English.news.cn 2013-10-16 00:00:19
TAIPEI, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- A 76-year-old woman has died from dengue fever in Taiwan, the first such death on the island this year, disease control authorities said Tuesday.
The woman who lived in Pingtung City had a history of high blood pressure. She was confirmed to have contracted the fever on Oct. 6 and died on Oct. 11 after treatment failed, the authorities said.
As of Monday, 164 dengue fever cases have been reported in Taiwan this year.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne, potentially fatal disease that affects between 50 and 100 million people in tropical and subtropical regions every year, causing fever and muscle and joint aches.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-10/16/c_132801645.htm
Showing posts with label Xinhuanet.com. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xinhuanet.com. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 November 2013
Cuba tries new natural drug for cancer, AIDS
English.news.cn 2010-04-06 11:14:11
HAVANA, April 5 (Xinhua)-- A batch of 160,000 tablets made from anamu, a new immune stimulant herbal drug, will be tried on patients with cancer and AIDS in Cuba.
The drug will be produced by the Pharmaceutical Laboratories Oriente in Santiago de Cuba.
The 400-mg tablet, which is completely natural, will be used initially in the oncology service and also on patients with AIDS virus to prove its effectiveness.
The pills are made from leaves and young stems of anamu, a wild grass growing on the island.
The tablets are supported by ethnomedical reports of the plant and researches related to its traditional use and benefits .
Alexander Batista, director of the Center for Toxicology and Biomedicine in Santiago, said on Monday the overall effectiveness of the drug has been demonstrated in preclinical and toxicological tests.
Researchers have hoped to provide the drug free to patients with special needs, and to sell it to the public by prescription and even to the international market.
Anamu is traditionally used in Cuba as an antispasmodic, diuretic, stimulant and sudorific, local analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It is used for arthritis, malaria, rheumatism, dermathology diseases and also memory problems.
Moreover, when used as anti-inflammatory in cases of cancer and diabetes, it has antileukemic and cytotoxic effects against several types of cancer cells.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-04/06/c_13238905.htm
HAVANA, April 5 (Xinhua)-- A batch of 160,000 tablets made from anamu, a new immune stimulant herbal drug, will be tried on patients with cancer and AIDS in Cuba.
The drug will be produced by the Pharmaceutical Laboratories Oriente in Santiago de Cuba.
The 400-mg tablet, which is completely natural, will be used initially in the oncology service and also on patients with AIDS virus to prove its effectiveness.
The pills are made from leaves and young stems of anamu, a wild grass growing on the island.
The tablets are supported by ethnomedical reports of the plant and researches related to its traditional use and benefits .
Alexander Batista, director of the Center for Toxicology and Biomedicine in Santiago, said on Monday the overall effectiveness of the drug has been demonstrated in preclinical and toxicological tests.
Researchers have hoped to provide the drug free to patients with special needs, and to sell it to the public by prescription and even to the international market.
Anamu is traditionally used in Cuba as an antispasmodic, diuretic, stimulant and sudorific, local analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It is used for arthritis, malaria, rheumatism, dermathology diseases and also memory problems.
Moreover, when used as anti-inflammatory in cases of cancer and diabetes, it has antileukemic and cytotoxic effects against several types of cancer cells.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-04/06/c_13238905.htm
Prostate cancer cases increase significantly in Australia: study
English.news.cn 2013-11-07 16:03:01
SYDNEY, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia has increased 276 percent during the last two decades, a study by leading cancer organization Cancer Council NSW (New South Wales) revealed on Thursday.
Associate Professor Freddy Sitas, lead researcher from Cancer Council NSW, said the rise in new cases was likely due to increased prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and digital rectal exams being used to identify men with prostate cancer.
"At the moment we are working with imperfect tests," he said in a report.
"The current tests often fail to distinguish between a low-risk prostate cancer from one that is life threatening."
Sitas said the tests have saved men with aggressive forms of the disease but at a high cost.
"The increased number of men diagnosed has led to many having highly invasive treatments resulting in unnecessary long-term health complications," he noted.
"This is why the governments in Australia do not support a PSA- based population screening program."
