Mojo Medical News Today

July 31, 2009

Health Overhaul Ads Intensify Emotional Messages

Filed under: pharma industry — Tags: , — admin @ 11:20 pm

“The healthcare overhaul fight in Washington is bursting into Americas living rooms, and interests from many bands on the political spectrum are trying to transform an often wonky debate over 1,000page bills into an emotional pitch that can be captured in 30 seconds,” The Boston Globe reports.

“The airwaves blitz is intensifying as Congress prepares to return home for its monthlong summer recess without having cast crucial firstround votes on legislation. Political parties, unions, consumer groups, the healthcare industry, and disease activists see the next six weeks as pivotal in driving public opinion and influencing lawmakers votes on healthcare legislation this fall.” Nearly $15 million a week is being spent on advertising, The Globe reports.

“But the interests are also experimenting with creative ways to get their message across. There is a Web skit showing a bleeding man begging for a doctor as a bureaucrat stares at him blankly. A TV spot shows a snail representing health reform moving too slowly to escape the fastmoving shoe.

“Its going to become a much less technical argument and a much more emotional argument, said Brooks Jackson, director of FactCheck.org, which monitors the factual accuracy of political players and advertising. I think thats certainly what a number of states have to look forward to in August.”

“Another striking change is that advertisers supporting the healthcare legislation have outspent groups opposing the overhaul by a factor of 2to1, according to the Campaign Media Analysis Group. Liberal groups, which gained enormous organizing and fundraising power in the last election cycle, are far wealthier, more organized, and more convinced that they have an important role to play in passing the plan” (Wangsness, 7/30).

This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Reprogramming Human Cells Without Inserting Genes

Filed under: dermatology — Tags: , — admin @ 12:40 pm

A research team comprised of faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institutes (WPI) Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center (LSBC) and investigators at CellThera, a private company also located at the LSBC, has discovered a novel way to turn on stem cell genes in human fibroblasts (skin cells) without the risks associated with inserting extra genes or using viruses. This discovery opens a new avenue for reprogramming cells that could eventually lead to treatments for a range of human diseases and traumatic injuries by coaxing a patients own cells to repair and regenerate the damaged tissues.

The research team reported its findings in the paper “Induction of Stem Cell Gene Expression in Adult Human Fibroblasts without Transgenes,” published online July 21, 2009 (in advance of September print publication) as a “fast track” paper from the journal Cloning and Stem Cells. (Cloning, Stem Cells. 2009 Jul 21.) “We show that by manipulating culture conditions alone, we can achieve changes in fibroblasts that would be beneficial in development of patientspecific cell therapy approaches,” the authors wrote in the paper.

Early on, the emerging field of regenerative medicine focused on embryonic stem cells, which are pluripotent, meaning they can grow into all the tissues of an adult organism. In the pluripotent state, several genes are known to be active, helping to control the stem cells. These genes, including OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG, are accepted as markers of pluripotency because they are active in stem cells, but become dormant once the stem cells begin to differentiate and head down the path to developing into a specific kind of cell type and tissue.

While the study of embryonic stem cells continues to yield important knowledge, research teams around the world are also working to change, or reprogram, fullydifferentiated cells like skin cells, back to a more pluripotent state. Called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), these reprogrammed cells could be used to regenerate tissue without some of the problems associated with embryonic stem cells, including ethical questions and the potential for embryonic stem cells to be rejected by a patients immune system or to grow out of control and cause tumors.

The first induced pluripotent stem cells were created in 2007 by Shinya Yamanakas team at Kyoto University in Japan, which inserted extra copies of four known stem cell genes, including OCT4 and SOX2, into human skin cells. Those genes began expressing proteins that changed the skin cells back to a more pluripotent state. This technique, which has since been repeated by other labs and refined to the point were fewer additional genes are needed to achieve reprogramming, was a major scientific breakthrough. Its potential for use in human therapies is limited, however, because inserting new genes into adult cells, either directly or by using viruses to carry the genetic payload, can cause a host of problems.

