New data from largest-ever clinical trials in CLL show Rituxan (Rituximab) enables leukemia patients to live longer without their disease progressing Dec 12, 2008
" Professor Michael Hallek, University Hospital Cologne, Germany, who led the German CLL Study Group (GCLLSG) in conducting the CLL8 trial said, "With new therapies emerging, the management of CLL is set to change markedly, with physicians having more options and greater treatment expectations for their patients. These data, which come from the largest randomized clinical trials ever reported in CLL, suggest that Rituxan (MabThera) used in combination with chemotherapy has the potential to... (Canada Newswire)
Lethal 'Lint Brush' Kills Cancer Cells Dec 12, 2008
9, 2007) The amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a man's bloodstream at the time of his prostate cancer diagnosis or its rate of change over the course of the disease does not adequately predict. (Jan. (Science Daily)
Statin Warning For Pregnant Women Dec 11, 2008
(May 18, 2008) Managing your cholesterol may also help you manage your prostate- specific antigen level. New data explores the relationship between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and PSA prior to. (Science Daily)
Towards Improved Immunotherapy Dec 11, 2008
Ethylenecarbodiimide-coupled allogeneic antigen presenting cells induce human CD4 regulatory T cells. 2008; 129 (3): 381-393 DOI. (Science Daily)
Generex Biotechnology Update On Novel Immunotherapeutic Vaccine to be Presented At San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Dec 11, 2008
Dec. 11, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Generex Biotechnology Corporation (NasdaqCM: - ) () announced today that further results from its clinical trial of a novel immunotherapeutic cancer vaccine being developed by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Antigen Express, Inc., will be presented at the 31st annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (, December 11-14). The new findings will be presented by COL George Peoples, MD, a collaborator of Antigen Express who has been directing the trials at the Brooke... (Primezone Releases)
Understanding Donor-recipient Genetics Could Decrease Early Kidney Transplant Complications Dec 10, 2008
The three-dimensional structure mapping of the amino acid sequence in the antigen binding domain of the HLA-A molecule. The amino acid sequence was mapped onto its molecular surface. (Science Daily)
Prostate cancer: FAQs Dec 10, 2008
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test: Prostate-specific antigen is a substance produced by prostate cells ... A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore has developed a test that looks at another antigen, called EPCA-2, or early prostate cancer antigen-2. (CBC.ca)
Harnessing MiRNA Natural Gene Repressors For Anticancer Therapy Dec 9, 2008
Papapetrou et al. Harnessing endogenous miR-181a to segregate transgenic antigen receptor expression in developing versus post-thymic T cells in murine hematopoietic chimeras. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2008; DOI. (Science Daily)
Prostate cancer: When women nag, men get screened Dec 9, 2008
Aside from digital rectal exams, Mr. Sarney recommends that men ask for prostate specific antigen tests. He suggests getting a baseline test at 40 and going for annual testing at 50. (Globe and Mail)
Clinical trial demonstrates safety of pre-transplant expansion of umbilical cord blood stem cells Dec 9, 2008
Finding a required perfect match of six human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes between donor and patient can be prohibitively difficult. Cord blood stem cells are easily collected, readily available, and do not require a perfect HLA gene match due to their immaturity. (EurekAlert!)
Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate versus Adefovir Dipivoxil for Chronic Hepatitis B Dec 4, 2008
Methods In two double-blind, phase 3 studies, we randomly assigned patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative or HBeAg-positive chronic HBV infection to receive tenofovir DF or adefovir dipivoxil (ratio, 2:1) once daily for 48 weeks ... 03) and loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (3% vs. 0%, P=0. (New England Journal of Medicine)
RPT-FEATURE-Africa vaccine trial new push against malaria Nov 28, 2008
RTS,S, named for the antigen it produces, fuses part of a protein from the parasite to the surface of a hepatitis-B viral particle, stimulating the body's immune response. This hobbles the parasite's ability to infect and develop in the liver, its main repository in humans, which gives partial protection against the disease. (AlertNet)
Bacterial Decision-making Explained By 'Moving' Theory Nov 28, 2008
One of the transition-state regulators studied by the NC State biochemists, called AbrB, helps control the production of the three toxins in anthrax: lethal factor, edema factor and protective antigen. Production of all three of these toxins is necessary to make anthrax lethal. (Science Daily)
Questions and answers about blood donation Nov 27, 2008
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). (Keokuk Daily Gate City, IO)
Cancer cases in US decline for first time Nov 26, 2008
The explanation for the drop in prostate cancer diagnoses remains less clear, but it may reflect a trend toward fewer men getting screened with a test that measures a protein in the blood called prostate-specific antigen. The drop in breast cancer could be due to a combination of factors, including fewer women taking hormones to alleviate hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause because of safety concerns, and fewer women getting mammograms. (Boston Globe)
* Scientist finds link that could help SJS research Nov 26, 2008
Chung's research also appeared in Nature Medicine in 2004, when he discovered that a specific human leukocyte antigen is strongly associated with SJS patients taking Carbamazepine, Chen said. Carbamazepine is a drug commonly used to treat seizures. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Rate of new cancer cases, deaths falls Nov 26, 2008
Dr. William Catalona, a professor of urology at Northwestern University s Feinberg School of Medicine, cites data indicating that 52 percent of men 50 or older reported having a test for PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in 2004, down from 58 percent in 2001. The medical community is deeply divided over PSA testing, with some experts saying it is a valuable technique for detecting cancer early and others arguing that it leads to over-diagnosis and unnecessary medical interventions. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Genetic Risk Factors May Tailor Prostate Cancer Screening Approaches Nov 21, 2008
(May 15, 2008) African-American men with family histories of prostate cancer could benefit from a baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reading to determine their probability of developing the. (Jan. (Science Daily)
Aspirin may cut prostate cancer risk Nov 19, 2008
Posted: Nov 17, 2008 at 1323 hrs IST Washington, November 17: Researchers at Vanderbilt University have found that the use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is significantly associated with lower PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels, especially among men with prostate cancer. The findings are based on a study, which included 1,277 participants referred to a urologist for a biopsy of their prostate. (Expressindia.com)
Men Who Take Aspirin Have Significantly Lower PSA Levels Nov 18, 2008
(May 18, 2008) Managing your cholesterol may also help you manage your prostate- specific antigen level ... 10, 2007) Some studies have suggested that the rate of change of prostate-specific antigen levels may correspond with prostate cancer survival ... 9, 2006) Prostate cancer patients who have a temporary rise in their prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels after radiation therapy -- called a PSA bounce -- are not at an increased risk of their cancer. (Science Daily)
Aspirin may mask prostate cancer, study hints Nov 18, 2008
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. A PSA test is used widely as a method to screen men for the possibility of prostate cancer, with higher blood PSA levels suggesting a greater chance of having prostate cancer. (Reuters)
Blood test could help track cancer Nov 17, 2008
Many current blood tests, such as the prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test for prostate cancer, simply check for elevated levels of a specific protein. By using exosomes, doctors might be able to get specific information about a cancer from a simple blood test. (Boston Globe)