The study also found the increase in new cases was much greater than the 27 percent drop in prostate cancer deaths over the past 20 years from 1987 to 2007.
"This reflects the inaccuracy of the screening tests and indicates that many men were diagnosed with cancers that would not have harmed them," Sitas said.
"Saving lives is our priority, but we urgently need a better test so that we can achieve much better mortality outcomes without so many men being diagnosed with indolent cancers that would not have harmed them."
Professor Mark Harris from the University of New South Wales said men need to be fully informed about the pros and cons of testing as the current test falsely identifies many men without cancer.
"Men who do have a concern should have a good and thorough talk to their doctors about the implications," he said.
"The patient needs to decide if it is the most appropriate thing for them."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/07/c_132867687.htm
SYDNEY, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia has increased 276 percent during the last two decades, a study by leading cancer organization Cancer Council NSW (New South Wales) revealed on Thursday.
Associate Professor Freddy Sitas, lead researcher from Cancer Council NSW, said the rise in new cases was likely due to increased prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and digital rectal exams being used to identify men with prostate cancer.
"At the moment we are working with imperfect tests," he said in a report.
"The current tests often fail to distinguish between a low-risk prostate cancer from one that is life threatening."
Sitas said the tests have saved men with aggressive forms of the disease but at a high cost.
"The increased number of men diagnosed has led to many having highly invasive treatments resulting in unnecessary long-term health complications," he noted.
"This is why the governments in Australia do not support a PSA- based population screening program."
The study also found the increase in new cases was much greater than the 27 percent drop in prostate cancer deaths over the past 20 years from 1987 to 2007.
"This reflects the inaccuracy of the screening tests and indicates that many men were diagnosed with cancers that would not have harmed them," Sitas said.
"Saving lives is our priority, but we urgently need a better test so that we can achieve much better mortality outcomes without so many men being diagnosed with indolent cancers that would not have harmed them."
Professor Mark Harris from the University of New South Wales said men need to be fully informed about the pros and cons of testing as the current test falsely identifies many men without cancer.
"Men who do have a concern should have a good and thorough talk to their doctors about the implications," he said.
"The patient needs to decide if it is the most appropriate thing for them."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/07/c_132867687.htm
Simple Blood Test to detect Lung Cancer
Early signs of lung cancer could be diagnosed by simple blood test: study
English.news.cn 2012-10-17 03:08:11
LONDON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Early signs of lung cancer could be diagnosed using a simple blood test, according a new discovery published by British scientists on Tuesday.
Early detection of lung cancer has been shown to save lives, but available methods for screening at-risk people are either too costly or involve invasive procedures.
Writing in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at University of York reported that they found an altered form of a protein called Ciz1 was present in lung cancers, even when at a very early stage.
"The Ciz1 protein is involved in cell growth. Altered forms of this protein are present in cancer cells, and one specific form is prevalent in lung cancers," said Dr. Dawn Coverley from the University of York.
"Surprisingly, this variant-Ciz1 somehow gets into the blood stream and once there appears to be very stable. This means that by looking for variant Ciz1 in the blood we can pick out people who have small tumours in their lungs, without the need to take a biopsy or undergo surgery," she added.
She said the method will offer doctors an alternative way to test whether an abnormal growth is cancerous. For patients, it means many can avoid invasive diagnostic procedures.
The team is now translating the research into a test suitable for use in hospital diagnostic laboratories.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-10/17/c_131910653.htm
Beijing lung cancer on the rise: statistics
English.news.cn 2013-11-09 07:50:47
BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Beijing municipal health authorities said on Friday that the number of lung cancer patients in the city has been rising over the last decade, without elaborating on what might have caused the rise.
The number of lung cancer patients per 100,000 people was 63.09 in 2011, compared with 39.56 registered in 2002, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, citing figures from the city's tumor prevention and treatment office.
In 2011, Beijing reported a total of 7,999 new lung cancer cases, accounting for 20.8 percent of the malignant tumor cases that year.
The bureau said lung cancer is the most common disease among male malignant tumor patients.
The statistics also showed that the lung cancer incidence rises as people age, and male patients outnumber female patients after the age of 35.
