New Drug For Advanced Colorectal Cancer Shows Promise In Trial

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Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 3:00 PST

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An experimental drug for advanced colorectal cancer that available treatments have failed to halt, has shown promise in a clinical trial, says Bayer HealthCare, the company that makes it. The results of the phase III trial show that compared to placebo, regorafenib slowed tumor growth and extended survival.

In a statement released yesterday, Bayer announced that the Phase III CORRECT (Colorectal cancer treated with regorafenib or placebo after failure of standard therapy) trial "met its primary endpoint, showing statistically significant improvement in overall survival ... in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) whose disease had progressed after approved standard therapies".

The statement goes on to add that the trial also shows that regorafenib showed statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival and improvement in disease control rate in the patients who received the drug compared to those who received placebo.

The trial results show that more of the side effects commonly or occasionally seen with chemotherapy occurred with the drug than with placebo, including fatigue, hand-foot skin reaction, diarrhea, anorexia, high blood pressure, oral mucositis (inflammation of the lining of the mouth) and rash/skin peeling.

The trial was "unblinded" late in 2011 after an independent data monitoring committee said the drug was showing significant improvement in overall survival and patients receiving placebo should be offered the option to take it.

It was conducted in North America, Europe, China, Japan and Australia and enrolled 760 patients.

Bayer said they will be seeking Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for regorafenib within the next 12 months. If approved, it will be the first new treatment for colorectal cancer in over five years.

Dr Axel Grothey, MD, Professor of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic is a co-principal investigator on the trial.

He is presenting the trial results at the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO-GI), in San Francisco later this week.

The oral abstract presentation (LBA number 385) is set to take place at 14:30 h PT on 21 January in the Level 3 Ballroom, Moscone Center West.

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the US, in both men and women.

About half of patients diagnosed with the disease have the advanced form (metastases, usually to the liver), either at the time of diagnosis or due to recurrent disease.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
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Scriptaid Revives Breast Cancer Treatment Receptivity

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Academic Journal
Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 10:00 PST

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A study by researchers from the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, reveals that despite the effectiveness of endocrine therapy for breast cancer, responsiveness to the treatment depends on expression of estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells. However, Dr. Laura Giacinti, lead investigator of the study reports on a new molecule, Scriptaid, which revives receptivity to the treatment in breast cancer cell lines that previously tested negative for the expression of estrogen receptors. The study appears in the Journal of Cellular Physiology.

Dr. Giacinti explains:

"Moreover, cells with more aggressive behavior have been shown to be the most responsive to the drug, which was able not only to restore the hormonal responsiveness, but also to have antitumor activity, resulting in a malignant cell death and reduction of a series of more aggressive cell parameters."

Dr. Antonio Giordano, director of the Sbarro Institute, said:

"These findings open the possibility of endocrine therapy even in patients now considered non-responsive, allowing them to have more available treatment options."

Scriptaid belongs to the class of histone deacetylase inhibitors. Using Scriptaid, the researchers assessed treatment on cell lines that tested negative for estrogen receptors. After treatment with Scriptaid, the researchers discovered that the cells tested positive for estrogen receptors and were responsive to endocrine therapy with antiestrogens.

Approximately one fourth of individuals with breast cancer test negative for these receptors, while more lose the expression of estrogen receptors during the course of the disease. In cases like these, the disease is usually a more aggressive cellular type.

According to recent findings, the expression of these receptors can be controlled by reversible epigenetic mechanisms, which can lead to the testing of new drugs to restore normal cell expression.

Giacinti, explains:

"We wish to continue our trials with this molecule, emphasizing its potential also in cancer prevention. In addition, we are generating a new series of even more specific molecules that will target this complex pathway."

Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine is a nonprofit cancer, cardiovascular and diabetes research center located in Philadelphia, PA.

Written by Grace Rattue
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Visit our breast cancer section for the latest news on this subject. "Scriptaid effects on breast cancer cell lines"
L. Giacinti, C. Giacinti, C. Gabellini, E. Rizzuto, M. Lopez and A. Giordano
Journal of Cellular Physiology. Jan 2012. DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24043 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Painful Periods - Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill Helps

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Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 12:00 PST

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Symptoms of painful menstrual periods are alleviated by taking the combined oral contraceptive pill, according to compelling evidence from a Scandinavian 30-year study which was reported in the journal Human Reproduction this week. Although previous studies pointed towards some kind of link between oral contraception and period pain relief, a 2009 Cochrane Collaboration review concluded that most of them had inconclusive or anecdotal evidence.