In the current study, the team at WPI and CellThera turned on the existing, yet dormant, stem cell genes OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG already in the skin cells by lowering the amount of atmospheric oxygen the cells were exposed to, and by adding a protein called fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) to the culture medium. (FGF2 is a naturally occurring protein that is known to be vital for maintaining the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.)

Furthermore, once the stem cell genes were activated and began expressing proteins, the team found those proteins migrated back into the nucleus of the skin cells, precisely as would occur in induced pluripotent stem cells. “This was an exciting observation,” said Raymond Page, PhD, research assistant professor of biology and biotechnology at WPI and lead author on the paper. “Having these proteins localize to the nucleus is the first step of reprogramming these cells.”

Even more surprising, the team found that the stem cell genes OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG were not completely dormant in untreated skins cells, as was presumed. Those genes were, in fact, sending out messages, but those messages were not being translated into the proteins that do the work of making cells pluripotent. “This was quite unexpected,” said Tanja Dominko, DVM, PhD, associate professor of biology and biotechnology at WPI and president of CellThera. “Not only does this data force us to rethink what the true markers of pluripotency may be, it suggests there is a natural mechanism at work in these cells regulating the stem cell gene expression. That opens a whole new line of inquiry.”

The work in the current study was supported by WPI startup funds and a grant to Dr. Dominko from the National Institutes of Health, and by funding to CellThera from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Army Research Office (ARO).

Source
Michael Cohen

July 30, 2009

Man Charged With Murder Of Abortion Provider Tiller Pleads Not Guilty

Filed under: abortion — Tags: , — admin @ 7:40 pm

Scott Roeder, the man charged with the May 31 shooting death of abortion provider George Tiller, pleaded not guilty to firstdegree murder and aggravated assault at a Wichita, Kan., hearing on Tuesday, the AP/Boston Globe reports (AP/Boston Globe, 7/29). After witnesses described events surrounding the shooting, the judge presiding over the hearing concluded that there was sufficient evidence to try Roeder. Tiller was murdered in the foyer of his church, where he was serving as an usher. According to several church members who testified Tuesday, Roeder occasionally had come to the church in the months before the shooting.

The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 21 (Davey, New York Times, 7/28). At the hearing, Roeder made no public comments, and the notguilty plea was entered by the public defender representing him in the case (AP/Boston Globe, 7/29).

If convicted, Roeder likely will face life in prison, as the case does not meet state criteria for the death penalty. His lawyers declined to comment on their defense plans (New York Times, 7/28).

Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Womens Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Womens Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

July 29, 2009

UQ Research Finds A Mothers Mental Health Can Impact On Children

Filed under: mental health — Tags: , , — admin @ 11:40 pm

Teenagers whose mothers have mental health impairments are likely to suffer behavioural problems, UQ research has found.

Using data from the MaterUniversity Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), recent PhD graduate Belinda Lloyd studied maternal mental health and its impact on children.

The MUSP is a longitudinal study of more than 7000 mothers and their children born at Brisbanes Mater Hospital between 198183.

“Children whose mothers experienced mental health problems as their children grew older (during adolescence) had substantially elevated rates of the behavioural and mental health problems measured in the study,” Dr Lloyd said.

“Also, children whose mothers experienced recurrent mental health problems were significantly more likely to display behavioural and mental health problems.

“The impact of maternal mental health problems on children was found to vary, with the timing and recurrence of maternal anxiety and depression being important.”

Dr Lloyd said while there was a great deal of research and media interest surrounding postnatal depression, there had been less focus on the mental health of mothers over the course of child rearing.

Antenatal and postnatal depression alone were found to have no negative impact on children, a finding Dr Lloyd hopes may help reduce the stigma surrounding the conditions.

“This finding challenges popular beliefs that antenatal/postnatal anxiety and depression have longlasting detrimental impacts on child behaviour and mental health,” she said.

“Selfdoubt, feelings of guilt and social stigma could be alleviated knowing impaired maternal mental health is not necessarily going to compromise a childs mental health and wellbeing into adolescence and beyond.”

The study found mothers were more likely to experience mental health problems as their children became adolescents, a link which had not previously been adequately explored or documented.