Health experts with the Beijing Cancer hospital said lung cancer is highly linked to lifestyle, noting that smoking is the top reason for the disease, followed by passive smoking and environmental pollution, such as air pollution.
People with respiratory diseases are more likely to contract lung cancer, the experts added.
Related:
WHO confirms air pollution as leading cause of lung cancer
BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- The World Health Organization has confirmed what many people choking on city smog have long suspected, that air pollution is a leading cause of lung cancer. The news will alarm billions of people in emerging economies, where the problem is often acute. But the announcement also coincides with a report this week revealing 400,000 Europeans are dying each year because of air pollution.Full Story
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/09/c_132872580.htm
BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Beijing municipal health authorities said on Friday that the number of lung cancer patients in the city has been rising over the last decade, without elaborating on what might have caused the rise.
The number of lung cancer patients per 100,000 people was 63.09 in 2011, compared with 39.56 registered in 2002, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, citing figures from the city's tumor prevention and treatment office.
In 2011, Beijing reported a total of 7,999 new lung cancer cases, accounting for 20.8 percent of the malignant tumor cases that year.
The bureau said lung cancer is the most common disease among male malignant tumor patients.
The statistics also showed that the lung cancer incidence rises as people age, and male patients outnumber female patients after the age of 35.
Health experts with the Beijing Cancer hospital said lung cancer is highly linked to lifestyle, noting that smoking is the top reason for the disease, followed by passive smoking and environmental pollution, such as air pollution.
People with respiratory diseases are more likely to contract lung cancer, the experts added.
Related:
WHO confirms air pollution as leading cause of lung cancer
BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- The World Health Organization has confirmed what many people choking on city smog have long suspected, that air pollution is a leading cause of lung cancer. The news will alarm billions of people in emerging economies, where the problem is often acute. But the announcement also coincides with a report this week revealing 400,000 Europeans are dying each year because of air pollution.Full Story
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/09/c_132872580.htm
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Israeli study finds better cure for brain damage
English.news.cn 2013-11-19 00:42:51
JERUSALEM, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have found that high levels of oxygen in a pressurized atmosphere can significantly improve chronic brain damage.
The study, carried out by Tel Aviv University and the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tzrifin, showed that patients who sustained brain injuries from 20 years ago improved their cognitive and physical responses after the treatment.
Doctors worldwide treat brain injuries with physical rehabilitation, but its effects have been limited partly because the window of opportunity to repair the brain damage after the injury is short.
According to the Israeli researchers who worked on the study, the advantage of using hyperbaric oxygen, high levels of oxygen in a pressurized cabin, is that the oxygen reaches deeper into the brain tissues, reviving dormant nerve cells and reactivating blood vessels.
Researchers were also positive that the study, published recently in Public Library of Science's journal PLOS One, will help treat other diseases linked to brain injury and aging, such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
"Maybe in the future we'll be able to give anti-aging treatment that will strengthen the functioning of the brain and preserve it for the rest of one's life," Eshel Ben Jacob, a professor from the Tel Aviv University's School of Physics and Astronomy and the Sagol School for Brain Science, told the Jerusalem Post daily.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/19/c_125722528.htm
JERUSALEM, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have found that high levels of oxygen in a pressurized atmosphere can significantly improve chronic brain damage.
The study, carried out by Tel Aviv University and the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tzrifin, showed that patients who sustained brain injuries from 20 years ago improved their cognitive and physical responses after the treatment.
Doctors worldwide treat brain injuries with physical rehabilitation, but its effects have been limited partly because the window of opportunity to repair the brain damage after the injury is short.
According to the Israeli researchers who worked on the study, the advantage of using hyperbaric oxygen, high levels of oxygen in a pressurized cabin, is that the oxygen reaches deeper into the brain tissues, reviving dormant nerve cells and reactivating blood vessels.