In this new study, Dr Ingela Lindh and team, from the Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Sweden, showed that females who take the combined oral contraceptive pill experience less severe pain and discomfort compared to other women of the same age.

The authors explained that younger females tend to have more severe dysmenorrhea (menstrual pains) than older ones. They added that symptoms do tend to improve as sufferers get older. However, they stressed that the effects of the combined oral contraceptive pill were independent of age - and that the effects of the pill are far greater than age.

The investigators gathered data on three groups of between 400 to 520 adult females who reached 19 years of age in 1981, 1991, and 2001. They had information on the participants' weight, height, pattern of menstruation, menstrual pain, and reproductive history. All the women were followed up when they were 24 years old.

Because each woman was assessed twice (at 19 and 24 years), they were able to use each one as her own control. This allowed the researchers to determine what impact age and COC (combined oral contraceptive) had.

Dr Lindh said:

"By comparing women at different ages, it was possible to demonstrate the influence of COCs on the occurrence and severity of dysmenorrhea, at the same time taking into account possible changes due to increasing age. We found there was a significant difference in the severity of dysmenorrhea depending on whether or not the women used combined oral contraceptives."

The authors used two ways of measuring the severity of symptoms: 1. Verbal multidimensional scoring system (VMS), where the woman grades her pain as none, mild, moderate and severe. VMS also includes what effect period pains might have on the woman's daily activities and whether she needed any painkillers. 2. Visual analogue scale (VAS), where the pain is scaled on a 10 cm line, starting at "no pain at all" and ending at "unbearable pain".

Dr Lindh said:

"We found that combined oral contraceptive use reduced dysmenorrhea by 0.3 units, which means that every third woman went one step down on the VMS scale, for instance from severe pain to moderate pain, and which meant that they suffered less pain, improved their working ability and there was a decrease in the need for analgesics. On the VAS scale there was a reduction in pain of nine millimetres."

Age reduced dysmenorrhea symptoms by 0.1 units on the VMS scale and 5 mm on the VAS scale. They also found that childbirth improved subsequent symptoms - however, the authors stress that there were not enough women giving birth to make any reliable conclusions. Asked why younger women tended to have worse symptoms, Dr. Lindh said:

"We are unsure why this is. It may be due to changes in the type of oral contraceptive used, for example, differences in oestrogen content and progestogen type, or a different appreciation of pain in the women born in later years, in that they may be more pain sensitive or are more prepared to complain about pain than women of the same age but born earlier."

US health authorities believe that dysmenorrhea accounts for 600 million lost hours of work, costing the country's economy over $2 billion annually.

Dr Lindh said:

"Painful periods occurs frequently, particularly in young women where as many as 50-75% suffer from dysmenorrhea. It can have a detrimental effect on these women's lives, causing regular absenteeism from school and work, and interfering with their daily activities for several days each month. Therefore effective management of dysmenorrhea is beneficial for both the women affected and society.

Information about the effects of COC use on painful periods should be included in contraceptive counseling, as it has been shown that women who experience a beneficial effect of COCs other than contraception, such as a reduction in dysmenorrhea, are more likely to continue with the pill."

To include dysmenorrhea treatment as another indication for COC, US and European regulatory authorities would require a randomized controlled human study. On both sides of the Atlantic, thousands of doctors already prescribe COC "off-label" for menstrual pains.

Dr Lindh said:

"We are aware that drug companies have discussed with the authorities the possible design of a randomized controlled trial for the evaluation of COCs in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, but this has not yet been finalized or performed. However, our study has clearly indicated a beneficial influence of COCs on the prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhea and the absence of a randomized controlled trial confirming this in no way reduces the value of this information."