“As children grow, there are increasing and more complex demands placed on parents,” Dr Lloyd said.

“Also, as children grow, parental marital and other intimate relationships are more likely to deteriorate or end, potentially increasing the financial, social, emotional and practical pressures and responsibilities faced by individual parents.”

Dr Lloyd said the research could inform health professionals of the need to support the mental health needs of mothers as their children grow.

“There is capacity for a more holistic approach to child mental health and behaviour that considers the health and wellbeing of parents as a significant factor in child outcomes,” she said.

“A focus on maternal mental health over the lifecourse instead of isolated periods has the potential to improve the health of women and children, and therefore families and the community.”

Dr Lloyds PhD was completed through UQs School of Population Health under the supervision of Professor Jake Najman, Professor Gail Williams and Dr Stuart Kinner.

Ongoing Study Shows That Endovascular Therapy Is Associated With High Cure Rate For Childhood Eye Cancer

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Expanded results of a study conducted on children with eye cancer (retinoblastoma) shows that chemotherapy delivered through endovascular (through the vessel) means not only successfully cures the cancer in a majority of cases, but achieves this cure with preserved vision. Study outcomes were presented this week at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 6th Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, FL by lead author Pierre Gobin, Professor of Radiology in Neurosurgery and Neurology at the Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

“This is an exciting development in the neurointerventional community, as results prove that chemotherapy delivered through endovascular techniques is a powerful tool in addressing the most severe forms of retinoblastoma,” says Gobin, who says that the study is the product of teamwork between New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Eye Cancer Center of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, with support from David Abramson, M.D., Brian Marr, M.D., Ira Dunkel, M.D. And Scott Brodie, M.D.

Retinoblastoma, the seventh most common pediatric cancer, is a malignant eye tumor in children that arises in cells in the developing retina. Typically, this cancer is associated with a late diagnosis as one of the only symptoms, a white pupil replacing the normal black, presents when the tumor occupies over onethird of the eye. Conventional therapy for this cancer includes laser treatment, as well as techniques that utilize extreme cold to freeze and destroy abnormal cells or deliver radioactive substances in timed intervals to kill the tumor. If these treatments fail, physicians resort to intravenous chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Despite this wide array of treatment options, however, a late diagnosis often requires the removal of the eye.

According to Gobin, the study was initiated in 2006 to determine if chemotherapy delivered through endovascular methods (through a catheter inserted in the groin and threaded up through the vessels to the site of the tumor), otherwise known as chemosurgery, would produce better outcomes for retinoblastoma patients, including preserving the eye and vision as well as avoiding intravenous chemotherapy, which is administered over the course of six months to a year and can be frequently associated with port infections and sickness for the duration of that time. Since the study was initiated, 49 children, ranging in age from 1 month to 10 years, have been treated with this technique. Of this number, all suffered from advanced retinoblastoma and were candidates for removal of the eye. Additionally, half of the patients had already failed prior conventional treatments, including intravenous chemotherapy or radiation therapy; nine patients had already had an eye removed.

Study participants were chosen following an eye examination under anesthesia, allowing physicians to confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of the disease. For those who qualified, chemosurgery was performed soon thereafter, and was repeated every three to four weeks, up to six times.

To date, 144 chemosurgeries have been performed, which equates to a mean of three per patient. Results indicate that physicians were able to technically perform the procedure successfully in almost every case. Shortterm followup, occurring after six or more months of stability after the last treatment, showed that of 27 eyes, 21 are cured (77 percent) and 13 are cured with preserved vision (48 percent). Six eyes could not be saved. Overall, of the population of eyes that were treated, 50 percent of patients would have lost an eye on conventional treatment; of those who kept an eye, a majority would not have experienced useful vision. With chemosurgery, only ten percent of patients lost an eye.

