0 How Your Mind Can be Read

Scientists have discovered a way to watch words form in the human brain in a breakthrough that could one day allow those with severe disabilities to 'speak'. The researchers have found a way to peer into the deepest recesses of the brain in order to watch words forming. Using electrodes they found the area of the brain that is involved in creating the 40 or so sounds that form the English language.

They then discovered that each of these sounds has its own signal which they believe could eventually allow a computer programme to read what people want to say by the power of their thoughts. The mind-reading research was undertaken by a team from the Centre for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology at the University of Washington.

Led by its director, Eric Leuthardt, they studied four people who suffered from severe epilepsy who each had 64 electrodes implanted into their heads. The original reason for this was an attempt to try to find the cause of their epilepsy but Leuthardt also monitored the areas of the brain where speech is formed. The subjects were asked to make four repeated sounds – ‘oo’, ‘ah’, ‘eh’, and ‘ee’. The team then monitored the Wenicke’s and Broca’s areas of the brain for signals related to speech formation.

The scientists were then able to pick out the corresponding electrical signals, and while these four signals will not be enough to form sentences, further research could lead to this becoming possible. Leuthardt told the Sunday Times: ‘What it shows is that the brain is not the black box that we have philosophically assumed it to be for generations past.

‘I'm not going to say that I can fully read someone's mind. I can't. But I have evidence now that it is possible.’

During his study, Leuthardt also found that the brain generates a signal when people just think about the sounds – but it was very different to when they speak it. This has led to the implication that doctors could one day read people's private thoughts as well as what they want to say.

And it is hoped the research will one day give people with locked-in syndrome the chance to speak – as currently electrode treatment on the brain can be carried out those that are severely ill. It could, in principal, also lead to technology that could read the mind without surgery - and even lead forms of communication which work only by thought. The research was published in the Journal of Neural Engineering. 

English - KOMPAS.com

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0 Who's who in cancer treatment [Multidisciplinary team (MDT)]

Your MDT will usually meet every week to discuss the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients, and will:

• Talk about your planned treatment
• Decide if you need any more tests
• Make referrals to other services if needed

The MDT usually involves staff from different hospitals and has a number of members, but other specialists may join the team if they‘re needed. A typical MDT may include:

• Lead clinician (usually a medical doctor or surgeon) - this person will take responsibility for the service
• Surgeon - an expert in the type of operations that may be needed to treat your cancer
• Oncologist - an expert in the treatment of your type of cancer with radiotherapy or chemotherapy
• Radiologist - this person will be responsible for undertaking and reporting on your tests in the x-ray department
• Pathologist - they will look at tissue and cell samples through a microscope
• Clinical nurse specialist - this person has expert knowledge and skills caring for patients with your type of cancer
• Radiographer - the person responsible for planning, delivering and monitoring radiotherapy treatment if needed
• Nurses who are specially trained
• Support staff including social workers, welfare benefits advisors, hospital chaplaincy
• Other staff known as allied healthcare professionals, including dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists

Your clinical nurse specialist is your link with the MDT. If something is bothering you, then ask, and if they're unable to answer any concerns you may have, they will find out for you. Your GP will also be kept up to date with what is happening to you by letter from your consultant. 

Staff are there to make sure that each patient gets the same, high standard of care and has the most appropriate tests and treatment for their type of cancer. The team will keep up to date with changes and improvements in their area of expertise, this means all patients should get the best possible care, regardless of their GP or hospital they attend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/cancer/carecancer_who.shtml

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0 What is bone cancer ? [Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments]

What is bone cancer ?

Primary bone cancer, where the tumour develops from bone cells, is very rare - about 500 cases are diagnosed in the UK each year (only about one in every 500 cancers). There are several different types, depending on the type of bone cells involved:

• Osteosarcoma, which often affects the large bones of the leg or upper arm, is the most common form
• Chondrosarcoma, formed from the cells that normally produce cartilage
• Ewing's sarcoma, usually in the pelvis, thigh or shin
• Spindle cell sarcoma

Bone cancer causes

Unlike most cancers, bone cancer tends to affect the young. Osteosarcoma usually appears in children and young adults, while Ewing's sarcoma is most common between the ages of 10 and 20. Other risk factors include:

