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New Treatment for Bone Re-Growth
A drug originally used to treat iron poisoning has been found to significantly boost the body's own ability to heal and re-grow injured bones, according to a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Researchers injected the drug desferoxamine (or DF), which is designed to reduce iron overload, into injured mouse bones. DF was found to trigger the growth of new blood vessels, which in turn initiated bone re-growth and healing. The bone density surrounding the injury more than doubled to 2.6 cubic millimeters in treated bones versus 1.2 cubic millimeters in untreated bones. Researchers say the blood vessel growth and bone healing was achieved through a cell pathway that helps the body respond to low oxygen levels, a common problem when bone fracture and disease affect blood supply. (Read more about New Treatment for Bone Re-Growth)
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FISH on Chips and ...Cancer?
New diagnostic technology developed at the University of Alberta will allow for a quicker and more effective diagnosis of cancer, uniquely called fish-on-a-chip.
The so-called FISH (or "fluorescent in situ hybridization") is a test that checks for a mutation of chromosomes in several different types of cancer. While thought to be highly effective, FISH tests had been used only in clinical trials because of their expense and time involvement. (Read more about FISH on Chips and ...Cancer?)
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Mammogram
A mammogram is a special type of X-Ray that allows doctors to visualize the breast tissue. The mammography machine compresses the breast and this will cause some discomfort. (Read more about Mammogram)
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Marijuana Brain Study
Some might say that marijuana is not a dangerous drug overall.
But new research released today suggests that it can have a profound negative impact on the development of the adolescent brain, and maybe even predispose one to schizophrenia.
With the drinking age at 21, many teens turn to marijuana as a way to get high. And many would argue, that given the two evils, marijuana is a lesser one. That can be debated at length, but consider the new research which shows that adolescents who are heavy pot smokers have visual changes on their brain scans--showing diminished development in key areas, which are important for higher level thinking. (Read more about Marijuana Brain Study)
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VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY
There’s no question, early screening for colon cancer saves lives, particularly among those aged 50 and older. But there is a debate now among medical experts: can patients get as good, and as safe a reading by using virtual colonoscopy, which uses x-ray images, or must they still go for a standard colonoscopy which uses a scope to look into the colon? (Read more about VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY)
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LUNG CANCER SCREENING
Lung cancer has been the focus of medical news reports this week, with the death of Peter Jennings and the Dana Reeve’s announcement that she too has lung cancer.
What effect will these celebrity cases have on the rest of us who perhaps light up?
And what can smokers do to protect themselves? (Read more about LUNG CANCER SCREENING)
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HEART CAT SCANS
Fast heart CAT scans have been a screening test in limbo. The exact role and place for this exam, which is becoming more widely available, hasn’t been well defined, until now. (Read more about HEART CAT SCANS)
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64 SLICE CT SCANNER
62-year old Howard Fuhr was taken by surprise when he went to see his heart specialist. “I had an abnormal –um—stress test and um the next thing that my cardiologist suggested was having an angiogram and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to go that step,” says Howard.
So, he looked for the most cutting-edge technology he could find… What'’s known as the “64-slice CT scanner. “I sought it out and I consulted with my cardiologist and we both agreed that this would be the way to go at this time,” states Howard. (Read more about 64 SLICE CT SCANNER)
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LUNG CANCER SCREENING TEST
If you smoke, or are a former smoker, there is an extremely important new study out which shows how you can protect yourself from developing advanced lung cancer.
More Americans die each year from lung cancer, than from breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined. Screening for lung cancer is a problem that physicians have been grappling with for many years. For breast cancer, we have mammography, and now breast CAT scans and MRIs to screen for breast cancer. For colon cancer, we have flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. (Read more about LUNG CANCER SCREENING TEST)
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BREAST MRI STUDY
There is important new research out tonight which addresses the question: how should women at high risk for breast cancer be screened? Should they get mammograms, or ultrasound, or the newest technology, the breast MRI? (Read more about BREAST MRI STUDY)
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