In general, patients tolerated the procedure well with minimal side effects that resolved once

addressed. In only four out of 46 eyes treated did severe complications occur which eventually led to blindness. All four eyes had received previous extensive treatment consisting of intravenous chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Due to the overwhelming success observed with chemosurgery, Gobin says this treatment option has considerably reduced the number of conventional treatments, including the toxic intravenous chemotherapy, and most significantly, the number of eye losses. “The results really do have the potential to change the entire treatment approach to advanced retinoblastoma. In our center, chemosurgery is now the first line of treatment for this potentially devastating condition.”

Retinoblastoma occurs in approximately 350 400 children each year. Approximately 80 percent of patients are diagnosed under 3 years of age.

About SNIS

SNIS members are neurointerventional practitioners with backgrounds in neuroradiology, neurosurgery and neurology that come together in the shared discipline of neurointerventional surgery. Our practitioners specialize in minimally invasive and endovascular procedures to treat stroke, aneurysms, carotid stenosis and spine fractures. Over the past two decades, our physicians have made numerous contributions to the neurosciences including advancing stroke treatment through catheter based therapy; innovating endovascular coiling for aneurysms; pioneering interventional procedures to treat fractures in the spine; and initiating the firstever stroke registry to track procedural success in the treatment of acute stroke.

July 28, 2009

PTC Therapeutics Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Trial Of PTC299 In Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 2

Filed under: pharma industry — Tags: , — admin @ 5:20 pm

PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC) announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of PTC299 in adult patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disorder that causes the development of nonmalignant brain tumors. PTC299 is a novel, orally administered investigational new drug that is designed to selectively block tumorrelated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). With its novel mechanism of action, PTC299 has the potential to meet significant unmet medical need in NF2 and other conditions resulting from the overexpression of VEGF.

VEGF plays a critical role in the formation of new blood vessels or angiogenesis and its suppression has been shown to decrease tumor size and improve hearing in some patients with NF2. PTC299 selectively blocks the tumorrelated production of VEGF, while sparing the physiological VEGF expression necessary to maintain the growth and function of normal blood vessels. Patients with NF2 typically develop tumors that compress the auditory nerves, often leading to deafness and problems with balance. If unchecked, NF2related tumors may eventually damage other cranial nerves and the brainstem, and become lifethreatening. Current standard treatments for NF2related tumors include surgery and radiation therapy. However, a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine validates the potential of antiangiogenesis therapies for NF2 patients.

“The development of PTC299 for the treatment of NF2 is noteworthy for patients, especially following our recent findings that an angiogenesis inhibitor improved hearing and led to tumor shrinkage in some patients,” said Scott R. Plotkin, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Neurofibromatosis Clinic at the Pappas Center for NeuroOncology in the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. “If shown to be efficacious, we believe that its oral administration and generally welltolerated profile could make PTC299 an especially appealing treatment approach for NF2 patients with growing vestibular schwannomas.”

The new PTC299 clinical study is an openlabel Phase 2 trial that will evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacodynamics of PTC299 in up to 25 patients with NF2 for up to 48 weeks. The primary objective of the study is to assess how PTC299 affects tumor volume and changes in hearing and word recognition among patients with NF2. The trial will also assess the effects of PTC299 on tumor blood flow and VEGFrelated proteins. The study will be conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

“We are excited to rapidly advance the clinical development of PTC299 in NF2,” said Langdon Miller, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of PTC Therapeutics. “We are hopeful that the novel mechanism of PTC299 will address unmet medical need for patients with NF2, building upon ongoing evaluations of the drug in patients with metastatic breast cancer, Kaposis sarcoma, and other solid tumors.”

In previous Phase 1 clinical studies, PTC299 was generally well tolerated by healthy volunteers who received single or multiple doses, with no serious, doselimiting or definitively drugrelated adverse events reported. All clinical adverse events observed were mild or moderate in severity, did not require intervention, and were not clearly related to PTC299. In addition, adverse events such as bleeding, hypertension and proteinuria were not observed.

The Phase 2 clinical trial of PTC299 is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program.