• Previous radiotherapy treatment, especially at a young age. Some chemotherapy drugs also increase the risk of osteosarcoma
• As many as one in eight people who develop a tumour of the eye will go on to develop an osteosarcoma, possibly because of a genetic susceptibility to both conditions and the additional effect of anti-cancer treatments
• Genetic conditions linked to bone tumours including Li-Fraumeni syndrome, HME, inherited breast cancer and congenital umbilical hernia (Ewing's sarcoma is three times more common in children with this condition)
• Paget's disease, a bone disease that generally occurs in older people and increases the risk of osteosarcoma, as does another bone condition called chondroma
• Bone cancer has often been linked to injuries to a limb, but it's questionable and may simply be that the injury draws attention to a tumour that was already growing

Many primary cancers can spread to bones, in particular breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and kidney cancer. Because the cancer is formed from the primary cells, such as breast or lung cells, it has to be treated with drugs, radiotherapy or other treatments that would usually be used to target the primary cancer. If you're affected by secondary bone cancer, always check information on the primary cancer first.

Bone cancer symptoms

The symptoms of bone cancer depend where the tumour grows (about half occur in or near the knee). By the time a lump or swelling is detectable, the cancer may have been present for some time. Pain, especially at night, is a common problem and may cause a limp if the leg is affected, because weight-bearing is uncomfortable or the cancer interferes with the way the joints work. 

There may also be generalised symptoms such as weight loss, sweats, fever and lethargy or tiredness. Sometimes, bone cancer is discovered incidentally - when an x-ray is taken after an accident, for example - or occasionally when the bone breaks due to weakness caused by the cancer. 

Diagnosing bone cancer

X-rays that suggest cancer may show areas of bone destruction, new bone growth, swelling and changes in the surrounding soft tissues. Further tests may include a bone scan (involving the injection of a radioactive substance to show up the bones clearly), MRI and other scans. 

Ultimately, a biopsy is necessary to obtain sample of cells that can be studied under the microscope. Specialists usually carry out bone biopsies by placing a needle through the skin into the bone and drawing out some cells.

Bone cancer treatments

Treatment will depend on an assessment of what type of cancer is present and how far it has spread. This is called staging and involves a combination of the grade of the cancer (a measure of how abnormal the cells look under the microscope and therefore how aggressive) and whether it has spread either locally or to another organ in the body. 

Bone cancer that hasn't spread outside the bone may be treated with surgery and may not require chemotherapy. More abnormal bone cancer that has spread will be more difficult to treat, and chemotherapy as well as surgery is usually recommended. 

In general, treatment of bone cancer has a good outlook, especially if it's in the early stages and can be completed during surgery. About two-thirds of people with primary bone cancer can be cured. But if the cancer is more advanced or has spread, the prognosis may not be so good, with five-year survival rates of only 10-20 per cent. It's vital that you talk to your specialist to get a picture of how successful treatment is likely to be in your individual case.

Treatment usually consists of surgery often combined with chemotherapy to shrink the tumour and make it less likely to recur. Because surgery involves removing bone, it can be quite drastic. Where possible, the surgeon will try to replace the diseased bone with a graft of bone from elsewhere in the body or an implant, but sometimes amputation is necessary. Some bone cancers, such as Ewing's sarcoma, respond well to chemotherapy and other treatments such as radiotherapy. 

Newer biological therapies based on natural body chemicals such as interferon are also being used. These may work, for example, by encouraging the body's immune system to attack the cancer cells. A number of different research trials are looking at different combinations of these treatments in an effort to improve results. After initial treatment, regular follow-ups are essential to check for recurrences and to manage the consequences of treatment, such as the use of an artificial limb. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/cancer/typescancer_bone.shtml#top

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0 Germany: Ten die from E.coli-infected Cucumbers

The death toll in Germany from an outbreak of E.coli caused by infected cucumbers has risen to at least 10. The cucumbers, believed to have been imported from Spain, were infected with a severe complication of E.coli called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Hundreds of people are said to have fallen sick. Officials in the Czech Republic said the cucumbers may have been exported there, as well as to Austria, Hungary and Luxembourg.

 

Adults at risk

The aggressive form of E.coli is known to cause kidney failure and affect the central nervous system. Most of the cases have been in the area around Hamburg. The Sweden-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said this outbreak was "one of the largest described of HUS worldwide and the largest ever reported in Germany".

