Health Problems

Constipation in the Elderly

The elderly are five times more likely than younger adults to develop problems related to constipation. Causes of constipation in the elderly Some of the reasons for this propensity include poor diet, lack of adequate fluids in diet, lack of exercise, the use of certain drugs to treat other medical conditions, and poor bowel habits. […]

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Tumorsphere Formulation and Use in Cancer Stem Cell Research

Skip to: What are tumorspheres? Tumorsphere formation assay Technical notes on tumorsphere cultivation What are the types of cancer stem cell (CSC) tumorspheres? Tumorspheres for screening anti-CSC drugs What is the future of tumorspheres? What are tumorspheres? Numerous studies have pointed out that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer progression, metastasis, […]

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New material could make it easier to remove colon polyps: Gel cushion used to elevate polyps during endoscopy could reduce the risk of tearing the colon lining

More than 15 million colonoscopies are performed in the United States every year, and in at least 20 percent of those, gastroenterologists end up removing precancerous growths from the colon. Eliminating these early-stage lesions, known as polyps, is the best way to prevent colon cancer from developing. To reduce the risk of tearing the colon […]

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New way to protect against high-dose radiation damage discovered

Radiotherapy, a common treatment for cancer, is one of the most effective ways to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumours. Around 50% of patients with tumours located in the gastrointestinal cavity (liver, pancreas, colon, prostate, etc) receive this type of treatment, which has increased cancer survival rates over the past decades. However, intensive radiation therapy […]

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Fishing for cures: New zebrafish model identifies drugs that kill pediatric cancer cells

A new animal model developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators promises to be less expensive, easier to use and to improve personalized therapies for cancers and potentially other diseases. In their paper published online in Cell, the investigators describe using their immunodeficient zebrafish model to visualize drug responses at single-cell resolution in live animals. […]

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Drug takes aim at cancer metastasis

Many cancers are relatively harmless at their site of origin, and it is only when they metastasize to sites like the brain, bones, lungs, and liver that they become especially dangerous. And so, in addition to stopping the growth of cancer at its primary site, an ongoing goal of cancer research is to keep cancer […]

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How a common oral bacteria makes colon cancer more deadly: Findings may help predict aggressive colon cancer and identify new treatment targets

Researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have determined how F. nucleatum — a common oral bacteria often implicated in tooth decay — accelerates the growth of colon cancer. The study was published online in the journal EMBO Reports. Why it matters The findings could make it easier to identify and treat more […]