Vitamin C, E Supplements Won't Help Prevent Cancer Nov 17, 2008
A third study found that taking aspirin could affect blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is used to gauge men's risk for prostate cancer. The research, also from Vanderbilt, suggests that aspirin might, therefore, decrease physicians' ability to detect prostate cancer in men. (Washington Post)
Aspirin a day may help prostate cancer Nov 17, 2008
PSA - prostate specific antigen - is a blood marker used to monitor prostate cancer. But scientists are still not sure aspirin protects against the disease, which kills 10,000 men in the UK each year. (Glasgow Daily Record)
AHA: Gender-Matched Heart Transplants Boost Survival Success Nov 16, 2008
Personalize Your Medical News. Sunday, November 16, 2008. (MedPage Today)
'Femtomolar optical tweezers' may enable sensitive blood tests Nov 14, 2008
A microsphere covered with a specific antigen (such as a virus or other infectious agent) is trapped and pulled away ... To detect disease-causing agents, researchers can coat a microsphere with antibody particles and then touch it to a surface containing infectious particles (antigens) ... The antigens then stick to the antibodies on the sphere, reminiscent of Velcro, in which loops on one strip combine with hooks on the other. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Healthful Hints: A little shot can spare big misery Nov 13, 2008
The making of the vaccine is complicated and is made complicated by the viruses biological changes, which is called antigenic shift ... For example, the A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like antigen was in last year s mix of viruses (avoid Wisconsin in flu season ... It s sort of a crap/viral shoot to create a vaccine combination to protect for the coming year because the subtle changes the viruses can make in their protein parts (antigenic shift) can make your antibodies to the vaccine viruses not... (Winona Daily News, MN)
How to prevent flu? Nov 13, 2008
Aluminum compounds are used to boost the activity of antigen. Aluminum is a neurotoxin and can cause aging-related brain disease. (Food Consumer)
5 Ways to Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer Nov 12, 2008
There are two types of prostate cancer screening: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and the digital rectal exam. The first test measures the level of PSA in the blood. (Fox News)
Statins vs. Advanced Prostate Cancer Nov 12, 2008
Current statin users were also more likely to have had at least one screening test for PSA (prostate specific antigen). High PSA levels can be an indicator of prostate cancer or other noncancerous prostate problems. (Yahoo News -- Prostate Cancer)
* Doctors cautious on PSA testing results Nov 11, 2008
Doctors warned yesterday that normal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test results are not a guarantee that a person is cancer-free. PSA is a popular method of screening for prostate cancer, but some people could still have cancer despite having normal PSA values, doctors said at a press conference in Taipei. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
The past is too much with us Nov 11, 2008
"Too many false positives," he explained, referring to the prostate specific antigen test. "And if you get a true positive, then what? Live in anxious uncertainty or incur the risk of impotence or incontinence in surgically removing a cancerous prostate that may never have proved life-threatening.". (International Herald Tribune -- Ed/Op)
Characterization of prostate cancer detected at repeat biopsy Nov 11, 2008
30 for prostate specific antigen velocity (PSAV) and prostate specific antigen density (PSAD), respectively, were determined using ROC curve analysis. Based on these values, PSAV and PSAD were able to predict 94% (46 of 49) of negative repeat biopsies, indicating that these patients had undergone unnecessary repeat biopsies. (BioMed Central)
Modifiedcellsspot disguised HIV Nov 10, 2008
One good defense allows HIV to hide a protein called HLA-I-associated antigen. Varela-Rohena and colleagues took T-cells from an HIV patient and created a genetically engineered version that recognizes this deception. (Huntington WSAZ-TV, WV)
Generex Biotechnology Corporation's Antigen Express Subsidiary Featured in Technology Update and Value Focus Review Issued by Scimitar Equity, LLC Nov 10, 2008