It said: "While HUS cases are usually observed in children under five years of age, in this outbreak 87% are adults, with a clear predominance of women (68%)."

HUS cases have also been reported in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK - linked to German travel. A scientist from Munster university, Helge Karch, warned that the spread of infection was not over.

"It is possible that there will be secondary infections during this outbreak as well. These secondary infections work from man to man and they can be avoided. That's why we have to do everything possible for better personal hygiene."

Czech authorities said the European Union's rapid warning system had told them of an importation of the cucumbers into the Czech Republic. Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority spokesman Michal Spacil told Agence France-Presse: "The Germans said the cucumbers were also distributed to Hungary, Austria and Luxembourg."

Spain has announced restrictions on two suspected exporters. It is unclear whether the cucumbers were infected at source or in transit.

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0 Three Main Types of Diabetes [Diabetes Mellitus]

Universal blue circle symbol for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes—is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger).

There are three main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes: results from the body's failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin. (Also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM for short, and juvenile diabetes.)
• Type 2 diabetes: results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. (Formerly referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM for short, and adult-onset diabetes.)
• Gestational diabetes: is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2 DM.

Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became available in 1921, and type 2 diabetes may be controlled with medications. Both type 1 and 2 are chronic conditions that usually cannot be cured. Pancreas transplants have been tried with limited success in type 1 DM; gastric bypass surgery has been successful in many with morbid obesity and type 2 DM. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after delivery. Diabetes without proper treatments can cause many complications. 

Acute complications include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, retinal damage. Adequate treatment of diabetes is thus important, as well as blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation and maintaining a healthy body weight.

As of 2000 at least 171 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, or 2.8% of the population. Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common, affecting 90 to 95% of the U.S. diabetes population.

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0 Skin Cells 'turned into neurons' by US Scientists

A Californian team say they have managed to convert human skin cells directly into functioning brain cells. The scientists manipulated the process by which DNA is transcribed within foetal skin cells to create cells which behaved like neurons. The technique had previously been demonstrated in mice, says the report in Nature. It could be used for neurological research, and might conceivably be used to create brain cells for transplant.

Reprogrammed skin

The scientists used genetically modified viruses to introduce four different "transcription factors" into foetal skin cells. These transcription factors play a role in the "reading" of DNA and the encoding of proteins within the cell. They found the introduction of these four transcription factors had the effect of switching a small portion of the skin cells into cells which functioned like neurons.

Unlike other approaches, the process did not involve the reprogramming of the skin cells into stem cells, but rather the direct transformation of skin cells into neurons. Marius Wernig, an assistant professor of pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, was one of the researchers.

"We showed that it is possible to convert human skins cells directly into nerve cells which look and behave like nerve cells which usually only exist in the brain," he told BBC News.

"It was known that it was possible to change a specialised cell back into a stem cell, what's called an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS), but it was not known whether a specialised cell could be pushed into another direction, other than backwards."

Professor Wernig conceded that there were examples, some dating back many years, where specialised cells have been switched into similar cell types, but he believes this is the first example of where cells have undergone such radical conversion. He believes the immediate application will be in modelling diseases, whereby skin cells from a patient with a known neurological condition could be used to produce new brain cells for research.

"It is very very difficult to look into the brain. There is a big skull which protects the brain very well and therefore it's difficult to image," he said. 

"Everything that can be done at a cellular level is only possible after a patient has died, by which time the disease is usually in the final stages and you have no chance of seeing how the disease develops."

Future treatments

The technique might one day also be used to create new brain cells which could be transplanted into patients with neurological disorders, he said. Created from the patient's own skin, these cells would be an exact match for the patient, although there would be many obstacles to overcome, not least the challenge of producing enough of the right type of brain cells. 

Commenting on the study, Jim Huettner, an associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine, said the research was "convincing and important". 

"They have shown similar things in mice before but in humans they've discovered some subtle differences which often turn up when moving from mice to humans," he said.

"But the work solidifies the idea that this kind of transition is possible and that it's not just some fluke in the mice model."