About PTC299

PTC 299 is a novel, orally administered smallmolecule compound that inhibits the production of the protein vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumors. PTC discovered PTC299 through PTCs proprietary GEMS (Gene Expression Modulation by SmallMolecules) technology by targeting the posttranscriptional processes that regulate VEGF formation. Overexpression of VEGF plays a key role in the growth of many types of tumors. PTC299 selectively blocks the tumorrelated production of VEGF through a mechanism that is distinct from that of other VEGF inhibitors, while sparing the physiological VEGF expression necessary to maintain the growth and function of normal blood vessels. Clinical trials are currently ongoing in metastatic breast cancer, Kaposi sarcoma, and other solid tumors.

About PTC Therapeutics

PTC is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of orally administered, proprietary, smallmolecule drugs that target posttranscriptional control processes. Posttranscriptional control processes regulate the rate and timing of protein production and are of central importance to proper cellular function. PTCs internally discovered pipeline addresses multiple therapeutic areas, including genetic disorders, oncology, and infectious diseases. PTC has extensive knowledge of posttranscriptional control processes and has developed proprietary technologies that it applies in its drug discovery activities have been the basis for collaborations with leading biopharmaceutical companies such as Celgene, Genzyme, Gilead, Pfizer, and ScheringPlough.

Source PTC Therapeutics, Inc

July 27, 2009

Chinas Health Reform Must Address Costly, Unnecessary Treatment, Report Says

Filed under: pharmacy — Tags: , — admin @ 2:40 pm

Chinas $124 billion threeyear “overhaul of its healthcare system needs to address the prescription of unnecessary drugs and treatments a widespread practice relied upon to finance the medical sector, the World Bank said Thursday,” China Daily/Peoples Daily Online reports. The countrys “ambitious” reform efforts aim to “provide basic medical coverage and insurance to the countrys 1.3 billion people,” according to the publication (7/24).

Canadian Press/Google.com writes “Though mostly stateowned, [Chinas] public hospitals rely on profits from the sale of drugs and expensive treatments and tests to cover operating expenses. The facilities have been accused of aggressively prescribing expensive and sometimes unnecessary drugs and treatment, creating a heavy burden on patients and a waste of medical resources.” Almost 50 percent of the revenue at health facilities in the countryside come from drug sales, said Yanzhong Huang, an expert on Chinas health system and director of the Center for Global Health Studies at Seton Hall University.

As a result of these practices, “new ways must be found to finance health care provision,” according to a World Bank report that addresses reforming Chinas rural health system. “It added that reforms should encourage health providers to watch their costs and prescribe treatments appropriately,” Canadian Press/Google.com reports. Adam Wagstaff, the reports lead author, said China must implement a system that doesnt encourage the delivery of “unnecessary care or care that is unnecessarily expensive,” which he described as “the biggest challenge.” China has launched several projects to address the issue, the bank said (Wong, 7/24).

This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

July 25, 2009

What Is Gangrene? What Causes Gangrene?

Filed under: dermatology — Tags: , — admin @ 12:40 am

Gangrene occurs when tissue dies (necrosis) because its blood supply is interrupted. Gangrene may be caused by an infection, injury, or a complication of a longterm condition that restricts blood circulation. It most commonly occurs in the extremities the toes, fingers, arms and legs but internal organs and muscles may also become gangrenous. There are five main types of gangrene 1. Dry gangrene. 2. Wet gangrene. 3. Gas gangrene. 4. Internal gangrene. 5. Fourniers gangrene.

The word gangrene comes from the Latin word gangreana and the Greek word gangraina, which both mean “purification of tissues”. There is no link to the English word “green”.

Visit our specialized news sections

Cardiovascular / Cardiology News

Diabetes News

Vascular News

Heart Disease News

Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses News

Smoking / Quit Smoking NewsThe number of Americans hospitalized for the treatment of gangrene has been steadily growing over the last couple of decades. Experts believe this is partly because the number of Americans with diabetes has increased. According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 45,400 Americans were hospitalized for gangrene in 2003, compared to 21,000 in 1991.What are the causes of gangrene? Our cells require nutrients and oxygen to survive and they get this from our blood. If their blood supply goes down below a certain level, the cells will become damaged and will eventually die.