Researchers were also positive that the study, published recently in Public Library of Science's journal PLOS One, will help treat other diseases linked to brain injury and aging, such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
"Maybe in the future we'll be able to give anti-aging treatment that will strengthen the functioning of the brain and preserve it for the rest of one's life," Eshel Ben Jacob, a professor from the Tel Aviv University's School of Physics and Astronomy and the Sagol School for Brain Science, told the Jerusalem Post daily.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/19/c_125722528.htm
Patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia unhealthy: report
English.news.cn 2013-11-20 09:39:19
CANBERRA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Australian National Council on Drugs report (ANCD) confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that levels and patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia are frequently risky or unhealthy and alcohol consumption among young people is "a significant concern."
The ANCD was established in 1998 as the principal advisory body to the prime minister and the federal government on drug and alcohol policy.
Alcohol consumption is a regular part of social life for many Australians. However, the ANCD confirmed that levels and patterns of consumption in Australia are frequently risky or unhealthy. In 2010, per capita consumption of pure alcohol by Australians was estimated to be 10.25 liters, which is considered high by international standards.
And alcohol consumption among young people is a significant concern. While many young people typically engage in fewer episodes of drinking overall, they are more likely to consume at higher risk levels each time, the ANCD said.
It found young people were also more likely to specifically drink to become intoxicated, and more likely to experience acute alcohol-related injuries.
Almost two thirds of 18-29-year-olds said they drank " specifically to get drunk" and the hospitalization of one in five people under the age of 25 was the result of alcohol, according to the report.
According to the report, one in five Australians consume alcohol at levels that put them at risk of lifetime harm from injury or disease. In addition, two in five Australians consume alcohol at levels that put them at risk of short-term harm at least once a year.
The figures also note that over one-third (36 percent) of drinkers said their primary purpose when drinking is 'to get drunk. '
And alcohol has been causally linked to at least 60 different medical conditions. The report said that 3.2 percent of the total burden of disease in Australia is related to alcohol use. And hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption results in costs of more than 15.3 billion AU dollars (almost 14.38 billion US dollars) a year across the nation.
ANCD chairman Dr. John Herron said that the report shows more work needs to be done to tackle the problem.
"The level of alcohol-related damage occurring in our communities is simply appalling," he said in a TV program on Wednesday. "The health, social and economic costs associated with alcohol use simply cannot be allowed to continue at the current level."
Based on this situation, the ANCD has created an Alcohol Action Plan which aims to stem the "unacceptable levels of crime, violence, health harms and family disturbance" caused by alcohol.
According to the ANCD, the plan calls for all states and territories to collect and release data on alcohol sales to allow local analysis. It also wants statistics on both police incidents and emergency department admissions that involve alcohol collected across the country.
And the plan also called for alcohol consumption guidelines should be developed for older Australians and a Parliamentary review on the impact of alcohol advertising should be established.
Related:
AOC cracks down on alcohol consumption
SYDNEY, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on Tuesday announced new restrictions on the consumption of alcohol for members of future Australian Olympic teams including athletes and officials.
The new rules, which have been confirmed in a statement by the AOC, apply to all team members selected on future Olympic teams and Youth Olympic teams, Summer and Winter teams during the Games period. Full story
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/20/c_132902642.htm
CANBERRA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Australian National Council on Drugs report (ANCD) confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that levels and patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia are frequently risky or unhealthy and alcohol consumption among young people is "a significant concern."
The ANCD was established in 1998 as the principal advisory body to the prime minister and the federal government on drug and alcohol policy.
Alcohol consumption is a regular part of social life for many Australians. However, the ANCD confirmed that levels and patterns of consumption in Australia are frequently risky or unhealthy. In 2010, per capita consumption of pure alcohol by Australians was estimated to be 10.25 liters, which is considered high by international standards.
And alcohol consumption among young people is a significant concern. While many young people typically engage in fewer episodes of drinking overall, they are more likely to consume at higher risk levels each time, the ANCD said.
It found young people were also more likely to specifically drink to become intoxicated, and more likely to experience acute alcohol-related injuries.
Almost two thirds of 18-29-year-olds said they drank " specifically to get drunk" and the hospitalization of one in five people under the age of 25 was the result of alcohol, according to the report.
According to the report, one in five Australians consume alcohol at levels that put them at risk of lifetime harm from injury or disease. In addition, two in five Australians consume alcohol at levels that put them at risk of short-term harm at least once a year.