BBC News

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0 E. coli Outbreak Alarms Germany as Young Women Sicken

Germany is alarmed at the scale of an E. coli food poisoning outbreak which is thought to have killed three people and may have infected hundreds more. At least 80 people ingested EHEC, a dangerous strain of the bacterium, over the past two weeks and there are a further 350 suspected cases.

The number of EHEC infections for the whole of 2010 was only about 1,000. This outbreak is affecting young women in particular, and one theory is that it is spread by contaminated salad. While medical tests have yet to establish the exact cause of death, the three suspected victims were all women, two of them in their 80s and the third aged 24.

'More deaths likely'

E. coli is a bacterium commonly found in the gut and most strains are harmless, according to the World Health Organization. It is transmitted to humans primarily through consumption of contaminated foods, such as raw or undercooked ground meat products and raw milk, as well as by animal faeces getting into water and food, and by cross-contamination during food preparation.

The EHEC strain may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is characterised by acute kidney failure and can lead to seizures, strokes and coma. Reinhard Burger, head of Germany's Robert Koch Institute which monitors epidemics, said the country usually saw between 50 and 60 cases of HUS annually, whereas it had recorded about 80 during the current outbreak.

"The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified," Mr Burger said on Tuesday. 

"We have to say clearly that we have to expect more fatalities in view of the high number of cases."

The head of the country's national disease control and prevention agency added that the age groups affected were "atypical".

'Untypical'

So far, most of the suspected cases have been found in northern regions. Some 200 were found in Schleswig-Holstein, 100 in Lower Saxony and nearly 50 in Hamburg. In Bremen, where the youngest suspected victim died, health authority official Werner Wunderle told reporters that the 24-year-old had not belonged to normal risk groups for EHEC.

"Affected are mostly young women, that is untypical for EHEC," he said.

"Normally this bacterium affects children and youth. Every year we have cases of EHEC in Bremen and more than 80% are under 18 years old. It's very untypical that mostly adults are concerned and predominately women. Also, it's predominately women who are health conscious."

A Reuters news agency report suggests that the infection may be spread through contaminated vegetables, and the high number of affected young women points to a product more often bought or prepared by women.

Susan Huggett of the Medilys laboratories in Hamburg advised against eating pre-packaged or prepared salad, which might contain the bacterium. She also recommended standard hygienic procedures such as washing hands before eating or cooking.

BBC News

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0 How to Stay Healthy at Work

You’re probably reading this at a desk in an office. The simple act of sitting down and staring at a screen might seem harmless, even enjoyable, and yet reams of research show that sedentary jobs are making us fat, giving us sore backs, and triggering heart attacks. 

Dr John Tickell, a medical doctor and bestselling author of Laughter, Sex, Vegetables & Fish, has spent over 25 years researching what it takes to live and work well. I asked him for his top five tips on staying healthy in the office.

His first tip is to “climb 200 stairs every day. It’s good for your thighs and back and heart and lungs”.

Several years ago, there was a study conducted at the University Hospital of Geneva. Rather than catching an elevator, employees were required to use the stairs for 12 weeks. By the end of the experiment, their results were impressive. Their lung capacity had gone up by 8.6 per cent; their cholesterol had reduced by 3.9 per cent; their body fat had decreased by 1.7 per cent; and their waist circumference had gone down by 1.8 per cent.

Dr John’s second tip is to “go to the water cooler every 30 minutes and have half a glass of water.” 

(On the topic of water, I saw Tapped last week, an eye-opening documentary that investigates the evils of the bottled water industry. And there are definitely evils. For example, according to the Aussie website, Go Tap, set up by the founders of Planet Ark, half a billion dollars is spent every year on bottled water in Australia, and this generates the equivalent number in greenhouse gases of 13,000 cars on the road. Only a third of those bottles are recycled.)

After a glass of water, Dr John suggests doing 10 backwards shoulder rolls. Why? Because 98 per cent of the activities an office worker performs are in front of the body. A consequence of such an imbalance, he says, is “a crooked and bent and painful spine,” unless simple exercises are done to counteract it.

My personal favourite is his third tip: “Hug someone you love before you leave home.” He placed special emphasis on the word before. 

The benefit of a hug can be found within oxytocin, otherwise known as the ‘love hormone’. In research published in the Psychosomatic Medicine journal a few years ago, physical affection was found to increase the presence of oxytocin in the body. The same study showed that a higher rate of this hormone resulted in lower stress levels and reduced blood pressure. That’s why a hug before work gets people pumped for the day ahead.