Tissues and cells are also attacked by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Our white blood cells and the Thymus cells (Tcells) form part of our immune system and fight germs. If the blood supply is cut there will be no white cells or Tcells to stop the organisms from multiplying and causing an infection.What are the risk factors for gangrene? Age gangrene is much more common in older people.
Diabetes the high blood sugar levels, which are common in diabetes, may eventually damage the nerves, especially in the feet. When the nerves are damaged the patient does not feel pain and will not know if he/she has an injury. The patient may continue walking without protecting the wound. The wound may get worse and develop into a foot ulcer. High blood sugar levels may also damage blood vessels, resulting in poor blood supply to the area. Less blood means less nutrients and oxygen for the tissue cells, and fewer white blood cells and Tcells to fight off infection. The ulcer becomes infected; the infection grows rapidly and gangrene develops. The oxygen/nutrient deprived cells are weak and rapidly die.
Vascular diseases diseases of the blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries) and blood clots can result in poor blood flow to various parts of the body.
Interesting related article

What is diabetes?

What is embolism? What are the different types of embolism?

What are bacteria?

What are antibiotics? How do antibiotics work?

What is a heart attack? What causes a heart attack?

What is heart failure? What causes heart failure?Injury or surgery anything which wounds the skin and tissues below it will raise the risk of gangrene. People with underlying conditions which may affect blood flow who also wound their skin run an even higher risk. Approximately 40% of wet gangrenes are caused by infections that occur during surgery and about 50% are caused by serious traumatic injuries. Gangrene from frostbite and gunshot wounds are less common than from automobile accidents, crush injuries, burns and industrial accidents.
Weakened immune system people with weakened immune systems, such as those with AIDS/HIV, patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as organ transplant recipients who are on immunosuppressants, are more susceptible to the complications of infection, which include gangrene.
Smoking smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, resulting in less blood flow. What are the symptoms of gangrene? Symptoms of dry gangrene

Generally, dry gangrene develops slowly. It is the most common gangrene for patients with atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases.A red line appears on the skin which surrounds the affected tissue. The area will gradually become numb and cold. When necrosis (tissue death) occurs there may be some pain. Some patients, especially older ones, may feel nothing at all. The area will change from red, to brown, to black. The necrotized tissue then shrivels up and eventually falls off. Symptoms of wet gangrene

Wet gangrene is much more painful than dry gangrene. The term wet is used to refer to a bacterial infection in the affected tissue. It can develop as a result of an injury, a severe burn, or frostbite. This type of gangrene is common with diabetes patients who unwittingly injure a toe or foot. As it spreads rapidly and can be fatal it needs to be treated urgently.The affected area swells before any tissue dies. The skin will change color from red, to brown, to black. There will be pus and a foul smell. Fever (temperature). Gas gangrene

Usually deep muscle tissue is affected. The surface of the skin may appear normal, but as the condition advances the skin may become pale, and then turn grey or purplishred. Gas gangrene is usually caused by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. The bacteria multiply when the blood supply is depleted. The bacterial infection produces toxins that release a gas. Gas gangrene can become lifethreatening.The affected area feels heavy and painful. The pain is caused by the infection which produces a gas. The skin may appear to bubble. A crackling sound when area is pressed. This sound is caused by the gas. Sometimes there may be a watery discharge which does not usually have a foul smell. Internal gangrene

The most common organs to be affected are the intestines, gallbladder, or the appendix. An infected person may have more than one affected organ. Gangrene in the intestine may be the result of a hernia; when a part of the intestine bulges through a weakened area of muscle and becomes twisted.

Patients will experience fever and pain in the affected area. Internal gangrene can be fatal if left untreated.

Fourniers gangrene

This type is very uncommon. It affects the male genital organs. It is usually the result of a urinary tract infection or an infection in the genital area. The patient will feel pain, tenderness, and swelling in the affected area. Women can also develop Fourniers gangrene, but much less so than men. Approximately half of all people who develop this type of gangrene have diabetes.

