Undetectable PSA After Radiation Is Possible And Predicts Good Patient Outcomes Nov 3, 2009
2, 2009) Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers report that radiation therapy alone can reduce prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels below detectable amounts in prostate cancer patients ... 1, 2005) The clinical outcome for prostate cancer patients who have been treated with hormone therapy and radiation therapy can usually be determined by how rapidly their prostate specific antigen level rises ... 9, 2006) Prostate cancer patients who have a temporary rise in their prostate specific antigen... (Science Daily)
Proton Therapy Is Well-tolerated In Prostate Cancer Patients Nov 3, 2009
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)
Generex Announces That It Will Not Exercise Its Rights to Issue and Sell Stock Under Its At Market Issuance Sales Agreement With WM Smith Until Further Notice Oct 30, 2009
Antigen Express, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Generex. The core platform technologies of Antigen Express comprise immunotherapeutics for the treatment of malignant, infectious, allergic, and autoimmune diseases ... For more information, visit the Generex website at or the Antigen Express website at. (Primezone Releases)
Morphotek licenses cancer drug from Centocor Oct 30, 2009
entered into a license agreement Wednesday with covering the development and commercialization of an antibody that targets a specific antigen that is over-expressed in cancer patients with a variety of solid tumors. Morphotek of Exton, Pa. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
NIAID scientists propose new explanation for flu virus antigenic drift Oct 30, 2009
This shape-shifting, called antigenic drift, is why influenza vaccineswhich are designed to elicit antibodies matched to each year's circulating virus strainsmust be reformulated annually. Now, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have proposed a new explanation for the evolutionary forces that drive antigenic drift ... The findings in mice, using a strain of seasonal influenza virus first isolated in... (EurekAlert!)
Swine Flu Etiquette: Should families self quarantine? Oct 29, 2009
LOL), since I haven t had it, but I just wanted to clarify that the H1N1 vaccine is prepared the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine (in eggs), just with a different antigen (the H1N1 vax contains H1N1 antigen, the seasonal flu vax contains antigens to three different flu strains). The technology is the same, which is why they don t have to do clinical trials for each year s new flu vaccine. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Dendritic Cells Spark Smoldering Inflammation In Smokers' Lungs Oct 29, 2009
What sparks that smoldering destruction remained a mystery until a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine found that certain dendritic cells in the lung -- the cells that "present" a foreign antigen or protein to the immune system -- provoke production of destructive T-cells that attack a key protein called elastin, leading to death of lung tissue and emphysema ... She and her colleagues found that a subset of antigen-presenting cells in the lung are programmed to turn... (Science Daily)
H1N1 vaccine makers struggle with U.S. shot Oct 28, 2009
"In terms of H1N1 vaccine production, CSL is working as quickly and efficiently as possible to manufacture H1N1 vaccine antigen and is making good progress," a spokeswoman said in an e-mail ... "The company is using a new H1N1 virus seed strain which is providing better yields than the original seed strain that all manufacturers were given back in May. This is helping CSL produce more vaccine antigen more quickly than before," the spokeswoman said. (MSNBC -- Health)
CDC: H1N1 Flu Vaccine Outlook Improving Oct 28, 2009
Humenza vaccine for H1N1 flu virus, Adjuvant (l) and Antigen (r), (AP / CBS). Only On The Web. (CBS News)
More vaccines will come by next week Oct 28, 2009
Dr. Frieden acknowledged a "puzzling" perception among some people that the vaccine will be riskier than a typical seasonal flu shot, noting that is the same except for containing a different antigen. "It's the same manufacturing process, it's the same factories, it's the same safeguards," he said. (The Augusta Chronicle)
With cancer, it's always personal Oct 28, 2009
Three years ago, a routine blood test found that my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level had jumped since my last screening. Although it still was in the "normal" range, my internist thought I should be checked further. (Juneau Empire)
Man takes on cancer with BMX Oct 26, 2009
" But the fight still goes on. Though the surgery removed much of the cancer, his prostate-specific antigen count never reached zero, indicating he wasn't rid of the disease. After a Thursday visit with his oncologist, Mr. Capell has decided to start an "off-protocol" chemotherapy treatment in December. That same day, he had staples removed from a recent surgery to repair his distended hernia. "After sitting, for a considerable period, in two different doctor offices. I am sure about one thing:... (The Augusta Chronicle)
Production Problems Plague Delivery of Swine Flu Vaccine Oct 23, 2009
In explaining the vaccine delay, Dr. Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness and response with the federal government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, said in a statement: "We have said from the start that flu is unpredictable, and so is the production of flu vaccine. Production of the vaccine is taking longer than manufacturers expected because of the time it takes to grow the antigen for the vaccine. There is nothing that can be done to speed that process,... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