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Visit our women's health / gynecology section for the latest news on this subject. "The effect of combined oral contraceptives and age on dysmenorrhea: an epidemiological study"
Ingela Lindh, Agneta Andersson Ellstrom and Ian Milsom
Human Reproduction. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der417 First published online: January 17, 2012 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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(Hover over the stars then click to rate) posted by Melda Page on 18 Jan 2012 at 1:11 pm

For heaven's sake, this has been known for a long time.
My periods began when I was 17, 1958, and were horrible from the very first--felt like I was being cut with a knife, were like contractions, were extremely irregular, and extremely long with severe bleeding. It is a wonder I did not die from all the aspirin I took in those years. In 1964, age 23, I got married. Birth control pills had been invented just a few years before and I went to the doctor a month before my wedding to get birth control pills--I think it was orthonovum. The pills reduced my pain to almost nothing, made me regular, reduced the heavy bleeding, etc. And in two weeks time cured the horrible acne I had had since age 10.
At age 29 I decided to have a baby. Went off the pills.
All the former problems came back immediately, including the horrible acne. Had the baby and went back on the pills for about another 6 to 7 years. Stopped after reading so much about their supposed dangers, altho I never had any bad effects. All the problems and acne came back again. At age 43, went on HRT--all the bad effects again went away along with the acne, and stayed on HRT for 25 years--still no bad effects. After going off the HRT the acne is back again, although not quite as bad as it was when I was younger. For me, both the birth control pills and the HRT have been wonderful.

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Caffeine Therapy Does Not Help Preterm Babies Long Term

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 16:00 PST

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According to an investigation published in the January 18 issue of JAMA, caffeine therapy, which has been demonstrated to lower the rate of cognitive delay and cerebral palsy at 18 months, did not considerably improve the rate of survival without disability at 5 years of age among very low birth weight infants with apnea.

In infants born very prematurely with apnea, who are at increased risk of disability with apnea or death, caffeine therapy is the recommended treatment. "However, outcomes up to 2 years after very preterm birth may not accurately predict function later in childhood", the researchers explain.

In order to find out if the benefits of neonatal caffeine therapy last or if the treatment has newly apparent risks at early school age, Barbara Schmidt, M.D., M.Sc., of McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and colleagues carried out an investigation.

The 5-year follow-up study from 2005 to 2011 consisted of 2,006 participants in 31 of 35 teaching hospitals in Canada, Europe, Israel, and Australia. 96.3% (1,932 participants) had been enrolled in the randomized, placebo-controlled Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity trial between 1999 and 2004.

A total of 84.9% (1,640 children) born weighing 500 to 1250 g (17.6 to 44.1 ounces) had sufficient data for the primary outcome at 5 years. The researchers defined the primary outcome as the combined survival or death to 5 years, with 1 or more cognitive impairment, behavior problems, deafness, blindness, poor general health or motor impairment. 176 (21.1%) of the 833 children who received caffeine treatment survived or died with at least 1 impairment, in comparison with 200 of the 807 children (24.8%) who received placebo. The researchers explain:

"The rates of motor impairment, cognitive impairment, behavior problems, poor general health, blindness, and deafness were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Only 2 children in each of the 2 groups died between 18 months and 5 years."

In a secondary examination, the researchers discovered evidence of an improvement in gross motor function connected with caffeine therapy. In both groups, the incidence of cognitive impairment was lower at 5 years than at 18 months (4.9% compared with 5.1%).

According to the researchers concerns have been raised that treating infants with caffeine therapy may cause harm in the long-term. "The absence of any adverse effects in children who were randomly assigned to neonatal caffeine therapy on the incidence of behavior problems or on any other outcomes is reassuring."

They conclude:

"In summary, this 5-year follow-up study of participant in the international Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity trial showed that the benefits of neonatal caffeine therapy on the rate of survival without disability at 18 months were attenuated during child development. The rate of cognitive impairment were much lower at 5 years than at 18 months, suggesting that cognitive delay during the second year of life may not be a lasting outcome after very preterm birth."

In an associated report, Nathalie L. Maitre, M.D., Ph.D., and Ann R, Stark, M.D., of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, Nashville, Tenn., comments on the findings of this investigation.

"As the Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity trial demonstrates, long-term follow-up is essential for reaching accurate conclusions about the efficacy of new therapies in preterm infants. This trial also highlights how fortunate preterm patients have been in the routine use of caffeine, a drug previously untested in newborns. All along, neonatologists were using the first safe neuroprotective agent in this vulnerable population."