Septic shock if bacteria get into the bloodstream the patient may go into septic shock the bacteria multiply in the blood and release a toxin which harms the organs and cells. Septic shock always results in a severe drop in blood pressure. The symptoms of septic shock includeWeak and rapid pulseLess urine flowConfusionPalelooking skin (pallor) Cold and clammy skin (during the later stages) How is gangrene diagnosed? For a proper diagnosis of gangrene the doctor will need to carry out a physical examination, study the patients medical history, and order some clinical tests.

The GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) will firstly need to establish whether the patient has a chronic health condition, and whether any injuries may have caused the condition.

The doctor will check the affected area for skin coloration, any foul smell, and symptoms of pain.

The following tests may also be orderedBlood test if the number of white blood cells are high it could indicate that there is gangrene.
Tissue/fluid culture a sample of tissue or fluid from the affected area will be taken and tested for infection. When the test identifies the type of bacteria the doctor can better choose which antibiotic to use. The doctor may also look at a piece of tissue culture to determine the extent of tissue death.
Imaging scans MRI, CT, scans as well as Xrays may help to confirm not only the presence of gangrene, but also how much it has spread. An arteriogram can visualize the arteries and determine how well blood is flowing through the arteries this helps the doctor identify any blockages.
Surgery in suspected cases of internal or gas gangrene surgery may be required to confirm a diagnosis. What is the treatment for gangrene? Necrotized (dead) tissue cannot be saved, but a lot can be done to stop the gangrene from spreading.Surgery (Debridement)

The surgical removal of dead tissue (debridement) helps prevent the gangrene from spreading, and allows healthy tissue to recover.

Damaged or diseased blood vessels might also be repaired during surgery so that blood flow is restored to the affected area.

Skin graft if damage is extensive the surgeon may remove some healthy skin from one part of the patients body and spread it over the affected area. Sacrificed skin is usually taken from a part of the body that is hidden by clothing. Skin grafts are only possible if the blood supply to the affected area is adequate.

Amputation if the gangrene is severe it is sometimes necessary to amputate the affected body part, for example a finger, toe, or limb.
Imaging techniques

Interventional radiologists can use angiography, an Xray exam of the arteries and veins, to confirm loss of blood flow to a patients hand or toes, then intraarterial catheters to directly deliver drugs to dissolve the blood clots and relax the arteries muscular walls resulting in better blood flow to the affected area. Radiologists in St. Paul Radiology in St. Paul, Minnesota say this technique is very effective.
Antibiotics

Antibiotics are administered to fight infection these will usually be given intravenously.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

The patient will be placed on a padded table which slides into a special chamber. The chamber is pressurized with oxygen to about 2.5 times normal sea level atmospheric pressure. If the air pressure is high and oxygen rich more oxygen can be carried in the blood to the affected area. Bacteria require environments that lack oxygen to thrive. The oxygen chamber helps fight the bacteria and heal the wounds.
Maggot therapy

Maggot therapy is a nonsurgical way of removing dead tissue. A type of maggot from fly larvae feeds on dead and infected tissue, but does not eat healthy tissue. They also release a substance which destroys bacteria. The maggots are specially bred in the laboratory. They are placed over the wound and covered with gauze and left there for a few days. Many studies have found that this therapy is often more effective than surgery. Sometimes doctors find it difficult to persuade patients to try it.
Blood transfusions

These may help reduce the infection and speed up the healing process. PreventionFoot care if you have diabetes regularly examine your hands and feet for cuts, sores and signs of infections. Get your doctor to examine you at least once a year.
Smoking dont smoke. Smoking damages the blood vessels, raising the risk.
Treat cuts promptly if you cut or graze your skin wash it with warm water and a mild soap and keep it clean and dry until it heals.
Frostbite if you have been out in the cold for a long time and your skin becomes pale, cold, and numb see a doctor.

July 24, 2009

Roswell Park Awarded $2.8 Million Grant To Study Ovarian Cancer

Filed under: ovarian cancer — Tags: , — admin @ 1:40 pm

The National Cancer Institute has awarded a fiveyear, $2.8 million Research Project (RO1) grant to Roswell Park Cancer Institute roswellpark.org/ (RPCI) researchers to investigate the role of immunological pathways in the development of ovarian cancer.