American Cancer Society Stands by Cancer Screening Guidelines Oct 23, 2009
"For the man in his 50s whose PSA [prostate-specific antigen] level rises abruptly, that's probably significant. But for the man in his 70s or 80s who has other diseases, probably PSA testing is not a good idea," Brooks added. "Same thing with mammography. If a woman is diagnosed in her 20s, that's probably a significant finding. However, if you're 80 and have dementia, that's probably not a good thing to be doing.". (MEDLINEplus)
Experts Issue Call To Reconsider Screening For Breast Cancer And Prostate Cancer Oct 23, 2009
In turn, much of the U.S. population undergoes routine screening for the cancers: About half of at-risk men have a routine prostate-specific antigen test and 75 percent have previously had a PSA test, and about 70 percent of women older than 40 report having had a recent mammogram ... 14, 2009) The introduction of prostate-antigen screening, or PSA, has resulted in over one million additional men over the last 23 years being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer -- most of whom were. (Science Daily)
Prostate research finds genetic signals Oct 22, 2009
Diagnosis usually relies on a combination of a prostate specific antigen (PSA) pathology test, a digital rectal examination and a biopsy. Professor Foote said that unlike diseases such as cystic fibrosis, where a single gene was the culprit, prostate cancer was among a group of diseases that had complex genetics. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Science Fair Oct 22, 2009
The study was conducted by researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, United Kingdom, the University of Southampton, the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and the Human Leukocyte Antigen Laboratory in Japan. By Lindsey AndersonPhoto: An MRI of the infant from the study (PNAS) Posted at 10:51 AM/ET, October 20, 2009 in | Like this story. (USA Today -- Tech)
CDC concedes flu vaccines behind schedule Oct 22, 2009
The problem, the manufacturers said, is that the yield of antigen, the substance that triggers infection-fighting antibodies, has been lower than expected. The best advice is for people to check with their state and local health officials, including their own doctors, to see when the vaccine might be available in their area. (MSNBC -- Health)
Hormone Mix Could Cut Breast Cancer Risk And Treat Symptoms Of Menopause Oct 21, 2009
The team then looked at various markers of cell growth, including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), one of the best-characterized markers of cell growth. The team found that PCNA was increased when they stimulated cells with estrogen and decreased when they added a SERM, indicating that the SERM blocked cell growth. (Science Daily)
Detecting The Undetectable In Prostate Cancer Screening Oct 21, 2009
20, 2009) A team of Northwestern University researchers, using an extremely sensitive tool based on nanotechnology, has detected previously undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy ... 10, 2007) Some studies have suggested that the rate of change of prostate-specific antigen levels may correspond with prostate cancer survival ... 10, 2007) A detectable level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the first indicator of recurrent... (Science Daily)
Flu Shot Production Lags Behind Oct 21, 2009
The antigen, the component that stimulates the body to produce antibodies, is not being produced in the amounts anticipated in the growth medium. This then requires a longer period of time to produce a given number of doses. (Suite101.com)
Ask doctors, not billboards Oct 19, 2009
The emergence of the prostate-specific antigen test for early detection has resulted in the discovery of many cancers that, left on their own, would never threaten the health of the patient. If there is any disease that calls for unhurried give-and-take between patient and doctor, it s prostate cancer. (Boston Globe)
Shot shortage as more kids die of swine flu Oct 17, 2009
Vaccine manufacturers have told CDC that the yield of H1N1 antigen, the substance that produces infection-fighting antibodies, has been lower than expected. Swine flu is now widespread in 41 states, CDC reported. (MSNBC -- Health)
Local groups take steps to prevent swine flu Oct 16, 2009
It is the same flu vaccine used over the years but with a different antigen. formulated for this particular flu strain, she says. (Cleveland Jewish News, OH)
OXiGENE to Acquire VaxGen in a Stock-for-Stock Merger Oct 15, 2009
These events relate primarily to settlement of VaxGen's obligations under its lease of facilities in South San Francisco, and to the potential award of a procurement contract to Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE: - ) by the U.S. Government for which VaxGen is eligible to receive milestone and royalty payments in connection with Emergent BioSolutions' May 2008 acquisition of VaxGen's recombinant protective antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine product candidate and related technology. Immediately after the... (Primezone Releases)
Medical imaging may help researchers understand the pathogenesis of H1N1 virus Oct 14, 2009
Imaging revealed a severe case of H1N1 after a patient had tested negative using a nasal swab rapid antigen test. Radiography (standard X-ray) showed peripheral lung opacities, and computed tomography (CT) revealed peripheral ground-glass opacities. (EurekAlert!)