The figures also note that over one-third (36 percent) of drinkers said their primary purpose when drinking is 'to get drunk. '
And alcohol has been causally linked to at least 60 different medical conditions. The report said that 3.2 percent of the total burden of disease in Australia is related to alcohol use. And hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption results in costs of more than 15.3 billion AU dollars (almost 14.38 billion US dollars) a year across the nation.
ANCD chairman Dr. John Herron said that the report shows more work needs to be done to tackle the problem.
"The level of alcohol-related damage occurring in our communities is simply appalling," he said in a TV program on Wednesday. "The health, social and economic costs associated with alcohol use simply cannot be allowed to continue at the current level."
Based on this situation, the ANCD has created an Alcohol Action Plan which aims to stem the "unacceptable levels of crime, violence, health harms and family disturbance" caused by alcohol.
According to the ANCD, the plan calls for all states and territories to collect and release data on alcohol sales to allow local analysis. It also wants statistics on both police incidents and emergency department admissions that involve alcohol collected across the country.
And the plan also called for alcohol consumption guidelines should be developed for older Australians and a Parliamentary review on the impact of alcohol advertising should be established.
Related:
AOC cracks down on alcohol consumption
SYDNEY, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on Tuesday announced new restrictions on the consumption of alcohol for members of future Australian Olympic teams including athletes and officials.
The new rules, which have been confirmed in a statement by the AOC, apply to all team members selected on future Olympic teams and Youth Olympic teams, Summer and Winter teams during the Games period. Full story
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/20/c_132902642.htm
Drinkers' red face linked to higher risk of hypertension: study
English.news.cn 2013-11-20 08:14:44
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- People whose faces turn red when they drink alcohol are more likely to develop hypertension, or high blood pressure, a new study has found.
The finding, published online in the U.S. journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research Tuesday, showed drinking that results in a red face indicates high sensitivity or even intolerance to alcohol.
"Facial flushing after drinking is always considered as a symptom of high alcohol sensitivity or even intolerance to alcohol, unless a patient is taking special medicine," said Jong Sung Kim, head of the department of family medicine at Chungnam National University School of Medicine, in a statement. "The facial flushing response to drinking usually occurs in a person who cannot genetically break down acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of alcohol."
In their research, researchers of the Republic of Korea analyzed data from 1,763 men, including 288 non-drinkers, 527 flushing drinkers and 948 non-flushing drinkers and found that flushers face higher risks of developing high blood pressure than non-flushers.
After adjusting for age, body mass index, exercise status, and smoking status, the risk of hypertension was significantly increased when flushers consumed more than four drinks per week, while to non-flushers, the risk increased with consuming more than eight drinks per week, the researchers said.
The researchers said these results indicate that facial flushing after drinking may potentially serve as a marker of risk for hypertension associated with drinking.
"If you or your patients have facial flushing, the risk of hypertension can increase even if you drink less than those who do not have facial flushing," said Kyung Hwan Cho, president of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine. "(Under these circumstances, I would) recommend limiting your or their drinking amount even more to prevent the development of hypertension."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/20/c_132901991.htm
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- People whose faces turn red when they drink alcohol are more likely to develop hypertension, or high blood pressure, a new study has found.
The finding, published online in the U.S. journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research Tuesday, showed drinking that results in a red face indicates high sensitivity or even intolerance to alcohol.
"Facial flushing after drinking is always considered as a symptom of high alcohol sensitivity or even intolerance to alcohol, unless a patient is taking special medicine," said Jong Sung Kim, head of the department of family medicine at Chungnam National University School of Medicine, in a statement. "The facial flushing response to drinking usually occurs in a person who cannot genetically break down acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of alcohol."
In their research, researchers of the Republic of Korea analyzed data from 1,763 men, including 288 non-drinkers, 527 flushing drinkers and 948 non-flushing drinkers and found that flushers face higher risks of developing high blood pressure than non-flushers.
After adjusting for age, body mass index, exercise status, and smoking status, the risk of hypertension was significantly increased when flushers consumed more than four drinks per week, while to non-flushers, the risk increased with consuming more than eight drinks per week, the researchers said.
