are a leading cause of cancer death in women because they are usually detected in the late stages when the disease is incurable. Encouraging new research presented by Abbott today at the American Association for Clinical Ch...

Breast cancer drug shows promise against serious infections

An FDA-approved drug used for preventing recurrence of breast cancer shows promise in fighting life-threatening fungal infections common in immune-compromised patients, such as infants born prematurely and patients with cancer. Some scientists suspected that tamoxifen has antifungal properties; no...

Drug Shows Promise in Nervous-System Tumor Treatment

In small study, some patients had their hearing restored WEDNESDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. researchers report the first successful drug treatment of tumors in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). In people with NF2, benign tumors develop throughout the nervous sy...

Study in Nature: MicroRNAs hold promise for treating diseases in blood vessels

A newly discovered mechanism controls whether muscle cells in blood vessels hasten the development of both atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, according to an article published online today in the journal Nature . The study was led by the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GIC...

Camp Promise Rallies To Provide Massachusetts Children With Alternative To MDA Canceled Summer Camp

Camp Promise to Provide Second Chance at Summer Recreation for Children with Muscular Dystrophy Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 25, 2009 -- In immediate response to the Muscular Dystrophy Association's decision to cancel the remainder of its annual summer camp program due to th...

Novel light-sensitive compounds show promise for cancer therapy

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Chemists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have developed novel compounds that show promise for photodynamic cancer therapy, which uses light-activated drugs to kill tumor cells. The new compounds, called dye-sensitized ruthenium nitrosyls, are absorbed by cancer cel...

Study shows promise for new cancer-stopping therapy

Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins University have discovered that delivering a small molecule that is highly expressed in normal tissues but lost in diseased cells can result in tumor suppression. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of small RNA molecules that are highl...

New Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Trial

Liraglutide mimics effects of a natural hormone, researchers say MONDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental diabetes drug called liraglutide appears to outperform exenatide (Byetta), the only currently approved drug in its class, a study funded by liraglutide's maker, Novo Nord...

Vaporized viral vector shows promise in anti-cancer gene therapy

A new lung cancer therapy employing a vaporized viral vector to deliver a cancer-inhibiting molecule directly to lung tissue shows early promise in mouse trials, according to researchers at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Korea. Gene therapy is an area of great promise, bu...

Vaccine shows therapeutic promise against advanced melanoma

ORLANDO - A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. ...

Tool Shows Promise for Measuring Productivity of Mid-Level Oncology Providers

A pilot study of a new productivity tool developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) shows potential in measuring the impact of mid-level oncology providers in outpatient oncology settings. Refining productivity metrics for this group can help inform workforce projec...

Small molecule inhibitor shows promise in trastuzumab-resistant metastatic breast cancer

ORLANDO (June 1, 2009)Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that a combination of trastuzumab and neratinib (HKI-272) a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HER2 receptor (ErbB2) appears active in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on previous trastuzumab b...

Cottonseed-based drug shows promise in treating severe brain cancer

BIRMNGHAM, Ala. An experimental drug derived from cottonseed shows promise in treating the recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme, widely considered the most lethal brain cancer, said researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The new results are from a Phase II clinical tria...

Diabetes drug shows promise against multiple sclerosis

A drug currently FDA-approved for use in diabetes shows some protective effects in the brains of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine report in a study currently available online in the Journal of Neuroimmun...

Cardinal George Praises President Obama's Promise to Support Conscience Clauses, Seeks to Work With Administration on Goal

Cardinal George grateful for Obama promise to support conscience clauses Conscience rights will strengthen health care Church looks forward to working with Administration to advance conscience rights WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cardinal Francis George of Chicago...

Photos: The Nation's Leading Scientists and Top Rock Stars Shine a Spotlight on the Promise of Medical Research

GEOFFREY BEENE GIVES BACK(R) and GQ Magazine Launch Public Service Campaign with Designer Menswear Photo Feature WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire/ --- GEOFFREY BEENE GIVES BACK(R) and GQ Magazine have joined forces to bring celebrity rock stars like nine-time Grammy Award winner, Sheryl C...

Sodium channel blocker shows promise as a potential treatment for cystic fibrosis

ATS 2009, SAN DIEGOCystic fibrosis patients may benefit from a new therapy that increases airway hydration, preventing the buildup of mucous, which is a key factor in the disease, according to researchers at Parion Sciences in Durham, N.C. The research will be presented on Sunday, May 17, during...

New therapy based on magnetic stimulation shows promise for non-drug treatment for migraine

A new UCSF study examining the mechanism of a novel therapy that uses magnetic pulses to treat chronic migraine sufferers showed the treatment to be a promising alternative to medication. The therapy is called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. Study findings were presented today (Apri...

Experimental drug shows promise against head and neck cancer

April 28, 2009 (BRONX, NY) A laboratory study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University suggests that an anti-cancer compound studied for treating blood cancers may also help in treating cancers of the head and neck. The work is reported in the April 28th online...

New treatment shows promise against recurrent gynecologic cancers

April 21, 2009 (BRONX, NY) Recurrent and metastatic endometrial and ovarian cancers can be notoriously difficult to treat: They have spread to other organs and typically have developed resistance to chemotherapy; and patients already heavily treated with chemotherapy may not be able to endure mo...