Gene Data Tool Advances Prospects For Personalized Medicine Oct 12, 2009
The authors say that their approach is more effective, and costs less, than human leukocyte antigen (HLA) testing, currently used to assess type 1 diabetes risk in clinical settings. The researchers used data provided by the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium and the Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes study. (Science Daily)
Immune Cell Entry Into Pancreatic Islets Key To Understanding Type 1 Diabetes Origins Oct 10, 2009
Each T cell carries on its surface a receptor that recognizes and binds to just one specific antigen, or marker, on the surface of the T cell's intended target ... The other group was programmed to recognize a different antigen. (Science Daily)
Flu vaccine rush puts focus on calls for faster delivery Oct 9, 2009
Then, they purify and test the vaccine to make sure it contains the right amount of antigen to protect against the flu. This year, some manufacturers struggled with production and got vaccine yields of about 30% to 40% of normal, Robinson says. (USA Today -- News)
Clinicians Map Group At High Risk For Aggressive, 'Hidden' Prostate Cancer Oct 9, 2009
8, 2009) Clinical researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) can now answer the question that baffles many clinicians why do some men with elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels who are carefully monitored and undergo repeated negative biopsies still develop aggressive prostate cancer ... 10, 2007) Some studies have suggested that the rate of change of prostate-specific antigen levels may correspond with prostate cancer survival. (Science Daily)
'Micro Shuttle' Drug Delivery Could Mean An End To Regular Dosing Oct 6, 2009
Micro Shuttle' Drug Delivery Could Mean An End To Regular Dosing. Micro Shuttle' Drug Delivery Could Mean An End To Regular Dosing. (Science Daily)
Swine Flu Tests Could Swamp Diagnostic Labs Oct 6, 2009
They range from rapid influenza diagnostic tests, which can detect influenza viral nucleoprotein antigen in as little as 30 minutes, to more sophisticated polymerase chain reaction assays. All require lab personnel to administer and review results, Laposata said. (MEDLINEplus)
The News in Medical Tests Oct 4, 2009
The task force also said there s not enough evidence to recommend for or against prostate-specific antigen testing in younger men. -- E.O.. (Boston Globe)
Umbilical Cord Blood As A Readily Available Source For Off-the-shelf, Patient-specific Stem Cells Oct 3, 2009
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing is used to match patients and donors for bone marrow or cord blood transplants. HLAs are special surface markers found on most cells in the body and help the immune system to distinguish between "self" and "non-self." "Selecting common HLA haplotypes from among already banked cord blood units to create iPS cell would significantly reduce the number of cell lines needed to provide a HLA match for a large percentage of the population," says Izpis;a Belmonte. (Science Daily)
New Chemically-activated Antigen Could Expedite Development Of HIV Vaccine Oct 1, 2009
30, 2009) Scientists working to develop a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) report they have created the first antigen that induces protective antibodies capable of blocking infection of human cells by genetically-diverse strains of HIV. The new antigen differs from previously-tested vaccines by virtue of its chemically-activated property that enables close sharing of electrons and produces strong covalent bonding ... "The new antigen is a prototype vaccine. This prototype... (Science Daily)
Few Side Effects Found From Radiation Treatment Given After Prostate Cancer Surgery Sep 30, 2009
Men in this study received radiotherapy after a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test following surgery indicated their cancer had recurred ... 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)
Studies Find PSA Screening Unreliable Sep 30, 2009
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The inability of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test to distinguish between deadly and harmless prostate cancers makes it unusable as a population-wide screening tool, new research claims. Because of its unreliability, results from the test lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, according to two reports in the Sept. 25 online edition of BMJ.. (MEDLINEplus)
AMMC hosts mens health fair Sep 26, 2009
Free PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, screenings provided by the American Prostate Cancer Sociey and DRE, or digital rectal exams, provided by Dr. Randy Shelley, were available at no cost. Prostate cancer is a silent killer, Brehmer said. (Paragould Daily Press, AR)
Prostate screening under scrutiny Sep 25, 2009
European researchers found the current prostate specific antigen (PSA) test cannot reliably rule out a future diagnosis of prostate cancer. Another article, also in the British Medical Journal, found the long-term benefits of screening were unclear. (BBC News -- Health)
Double, not quits Sep 25, 2009
The active principle of the vaccine, known as an antigen, is the bit of the pathogen that the immune system recognises and that the antibody sticks on ... This cell-killing system, too, recognises antigens, but it finds them on the surface of an infected cell ... The experimental evidence suggests that a particularly good way of activating the cell-killing arm of the immune system is to use two vaccines based on different antigens. (The Economist)
