Neurons show sex-dependent changes during starvation

When it comes to keeping brains alive, it seems nature has deemed that females are more valuable then males. As reported in this weeks' JBC, researchers found that nutrient deprivation of neurons produced sex-dependent effects. Male neurons more readily withered up and died, while female neurons did their best to conserve energy and stay alive. more  

Brown researchers work out structure of TIGAR, a possible cancer flag

Two Brown University researchers have determined the three-dimensional structure of an enzyme whose presence in the body could help doctors detect cancer earlier or develop more targeted treatments. more

Pre-emptive treatment helped curtail skin toxicity with panitumumab

With a pre-emptive, prophylactic skin regimen, patients who receive panitumumab for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer may be able to avoid some of the skin-associated toxicities, according to data presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco. more  

Validated colorectal cancer risk assessment tool available online

NCI researchers have developed one of the first colorectal cancer (CRC) absolute risk assessment models for people aged 50 to 85 without known genetic susceptibility to the disease, using data from two large case-control studies and validating the model in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study population. The tool uses answers about lifestyle, screening, and family history of CRC to calculate a person’s 5-year, 10-year, and lifetime risk of developing the disease. more

PLCO update suggests positive predictive value of prostate screening drops over time  

In the most recent update of prostate cancer screening data from NCI’s PLCO trial, the number of positive screening tests among the more than 38,000 men enrolled in the intervention arm has remained consistent during the 4 years of study. However, the positive predictive value of these tests—that is, the ratio of true positives to the total number of true and false positives—decreased over time. The full report appeared in the December issue of the British Journal of Urology International. more

Progress made in understanding causes and treatment of endometriosis 

Endometriosis is a poorly understood chronic disease characterized by infertility and chronic pelvic pain during intercourse. It affects between 5 to 10 million women in the U.S. more

Free antibiotics: The wrong prescription for cold and flu season

With an epidemic of antibiotic-resistant infections growing, experts are warning grocery-store pharmacies that antibiotics giveaways are an unhealthy promotional gimmick. If grocery stores want to help customers and save them money during cold and flu season, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) says, they should offer free influenza vaccinations instead. more

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