Written By Grace Rattue
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The Upside Of "Gossip": Maintaining Social Order

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Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Anxiety / Stress
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 13:00 PST

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Gossip is often considered an undesirable, unattractive feature of society, amounting to idle chatter that undermines trust and damages reputations, but now a new study suggests it has an upside, it helps maintain social order by keeping bad behavior in check, and preventing exploitation. And it also lowers stress. You can read how researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, arrived at these findings in January's online issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Co-author and social psychologist Robb Willer said they had found evidence that gossip plays a vital role in maintaining social order:

"Spreading information about the person whom they had seen behave badly tended to make people feel better, quieting the frustration that drove their gossip."

Willer and colleagues found gossip has a therapeutic effect: volunteer's heart rates rose when they observed someone behaving badly, but then the heart rates lessened somewhat when they warned others about what they had witnessed.

For the study, the researchers focused on "prosocial" gossip, which is intended to warn others about untrustworthy or dishonest people. This is in contrast to other forms of gossip, such as voyeuristic rumor-mongering about a celebrity's latest exploits.

To study prosocial gossip, the researchers carried out four experiments where they monitored volunteers as they watched people playing an "economic trust game" against each other and where players' generosity was measured according to how many dollars or points they shared.

In the first experiment, 51 volunteers agreed to have their heart rate monitored as they watched two people play the game and observed their scores. After two rounds it was obvious from the score that one of the players was not playing fair and was hoarding all the points.

As they witnessed the cheating, the volunteer observers' heart rates rose, and in fact, when a new player came in to play against the cheat, many of the observers took the opportunity to slip them a "gossip note" to warn them about their opponent. When they did this, their heart rate went down somewhat.

Willer said being able to warn the new player made the observers "feel better":

"Passing on the gossip note ameliorated their negative feelings and tempered their frustration," he said.

In the second experiment, the researchers invited 111 participants to complete questionnaires about their level of altruism and cooperativeness, and then asked them to watch a screen that showed the scores from three rounds of the economic trust game. They could see from the scores that one of the players was cheating.

Again, they were given the chance to pass a gossip note to warn the next player. The observers also answered questions about how they felt about what they saw and their actions.

The results showed that the observers who scored the highest on the prosocial scales were the ones who reported feeling frustrated by the cheat's behavior, but then very relieved to be able to warn the vulnerable person, the next player, via the gossip note.

In the third experiment the researchers raised the stakes for the observers: they were asked to sacrifice the fee they were paid for taking part in the study if they wanted to pass the gossip note to the next player. And they were told their sacrifice would not affect the cheat's score. Even with the stakes set higher, the majority of the observers chose to forfeit their fee and send the warning gossip note.

And in the final experiment, the researchers recruited 300 game players from around the country to play several rounds of the same economic trust game online (they recruited them via Craiglist, the free online network for classified and other advertisements). The currency of the game was raffle tickets: winning tickets would be entered in a draw for a $50 cash prize, so there was an incentive to hold on to as many of these as possible.

However, the difference with this game was that some of the players were told at the start that the volunteers observing the game would have a chance during a break to pass a gossip note to the players of the next round to warn them about the behavior of cheats. The threat of being the subject of "negative" gossip spurred nearly all of these players to play fairly, even the ones who had scored low on altruism in questionnaires they had completed at the outset.

The researchers conclude that the results of experiments 1, 2 and 3 show that: People who witness a negative act feel bad (experience negative affect), and are compelled to pass on their information to a potentially vulnerable person.
Sharing this information reduces the negative affect that arose from seeing the antisocial behaviour.
People who are more prosocial are the ones most motivated to engage in such "gossip", even at personal cost, and are the ones most likely to experience the greatest reduction in negative affect.They conclude that experiment 4 shows that "prosocial gossip can effectively deter selfishness and promote cooperation".

Willer said taken together, the results of all four experiments demonstrate that we become frustrated when see people behave immorally.