Awareness promotes prostate health Sep 25, 2009
That search led to the development of the Prostate Specific Antigen, or PSA Test, which has been widely used as a screening tool since 1994. "Since the introduction of the PSA test, the death rate from prostate cancer has been cut almost in half. That's remarkable," noted Dr. Sanda. (MLB.com -- Boston Red Sox)
Prostate test Sep 24, 2009
The society has recommended 40 as the age for men to consider having their first prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA, and for those in the top half of PSA levels to be considered higher risk and "monitored closely". Those with lower levels could have less frequent testing. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Swine Flu Vaccine--Too Little, Too Late Sep 24, 2009
A few years ago the clinical trial of an experimental pandemic vaccine against containing one of these new adjuvants provided protection using less than a third of the usual amount of virus antigen in seasonal flu vaccines and produced minimal side effects. Another novel adjuvant has been approved for use in European seasonal flu vaccines for more than a decade. (Scientific American)
Symposium on cancer awareness set Friday Sep 23, 2009
Free prostate screenings will be offered along with free Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests; a da Vinci S Surgical System demonstration; and information on gynecologic cancer prevention, early detection and treatment options. Their also will be patient testimonials including those treated with the da Vinci robot at Halifax Health and by female health professionals. (Daytona Beach News Journal -- Local)
Killer prostate cancer test hope Sep 23, 2009
Page last updated at 00:42 GMT, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 01:42 UK. There are different forms of prostate cancer. (BBC News -- UK)
Govt: 1 Swine Flu Shot Enough For Older Kids Sep 22, 2009
Doubling the dose in the shot from a standard 15 micrograms of antigen to 30 micrograms didn't improve the response. Younger children simply "don't have as mature an immune system," Fauci explained. (Click2Houston, TX)
VLP could make flu vaccine faster, better Sep 20, 2009
A normal seasonal influenza shot would contain about 15 micrograms of antigen to produce the protective antibodies, said Dr. Compans, director of the Influenza Pathogenesis and Immunology Research Center, a joint center of excellence of Emory and the University of Georgia ... The phenomenon is called antigenic drift -- the composition of the antigens by which antibodies in the immune system would recognize the circulating virus has changed enough that it might go unrecognized. (The Augusta Chronicle)
New hope in fight against AIDS Sep 19, 2009
Each antibody only binds to the antigen that stimulated its production, so researchers have been looking for antibodies that attack a wide variety of HIV strains. A major problem, according to IAVI, is that the HIV virus is the most mutable pathogen ever encountered by modern science. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Cocktail Chatter: The Most Interesting Stories This Week in Slate Sep 19, 2009
By ordering almost all of its doses in unboosted form, the U.S. has put a strain on valuable worldwide antigen supplies. 8) ": Is fake-wood furniture bad for the environment?" by Nina Shen Rastogi. (Slate)
To Boost or Not To Boost Sep 18, 2009
The United States, however, ordered almost all of its doses in the nonadjuvant, or unboosted, forman older model of vaccine, considered the U.S. standard, that uses more antigen but creates vaccines that are (at least theoretically) safer. That safety, however, comes at the cost of exhausting the precious antigen supplies much faster and leaving hundreds of millions elsewhere unvaccinated ... Adjuvanted vaccines take a different path to creating the antigen and contain elements, such as... (Slate)
CANCER TALES: From Caregiver to Patient Sep 18, 2009
Shortly after my youngest daughter got married, I had my Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels tested. I had never really paid much attention to the results before because my doctor hadnt seemed concerned. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
House calls: Know Your Stats Sep 18, 2009
The purpose is to separate myth from fact and urge men to be aware of their own prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, which can be revealed through a simple test. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer affecting men in the United States. (Kingston Mariner, MA)
Duration of Androgen Suppression in Prostate Cancer Sep 17, 2009
To the Editor: In the trial conducted by Bolla et al. (June 11 issue),1 more than 70% of the patients had clinical T3 disease, and the median level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who underwent randomization was 18. 8 ng per milliliter, with a range of up to 159. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Keeping HIV-1 in check - or not Sep 17, 2009
In this review, we discuss in brief the activities of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (APOBEC3G), bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2), cyclophilin A, tripartite motif protein 5 alpha (Trim5alpha), and cellular microRNAs as examples of host restriction factors that target HIV-1. We point to countermeasures encoded by HIV-1 for moderating the potency of these cellular restriction functions. (BioMed Central)
