Barcelona, Spain: A phase I trial of the first drug designed to inhibit the cancer-causing activity of a mutated enzyme known as isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1, which is involved in cell metabolism, has shown clinical activity in patients with advanced acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with the IDH1 mutation. Professor Daniel Pollyea, M.D. will tell the […]
2014
Damaging legacy: mothers who smoke affect the fertility of their sons
Mothers who smoke while they are pregnant or breast feeding may be damaging the future fertility of their sons, according to new findings from research in mice published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The study is the first comprehensive animal model to show the mechanism by which […]
International experts issue plea for better research and education for advanced breast cancer
Breast cancer experts around the world have issued a plea to researchers, academics, drug companies, funders and advocates to carry out high quality research and clinical trials for advanced breast cancer, a disease which is almost always fatal and for which there are many unanswered questions. In the latest international consensus guidelines for the management […]
Do children make you happier? Sustaining a desire for a child after failed fertility treatment is linked to worse mental health
Women who have difficulty accepting the fact that they can’t have children following unsuccessful fertility treatment have worse long-term mental health than women who are able to let go of their desire for children, according to new research. The study published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, is […]
Everest expedition provides first evidence of effects of altitude on blood pressure monitored over a 24-hour period
An expedition to Mount Everest by Italian researchers has shown for the first time that blood pressure monitored over a 24-hour period rises progressively as people climb to higher altitudes. The researchers also found that while a drug used for lowering blood pressure, called telmisartan, was effective in counteracting the effects of altitude up to […]
Latest research shows rates of heart disease and stroke continue to decline in Europe, but more people are hospitalised
Deaths from heart disease and stroke are declining overall in Europe, but at differing rates, according to research, published online in the European Heart Journal [1]. The research, which provides an update for 2014 on the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe, shows that death rates from CVD (diseases of the heart and blood […]
Aspirin: scientists believe cancer prevention benefits outweigh harms
New research from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) reveals taking aspirin can significantly reduce the risk of developing – and dying from – the major cancers of the digestive tract, i.e. bowel, stomach and oesophageal cancer. For the first time, scientists have reviewed all the available evidence from many studies and clinical trials assessing […]
Discovery of new genes involved in food preferences will revolutionise diets and improve health
Milan, Italy: New understanding of the genes involved in taste perception and food preferences could lead to personalised nutrition plans effective not just in weight loss but in avoiding diseases such as cancer, depression, and hypertension, Italian researchers told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG). Knowing why individuals prefer certain […]
Genetic researchers take a major step towards better diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis
Milan, Italy: A new target that may be critical for the treatment of osteoporosis, a disease which affects about 25% of post-menopausal women, has been discovered by a group of researchers in The Netherlands and in Germany. Professor Brunhilde Wirth, Head of the Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Germany, told the annual conference […]
New genetic sequencing methods mean quicker, cheaper, and equally accurate embryo screening
Milan, Italy: Results from the first study of the clinical application of next generation DNA sequencing (NGS) in screening embryos for genetic disease prior to implantation in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatments show that it is an effective reliable method of selecting the best embryos to transfer. The research was presented at the annual conference […]