The arachnoid is one of the three meninges, or brain membranes, and is responsible for mechanically and immunologically protecting the brain and the spinal cord. It allows communication between the cerebrospinal fluid (which bathes the brain and the spinal cord) and the cerebral blood vessels, and controls several crucial physiological responses in the brain, such […]
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Study discovers potential target for treating aggressive cancer cells
As researchers and medical professionals work to develop new treatments for cancer, they face a variety of challenges. One is intratumor heterogeneity—the presence of multiple kinds of cancer cells within the same tumor. Often, these “mosaic” tumors include cells, such as polyploidal giant cancer cells, that have evolved to become aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy […]
Virus-mimicking drug helps immune system target cunning cancer cells
Researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that a drug that activates the body’s natural defenses by behaving like a virus may also make certain stealthy melanoma tumors visible to the immune system, allowing them to be better targeted by immunotherapy. The findings, published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, open […]
For babies born with a rare immune deficiency, a unique new test to better target care
A new test developed at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal will enable better management of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The results of this work was presented Tuesday in the medical journal Blood Advances published by the American Society of Hematology. Routine neonatal screening, although not yet available in Quebec, has led to an increase […]
Researchers identify a moving target in small cell lung tumors
Lung cancers account for approximately 25 percent of all cancer deaths. Even among those who do not smoke, 1 in 15 men and 1 in 17 women are expected to develop lung cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer has confounded scientists who strive to develop better therapies for this […]
New therapeutic target for acute kidney injury identified
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common and it happens fast. Unlike chronic kidney disease, which often takes years to manifest, patients with AKI experience a rapid deterioration of kidney function over hours or days. Critically ill patients and those undergoing procedures that may affect the kidneys, such as coronary angiography or cardiac surgery, are at […]
Reprogramming inner ear to regrow hair cells promising target for hearing loss treatments
A new discovery from a team led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers may bring scientists a step closer to developing treatments that regrow the missing cells that cause hearing loss. In a new study, published online December 4, 2019, in Nature Communications, scientists report a new strategy to induce cell division in the mature […]
3D scan is the smart way to target tiny prostate tumours
3D scan is the smart way to target tiny prostate tumours A pioneering two-in-one scanning system can detect prostate cancer accurately New technique provides detailed images, allowing doctors to see suspect areas A study compared the new SmartTarget system with the standard MRI Both techniques picked up tumours the other didn’t, suggesting a combination of […]
Treatment target pinpointed for liver cancer in teens and young adults
New findings show how a genetically aberrant, fused protein promotes a rare form of liver cancer in adolescents and young adults. The researchers also saw that a certain mix of drugs could target the fused protein and the enzymes that it recruits. In the lab, this drug combination slowed down the uncontrolled growth of cells […]
‘Moving target’ breast cancer cells revealed by new imaging technique
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have developed a new imaging technique to visualise key steps in the evolution of cancer cells within tumours, potentially revealing how breast cancers evade treatment. Using a laboratory model of breast cancer, the researchers were able to view tumours in three dimensions, at previously unachievable high resolution. This revealed […]