10 medical events in 2007

Time magazine has chosen 10 outstanding events of the medical industry promising to contribute achievements to change lives.

1. Circumcision can prevent HIV infection:

In December 2006, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discontinued two clinical trials of male circumcision after the initial results showed that the procedure significantly reduced the spread of HIV.

In early 2007, detailed results of these studies were published in the Lancet newspaper: Through two randomized clinical trials on 7,780 HIV-negative men in Rakai, Uganda, and Kisumu, Kenya, researchers have found male circumcised men with at least 51% reduced the risk of HIV infection than men without male circumcision during sex with women.

Lancet newspaper editors call this discovery a ' new era in HIV prevention '. Scientists still do not know whether male circumcision can provide protection for female partners. A new study on this hypothesis will be conducted next year.

2. Test for metastatic breast cancer:

Surgeons today can quickly assess the spread of breast cancer thanks to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving the use of the first molecular test to detect cancer. metastatic breast.

During surgery to remove the tumor or remove the breast, surgeons usually check for signs of metastasis on the most nearby lymph nodes, called guarded lymph nodes. If the tissue sample is examined at the time of surgery and the cancer cell is detected, the surgeon will remove more lymph nodes. However, as usual, more microscopic examination is needed later to determine the spread of cancer, which usually takes up to two days to know the results of these tests, placing the patient in love. Limbo before the risk may face a second surgery.

But with the new test called BLS Searching Genetics, doctors can accurately check metastasis to guarded lymph nodes during the initial surgery by measuring the breast cancer markers. . If the test results detect cancer, the surgeon may remove the metastatic lymph node immediately after surgery, avoid waiting for the patient and the risk of having to undergo surgery again.

3. The first bird flu vaccine in humans:

The threat of avian influenza epidemic in 2007 was less appalling. This death disease has killed 207 people worldwide and infected 336 people since 2003. While only a small number of cases have been found to spread from person to person, health professionals plus Concerns are only a matter of time before the virus mutates into a more infectious form and emits a global pandemic.

In the hope of avoiding the most catastrophic scenario, the FDA approved the first human avian influenza vaccine in 2007. The vaccine is made from the human strain of the virus and is given two injections in the muscle. However, vaccines are not marketed, but are reserved only by the federal government in the event of a national epidemic.

4. Medicines for dieters: Alli

Overweight adults today have more weapons against fat: Alli - the first FDA-approved weight loss drug on the market for over-the-counter drugs. Alli (also known as Orlistat) acts by transcribing lipase enzymes, a body enzyme used to break down and digest fat in food.

A dose of Alli with a meal prevents the body from absorbing 30% fat. However, the manufacturer of Alli, GlaxoSmithKline, stressed that the drug is not magic beans and recommends that it be used only with a slimming and exercise diet. Adherence to a reduced-fat diet also reduces the common side effects of Alli such as abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea and oily secretions.

5. Detection of new diabetes genes:

Having a parent with type 2 diabetes increases your risk of developing diabetes. But why do some brothers in the family get sick but others do not? The answer lies somewhere in your genetic code, and in 2007 scientists came closer to discover the secret.

The US and Finnish research groups have discovered four new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of diabetes, a disease that worries about 170 million people worldwide. Along with the six variants previously discovered by scientists, this discovery raises the total to 10 genetic variants to date, helping experts identify those at greatest risk of diabetes. type 2.

6. No more menstrual anxiety:

Women who want to avoid the monthly menstrual troubles can now rely on Lybrel, the first FDA-approved continuous-use contraceptive. A product of Wyeth Pharmaceutical, this new contraceptive is similar to the conventional birth control pill except without a placebo tablet.

A month of birth control pills usually include 4-7 days of placebo pills to cause menstruation. For Lybrel, placebo pills were replaced with daily dosages of hormonal drugs, which completely eliminated menstruation. Defect? Most women who use Lybrel will have some irregular bleeding, especially in the first year of use.

7. Lyrica medicine reduces pain for fibromyalgia:

People with chronic fatigue, muscle aches, and stiffness due to fibromyalgia have finally had medicine for them. In 2007, the FDA approved the anti-epileptic drug Lyrica (pregabalin) of Pfizer, which allowed it to be used as a treatment for fibromyalgia. It takes a long time to get this news for 3-6 million Americans, most of them women, suffer from this extremely annoying disease.

Pain in fibromyalgia is very specific, and therefore does not respond to common painkillers. Through research, Lyrica not only eases the pain of the disease but also significantly improves the quality of life of patients. Lyrica has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of epilepsy, pain relief in shingles, and neuropathic pain common in diabetes.

8. Early detection of lung cancer:

Lung cancer is the leading deadly cancer in the United States and causes more deaths than the total deaths of three types of cancer with the highest number of deaths (bowel, breast, and cancer). prostate).

The reason for high mortality of lung cancer is because it is often diagnosed at the stage when the patient has symptoms such as coughing up blood, the time when the disease has progressed far and difficult to treat.

But a new blood test can increase the ability to detect disease early at a time when it is more treatable. Called LC Detect, this test measures the level of a blood protein present in every stage of lung cancer but is rarely detected in healthy people. Although this test cannot determine the diagnosis of lung cancer alone, it can help diagnose early tumors if combined with X-ray, CT-scan, and other diagnostic imaging devices.

9. New germ cell source:

2007 was an important year in the field of stem cell research. A new development is the discovery of source cells in amniotic fluid. The researchers believe that the source cell derived from amniotic fluid, abbreviated as AFS, has the potential to differentiate into many types of cells, although not all types, out of a total of 220 specialized cell types. in the human body, suggesting the useful potential of AFS cells at some stage in the middle of embryonic stem cells and adult source cells.

The advantage is that AFS cells can be obtained easily. AFS cells are very much present in leftover products after amniocentesis, a common antenatal procedure for diagnosing genetic diseases. A source of other AFS cells may be placental after birth. Envisioning 4 million babies born every year in the United States, AFS cells will certainly draw a lot of research in the future.

10. Benefits of vitamin D:

Researchers have long known that " sunshine vitamins " increase bone density by supporting the body to absorb calcium. But a large number of new studies published in 2007 suggest vitamin D has many other benefits: a diet rich in vitamin D can prevent diabetes, gum disease and multiple sclerosis, and can be prevented. cancer.

Although the findings on the benefits of vitamin D in preventing cancer are controversial, the results found in bowel cancer are promising. In a large-scale study of male and female health workers, those with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had half the risk of developing bowel cancer compared to peers with vitamin D levels circulating in lower blood. To get the most out of the benefits of vitamin D, aim to add 1,000 units of vitamin D daily.

HAPPY
According to Catherine Guthrie, Time 12-2007, Youth