Roswell Park investigators are Kirsten Moysich, PhD , Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences; Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD , Department of Gynecologic Oncology; and Lara Sucheston, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo.

“The coveted RO1 grants support individual scientists whose grant applications, after stringent peer review, have demonstrated outstanding science,” said Candace Johnson, PhD, Deputy Director and the Wallace Family Chair in Translational Research, RPCI. “Roswell Park donations were critical in helping us initiate this research to generate novel preliminary data needed for our successful submission.”

While the causes of ovarian cancer remain largely unknown, scientific studies have consistently linked high regulatory Tcell levels to cancer. Unlike socalled effector T cells that attack foreign substances in the body, regulatory T cells actually suppress an immune reaction. Roswell Park scientists will, for the first time, conduct a comprehensive investigation of the role of regulatory T cells in ovarian cancer development and prognosis.

Using a populationbased case control study, Roswell Park scientists will compare regulatory Tcell levels in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer with those of healthy women. The research will help determine if women with ovarian cancer have higher blood regulatory Tcell levels than healthy women and if ovarian cancer patients with genetically determined high regulatory Tcell profiles have poorer clinical outcomes.

“These data will be useful in the development of novel treatment options for ovarian cancer. Manipulation of regulatory T cells may afford a novel method to stimulate an immune response to this deadly disease. Additionally, physicians may find information concerning regulatory Tcell levels a useful tool as they evaluate the best treatments for their patients,” said Dr. Moysich.

July 23, 2009

Ovary Removal May Increase Lung Cancer Risk – New Study Published In The International Journal Of Cancer

Filed under: ovarian cancer — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:40 pm

Women who have premature menopause because of medical interventions are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Cancer. The startling link was made by epidemiologists from the Université de Montréal, the Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de lUniversité de Montréal and the INRSInstitut ArmandFrappier.

“We found that women who experienced nonnatural menopause are at almost twice the risk of developing lung cancer compared to women who experienced natural menopause,” says Anita Koushik, a researcher at the Université de Montréals Department of Social and Preventive Medicine and a scientist at the Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de lUniversité de Montréal. “This increased risk of lung cancer was particularly observed among women who had nonnatural menopause by having had both their ovaries surgically removed.”

The scientists studied 422 women with lung cancer and 577 control subjects at 18 hospitals across Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They assessed sociodemographic characteristics, residential history, occupational exposures, medical and smoking history, and (among women) menstruation and pregnancy histories.

“A major strength of this study was the detailed smoking information which we obtained from all study participants; this is important because of the role of smoking in lung cancer and because smokers generally have lower estrogen levels than nonsmokers,” says Dr. Koushik. “Although smoking is the dominant cause of lung cancer, we know other factors can play an important role in enhancing the impact of tobacco carcinogens; this research suggests that in women hormonal factors may play such a role.”

Women were considered menopausal if their menstrual periods had stopped naturally, surgically (by hysterectomy with bilateral surgical ovary removal) or because of radiation or chemotherapy. Women who had at least one remaining ovary and who still had their menstrual periods at the time of diagnosis/interview were classified as premenopausal. Among participants with natural menopause, the median age for attaining menopause was 50 years old; among those with nonnatural menopause, it was at 43 years.

“Nonnatural menopause, particularly surgical menopause, may represent an increased risk with younger age at menopause given that surgery is usually done before natural menopause occurs. Its possible that vulnerability to lung cancer is caused by early and sudden decrease in estrogen levels or potentially longterm use of hormone replacement therapy and further research is needed to explore these hypotheses,” says Jack Siemiatycki a professor at the Université de Montréals Department of Social and Preventive Medicine and a scientist at the Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de lUniversité de Montréal.

About the Study

The article “Characteristics of menstruation and pregnancy and the risk of lung cancer in women,” published in the International Journal of Cancer, was authored by Anita Koushik and Jack Siemiatycki of the Université de Montréal and Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de lUniversité de Montréal and MarieElise Parent of the INRSInstitut ArmandFrappier.

Partners in Research

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec and the GuzzoSRC Chair in Environment and Cancer.

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