fast-target: 2015

Only around 6% of people with pancreatic cancersurvive more than 5 years after diagnosis. The main reason is because of the lack of reliable tools to diagnose the disease early enough so surgeons can remove the cancer before it spreads.

Like work currently going on in other research centers, the Moffitt team focused on a small group of molecules called microRNAs. But in their case, they looked specifically at microRNAs linked to intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs).

IPMNs are a type of pancreatic cyst or lesion that can lead to pancreatic cancer in the same way that precancerous polyps can lead to colon cancer.

IPMN lesions can be seen on computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), but these scanning techniques are unable to tell you if the cysts are benign (low risk of cancer) or malignant (high risk of cancer).

Currently, the only way to test if the pancreatic lesions are high risk or low risk for cancer is to remove them with surgery - but this is itself high risk because it can result in long-term diabetes and death.

The other option is to wait and see if the lesions lead to cancer, but this is far from ideal because it denies doctors the chance to cure their patients of a potentially life-threatening condition.

Study found six microRNAs that differentiate high- and low-risk pancreatic lesions

MicroRNAs are small molecules that act as "master regulators" that control many cancer processes in the body. They can be found in tumor tissue and in blood and other body fluids.

There is growing evidence that microRNAs could serve as biomarkers of early pancreatic cancer.

For example, in October 2014, Medical News Today reported how researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine found a panel of microRNAs that could be used as a blood test for pancreatic cancer.

In that study, the team suggested three microRNAs - miR-10b, miR-155 and miR-106b - might serve as highly accurate early indicators of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) - the most common type of pancreatic cancer.

In this new study, the Moffitt team looked for microRNAs that might be linked with high-risk IPMN lesions that should probably be removed as soon as possible to avoid full-blown pancreatic cancer.

To do this, they analyzed IPMN tissue that had been surgically removed from patients diagnosed and treated at Moffitt and found six microRNAs that appeared to differentiate high-risk from low-risk lesions.

The six microRNAs may also contribute to pancreatic cancer progression

The six microRNAs the Moffitt team identified are: miR-100, miR-99b, miR-99a, miR-342 -3p, miR-126 and miRNA-130a.

The team also found evidence to suggest these microRNAs may contribute to pancreatic cancer progression.

First author Dr. Jennifer Permuth-Wey, applied research scientist and molecular epidemiologist in Moffitt's Cancer Epidemiology Program, says:

"The hope is that this line of research may eventually lead to a microRNA-based blood test that could be used in conjunction with imaging features and other factors to aid the medical team and patient in accurately predicting disease severity at the time of IPMN diagnosis or follow-up."

And in a more general sense, as with other groups coming forward with potential new biomarkers, the team hopes their findings will also help find new ways to prevent and detect pancreatic cancer earlier and improve the current poor prognosis for most patients with the disease.

Funds for the study came from the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the United States Public Health Service and the Moffitt Gastrointestinal Oncology Program.

CBT to treat veterans' insomnia 'also reduced suicidal thoughts'

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), more than half of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan report symptoms of insomnia.

Between 15% and 20% of adults have short-term insomnia and about 10% of people have chronic insomnia disorder, report the AASM. Chronic insomnia is a sleep disturbance with associated symptoms in the daytime that has persisted for at least 3 months.

"Chronic insomnia is especially common among veterans who have put their lives at risk in service to our country," says AASM President Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler.

"This study emphasizes that effectively treating insomnia can be life-changing and potentially life-saving for veterans who may be struggling with problems such as depression, suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder," he adds.

The study authors evaluated 405 veterans who had been diagnosed with insomnia disorder and who had received cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

The participants were mostly male with a mean patient age of 52 years. Around 83% of the veterans had experienced conflict; 150 had served in Vietnam and 83 had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

CBT-I reduced suicidal thoughts as well as improving insomnia

Results show that in addition to improving insomnia symptoms, CBT-I was also associated with reducing suicidal thoughts and depression symptoms and improving quality of life among the veterans.

