Narcolepsy is an autoimmune disorder, Stanford researcher says. Genetic study confirms the immune system’s role in narcolepsy. – Ten years ago, Stanford University School of Medicine scientist Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD, and his colleagues made headlines when they identified the culprit behind the sleep disorder narcolepsy.
Early Detection Of Melanoma Plus Regular Skin Exams Is Vital For Beating Disease. Dermatologists Offer Advice for Reaching Five-Year Survival Mark. – On television’s popular “Grey’s Anatomy,” Dr. Izzie Stevens faces a grim diagnosis: stage IV metastatic melanoma. As the drama unfolds, viewers get a glimpse at why patients with the deadliest form of skin cancer ? in the most advanced stage of diagnosis ? face a mere 10-month median survival rate.
Folic acid may help regulate immune response to allergens, and may reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. – Folic acid, or vitamin B9, essential for red blood cell health and long known to reduce the risk of spinal birth defects, may also suppress allergic reactions and lessen the severity of allergy and asthma symptoms, according to new research from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
The swine flu virus does not become resistant to homeopathy medicines. – People are seeking alternative medicine – Homeopathy, just in case the swine flu becomes resistant to treatments like Tamiflu. Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that treats a disease with heavily diluted preparations that are thought to cause effects similar to the disease’s symptoms.
Low vitamin D or Vitamin D deficiency may cause problems for acutely ill patients in ICU. – A group of endocrinologists in Sydney have observed that very sick patients tend to have very low levels of Vitamin D. The sicker they are, the lower the levels.
New pill to treat MS – cladribine will be the first licensed treatment for MS which does not involve regular injections. – A new drug for multiple sclerosis can dramatically reduce the chances of a relapse or a deterioration of the condition, according to a new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London.
Potential preventative therapy for Type 1 diabetes – Scientists believe they may have found a preventative therapy for Type 1 diabetes, by making the body’s killer immune cells tolerate the insulin-producing cells they would normally attack and destroy, prior to disease onset.
Prostate cancer immunotherapy significantly prolongs survival in men with advanced prostate cancer. Phase 3 IMPACT trial results to be presented during late-breaking session at AUA Annual Scientific Meeting. – Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), an experimental immunotherapy improved survival in men with metastatic disease, according to new results to be presented April 28 at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago.
Scientists discover how to improve immune response to cancer at Princess Margaret Hospital. – Researchers have discovered how to trigger an improved immune response to cancer that could be included in new clinical trials that use a patient’s own cells to destroy tumours.
FDA Researchers Contribute Insights into Avian Flu Virus. Findings could help develop new tests to detect infection; new tools to study H5N1 vaccines. – An in-depth analysis of blood from patients recovering from the H5N1 avian influenza virus has provided important insights into how to combat the potentially lethal virus.
Caffeine appears to be beneficial in males?but not females?with Lou Gehrig?s Disease – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease that damages key neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The disease causes progressive paralysis of voluntary muscles and often death within five years of symptoms.
A new North American study shows that starting antiretroviral treatment earlier could reduce the risk of death by up to 94 percent – Begin treatment as early as possible: this general common sense rule seems to apply to most diseases except HIV-AIDS, which is only treated once a certain number of immune cells called “CD4+” cells have disappeared.