BOSTON, Nov. 10, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Generex Biotechnology (NasdaqCM: - ) announces that Scimitar Equity, LLC issues a review of Generex Biotechnology Corporation, entitled, ``Breaking-out the Sum of the Parts: Antigen Express' Novel Cancer Immunotherapy Emerges as a Jewel ... Complementing GNBT's emerging diabetes franchise, Antigen Express' technology has been applied to an outstanding set of immunotherapeutic clinical candidates ... Antigen Express' current product focus is on breast,... (Primezone Releases)
XOMA Restructures Drug Development Collaboration Including Oncology Drug Candidate HCD122 Nov 10, 2008
CD40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, is a cell surface antigen expressed in B-cell malignancies and involved in a broad variety of immune and inflammatory responses. About XOMA. (Primezone Releases)
High blood pressure during pregnancy Nov 8, 2008
To screen for prostate cancer, doctors order a blood test that measures the level of PSA (prostate specific antigen) - a protein produced by the prostate gland. An elevated PSA reading can be an indication that a tumour is growing in the prostate gland. (Globe and Mail)
Teen's research may improve prostate cancer diagnosis Nov 8, 2008
For now, doctors use the Prostate Specific Antigen as the clinical standard for early detection of the disease. Because PSA is not specific for prostate cancer, diagnosis must be confirmed with a biopsy. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Living life to the fullest Nov 7, 2008
Facing the inevitable Seely's prostate specific antigen, or psa, test shows a level 100 times greater than normal. He's already outlived several expectations of his doctors. (Algona Upper Des Moines, IA)
* MEDIPHAR TAIPEI: Inno-Products unveil at MEDIPHAR TAIPEI Nov 6, 2008
GenMont Biotech Incorporation, eN-Lac Plus Capsules which have undergone animal experiments and prove that its eN-Lac Plus Capsules are effective in helping lower secretion of specialized lgE antigen and IL-5, making it a probiotic-bacteria supplement capable of relieving allergic reactions to dust mites, pollen, seafood, molds, and eggs. This story has been viewed 412 times. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Cancer Vaccine: Looking Beyond Tumor Size Nov 5, 2008
The study size requires screening about 10,000 patients for the presence of the MAGE-A3 antigen that the vaccine targets. A lot of studies are underpowered and not controlled appropriately, says Vincent Brichard, who heads GSK s antigen-specific cancer immunotherapeutics program. (Scientific American)
New Urine Test ID's Prostate Cancer Nov 5, 2008
The PSA test detects prostate-specific antigen, a protein given off by all prostate cells. If a man has an enlarged prostate -- a noncancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH -- his PSA level can go up. (Yahoo News -- Prostate Cancer)
'Credit Card' Test For Hundreds Of Diseases Nov 3, 2008
Current tests for prostate specific antigen (PSA) an indicator for possible prostate cancer only look for "free" PSA but not for other forms. A card-like sample stick with multiple "addresses," each with an antibody that binds to a different kind of PSA, would be able to test a blood sample for multiple forms of PSA and for their relative abundances, and thus be more reliable in predicting prostate cancer, Porter says. (Science Daily)
A double-barreled immune cell approach for neuroblastoma Nov 3, 2008
Their artificial antigen receptor enables them to latch onto and kill the cancer cells. When the researchers put the artificial receptor into both ordinary T-lymphocytes and those that are stimulated by the virus into the 11 patients, they found that the cancer directed cells stimulated by the Epstein-Barr virus lasted as long as 18 months and at higher levels than the other cells. (EurekAlert!)
PSA Test for Prostate Cancer Nov 1, 2008
At the center of the debate is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test that was approved in 1986 by the Food and Drug Administration to screen for prostate cancer and detect the disease in the early stages ... Back to basics: The PSA Test is a blood test that measures the level of a protein known as prostate-specific antigen. (Suite101.com)
Stephanopoulos: Freaky Friday Election Surprise? Nov 1, 2008
A prostate-specific antigen test detected no issues for Obama, however. The Illinois senator has struggled to quit smoking, Dr. David L. Scheiner wrote in the overview, but is now using Nicorette gum with success. (The Drudge Report)
Statins Lower Blood Marker for Prostate Cancer Nov 1, 2008
THURSDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- A new study shows that men who take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins have lower blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker for prostate cancer risk. That drop in PSA levels doesn't necessarily mean the drugs protect against disease however, researchers say. (MEDLINEplus)
Prostate Cancer Test 'Bounce' No Worry Oct 31, 2008
