Therapy

Steep drop in breast cancer rates

USA - A steep drop in breast cancer rates between 2002 and 2003 correlates with the decline in hormone therapy use, according to research froma the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The 27th Annual Convention of the German Society for Senology

Congress President Professor Juergen Dunst MD praises major advances and multidisciplinary efforts, and outlines future hopes for breast cancer patients

Transrectal Ultrasound in Prostate Cancer: State of the Art

The current prostate cancer disease burden is considerable due to the high prevalence of the disease, widespread early detection, and the relatively long survival time since many men will die with rather than due to prostate cancer. In the United States, one in every three new cases of cancer in men is prostate cancer. Worldwide, in 2002, it was predicted that 679,023 men received the diagnosis…

Electron intra-operative therapy

`ELIOT means that single-fraction radiation of 21 Gy is delivered directly to the tumour bed during a surgical intervention, to a depth of about 3 cm,´ Professor Prott explained.

Dutch hold "mini" conference on tissue vigilance

To help improve transfusion safety, in accordance with EU Directive 2002/98/EC, the Dutch National Haemovigilance Office, TRIP, receives and analyses reports of transfusion reactions and promotes haemovigilance.

Fast track surgery

`The term fast track surgery refers to a combination of findings from current, high quality studies of anaesthetics, surgery and perioperative care for a certain medical indication,´ explained Professor Schwenk.

Knowing the right procedure

DGCH promotes studies for evidence-based medicine (EbM) in surgery to establish guidelines.

Low compliance with guidance harms patients

By Henning von Eicke of Roche Diagnostics GmbH

Endovascular brachytherapy

Endovascular brachytherapy has been successfully modified by scientists at Isotopen Technologie München AG (ITM), solving problems of radiation exposure to Rhenium-188. The researchers are now producing Rhenium-188 with previously unknown high specific activity in a new type of generator, Isotopen Technologie reports.

Prostate cancer

The Martini Clinic, a private clinic located at the Hamburg-Eppendorf University Hospital (UKE), specialises exclusively in the diagnosis and therapy of one medical condition: prostate cancer.

For use with microscopes

The new Olympus E-330 micro-imaging system for microscopy includes the world's first digital SLR camera to show real-time frame images on the LCD, the company reports. `The system is based around a 7.5 Megapixel sensor, which together with an array of unique features delivers incredibly sharp and vibrant images directly onto a 2.5 inch high-resolution colour LCD. Other features of the micro…

The first pan-European VHD, CVD and diabetes guidelines

The first, pan-European guidelines to be published on the treatment of valvular heart disease (VHD), diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have made a series of new recommendations that experts hope will contribute to improving the outcome for patients.

Diabetes study does not confirm increased risk of death reported by US trial

Preliminary findings from the largest-ever study of treatments for diabetes provide no evidence that intensive treatment to lower blood glucose (sugar) increases risk of death.

Gambling treatment as a service of the NHS

Gambling should be a recognized addiction that requires treatment on the NHS, so the demand of the BMA (British Medical Association) published in its hard-hitting report "Gambling addiction and its treatment within the NHS".

The Pain-free Hospital - Pilot project successfully completed in five hospitals

The first five out of a total of 25 German hospitals have just been awarded the certification "Qualified Pain Therapy" with the completion of the pilot project "Pain-free Hospital".

Fracture risk prediction osteoporosis patients

Simple clinical measurements raise hope of targeted treatments for those at highest risk. The future risk of osteoporotic fracture can be predicted with 75% accuracy using a new mathematical formula, according to research published in the October issue of Radiology (RSNA.org).

The ERS 2006 COPD research awards

Belgium and United Kingdom - Two researchers, Dr Charles Pilette, currently at the Pneumology Department, University Hospital of Louvain, St-Luc, Belgium, and Dr William Man, who is completing specialist clinical training in Respiratory Medicine and General Internal Medicine, in London, have received this year's awards for research into Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), granted by…

Bone Support study is underway

Cerament Spine Support, designed by the medical technology company BoneSupport to treat osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, has achieved full patient enrolment in an open, multi-centre study which will investigate the product's efficacy, safety, and the beneficial quality of life outcome for the patients. The study, being carried out at six centres in Germany, involves 40 patients aged…

Drug trials

Small and medium-size contract research organisations (CROs) have huge potential. For the last few decades, pharmaceutical companies have increasingly chosen to use medium-size contract research organisations (CROs), or smaller organisations, rather than the larger organisations, due to their enhanced responsiveness and flexibility, that provides good geographic coverage, a broad therapeutic…