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Blinatumomab phase 2 trial results on acute lymphoblastic leukemia to be presented at EHA 2011

Data to be presented tomorrow at the 16th Annual Meeting of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in London, UK, show that Micromet's blinatumomab produced a high complete remission rate in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who had relapsed following treatment with standard therapy.

10 Jun 2011

New article warns Asians about striking increase in asbestos-related deaths

An alarming new article in Respirology issues a serious warning of massive rises in deaths from asbestos-related lung diseases in Asia. Dr Ken Takahashi, Acting Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational Health, and his team put together important data on asbestos use in 47 Asian countries in this landmark article. Cyprus, Israel and Japan had the highest age-adjusted mortality rates in Asia.

10 Jun 2011

ST2 biomarker can help indicate prognosis in ambulatory cardiovascular patients

The novel cardiac biomarker ST2 was highlighted in a presentation at last month's 2011 Heart Failure Congress of the European Society of Cardiology in Gothenburg, Sweden. As this study and others have demonstrated, a patient's ST2 level can help a physician better predict prognosis in ambulatory, chronic heart failure patients, which can allow physicians to more appropriately tailor care.

10 Jun 2011

University of Sheffield's ScHARR team develops new index to measure hospital mortality rates

A team from the University of Sheffield's School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) has developed a new index to measure hospital mortality rates that has been accepted for use by the Department of Health.

10 Jun 2011

National survey finds women more likely to see doctor on regular basis than men

A national survey found that women were three times more likely to see a doctor on a regular basis than men. Even though men on average die younger than women and have higher mortality rates for heart disease, cancer, stroke and AIDS, trying to get a man to a doctor can be harder than pulling teeth. So, why do men hate it so?.

9 Jun 2011

Article reports on bright future and enormous need for stem cell therapeutics

An article in the current issue of Technology & Innovation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors - reports on the bright future and enormous need for stem cell therapeutics that may offer hope for those suffering from debilitating and deadly diseases.

9 Jun 2011

Eliminating ABCB5-expressing cells crucial for successful colorectal cancer treatment

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have found a marker called ABCB5 that both tags a small proportion of cells within colorectal cancers and fuels resistance in those cells to standard treatments. The results indicate that eliminating ABCB5-expressing cells is crucial for successful colorectal cancer treatment, while adding to the growing body of evidence for a theory of cancer growth called the cancer stem cell hypothesis.

9 Jun 2011

Scientists, advocacy experts form new international Foundation for Vaccine Research

Fourteen leading scientists and advocacy experts in vaccines and infectious diseases have announced the formation of a new international Foundation to advance and accelerate vaccine research and development against infectious diseases.

9 Jun 2011

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease after liver transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease continues to be the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the United States accounting for nearly 50% of all liver transplants. Recurrence is universal in patients viremic at the time of transplantation with histological hepatitis developing in the majority of patients. Although the natural history of recurrent HCV is difficult to predict, it is widely accepted that cirrhosis from recurrent HCV occurs in up to 30% of patients within five years of transplantation.

8 Jun 2011

Study determines surfactant protein-D as 'a good predictor' of cardiovascular disease

A blood protein known as surfactant protein-D (SP-D), which is mainly synthesised in the lungs, has been described as "a good predictor" of cardiovascular disease following a large study in North America.

8 Jun 2011

Intercell, Merck terminate V710 Phase II/III trial against S. aureus infection

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Intercell AG (VSE: ICLL) today announced that following a detailed analysis of the data from the Phase II/III clinical trial evaluating V710, an investigational vaccine for the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection, the independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) has unanimously recommended termination of the study.

8 Jun 2011

Maternal-child health disparities need to be addressed in the U.S., says expert

Despite billions of dollars spent on health care each year, the United States ranks 27th out of 33 developed countries for life expectancy at birth. Leading causes of infant mortality are complications related to pre-term birth or low birth weight-outcomes that have been linked with domestic violence.

8 Jun 2011

Lethal malaria parasite has biochemical weakness

Every year, 10,000 pregnant women and up to 200,000 newborn babies are killed by the malaria parasite. Doctors all around the globe have for years been looking in vain for a medical protection, and now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found the biochemically weakness of the lethal malaria parasite, and will now start developing a vaccine to combat pregnancy related malaria.

8 Jun 2011

Key heart failure therapies could prevent nearly 68,000 deaths each year

A national study has found that nearly 68,000 deaths potentially could be prevented each year by optimally implementing key national guideline-recommended therapies, including critical medications and cardiac devices, for all eligible heart failure patients.

7 Jun 2011

Study explores link between hospital procedure volume, surgical outcomes after joint replacements

Patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty at hospitals with lower surgical volume had a higher risk of venous thromboembolism and mortality following the procedure.

7 Jun 2011

Ovarian cancer screenings do not reduce risk of death

A University of Alabama at Birmingham study released today reports that ovarian cancer screenings do not reduce a woman's risk of death from the disease and the invasive medical procedures may create associated health problems.

7 Jun 2011

Positive results from Celator CPX-351 Phase 2b study on acute myeloid leukemia presented at ASCO

Celator Pharmaceuticals today announced positive clinical results in elderly patients with newly-diagnosed secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) treated with CPX-351 Liposome Injection.

7 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 6, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver reports: "Short on cash and time, officials in California and at least a dozen other states have turned to philanthropies to help pay for the extra work required under the federal health law".

6 Jun 2011

Study suggests strong link between dying from breast cancer and being obese

Women with a healthy body weight before and after diagnosis of breast cancer are more likely to survive the disease long term, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

6 Jun 2011

Study examines disparities in physical fitness levels between two groups

An Indiana University study examining disparities in physical fitness levels between older adults who are patients of safety net community health centers (CHC) and those who are members of a medically affiliated fitness center is producing stunning results.

6 Jun 2011