Bayer Announces New Data on Oncology Portfolio To Be Presented at the ECCO-ESMO Congress 2009 Sep 17, 2009
Three Phase II trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Alpharadin will be presented at ECCO-ESMO, including an oral presentation on the results from a 122-patient efficacy and safety study designed to compare the prostate cancer specific antigen (PSA) response rate of three different repeat doses of Alpharadin. (Abstract 7003, Monday, September 21, 11:45 a.m. CET, Hall 3). (PR Newswire)
Some Prostate Cancers May Not Need Surgery Sep 17, 2009
The survival rates were substantially better than in studies of cancers detected before 1992, when use of the early-detection prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test became common. That test allows for the detection of prostate cancer six to 13 years before it presents clinically. (Newsmax)
Watchful Waiting Works for Older Men with Prostate Cancer Sep 17, 2009
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Older men diagnosed with prostate cancer who choose watchful waiting are doing better these days than in the era before screening with a test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) became common, a new study finds. "The most important message is that the long-term outcome for patients who don't have surgery or radiation is pretty good," said study author Dr. Grace L. Lu-Yao, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New... (MEDLINEplus)
Best prostate cancer option may be watch, wait Sep 16, 2009
Lu-Yao said the improvement in diagnosis and survival rates could relate to the introduction in 1986 of a widely used blood test that looks for a prostate specific antigen, or PSA.. PSA testing can pick up disease 6 to 13 years before it may otherwise be found, and patients identified in such tests would be expected to live between 6 and 13 years longer because of this lead time, the authors said. (MSNBC -- Health)
Petoskey hospital offering low-cost prostate cancer screening Sep 16, 2009
- Advertisement - The screening includes a digital rectal exam and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Physicians from the Northern Michigan Regional Hospital medical staff are volunteering their time to offer 100 screenings during the two-hour time frame. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
Older Prostate Patients: The Case for Doing Nothing Sep 16, 2009
Another factor, says Lu-Yao, is the widespread use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screen beginning in the 1990s. The controversial screen measures PSA levels in the blood to determine whether prostate cancer may be present, and since the screen can detect the tiny, early stage cancers that in years past would have gone unnoticed, the number of patients diagnosed with (and cured of) prostate cancer in the modern era has gone up. (Time.com)
Overdiagnosis Since Introduction Of Prostate Cancer Screening Sep 15, 2009
14, 2009) The introduction of prostate-antigen screening, or PSA, has resulted in over 1 million additional men over the last 23 years being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer most of whom were likely overdiagnosed, researchers reported in a new study published online August 31 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute ... 10, 2007) Some studies have suggested that the rate of change of prostate-specific antigen levels may correspond with prostate cancer survival ... (May 15, 2008)... (Science Daily)
'Watchful Waiting' Is A Viable Option For Prostate Cancer Patients With Low-risk Tumors, Study Finds Sep 15, 2009
"With the advent of PSA [prostate antigen] screening nearly 20 years ago, we started to detect prostate cancers at much earlier stages," explains corresponding author Martin Sanda, MD, Director of the Prostate Cancer Center at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Consequently, while PSA testing has enabled us to successfully begin aggressive treatment of high-risk cancers at an earlier stage, it has also resulted in the diagnosis of cancers that are so small they... (Science Daily)
New Method Aims To Stabilize Antibodies Sep 15, 2009
The light and heavy chain each has a variable domain, which come together to form the antigen binding site. Because of the great diversity of amino acids in the variable domains, different antibodies are capable of interacting with an effectively unlimited number of targets. (Science Daily)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Clears Vermillion's OVA1(TM) Test to Determine Likelihood of Ovarian Cancer in Women with Pelvic Mass Sep 12, 2009
The test utilizes five well-established biomarkers --- Transthyretin (TT or prealbumin), Apolipoprotein A-1 (Apo A-1), Beta2-Microglobulin (Beta2M), Transferrin (Tfr) and Cancer Antigen 125 (CA 125 II) --- and a proprietary algorithm to determine the likelihood of malignancy in women with pelvic mass for whom surgery is planned. The OVA1 Test is an aid to further assess the likelihood that malignancy is present when the physician's independent clinical and radiological evaluation does not... (PR Newswire)
Single Vaccine Dose, Even One from 1976, Could Protect against the H1N1 Swine Flu Sep 12, 2009
An showed that a single dose, containing an amount of virus antigen typical of seasonal flu vaccines, produced protective levels of antibodies in 96 ... Meanwhile, a , an immunity-boosting vaccine additive that is approved in Europe, produced protective responses with half the usual amount of virus antigen in three quarters of trial subjects. (Scientific American)