"But being able to communicate this information to others who could be helped makes us feel better," he added.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Visit our psychology / psychiatry section for the latest news on this subject. "The virtues of gossip: Reputational information sharing as prosocial behavior"; Feinberg, Matthew; Willer, Robb; Stellar, Jennifer; Keltner, Dacher; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published online 9 Jan 2012; DOI: 10.1037/a0026650; Link to Abstract.
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Digital Exercise Beneficial For Cognitive Function Of Older Adults

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Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 10:00 PST

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A new study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine's February issue, reveals that virtual reality-enhanced exercise called "exergames," which combine physical exercise with computer-simulated environments and interactive videogame features, can achieve a greater cognitive benefit for older adults than traditional exercise alone.

The two-year study wanted to explore how interactive digital gaming can improve the health behaviors and outcomes for people aged 50 years and older.

Leading researcher Cay Anderson-Hanley, PhD, from the Healthy Aging and Neuropsychology Lab and Department of Psychology at the Union College in Schenectady, NY explained: "We found that for older adults, virtual-reality enhanced interactive exercise, or 'cybercycling' two to three times per week for 3 months, yielded greater cognitive benefit, and perhaps added protection against mild cognitive impairment (MCI), than a similar dose of traditional exercise."

Studies have proven that exercise is likely to prevent or delay dementia and improve cognitive functioning in normal aging, yet only 14% of adults between the ages of 65 to 74 years old, and only 7% of over 75 year-olds report to do regular exercise. Exergames are likely to increase exercise by diverting the attention from aversive aspects towards motivating features like competition and three-dimensional scenery, which lead to greater frequency and intensity as well as improved health outcomes.

Researchers recruited 101 participants aged from 58 to 99 years, from independent living facilities with indoor access, to an exercise bike for the Cybercycle Study. From all participants, 79 completed initial evaluations and training. They rode identical recumbent stationary bikes but the experimental bike had a virtual reality display on which cybercycle participants could experience 3-D tours and race against a "ghost rider," a fictional character based on their last best ride. Overall, 63 participants completed the study with an average of three rides weekly. The researchers performed a cognitive assessment to assess executive functions like attention, planning, working memory and problem solving at enrollment, after 1 month (pre-intervention) and after 3 months (post-intervention). They examined blood plasma to measure if a change in brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) suggested possible neuroplasticity, a mechanism of change that potentially connects exercise with cognition.

The researchers discovered that those who rode the cybercycle displayed substantially better executive function, compared with those who rode a traditional stationary bike. They also found that cybercyclists experienced a 23% reduction in progression to MCI compared with traditional exercisers. Co-principal project researcher Paul Arciero, PhD, professor of health and exercise sciences at Skidmore College, declared: "No difference in exercise frequency, intensity, or duration was found between the two groups, indicating that factors other than effort and fitness were responsible for the cognitive benefit."

Dr. Anderson-Hanley remarked: "Navigating a 3D landscape, anticipating turns, and competing with others require additional focus, expanded divided attention, and enhanced decision making. These activities depend in part on executive function, which was significantly affected."

The findings also revealed a substantially larger increase of BDNF in cybercyclists compared with traditional riders, which indicates that interactive/combined mental and physical exercise could potentially lead to cognitive benefits by way of biomarkers associated with to neurotrophic effects.

Dr. Anderson-Hanley states: "Further research will be needed to tease apart the contributions of a variety of factors in the cybercycling condition. Consistency across conditions for goal setting and competition suggests virtual reality imagery and interactive decision-making might be potent factors of the cybercycle." The final interviews with the participants provided the researchers with anecdotal evidence of the value of these unique exergames with participants commenting that they enjoyed the visual stimulation and the challenge of 'beating' fictional characters.

Dr. Anderson-Hanley concludes: "The implication of our study is that older adults who choose exergaming with interactive physical and cognitive exercise over traditional exercise may garner added cognitive benefit, and perhaps prevent decline, all for the same exercise effort."

Written by: Petra Rattue

Copyright: Medical News Today
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Visit our sports medicine / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. "Exergaming and Older Adult Cognition: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial," C. Anderson-Hanley, P.J. Arciero, A.M. Brickman, J.P. Nimon, N. Okuma, S.C. Westen, M.E. Merz, B.D. Pence, J.A. Woods, A.F. Kramer, and E.A. Zimmerman doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2011.10.016. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 42, Issue 2 (February 2012). Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Stopping Prostate Cancer Growth - Breakthrough

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Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 14:00 PST

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A study by investigators at the Methodist Research Institute at Indiana University confirms that an all-natural, doctor-designed formula is effective in suppressing prostate cancer tumors. The study conducted on mice, used a human prostate cancer xenograft model.

