Tag: Cancer

What to know about ‘tree man’ syndrome

For years, 28-year-old Abul Bajandar, from Bangaldesh, was covered with what looked like bark. His hands and feet grew foot-long, gnarled “roots,” skin lesions that left him unable to feed himself, move around, work, or wear standard clothing. A few years ago, surgery finally changed his life. But after more than 25 invasive surgeries to

Normal variations in thyroid function may be linked to atrial fibrillation risk

A study by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has strengthened the link between thyroid function and atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heart rhythm that increases the risk of stroke and other heart-related complications. The phenome-wide association study scanned the medical records of more than 37,000 people for an association between genetically determined variation in

White blood cells related to allergies may also be harnessed to destroy cancer cells: Eosinophil immune cells are capable of killing colon cancer cells, researchers say

A new Tel Aviv University study finds that eosinophils — white blood cells that may have played an evolutionary role in combating parasites, but which are today responsible for chronic asthma and modern allergies — may be used to eliminate malignant colon cancer cells. The research was led by Prof. Ariel Munitz of the Department

Cancer has a biological clock and this drug may keep it from ticking

A new drug shows potential to halt cancer cells’ growth by stunting the cells’ biological clock. The findings from scientists at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience and Nagoya University’s Institute of Transformative BioMolecules (ITbM) advance a burgeoning area of research: turning the body’s circadian rhythms against cancer. Their study, conducted on human kidney

Possible link found between exposure to household chemical and heart disease and cancer

Dichlorophenols (DCPs) are chemicals known to disrupt hormone systems. DCPs can be found in a variety of consumer and industrial products, such as deodorizers, antibacterial additives and even chlorinated drinking water. A new University of Minnesota School of Public Health study, recently published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, investigated two types of DCPs (2,5-DCP and

Personalized treatment benefits kidney cancer patients

Personalized treatment plans may extend life expectancy for early-stage kidney cancer patients who have risk factors for worsening kidney disease, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. Kidney, or renal, tumors are often discovered at an early stage and are frequently treated with partial nephrectomy, a surgical procedure in which the tumor

Herpes viruses and tumors evolved to learn how to manipulate the same ancient RNA: Findings could have implications for drugs and insight into diseases like Alzheimer’s

Herpes viral infections use the ancient genetic material found in the human genome to proliferate, mimicking the same process tumors have been found to manipulate, Mount Sinai researchers have shown for the first time. These observations provide further insight about how herpes viruses can manipulate the immune system in ways that may drive neurodegenerative diseases

Genetics may influence the effects of vitamin E on cancer risk

Almost half of all Americans take a vitamin supplement, and yet many large-scale, placebo-controlled clinical trials of various supplements have found little or no benefit. A new study led by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital suggests an intriguing reason for this: genetic variation may be influencing these effects, increasing risk in some individuals while

engineers unlock avenue for early cancer diagnosis

Monash University engineers have unlocked the door to earlier detection of cancer with a world-first study identifying a potential new testing method that could save millions of lives. Researchers found that a sensor using new, more sensitive materials to look for key markers of disease in the body increased detection by up to 10,000 times.

Bloating: bloating point to a cancer disease

Recurring bloating a note on ovarian cancer Poop is completely normal and healthy. Who let the air escape, to suffer at some point under a bloat. If in women the belly but again and again, for no apparent reason, bloated, should be promptly consult a doctor. It can be a first indication of a cancer

Lung transplant patients face elevated lung cancer risk

In an American Journal of Transplantation study, lung cancer risk was increased after lung transplantation, especially in the native (non-transplanted) lung of single lung transplant recipients. This was a large registry-linkage study that utilized matched transplant and cancer registry data from 17 US states/regions, including approximately 50 percent of US transplant recipients from 1987-2012. Researchers