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Pre-Op Treatment May Be Advance Against Deadly Liver Cancers

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- When delivering a liver cancer diagnosis, Dr. Thomas Marron pulls no punches: "Liver cancer is one of the deadliest cancers," he tells patients.

Jeffrey Foster heard a similar message loud and clear when he was first diagnosed by another doctor with hepatocellular carcinoma — t...

Stay Safe When Winter Storms Cut Your Power

With a major winter storm bearing down on most of the U.S. Northeast, making a plan to keep your family warm and safe if power is knocked out is crucial.

That's true for any kind of big weather event, one expert said.

“Preparing in advance is especially important as climate change causes more extreme weather,” Dr. Carl Baum said...

Rehab or Steroid Shots: What's Best for Arthritic Knees?

Physical therapy for knee arthritis tends to cost patients more out-of-pocket and involves a lot more hassle than a quick steroid shot to soothe an aching joint.

But in the long run, physical therapy is at least as cost-effective as steroid injections and is more likely to provide longer-term relief, a new study concludes.

"Even thou...

Watchdog Group Says HHS Not Ready to Battle Future Health Crises

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is falling down on the job when it comes to dealing with numerous public health crises, a nonpartisan government watchdog said Thursday.

This includes its communications to the public and healthcare providers, coordinating with federal and state ag...

Beyond Antibodies: Vaccines Teach Your Immune T-Cells to Fight COVID Long Term

COVID-19 vaccines activate long-lasting immune system T-cells that target coronavirus variants of concern, including Delta and Omicron, new research shows.

The research team at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California studied adults who were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Novavax vaccines, but h...

2 Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Tied to Lower Risk of Parkinson's

Two rheumatoid arthritis drugs show potential for lowering the risk of Parkinson's disease, new research shows.

Some previous studies have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a lower risk of Parkinson's, and it was suggested that a class of rheumatoid arthritis drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may pl...

In a First, a Robot Performs Laparoscopic Surgery on Pig Without Human Help

A robot performed challenging keyhole surgery on pigs without any human help in what could be a major step toward fully automated surgery on people.

"Our findings show that we can automate one of the most intricate and delicate tasks in surgery: the reconnection of two ends of an intestine," said senior study author Axel Krieger. He is an ...

Did Your Gene Screen Turn Up Dangerous DNA? Study Finds Real Risk Is Low

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Most gene variants that have been labeled "pathogenic" may make only a small difference in a person's risk of actually developing disease, a new study suggests.

Scouring genetic data on more than 72,000 individuals, researchers found that most of the gene variants believed to c...

Hospital Defends Decision to Deny Heart Transplant to Unvaccinated Man

In response to claims that a man was denied a heart transplant because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston said Wednesday that its transplant policies mirror those used across the United States.

In a crowdfunding appeal for 31-year-old D.J. Ferguson, a father of two, his family said the hos...

Months After Moderna Booster, Antibodies Decline Faster With Omicron

An initial surge in antibody levels against the Omicron variant after a booster dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine wanes within six months, but the antibodies remained effective against it in lab tests, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed antibody levels in volunteers who received the booster after two doses of the Moderna mRNA vaccine....

AHA News: Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, the 'Father of Preventive Cardiology,' Dies at 102

Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, a trailblazing cardiologist who helped people understand the critical connection between healthy lifestyle and heart health – and who continued his passionate work well beyond his 100th birthday – died early Wednesday.

Stamler, known as "the father of preventive cardiology," was 102. He died at his home in Sag Har...

AHA News: Sound the Fiber Alarm! Most of Us Need More of It in Our Diet

There are a lot of health factors to keep in mind as we navigate through the dietary day: calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, vitamins and minerals, to name a few.

Did you forget fiber? A lot of people do.

"We've known this forever, and it has to get rediscovered all the time," said Joanne Slavin, professor of food scien...

More Berries, Red Wine in Diet Might Slow Parkinson's

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Red wine may be a guilty pleasure, but new research shows it might also be a powerful weapon against the ravages of Parkinson's disease.

Why? The antioxidants in red wine, and fruit such as berries for that matter, might slow progression of the movement disorder, a new study su...

Scientists Watch, Worry About New 'Stealth' Version of Omicron Variant

A "stealthier" version of the Omicron variant that has been spotted in the United States and dozens of other countries is being closely monitored by health officials and scientists.

The variant, called BA.2, has genetic traits that make it somewhat more difficult to detect, and some experts fear it may also be more contagious than that ori...

Vitamin D Supplements Might Cut Your Odds for Autoimmune Diseases

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Taking vitamin D supplements may help stave off psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, a new study suggests.

Previous research has hinted at this connection, but the new study is the first randomized controlled trial to look at wh...

Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Might Raise Heart, Cancer Risks

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Finding the right medication for rheumatoid arthritis isn't easy, and a newer pill against the disease carries higher risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer than older RA drugs, a new clinical trial confirms.

The study was mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aft...

Moderna Begins Testing Booster Shot Aimed at Omicron

Moderna Inc. announced Wednesday that it has launched a trial that will study the power of a redesigned booster shot -- one that hones in on the highly contagious Omicron variant.

The news comes just one day after Pfizer announced that it has started testing its own Omicron-specific shot.

In announcing its trial, Moderna also explain...

Any Change to Menstrual Cycle After COVID Vaccine Is Minor, Temporary: Studies

They've gotten some media headlines recently, but potential menstrual changes associated with getting a COVID vaccine are typically minor and temporary, two new international studies confirm.

That's great news for women, said an expert in fertility and reproductive health.

"The studies coming from the UK, US and Norway provide us wit...

Almost 1 in 10 U.S. Lung Transplants Now Due to COVID

COVID-19 is changing medicine in yet another way: A new study finds that patients with COVID-related lung damage now account for nearly one in 10 lung transplants in the United States.

The researchers analyzed data on more than 3,000 lung transplants nationwide between Aug. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021. They found that 7% of them were perf...

Scientists Regrow Frog's Lost Leg: Could Human Amputees Someday Do the Same?

It sounds like the stuff sci-fi films are made of, but the successful regrowth of lost limbs in frogs could point the way to helping human amputees, researchers say.

Some creatures -- including salamanders, starfish, crabs and lizards -- can fully regenerate at least some lost limbs. But like humans, adult frogs don't have that ability.