Results from the live animal study were presented by lead researcher, Dr. Daniel Sliva at the 16th World Congress on Advances in Oncology in Rhodes, Greece and at the 14th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine.

The formula showed to be considerably effective in suppressing the proliferation and metastasis of human hormone refractory (androgen independent) prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, the formula was confirmed to be non-toxic and poses no risk of adverse effects.

Dr. Sliva, explains: "Dietary supplements are used as an alternative or adjuvant therapies. However, rigorous scientific verification of their biological activity in vitro and in vivo is necessary for the acceptance of dietary supplements in conventional cancer treatment and prevention."

The study is significant, as it is exceptionally hard to treat hormone refractory prostate cancer (androgen independent). Hormone refractory prostate cancer is the most aggressive, advanced form of the disease and usually leads to metastasis and progression of the cancer.

The ingredients of the formula, which contains botanical extracts, antioxidants, botanically enhanced medical mushrooms, and phytonutrients were chosen by the researchers based on scientific research showing their abilities to fight prostate abnormalities and provide extensive prostate support.

The researchers grafted human prostate cancer cells (tissues) onto mice using a xenograft model - where organs or tissue from an individual of one species is grafted or transplanted onto an organism of another species, genus, or family. The team found that oral administration of this natural formula produced a statistically significant suppression of tumor growth.

Study results also demonstrated that the formula worked to suppress several genes involved in cancer metastasis and proliferation. Two of the suppressed genes are associated to the metastatic potential. The genes can highlight the ability of this preparation to suppress the primary tumor growth as well as the metastatic process, a vital benefit in fighting this aggressive cancer.

Prior investigations studying this formula have been conducted at research laboratories at Columbia University, NY, NY, the Cancer Research Laboratory, Methodist Research Institute, and Indiana University health, Indianapolis, IN, using cell culture studies and gene expression analysis. These previous studies demonstrated considerable results in the formula's ability to suppress proliferation and prostate cancer growth.

The current study is a breakthrough in the investigation of this natural formula, as it used an xenograft model on mice to test for toxicity and demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth within a living mammal.

Dr. Sliva explained: "In summary, this dietary supplement is a natural compound for the possible therapy of human hormone refractory (independent) prostate cancer."

Current research on this formal continues to demonstrate positive results, and further investigations are to be conducted in the future.

Written By Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Mental Health - Experts Urge For Special UN Session

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Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 10:00 PST

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A team of international health experts has made a call for the United Nations to hold a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) to focus worldwide attention on neurological and mental disorders as well as substance use disorders as a central development issue, which need commitment to improve access to care, promote human rights, and reinforce evidence on effective prevention and treatment methods.

In an article of this week's issue of PLoS Medicine, the health experts, led by Vikram Patel from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK and Judith Bass from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the USA declare:

"The time has come for recognition at the highest levels of global development, namely the UN General Assembly, of the urgent need for a global strategy to address the global burden of MNS disorders."

Mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, in short MNS disorders, a fairly recent acronym invented by the World Health Organization, refer to the entire range of brain and mind disorders and are leading contributors to the global burden of disease. These disorders make a profound impact on individuals' and communities' social and economic wellbeing, but most of those affected by MNS disorders around the world have no access to evidence-based interventions, with many experiencing discrimination and abuses of their human rights.

The experts highlight three extensive areas of action that need urgent investment. One of them is to improve access to evidence-based sets of care to treat MNS disorders, whilst the second one is to realize the human rights commitment that are preserved in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that those suffering from MNS disorders live a dignified life and the last one is to broaden the knowledge about MNS disorders.

The experts argue: "Securing the commitment of a majority of governments for a UNGASS will require a concerted effort from the diverse group of stakeholders concerned with MNS disorders. The fact that MNS disorders affect people in all countries should offer considerable incentive for investments by both public and private sectors in this initiative."

They also encourage support for the development of a ''People's Charter for Mental Health'', which aims to detect the most urgent needs and convert them into practical actionable steps for countries to implement, and explain: "This charter will be developed in consultation with the organizations from 96 countries who have signed up to the ''Great Push'' initiative so far, representing over one million people including consumers, family members, advocates, researchers, professional organizations, and policy makers."