Tip number four: “Tell someone in the office every day ‘well done’ on something they did last week or this week. It makes people feel better, and better people make better companies.”

A survey last year of 3000 employees by the Australian Institute of Management revealed that two-in-five of the respondents felt unappreciated by their boss. So, if they can’t get praise from their boss, they may as well get it from their co-workers. As experts attested in a blog post last month, being recognised for good work is one of the biggest drivers of motivation and performance.

Dr John’s fifth tip is to take two deep breaths every two hours, and “think about your next 3-day break away with your partner or your spouse or your lover and plan it and book it".

"No wonder 40 per cent of marriages break down; do the things you used to do when you fell in love.”

At the very least, the excitement of looking forward to a short break makes a tough work environment a little more bearable.

Often, workplace wellness conversations focus on the safety aspect. It’s about preventing strains from poor ergonomics or preventing injuries from workplace hazards. Rarely is the conversation about drinking water or giving a hug or saying thanks or planning a break. You know, all the stuff that protects the mind.

*) James Adonis is one of Australia’s best-known people-management thinkers

English - KOMPAS.com 

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0 Egyptian Mummy 'First to Have Diseased Heart'

An Egyptian princess who lived 3,500 years ago is thought to be the first known person to have developed heart disease, say researchers. Doctors believe the princess would have needed a heart bypass if she were living now. Scans showed she had extensive blockages in arteries leading to her heart, brain, stomach and legs. 

The researchers say her case shows heart disease pre-dates a modern lifestyle. Cardiac researchers from the US teamed up with colleagues at Al Azhar University in Cairo to analyse the remains of 52 mummies, including those of the princess. They performed full-body scans on mummies at the National Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. They had found evidence of hardening of the arteries in almost half the mummies scanned, researchers told a medical conference in Amsterdam.

Noble roots

Princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon was from an illustrious Egyptian family. She lived in what is now Luxor from the year 1580 BC, and died in her 40s. Dr Gregory Thomas, from the University of California, said: "There was no gas or electricity at that time, so presumably she had an active lifestyle.

"Her diet was significantly healthier than ours. She would have eaten fruit and vegetables - and fish were plentiful in the Nile at that time.

"The food would have been organic - and there were no trans-fats or tobacco available then. 

"Yet, she had these blockages. This suggests to us that there's a missing risk factor for heart disease - something that causes it that we don't yet know enough about."

The researchers say the findings should not detract from the importance of messages about healthy diet and lifestyle.

Inside view

Dr Thomas said: "Some people have suggested that a burger chain is sponsoring our expeditions to Egypt. That's not true at all.

"We're simply saying that our Egyptian princess from 3,500 years ago shows that heart disease can be a part of being human. 

"While we should do everything we can that is known to prevent problems, there's no point in blaming yourself if you need a heart operation."

The team's work is now on hold because of the unrest in Egypt, but they hope to be able to stage further research expeditions if the new government gives them permission. Dr Thomas said: "I was pinching myself at how lucky I was - being able to pick out a sarcophagus, and then have the Egyptian team take out a mummy, perhaps for the first time in 3,000 years, and take it to the scanner for us so we could look at their insides."

By Jane Dreaper  

Health correspondent, BBC News 

BBC News

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0 Malaria Blocks 'Super-Infection'

The malaria parasite can ensure it keeps a host body all to itself by preventing further malarial infections, according to international researchers. The parasite initially reproduces in the liver and moves into the blood. A study on mice, published in Nature Medicine, showed the parasite can trigger iron deficiency in the liver and therefore prevent more infections.

An expert said the research was "very cool and very interesting", and improved understanding of infection. The researchers were looking at super-infections, when a patient already infected with malaria is infected with another batch of malaria parasites. People in high-risk areas can be bitten by up to 700 different malaria-infected mosquitoes each year.

Protecting turf

In experiments on mice, researchers showed that parasites in the blood were able to stimulate the production of the hormone hepcidin, which regulates iron levels. This reduced the level of iron in the liver, preventing other malaria parasites from reproducing in the organ.