The researchers said these results indicate that facial flushing after drinking may potentially serve as a marker of risk for hypertension associated with drinking.
"If you or your patients have facial flushing, the risk of hypertension can increase even if you drink less than those who do not have facial flushing," said Kyung Hwan Cho, president of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine. "(Under these circumstances, I would) recommend limiting your or their drinking amount even more to prevent the development of hypertension."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/20/c_132901991.htm
Cancer kit enters market
English.news.cn 2013-11-18 22:27:17
BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) --
"The kit checks for human heat shock protein 90 alpha (Hsp90a), and is the first of its kind worldwide for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures," said Luo Yongzhang, a professor at the School of Life Sciences in Tsinghua University, who led the team developing the kit in 2009 and 2010.
Hsp90a is a molecular chaperone that belongs to the heat shock protein 90 family, which are essential to the survival of cancerous cells. The level of this substance in the blood can be used to diagnose cancer, predict a patient's response to therapy or determine whether cancer has returned.
"Through a single drop of blood we can test for the existence of Hsp90a which at an elevated level may suggest the presence of cancer," said Luo.
The kit will be used in hospitals. Results are returned in two hours, but require confirmation by doctors, Luo added.
Compared with other cancer tests such as CT (computed tomography), this method is easier and less expensive.
Approved in April, the kit's cost and price have not been revealed as the state suspended approval for medical devices in 2009, and the ban will not be be lifted until the end of the year.
Hsp90a was found to be an indicator of cancer (a tumor marker) by Luo and colleagues in 2009. A tumor marker is a substance found in body fluids or tissue that can be measured as a reference to help detect the presence of cancer. An elevated level of a tumor marker can indicate cancer.
In 2011, National Cancer Institute at the National Institution of Health in the United States listed 31 tumor markers that are currently in use. As of then, none had been discovered by Chinese scientists that were widely used in clinical practice.
On discovery of the diagnostic functions of Hsp90a, Luo's research team completed the first clinical trial in 2011, demonstrating that the Hsp90a level has positive correlation with lung cancer.
Luo believes the kit, which is easy to use and relatively inexpensive, will improve the cure rate a
nd extend the lives of patients.
Luo expects the kit will be adopted for testing other cancers once current clinical trials prove successful.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/18/c_132898379.htm
BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) --
A kit to test for cancer using "a single drop of blood" has been approved for China and the EU.
"The kit checks for human heat shock protein 90 alpha (Hsp90a), and is the first of its kind worldwide for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures," said Luo Yongzhang, a professor at the School of Life Sciences in Tsinghua University, who led the team developing the kit in 2009 and 2010.
Hsp90a is a molecular chaperone that belongs to the heat shock protein 90 family, which are essential to the survival of cancerous cells. The level of this substance in the blood can be used to diagnose cancer, predict a patient's response to therapy or determine whether cancer has returned.
"Through a single drop of blood we can test for the existence of Hsp90a which at an elevated level may suggest the presence of cancer," said Luo.
The kit will be used in hospitals. Results are returned in two hours, but require confirmation by doctors, Luo added.
Compared with other cancer tests such as CT (computed tomography), this method is easier and less expensive.
Approved in April, the kit's cost and price have not been revealed as the state suspended approval for medical devices in 2009, and the ban will not be be lifted until the end of the year.
Hsp90a was found to be an indicator of cancer (a tumor marker) by Luo and colleagues in 2009. A tumor marker is a substance found in body fluids or tissue that can be measured as a reference to help detect the presence of cancer. An elevated level of a tumor marker can indicate cancer.
In 2011, National Cancer Institute at the National Institution of Health in the United States listed 31 tumor markers that are currently in use. As of then, none had been discovered by Chinese scientists that were widely used in clinical practice.
On discovery of the diagnostic functions of Hsp90a, Luo's research team completed the first clinical trial in 2011, demonstrating that the Hsp90a level has positive correlation with lung cancer.
Luo believes the kit, which is easy to use and relatively inexpensive, will improve the cure rate a
nd extend the lives of patients.
Luo expects the kit will be adopted for testing other cancers once current clinical trials prove successful.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-11/18/c_132898379.htm
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
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