The experts conclude stating: "Together, this grand coalition of local, national, and global actors will converge their energies towards the implementation of a UNGASS to achieve the ultimate goal of reducing the global burden of MNS disorders."

Written by: Petra Rattue

Copyright: Medical News Today
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Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject. "A United Nations General Assembly Special Session for Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders: The Time Has Come" Bass JK, Bornemann TH, Burkey M, Chehil S, Chen L, et al. (2012), PLoS Med 9(1): e1001159. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001159 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Petra Rattue. "Mental Health - Experts Urge For Special UN Session." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 18 Jan. 2012. Web.
18 Jan. 2012. APA

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Drug Helps Maintain Platelet Inhibition And Anti-Clotting Levels Prior To Cardiac Surgery

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Main Category: Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 18 Jan 2012 - 15:00 PST

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According to a study in the January 18 issue of JAMA, patients who stop using an antiplatelet agent, such as clopidogrel, before undergoing cardiac surgery to reduce their risk of bleeding and received intravenously the platelet inhibitor cangrelor, achieved a higher rate of maintenance of platelet inhibition than those who were given placebo.

The researchers explained:

"Thienopyridines (antiplatelet agents) are among the most widely prescribed medications, but their use can be complicated by the unanticipated need for surgery. Despite increased risk of thrombosis, guidelines recommend discontinuing thienopyridines 5 to 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bleeding."

However, stopping antiplatelet treatment before operations, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) too early has been linked to higher ischemic complications. Strategies of platelet inhibition need to be defined in order to safely "bridge" patients to their surgery, with minimum risk of bleeding complications or ischemic events, according to the researchers. Cangrelor is characterized by fast, effective, predictable, and reversible platelet inhibition with fast offset of effect, desirable pharmacodynamic properties for these types of patients.

Dominick J. Angiolillo, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Florida, Jacksonville and his team conducted a randomized, multicenter trial that included 210 individuals with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), or patients treated with a coronary stent and receiving an antiplatelet agent prior to CABG surgery, in order to analyze if cangrelor is an effective and safe medication for connecting individuals receiving antiplatelet agents to CABG surgery.

Patients discontinued antiplatelet agent use 5 to 7 days prior to surgery and were given either cangrelor or placebo for at least 48 hours, which was stopped 1 to 6 hours prior to surgery. For patients who received cangrelor the median time of infusion was 2.8 days, compared to 3.4 days for those who received placebo. The primary safety end point was excessive CABG surgery-related bleeding, while the main measure of effectiveness was platelet reactivity of less than 240 P2Y12 Reaction Units (PRUs), which was evaluated each day.

The authors found that the percentage of participants with platelet reactivity of less than 240 RPU throughout the entire infusion of the investigation drug was considerably lower in the placebo group (19.0% [16 of 84]) than the cangrelor group (98.8% [83 of 84]).

The investigators say: "The percentage of overall samples displaying platelet reactivity less than 240 PRU, patients with all samples with baseline PRU value, total patient samples that maintained higher than 60 percent platelet inhibition during study drug infusion were all greater with cangrelor than with placebo."

In total, 22 participants experienced study-defined excessive CABG surgery-related bleeding. The researchers found that excessive CABG surgery-related bleeding was not considerably different among patients who received cangrelor (11.8% [12 of 102]) or those who received placebo (10.4% [10 of 96]). For both groups, pre-CABG-surgery major-bleeding events were rare; minor bleeding events were more prevalent among participants in the cangrelor group.

The investigators conclude:

"In this trial, cangrelor achieved and maintained target levels of platelet inhibition known to be associated with a low risk of thrombotic events compared with placebo, without a significant excess in bleeding complications. Our data support the hypothesis that intravenous cangrelor is a feasible management strategy in patients waiting for cardiac surgery who require prolonged platelet P2Y12 inhibition after thienopyridine discontinuation."

Written By Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Grace Rattue. "Drug Helps Maintain Platelet Inhibition And Anti-Clotting Levels Prior To Cardiac Surgery." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 18 Jan. 2012. Web.
18 Jan. 2012. APA

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