Lungs News and Research

RSS

Pre-pregnancy maternal weight has significant impact on baby's immune system

Almost 60 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States are overweight or obese. Obesity is a major public health issue, and has been linked to health problems like heart disease, cancer and hypertension. It can complicate pregnancy by increasing the mother's risk of having gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth or a baby with birth defects. Maternal obesity is also linked to several adverse health outcomes for the infant that can persist into adulthood, such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease and mortality.

19 May 2015

Blood-thinning treatment safe for patients with brain metastases

Cancer patients with brain metastases who develop blood clots may safely receive blood thinners without increased risk of dangerous bleeding, according to a study, published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.

19 May 2015

Alnylam files clinical trial application for alpha-1 liver disease, presents data at DDW

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that it has filed a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) with the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial with ALN-AAT, a subcutaneously administered investigational RNAi therapeutic targeting alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) for the treatment of AAT deficiency-associated liver disease (alpha-1 liver disease).

19 May 2015

Regular use of aspirin may slow the progression of early emphysema, new research shows

Regular use of aspirin may help slow the progression of early emphysema, according to new research presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

18 May 2015

Weight loss can improve outcomes in lung transplant patients

Obesity is a complicating factor for many surgical patients. In a recent study published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, Mayo Clinic researchers have shown that losing weight can have a positive impact on outcomes for lung transplant patients.

18 May 2015

E-cigarette liquid flavors may alter key cellular functions in lung tissue

Certain flavorings used in electronic cigarette liquid may alter important cellular functions in lung tissue, according to new research presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

18 May 2015

Combined therapy shows promise in cystic fibrosis patients

Treatment with two medications that target the most common genetic cause of cystic fibrosis improves lung function and lowers the rate of pulmonary exacerbations, according to the results from a Phase III international clinical trial published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 17, 2015.

17 May 2015

Differences in mechanical, chemical makeup of e-cigarettes can have adverse effects on human health

Unlike standard cigarettes, the components of electronic cigarettes are not regulated and standardized, thus they vary widely between products.

17 May 2015

New affordable advanced NGS cancer test launched by EKF subsidiary

This new NGS panel molecular test is an important step towards readily accessible and affordable personalized medicine in cancer...

From EKF Diagnostics 15 May 2015

Drug combination lengthens lives of metastatic colorectal cancer patients

A drug developed 50 years ago and abandoned because it was considered to be too toxic has gained a second life in an international clinical trial. Research led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute showed the drug and a potentiating agent lengthened the lives of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, all of whom had exhausted available standard treatments.

15 May 2015

Combination therapy provides promising results in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

An early phase study testing an anti-PDL1 agent in combination with standard chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer has provided promising early results, prompting multiple phase III studies in lung cancer. The findings are being presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

15 May 2015

Smoking-related DNA damage can be detected in cheek swabs

DNA damage caused by smoking can be detected in cheek swabs, finds research published today in JAMA Oncology. The study provides evidence that smoking induces a general cancer program that is also present in cancers which aren't usually associated with it - including breast and gynaecological cancers.

15 May 2015

Patients with operable early-stage NSCLC could achieve better overall survival rates with SABR

Patients with operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could achieve better overall survival rates if treated with Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) rather than the current standard of care -- invasive surgery -- according to research from a phase III randomized international study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

15 May 2015

Scientists identify new molecules that destroy cancer cells, save healthy ones

Researchers have identified new molecules that kill cancer cells while protecting healthy cells and that could be used to treat a variety of different cancers. The research shines a light on what happens to cells at the moment they become cancerous.

15 May 2015

Men with asthma less likely to develop lethal prostate cancer

Scientists found that men with a history of asthma were 29 percent less likely to have been diagnosed with prostate cancer that spread or to have died of their prostate cancer...

14 May 2015

TSRI researchers find interferon beta protein as prime suspect in persistent viral infections

Interferon proteins are normally considered virus-fighters, but scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found evidence that one of them, interferon beta (IFNβ), has an immune-suppressing effect that can help some viruses establish persistent infections.

14 May 2015

CNIO researchers identify new strategy to combat cancer

Scientists from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have discovered a new strategy to fight cancer, which is very different from those described to date. Their work shows for the first time that telomeres -- the structures protecting the ends of the chromosomes -- may represent an effective anti-cancer target: by blocking the TRF1 gene, which is essential for the telomeres, they have shown dramatic improvements in mice with lung cancer.

14 May 2015

Bronchitis can cause pneumonia, says Loyola physician

When a cold has lasted too long or a cough is especially bothersome, it's important to see a medical professional.

14 May 2015

Volkan Sayin receives Assar Gabrielsson Award for ground-breaking study on use of anti-oxidants

The Assar Gabrielsson Award is given to someone who has written an excellent thesis on cancer research. The 2015 award-winner is Volkan Sayin, and he receives the award for his ground-breaking discoveries about the risks of over-consumption of anti-oxidants.

13 May 2015

Discovery could help identify molecules that selectively target cancer cells

A new family of molecules that kill cancer cells and protect healthy cells could be used to treat a number of different cancers, including cervical, breast, ovarian and lung cancers. Research published in EBioMedicine shows that as well as targeting and killing cancer cells, the molecules generate a protective effect against toxic chemicals in healthy cells.

13 May 2015