Also, the study found, the prostate is no more likely to return in men who have the rise in prostate specific antigen (PSA) -- the so-called PSA bounce -- than in those who do not, says researcher Eric Horwitz, MD, clinical director of the radiation oncology department at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Horwitz's study looked at more than 7,500 prostate cancer patients treated with radiation. (Yahoo News -- Prostate Cancer)
Cholesterol-lowering Drugs May Also Lower PSA, But Whether They Cut Cancer Risk Is Still Not Known Oct 31, 2008
"Previous studies had shown that men taking statins were less likely to develop advanced forms of prostate cancer but no one had looked at the relationship between the drugs and prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a biomarker that is correlated with cancer growth and is the most common prostate cancer screening tool," said Stephen Freedland, M.D., a urologist at Duke and senior investigator on the study ... Hamilton RJ, Goldberg KC, Platz EA, Freedland SJ. The Influence of Statin Medications on... (Science Daily)
Prostate Cancer Prevention: No Benefit For Use Of Selenium And Vitamin E Supplements, Study Shows Oct 31, 2008
Participants will continue to have their health monitored by study staff, which may include regular digital rectal exams and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests to detect prostate cancer. Investigators intend to follow the participants for about three years to determine the long-term effects of having taken either supplement or placebo and to complete a biorepository of blood samples that will be used in extensive molecular analyses to give researchers a better understanding of prostate... (Science Daily)
Bayhill Therapeutics and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation announce research collaboration Oct 31, 2008
BHT-3021 is an antigen-specific immunotherapeutic DNA vaccine designed to reverse the underlying autoimmune disease process in diabetes, and slow down or halt further loss of pancreatic beta cell function ... Preliminary data from the 1 mg dose cohort indicate that treatment with BHT-3021 may cause beta cell preservation as well as the induction of immune tolerance to pancreatic autoantigens ... Key inclusion criteria for this trial include: a diagnosis of type 1a diabetes mellitus based on ADA... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
New intranasal influenza vaccine triggers robust immunity with significantly less antigen Oct 29, 2008
The new vaccine used only half the standard antigen dose to produce this effect ... "Our nanoemulsion-based intranasal vaccine adjuvant system represents a paradigm shift in vaccinology. It can be used to safely deliver multiple antigen types directly into the lining of the nasal mucosa, which is rich in dendritic cells that present the antigen(s) to the immune system," said James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., founder and chairman of NanoBio Corp. "The nanoemulsion adjuvant uniquely interacts with these... (EurekAlert!)
Statins Lower PSA Levels Oct 29, 2008
Prostate specific antigen, or PSA, levels dropped by about 4 percent in 1,214 men at a veterans' medical center in North Carolina after they began taking statins, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The biggest PSA declines were seen in men who took higher statin doses, those who had the biggest drop in cholesterol levels, and those who had the highest PSA levels to begin with, the researchers said. (Newsmax)
Optimized Radiation For Prostate Cancer Therapy Oct 28, 2008
9, 2006) Prostate cancer patients who have a temporary rise in their prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels after radiation therapy -- called a PSA bounce -- are not at an increased risk of their cancer. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise In Patients With Bowel, Kidney And Prostate Cancer Oct 27, 2008
" TroVax is made up of a modified virus (Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)), which acts as a vehicle to transport a second component, a gene that produces an antigen that is present in most solid tumours, called 5T4. TroVax is injected into patients whose solid tumours have the 5T4 tumour antigen present, so that the vaccine can trigger the body's natural immune responses to mobilise against 5T4. "The virus acts as both a 'vehicle' to deliver the 5T4 antigen and as an 'adjuvant', which helps to... (Science Daily)
Rotavirus Infections Decline More than 70 Percent in Children in U.S. Oct 26, 2008
