A California mom of two is back to her normal life after a robot helped removed her breast cancer in a historic surgery. After noticing a bump during a self exam, Vicky Pan, 46, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive form that grows fast. She found the cancer had already spread to … Read more
There’s been a revolving door of viral social media posts recently promoting the idea that you’ll boost your chances of conceiving if you take GLP-1 weight-loss medications. Unfortunately, the promise of the “Ozempic baby boom” is more myth than reality. While there is some connection between GLP-1s (semaglutide, like Ozempic or Wegovy, or tirzepatide, like … Read more
As more hopeful parents turn to alternative wellness treatments while trying to conceive, a growing menu of fertility-focused support can now be found beyond the doctor’s office, from breath work and meditation classes designed to support reproductive health to Reiki energy healing sessions designed for stress reduction. Of course, always consult with your physician about … Read more
What a trip. After a decade of cognitive and functional decline, an 80-year-old patient with advanced Alzheimer’s disease showed remarkable signs of recovery. All it took was a single dose of an experimental hallucinogen to get her speaking more than she had in years — and that’s just the top of the list of her … Read more
A promising new drug could put an end to cumbersome CPAP machines and allow millions of Americans to breathe easy and sleep soundly. Researchers at the biopharm company Apnimed have been developing a sleep apnea drug called AD109. After various clinical trials, they are preparing to file for FDA approval. “A pill for sleep apnea has always been … Read more
Finally, a new use for temporary tattoos beyond kiddie goodie bags. A team of Canadian researchers says it has developed a temporary “smart tattoo” to spot melanomas before they’re visible — and life-threatening. Published last week in Nature Sensors, the new study evaluated the efficacy of SMEAR-ULM, which measures temperature variations on the skin’s surface … Read more
A new drug has cured 20% of patients with a chronic, cancer-causing disease — which was previously incurable. A viral infection — and the world’s leading cause of liver cancer — the disease has long thwarted scientists who have searched for a serviceable treatment strategy. Now, a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine … Read more
A new pregnancy patch could provide crucial, 24-hour monitoring for high-risk moms. For decades, ultrasounds have been the primary means of fetal monitoring, but now engineers at UC San Diego have designed a wearable patch that promises continuous, comprehensive insight into the health of mom and baby. The flexible, adhesive-backed UPatch is applied to the … Read more
Many are split on whether AI is good for humanity, but a new AI-powered tool could prove revolutionary when it comes to cancer screenings. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-detect cancers. It has a 13% five-year survival rate and is projected to cause more than 52,700 deaths this year, according … Read more
A new autism therapy may be on the way — and it’s got everyone talking. Researchers in China have developed a brain stimulation technique that’s showing early promise in improving social communication skills among children with autism. That could be significant, given that for many on the spectrum, communication and language challenges are some of … Read more
A glimpse into the future may already be flowing through our veins. In a major breakthrough, researchers have developed a simple blood test that may one day help doctors predict how fast early-onset dementia will progress. “[It] can give us a window into how aggressively the disease is likely to behave — and that’s information … Read more
You might like the sound of this news. In a landmark move, the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first gene therapy for a rare, inherited form of hearing loss. And while these treatments often come with million-dollar price tags, Regeneron — the maker of Otarmeni — said it will be free for … Read more
After over a decade with HIV, a Norwegian man received a surprise through a stem cell donation from his sibling. The gifted bone marrow was originally intended to treat the patient’s rare blood cancer, but researchers noticed a remarkable quirk. The sick man’s brother had a genetic mutation that made his stem cells resistant to … Read more
Scientists hunting for treatments and cures for multiple sclerosis may have found an unlikely ally — the yak. The high-altitude, cold-hardy relative of the cow could be the key to a medical breakthrough, according to a March13 study published in the journal Neuron. At the center of it all is the myelin sheath — a … Read more
Scientists have long been racking their brains to crack the mechanism behind Alzheimer’s disease progression. They may have finally found a crucial clue. A research team from Heidelberg University in Germany recently uncovered a hidden “switch” that acts like a death trigger for brain cells and plays a key role in cognitive decline. The study … Read more
Someday soon, doctors who don’t run their patients’ records through an AI model will be considered negligent. At least, that’s what Steve Brown thinks. He’s the founder of CureWise, an app designed to guide patients through cancer care with the help of AI. He’s also a cancer patient well on the way to recovery — thanks … Read more
After getting engaged, the only words journalist Mrinali Dhembla expected to hear were “I do.” Instead, she was told, “You have cancer.” “When I first heard the words, ‘You have cancer,’ I was obviously very shaken because when you’re in your 20s, you just think that a little disturbance in your bowels isn’t a big … Read more
The start of a reproductive revolution? A novel technique to “rejuvenate” human eggs may dramatically improve IVF success rates in older women, scientists say. “We have been able to achieve the first rejuvenation of a human egg in vitro. What this means is we could reduce the fraction of eggs with genetic defects,” Dr. Agata … Read more
Could guts save your butt? A new study reports that bacteria found in the intestines of Japanese tree frogs show remarkable promise in treating colorectal cancer. A research team from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) discovered that the bacterium Ewingella americana could prove more effective than conventional treatments. While the relationship … Read more
A California toddler is the first person in the world to receive gene therapy to treat his devastating disease. Three-year-old Oliver Chu was born with a rare, genetic condition called Hunter syndrome. Also known as mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), Hunter syndrome is a disorder where the body cannot break down specific sugar molecules. As … Read more