FDA warning: Differentiation syndrome This drug has a boxed warning. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous. Xospata may cause differentiation syndrome, a dangerous condition in which certain cells change and grow in number. Symptoms
Cancer
People with prostate cancer are at risk of metastatic tumors forming. A newly developed test can assess this risk more quickly than existing tests and is also cheaper to run. Researchers explain the benefits of a new test that measures the risk of metastasis in prostate cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 11.2
New research in mice reveals “previously unknown” molecules that pancreatic cancer cells use to shape the environment around the tumors and enable them to spread. New research helps explain why pancreatic cancer cells spread so fast. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. Most of the time, the condition has already
New research, appearing in the journal Cell, reveals a drug compound that could halt the growth of an aggressive form of melanoma. If successful in human clinical trials, a new compound may effectively block the growth of melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that accounts for 1 percent of all skin cancer cases.
Scientists have identified biological changes in apparently normal airway tissue that could potentially predict the development of lung cancer. The changes alter gene and cell activity in the immune system. New research suggests that boosting the immune system could protect the lungs against cancer. A team from Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts led
New research published in the journal Oncogene uncovered a protein that helps tumors to spread by enabling them to grow blood vessels. Blocking the protein stopped tumors from metastasizing efficiently in laboratory experiments. Blocking a protein called LTBP3 may stop cancer cells (shown here) from entering the blood vessels. The new study was led by
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles make up a common additive — E171 — used as a coloring agent in many products. So far, the additive’s safety has been a matter of debate, but new research in mice has found evidence that it could render the gut more susceptible to disease. A common food additive in white cake
A 3D mammogram uses X-rays to create an image of the breast tissue. Many healthcare facilities and hospitals are adopting 3D mammogram technology due to the clear picture it gives of the breast tissue. A 3D mammogram, or digital tomosynthesis, is different to a standard mammogram that gives a 2D picture. A 3D mammogram helps
Researchers, using data from more than 40,000 women, conclude that eating red meat is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, but consuming poultry appears to link to a lower risk. A recent study investigates the impact of meat on breast cancer risk. Breast cancer affects around 1 in 8 women in the United
A urinary catheter is a flexible tube for draining urine from the bladder. It may be necessary for a person to use a urinary catheter if they have difficulty passing urine naturally. This article outlines the different types of urinary catheter and provides advice on how to avoid side effects. Uses A person may need
People with symptoms of ovarian cancer or a recent diagnosis may want to learn more about the condition. Understanding ovarian cancer statistics is a logical place to start. Having questions about ovarian cancer is natural. People trying to understand more about the condition may want to know: how common ovarian cancer is who is most
A person may miss a period for a number of common reasons. Ovarian cancer is a rare cause of a missed period. Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, which are female reproductive organs that sit on either side of the uterus, or womb. This type of cancer may develop from various cell types in the ovaries
A worldwide study has identified gut bacteria that can boost the immune system’s ability to fight tumors. The finding should help improve and personalize immunotherapy treatments for cancer. Scientists find which gut bacteria help the immune system fight cancer. Immunotherapy is a general term for treatments that increase the body’s own ability to tackle disease.
A recent study of a large and diverse group of people supports the idea that being physically fit can help protect against cancer. Physically fit people may be at lower risk of developing some types of cancer. Working with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, MI, researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in
A neck spasm occurs when the muscles in a person’s neck contract involuntarily. Neck spasms can be very painful and may cause headaches or dizziness. Fortunately, a person can usually treat a neck spasm with exercise and home remedies. A neck spasm caused by the sudden tightening of the neck muscles may cause: severe, sharp
Medullary thyroid cancer is a rare type of thyroid cancer. The first sign of it is usually the appearance of a painless lump in the front of a person’s neck. If caught early, this cancer is often very treatable. In this article, we examine what medullary thyroid cancer or MTC is, and the early signs
Researchers know that whole grains are good for health, but the mechanisms at play remain unclear. However, a recent study in humans and mouse models now shows just how certain whole grains help regulate gut health. Those who eat whole-grain rye bread have lower blood serotonin levels. What does this mean? Studies from the past
In a recent study, mice that ate a diet with reduced levels of a particular amino acid responded better to cancer treatments. The findings are intriguing, but the authors call for caution. Meat and eggs contain particularly high levels of methionine. Doctors and other experts now understand the significant role that nutrition plays in health.
New research featuring in the journal Science Translational Medicine shows that fatty acids fuel prostate tumor growth. As blocking fatty acids seems to slow disease progression, fatty acid uptake may be a promising new therapeutic target for prostate cancer. It may soon be possible to stop prostate cancer from becoming aggressive by blocking fatty acids.
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which a surgeon removes a person’s uterus. However, the surgeon often leaves part or all of the ovaries intact, which means it might still be possible for an individual to get ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer starts when tumor cells develop in the ovaries or the surrounding tissues. The
The pancreas is an organ that helps facilitate digestive function and blood sugar regulation. When cancer spreads from the pancreas to other parts of the body, doctors classify it as stage 4 pancreatic cancer. According to research from 2015, about 53 percent of people with pancreatic cancer receive a diagnosis when the cancer is in
Abdominal ultrasounds use sound waves to create images of structures and blood flow in the abdomen. These ultrasound images are a useful way of examining organs, tissues, blood vessels, and other structures within the abdomen. Ultrasound imaging involves sending high-frequency sound waves into the body. These waves reflect off of organs and other structures inside
Vitamin A is a nutrient that is essential for maintaining good health, but could consuming it help lower the risk of skin cancer? One new study has found a link between vitamin A intake and reduced skin cancer risk. Dietary vitamin A may help reduce the risk of developing a common form of skin cancer.
Researchers have used a deep-learning algorithm to detect lung cancer accurately from computed tomography scans. The results of the study indicate that artificial intelligence can outperform human evaluation of these scans. New research suggests that a computer algorithm may be better than radiologists at detecting lung cancer. Lung cancer causes almost 160,000 deaths in the
Recent research has tied regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, to longer survival in some people with head and neck cancer. Aspirin may improve the outlook for some people living with head and neck cancer. The researchers propose that there should now be a clinical trial to test the effectiveness and safety
Stage 4 colon cancer occurs when cancer in the colon spreads, or metastasizes, to other tissues and organs. Colon cancer most often spreads to the liver, but it may also reach the lungs, the lymph nodes, or the lining of the abdominal cavity. The American Cancer Society (ACS) note that the 5-year relative survival rate
Human papillomavirus or HPV is the name for a group of viruses transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. HPV can affect fertility in both men and women. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), but people can also acquire it in other ways. According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Medullary breast carcinoma is a rare subtype of invasive breast cancer. The term medullary refers to the tumor’s soft, fleshy appearance, which resembles the soft gray matter in the brain stem, called the medulla. Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for 8 in 10 cases of breast cancer.