A common prostate-cancer screening test may be largely ineffective, according to two new studies. Scientists in the U.S. and Europe found that the PSA blood test saves few lives and leads to unnecessary treatments for large numbers of men.
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Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute are developing a new method of vaccination that could potentially be used to provide instantaneous protection whether the target is a cancer cell, flu virus, or a toxin like anthrax in the event of a bioterrorism attack. Normally, it takes days or weeks for the body to build immunity against a pathogen. The scientists injected mice with chemicals designed to trigger a universal immune reaction, as well as “adapter molecules” that they had developed to recognize the target cells causing the disease. The adapter molecules cooperate with the antibodies to create “covalent antibody-adapter complexes”…
The future of medicine may lie in an unexpected place: within the immune system of a llama. The Wall Street Journal reports that scientists in Brussels are using llamas to develop antibody–based medications for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Antibodies are known as the “soldiers of the immune system” and can be programmed to target disease–causing proteins. Llamas, camels, and their relatives create extremely small antibodies, which scientists hope can be used to burrow into the crevices of a cancerous tumor or a pre–arthritic joint—places that conventional antibodies are too large to enter. At the forefront of…
A new study links smoking to a much greater percentage of deaths among men from all types cancer including lung cancer, suggesting that increased tobacco control efforts could save more lives than previously estimated. The epidemiological analysis, published online in BMC Cancer, linked smoking to more than 70 percent of the cancer death burden among Massachusetts men in 2003. This percentage is much higher than the previous estimate of 34 percent in 2001, according to work by a researcher from the University of California, Davis. “This study provides support for the growing understanding among researchers that smoking is a cause…
Clarient has launched a new gene expression diagnostic for prostate cancer, the Insight Dx Prostate Profile (Insight). The test, developed in conjunction with Health Discovery Corp., uses expression values from four genes to identify the presence of prostate cancer cells. In its clinical validation study, Insight achieved a sensitivity of 90% for correctly identifying the presence of Grade 3 or higher prostate cancer, and a specificity of 97% for correctly identifying non-cancer tissue (normal and BPH). There are over 1 million prostate cancer tissue biopsy procedures performed annually in the U.S. Approximately 25% of these tissue biopsies are reported “positive”,…
It’s been a roller coaster of a year for AngioDynamics. In the past, I’ve professed my high opinion of the company. I still like ANGO and I think it’s fairly valued, but a less than stellar quarter should give growth-obsessed investors pause. The company expects revenues to shrink by $5 million in 2009. Access sales, historically a slow-growth business for the company, were $16.1 million in the most recent quarter, an increase of 2% year-over year. Oncology/Surgery sales grew 13% to $10.6 million. The one bright spot: Peripheral Vascular sales. Revenues totaled $21.8 million in the second quarter, an increase…
A quick shout to Mike Landess, a Denver, CO newsman who this week released a half hour DVD special on prostate cancer (check out his blog). Mike was diagnosed with the disease in November 2006. The DVD, Prostate Cancer: My Story, chronicles every step of Mike’s journey from diagnosis, to doctors’ visits, to his current status. We met Mike in October while filming a documentary on Focal Therapy. Prostate Cancer: My Story is available to the public at no charge care of the Prostate Cancer Education Council, a non-for-profit that aims to increase awareness of prostate cancer screening and treatment…
Trod Medical has received FDA 510(k) clearance for Encage, a minimally invasive technology for soft tissue ablation. The surgical system allows for precise percutaneous ablation of target tissue with well-defined margins, helping spare healthy surrounding tissue. Encage electrodes are inserted percutaneously and guided using ultrasound imaging. The electrode is viewed in real time via the ultrasound image while being precisely positioned into the target tissue. Encage may be used with a stand-alone, proprietary software for surgical planning and image guidance during the procedure. A RF-bipolar generator precisely controls the ablation. The company expects to ship product for the initial human…