The drug, sold under the brand name Rituxan by Genentech and Biogen Idec Inc and as MabThera by Roche AG in Europe, suppresses the rogue immune cells that cause the condition, the researchers found.
Writing in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, they said their findings suggest the condition, which causes kidney failure in 30 percent to 40 percent of cases, can be cured in more patients.
"Whether this may apply to other (similar kidney conditions) and may translate into long-term protection from renal function loss and the potentially life-threatening complications …
(Read the full post about ‘Rituxan may heal common kidney condition (Reuters)’…)
Compared to the general population, adult survivors of childhood cancer have a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease, lung problems and second malignancies because the long-term effects of the original cancer and its treatment, as well as some genetic predispositions, leaves them vulnerable to multiple cancers.
(Read the full post about ‘One-Fifth of British Childhood Cancer Survivors Smoke (HealthDay)’…)
The findings are the first to connect the now-banned herbicide with this form of cancer, the researchers declared.
The research team has developed a new method for growing cells of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT), a rare cancer that affects infants and small children.
Although there are only 10 to 15 cases of the cancer annually in Canada, fewer than 10 percent of the children under three years of age who get it survive.
The new method of growing the cancer cells may increase their chances by helping find effective drugs for treatment.
"To do (drug) tests we lack to have cancer cells in cultures," said Aru Narendran, a physician and researcher at the University of Calgary.
(Read the full post about ‘Cancer cell growth method spurs hope for children (Reuters)’…)
The investigators found that of 21 infants who died unexpectedly and had autopsy data available, 10 had evidence that they been given cough or cold medication shortly before they died.
The findings, published in the diary Pediatrics, do not prove that the medications caused or contributed to the infants' deaths, but they add weight defeat to a recent warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that parents not give cough and cold remedies to children younger than 2.
"We strongly recommend that parents not use these medications," said Dr.
(Read the full post about ‘Infant deaths linked to cold medications (Reuters)’…)
A paper by American Cancer Society researchers published this week in Cancer, one of the Society’s peer-reviewed journals, offers one of the largest and most detailed portraits of complementary and alternative therapy use among cancer survivors in the United States.
Complementary therapy refers to treatments, techniques, or methods that are used along with standard or mainstream medicine. Some complementary therapies may help relieve certain symptoms of cancer or its treatment. An alternative therapy refers to an unproven therapy that is used instead of conventional medicine.
Some 700 people are infected with HIV every day, but the annual infection rate could be slashed by two thirds, the mentor of UNAIDS Peter Piot and his colleagues said in a statement at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, also published in the British medical weekly The Lancet.
UNAIDS estimates that HIV prevention will cost 11.6 billion dollars by dint of.
(Read the full post about ‘12 million HIV infections could be avoided: UNAIDS (AFP)’…)
"HIV/AIDS restrictions will be lifted in 2009," the China Daily said, citing Hao Yang, deputy director of the health ministry's disease govern and prevention bureau.
The health ministry and other government agencies have reached consensus on the issue, Hao said on the sidelines of an AIDS conference in Mexico City.
China introduced the ban in the late 1980s after it reported its first AIDS case in 1985, hoping to limit the spread of the virus by dint of.
(Read the full post about ‘China to lift ban on HIV/AIDS visitors in 2009: report (AFP)’…)