"Our analysis provides evidence for the first time that unvaccinated children may also be reaping the benefits of the rotavirus vaccine. Herd immunity is particularly valuable to newborns and other young infants who have not yet started or completed their vaccine series." Study Methodology The Quest Diagnostics Health Trends(TM) Report, "Decline in Rotavirus Cases in the U.S. After Licensure of a Live, Oral Rotavirus Vaccine," is based on an analysis of more than 132,000 rotavirus antigen... (PR Newswire)
Customized Vaccines to Fight Cancer Oct 24, 2008
Only patients who express a certain type of antigen are enrolled in the study, so about 30 percent of all patients who will be screened may have that antigen on the cancer cells, Mehta said. Because these vaccines are targeted to each person's own body they also appear to have few side effects. (WOKR13 Rochester)
T Cell Response To New Melanoma Antigen Linked To Relapse-free Survival Oct 23, 2008
22, 2008) Melanoma patients infused with a special type of tumor-fighting T cell are more likely to survive without relapse, suggests a new study by researchers in France. One treatment option for patients with late-stage melanoma involves removing natural cancer-fighting T cells from the tumor, expanding their numbers in culture dishes, and then re-infusing them into the patient. (Science Daily)
Subjects' DNA secrets to be revealed Oct 21, 2008
So "today's disclosure changes the way, for the rest of my life, I relate to doctors in that if I have a change in PSA [Prostate Specific Antigen] or prostate exam, I'll be much more likely to follow it up. Doctors can be the worst patients.". Halamka had a preparatory talk with his 16-year-old daughter, he said, telling her that his genes would be posted publicly and reminding her that half of her genes came from him. (Boston Globe)
Enlarged Prostates: Choice Of Treatment Needs Careful Consideration Oct 21, 2008
15, 2000) The higher a man's prostate specific antigen (PSA) level is, the more likely his prostate will continue to grow abnormally, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas report. (May 24, 2007) Injecting botulinum toxin A, or Botox, into the prostate gland of men with enlarged prostate, eased symptoms and improved quality of life up to a year, according to a new study. (Science Daily)
• To do for you Oct 20, 2008
The event includes clinical lab work (lipid panel 16, prostate specific antigen 25, and thyroid stimulating hormone 20); 20 flu shots; 40 pneumonia vaccines (certain restrictions apply); free glucose testing and diabetic foot checks; free skin cancer screenings; free pulmonary screenings; free carotid artery screenings (age 60 and older); blood pressure checks; height and weight checks; and information on College of Southern Idaho's Office on Aging senior services. Fast for 12 hours before the... (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Research identifies type of vaccine that holds promise in protecting against TB Oct 20, 2008
The new "recombinant" vaccine uses an antigen a secreted protein from a virulent strain of tuberculosis to help focus the immune system on blocking aggressive and deadly TB organisms ... However research in this area will continue as scientists test a similar recombinant BCG vaccine that expresses the same and additional key TB antigens that is expected to be even more potent than the one just studied and does not include the antibiotic resistant gene, Hoft said. (EurekAlert!)
Prostate Cancer Gene Test Provides New Early Detection Oct 18, 2008
Currently, early detection of PCa depends on an abnormal digital rectal examination and an elevated prostate-specific-antigen (PSA) level requiring a prostate biopsy, often associated with anxiety, discomfort, complications, and heavy expenses ... The diagnostic accuracy of the PCA3 assay was compared to the percentage of free prostate-specific antigen (%fPSA) ... 15, 2000) The higher a man's prostate specific antigen (PSA) level is, the more likely his prostate will continue to grow abnormally,... (Science Daily)
ATL1101 suppresses tumours in prostate cancer animal study Oct 15, 2008
Similarly ATL1101 significantly delayed onset of CRPC progression of LNCaP xenografts following castration as measured by tumor growth and serum prostate specific antigen levels. Pharmacodynamic activity in vivo was assessed using immunoblot analysis of harvested tumor tissues, and confirmed that suppression of IGF-IR expression correlated with decreased tumor growth in vivo. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Reason For Body’s Response To Borrelia Discovered Oct 14, 2008
Like a jack-in-the-box, an antigen- a substance alien to the body -then pops up, prompting the body to start producing antibodies ... Until today, we have had no knowledge of how these antibodies are produced, since the antigen is hidden in the original form of the V1sE protein ... The antigen is indicated in green and it becomes much more exposed in the lump form. (Science Daily)