Targeted agent shows promise in biliary cancer study

COLUMBUS, Ohio An experimental agent has shown promising results in people with advanced biliary cancer, according to a multi-institutional clinical trial led by cancer researchers at the Ohio State University. The agent, known as AZD6244 (ARRY-142886), blocks certain enzymes that cancer cells...

Chemo Combo Shows Promise Against Ovarian Cancer

Lab-based study focused on certain types of malignancies SUNDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Adding the drug dasatinib to a standard, two-drug chemotherapy regimen for treating ovarian cancer boosted the effectiveness of the drugs in laboratory tests, new research shows. Researcher...

American Airlines Applauded for Its Fundraising to Support Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R), Promise Grant to The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaboration to Fight Inflammatory Breast Cancer Already Making Gains in First Year of Funding DALLAS, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R) today lauded thousands of American Airlines AAdvantage(R) members, employe...

U study shows MRI-based method holds promise for predicting treatment outcomes in patients with AF

SALT LAKE CITY University of Utah researchers have found that delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) holds promise for predicting treatment outcomes and measuring disease progression for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a little known heart rhythm disorder that affects mor...

Biological Product Shows Promise Against Gum Disease

When tested in rabbits, resolvins reduced inflammation ,,,, SATURDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Resolvins, a new family of biologically active products of omega-3 fatty acids, may be able to remedy the inflammation of periodontal disease and restore gums to health, say Boston Univer...

Gold Nanospheres Show Promise in 'Boiling' Out Cancer

Smaller than dust flecks, new therapy 'cooks' bad cells while leaving healthy ones alone MONDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say that using microscopic gold particles that target melanoma cells and then "boil" them when exposed to certain lighting holds promise as a new t...

Hollow gold nanospheres show promise for biomedical and other applications

SALT LAKE CITY, UT--A new metal nanostructure developed by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has already shown promise in cancer therapy studies and could be used for chemical and biological sensors and other applications as well. The hollow gold nanospheres developed in...

New Parkinson's Treatment Shows Promise in Animals

Stimulation of spinal cord less invasive than deep brain stimulation, researchers say THURSDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Rodents with Parkinson's-like symptoms walked and moved normally again after their spinal cords were stimulated with high frequency electrical currents, a new st...

Drug-Eluting Stents Show Promise for Leg Arteries

Fewer repeat procedures were needed in people with peripheral arterial disease, study finds,, TUESDAY, March 10 (HealthDay News) -- Treating peripheral arterial disease with drug-eluting stents may save lives and limbs in people with severely obstructed arteries, Greek researchers have...

Optical techniques show continued promise in detecting pancreatic cancer

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Optical technology developed by a Northwestern University professor of biomedical engineering has been shown to be effective in detecting the presence of pancreatic cancer through analysis of neighboring tissue in the duodenum, according to clinical trial results published in th...

Nausea Drug Shows Promise Against Opioid Addiction

Ondansetron relieves withdrawal symptoms without side effects, early study shows WEDNESDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- A drug currently used to treat nausea can prevent symptoms of withdrawal from illegal and prescription opioid drugs such as heroin, morphine and codeine, a new study ...

Gene Therapy Holds Promise for HIV

But research is preliminary and more trials are needed, study says SUNDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers are reporting promising results from the largest clinical trial of gene therapy for HIV patients. The findings, while encouraging, need to be replicated and more research ...

New Drug Shows Promise Against Heartbeat Abnormality

Dronedarone reduced strokes, heart attacks in those with atrial fibrillation WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A new drug for a common heartbeat abnormality produced promising results in its latest trial. The drug, dronedarone, is being tested for atrial fibrillation, which aff...

Anti-HIV gel shows promise in large-scale study in women

An investigational vaginal gel intended to prevent HIV infection in women has demonstrated encouraging signs of success in a clinical trial conducted in Africa and the United States. Findings of the recently concluded study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAI...

Breast cancer drug shows promise for treating, preventing progestin-dependent tumors

COLUMBIA, Mo. Recent studies suggest that human breast cancer risk is increased by outside exposure to the hormone progestin, such as during hormone replacement therapy. Now, a University of Missouri study suggests that PRIMA-1, a small molecule drug that targets the most common mutated gene, p53...

Magnetic-anchor-guided endoscopic submucosal dissection shows promise for gastric cancer

OAK BROOK, Ill. January 27, 2009 A prospective clinical trial from researchers in Japan shows magnetic-anchor-guided endoscopic submucosal dissection for large early gastric cancer to be a feasible and safe method in humans. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is useful in the en bloc removal...

HIPAA Privacy Rule Limits America's Promise in Research

AAHC Report Recommends Reexamination and Revisions WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) continues to have a significant negative impact on the scope, pace, and costs of research, according to The ...

NQF's Corrigan Tells Senate Committee That Investing in Health IT Holds Great Promise If It is Focused on Wringing Out Efficiencies and Coordinating Patient Care

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Quality Forum (NQF) President and CEO Janet Corrigan will testify before the Senate HELP Committee Thursday, January 15th to provide guidance on how HIT investments can achieve maximum benefit -- both for our economy and the quality of care o...

Cell phones using lens-free imaging promise to improve health monitoring

Cell phones have already revolutionized the way people around the world communicate and do business. Thanks to advances being made at UCLA, they are about to do the same thing for medicine. In the lab of UCLA electrical engineering professor Aydogan Ozcan, a prototype cell phone has been co...