The study reports that up to six sessions of CBT-I were associated with a 33% decrease in suicidal ideation. Also, insomnia severity decreased concurrently with odds of suicidal ideation.

The authors say that this association remained significant after controlling for depression severity and other potential confounding factors.

Co-lead author Bradley Karlin, PhD, who served as national mental health director for psychotherapy and psychogeriatrics in the US Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office at the time the evaluation was conducted, says:

"It was striking to see that the reduction in insomnia severity was associated with reduced suicidal ideation even after controlling for improvement in depression severity. The results suggest that effective treatment of insomnia with CBT-I is an important target for reducing suicide risk among veterans and others at risk for suicide."

Karlin says the results show that focusing greater attention on detecting and treating insomnia could also "produce substantial public health benefits."

In 2013, Medical News Today reported on another study published in Sleep that found military personnel who have severe sleeping problems before being deployed are at increased risk for developing anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when they return home.

In that study, the researchers found that even sleeping less than 6 each hours each night - which is not classified as general insomnia - was associated with an increased risk of PTSD.

Another 2013 study published in Sleep also found a high prevalence of sleep disorders and short sleep duration among active duty military personnel. Researchers were startled to find that 85.1% of participants had a clinical sleep disorder, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most frequent disorder (51.2% of participants), followed by insomnia (24.7%).

Could strenuous jogging do more harm than good?

Dr. Peter Schnohr, of the Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues publish their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Numerous studies have associated physical activity with reduced mortality, with some suggesting that just small amounts of exercise can do the job. A recent study reported by Medical News Today, for example, claims that a daily 20-minute brisk walk could reduce the risk of early death by 16-30%.

The link between lower levels of exercise and reduced mortality is supported with this latest study, which suggests light jogging is most beneficial for lowering the risk of premature death.

To reach their findings, Dr. Schnohr and colleagues analyzed 5,048 healthy individuals who were a part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. Of these, 1,098 were joggers and 3,950 were sedentary non-joggers.

Over 12 years of follow-up, the researchers tracked participants' frequency of jogging, the number of hours they spent jogging and their jogging pace.

Jogging more than a few times a week at a strenuous pace 'may be harmful'

During the study, there were 28 deaths among joggers and 128 among non-joggers. The team notes that overall, the joggers were younger, had a lower prevalence of diabetes and smoking, and had lower blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).

The researchers found that participants who jogged for 1-2.4 hours a week over no more than 3 days had the lowest mortality, and lower mortality rates were identified among those who jogged at a slow or moderate pace. The highest mortality rates were found in both the fast-paced joggers and sedentary non-joggers.

Commenting on the findings, Dr. Schnohr says:

"The U-shaped association between jogging and mortality suggests there may be an upper limit for exercise dosing that is optimal for health benefits. If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy, jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy. Anything more is not just unnecessary, it may be harmful."

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that adults should engage in either 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity every week.

Dr. Schnohr notes that light jogging in this study represents vigorous exercise, while strenuous jogging represents very vigorous exercise. "When performed for decades, this activity level could pose health risks, especially to the cardiovascular system," he adds.

In November 2014, MNT reported on a study suggesting running for 30 minutes at least three times a week may slow the aging process.

пятница, 26 июня 2015 г.

четверг, 25 июня 2015 г.

среда, 24 июня 2015 г.

вторник, 16 июня 2015 г.

четверг, 5 февраля 2015 г.

Study found six microRNAs that differentiate high- and low-risk pancreatic lesions

The six microRNAs may also contribute to pancreatic cancer progression

CBT-I reduced suicidal thoughts as well as improving insomnia

Jogging more than a few times a week at a strenuous pace 'may be harmful'

пятница, 26 июня 2015 г.

четверг, 25 июня 2015 г.

среда, 24 июня 2015 г.

вторник, 16 июня 2015 г.

четверг, 5 февраля 2015 г.