Dr Hal Drakesmith, from the Weatherall Institute at Oxford University, who was part of the Medical Research Council team, said: "Now that we understand how malaria parasites protect their territory in the body from competitor parasites, we may be able to enhance this natural defence mechanism to combat the risk of malaria infections." 

Malaria is often accompanied by anaemia, which is treated with iron supplements. In this study, mice given iron supplements were more susceptible to additional infections.

Dr Drakesmith said: "We may need to look again at the advisability of iron supplementation programmes in malaria-endemic regions, as possible increased risk of infection may need to be weighed against benefits."

Dr Rita Tewari, a malaria researcher at the University of Nottingham, said: "It's very cool and very interesting. "It tells us a bit more about the mechanism of malaria infection and gives us some sort of tool, this molecule hepcidin, that you can manipulate which can affect infection."

BBC News

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0 Anti-Retroviral Drugs 'Help Reduce' HIV Transmission

An HIV-positive person who takes anti-retroviral drugs after diagnosis, rather than when their health declines, can cut the risk of spreading the virus to uninfected partners by 96%, according to a study. The United States National Institutes of Health sampled 1,763 couples in which one partner was infected by HIV.

It was abandoned four years early as the trial was so successful. The World Health Organization said it was a "crucial development". The study began in 2005 at 13 sites across across Africa, Asia and the Americas. HIV-positive patients were split into two groups. In one, individuals were immediately given a course of anti-retroviral drugs.

The other group only received the treatment when their white blood cell count fell. Both were given counselling on safe sex practices, free condoms and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Among those immediately starting anti-retroviral therapy there was only one case of transmission between partners. In the other group there were 27 HIV transmissions.

'Renewed commitment'

"This breakthrough is a serious game changer and will drive the prevention revolution forward. It makes HIV treatment a new priority prevention option," said Michel Sidibe, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS). 

But he warned that it would cost more than ten billion dollars to provide drugs to the ten million people worldwide who are currently not receiving medication for HIV. The World Health Organization says sexual transmission accounts for 80% of all new HIV infections. Its director general, Dr Margaret Chan, described the announcement as a "crucial development"

She added: "The findings from this study will further strengthen and support the new guidance that WHO is releasing in July to help people living with HIV protect their partners."

The value of anti-retrovirals, in preventing transmission, had been speculated for some time after observational studies, but researchers say this is the first time it has been proven in clinical trials. Keith Alcorn, from the NAM, an HIV/AIDS charity, said: "This study resoundingly confirms what lots of smaller studies have been telling us for several years. 

"International donors cannot ignore the evidence any longer: HIV treatment is a very powerful form of HIV prevention, and could have a major effect on the HIV epidemic in the worst-affected countries.

"What we need now is a renewed commitment to HIV treatment, and studies to show how to get the maximum benefit out of this breakthrough at country level." 

By James Gallagher  

Health reporter, BBC News 

BBC News

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0 Bid to Boost Blood Cancer Survival (New Treatments are Needed to Improve Survival)

A network of clinical trial centres is launching in a bid to improve poor survival rates for patients with a variety of blood cancers. Each year these cancers kill more than 12,000 people in the UK - a higher toll than from breast and prostate cancer. Yet relatively little research is dedicated to these "rarer" cancers.

The charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research hopes to speed up the delivery of new drug treatments by linking together 13 UK research centres. There are so many different blood cancers - the most common cause of cancer deaths in the under 35s - that it has often been seen as uneconomical to develop drugs for many types, says the charity. 

Insufficient resources

And when new drugs are available, often clinical trials are not set up because of the difficulties of recruiting enough patients at a single hospital to make them workable. Those that do get off the ground can take as long as 10 years to complete.

The charity's clinical trials adviser, Professor Charlie Craddock, of the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, said: "Every doctor will tell you that they are routinely turning down promising new drugs because they don't have the resources to conduct early stage clinical trials. 

"We have a moral case for getting new drugs out there as soon as possible - if you have a relative with a blood cancer, you don't want life-saving treatment available in 10 years. You want it now."

The charity, with financial help from pharmaceutical companies and NHS hospitals, says the network will see trials completed within two years, bringing £50m of promising new drugs to patients. Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research UK, welcomed the initiative, saying: "It is great news for patients with leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and we hope to see these trials making a real impact in the coming years." 

BBC News

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