https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. So you think you can't donate blood because of a tattoo, or you traveled overseas or maybe you got a vaccine recently? Chances are you CAN donate blood! https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-blood-donation-vaccines-tattoos-disqualify.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:20:01 EST news689422489 UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists have identified a molecule that blocks the gene responsible for glioblastoma, raising hopes that the molecule could become a much-needed new treatment for the deadliest brain cancer. Researcher Hui Li, Ph.D., previously discovered the "oncogene" responsible for glioblastoma, a cancer for which there are no treatments that extend life for more than a few months. In his follow-up work, published in Science Translational Medicine, Li reports the identification of a small molecule that blocked the gene's activity in both cell samples and lab mice. In mice, the molecule proved effective without unwanted or harmful side effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-small-molecule-blocks-key-glioblastoma.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:19:54 EST news689440741 QIMR Berghofer scientists have discovered a cancer-fighting RNA molecule that could hold the key to a new way of treating the most common form of breast cancer. The team are developing their findings into a potential RNA-based therapy for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer, offering hope to women with advanced disease who are no longer responding to existing drugs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-rna-molecule-discovery-potential-breast.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:10:01 EST news689342498 Current drugs for pancreatic cancer lose effectiveness within months because the tumor becomes resistant. Now, a group from Spain's National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) has been able to avoid the development of resistance in animal models with a combined triple therapy. Mariano Barbacid, head of the Experimental Oncology Group at the CNIO, has designed a therapy that successfully eliminates pancreatic tumors in mice completely and durably, with no significant side effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-pancreatic-tumors-mice-resistance.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:10:01 EST news689348291 A new in vivo pharmacokinetic recall study involving 114 participants in the Estonian Biobank has provided the first clinical confirmation that previously uncharacterized genetic variants in the drug-metabolizing enzymes CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 significantly affect how drugs are processed in the human body. These results emphasize the need to look beyond common pharmacogenetic markers to improve the precision of personalized drug therapy. The paper is published in the journal npj Genomic Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-rare-cyp2c19-cyp2d6-variants-drug.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:00:01 EST news688916512 Serenity Cole enjoyed Christmas last month relaxing with her family near her St. Louis home, making crafts and visiting friends. It was a contrast to how Cole, 18, spent part of the 2024 holiday season. She was in the hospital—a frequent occurrence with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that damages oxygen-carrying red blood cells and for years caused debilitating pain in her arms and legs. Flare-ups would often force her to cancel plans or miss school. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-medicaid-approach-sickle-cell-companies.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:00:02 EST news688642235 Brain tumors are abnormal growths of cells in or around the brain. They can be primary (originating in the brain) or secondary (metastatic, spreading to the brain from cancer elsewhere). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-brain-tumors.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:00:02 EST news688373462 Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common acute leukemias in children. While treatment outcomes have improved in recent years, approximately 30% of patients relapse following initial chemotherapy and face poor survival prospects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-scientists-reveal-splicing-based-mechanism.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:45:51 EST news688229101 Alcohol treatment for adolescents in England who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is more than twice as likely to fail than compared to those who are, University of Manchester researchers have found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-alcohol-treatment-adolescents-employment.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:00:05 EST news687622261 A study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center found that normal cells surrounding a tumor, known as cancer-associated fibroblasts, can help lung cancer cells survive targeted drug therapy by activating multiple survival routes that allow tumors to evade treatment. Results of the study, published in Science Signaling, provide valuable insights into why some cancers are resistant to currently approved therapies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-qa-tumor-cells-lung-cancer.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:16:01 EST news687021304 For more than 80 years, men have been told that testosterone helps prostate cancer grow. But a very different picture has emerged over the past two decades. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-testosterone-prostate-cancer-villain-potential.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:20:02 EST news686226646 A research team at Oregon Health & Science University has discovered a promising new drug combination that may help people with acute myeloid leukemia overcome resistance to one of the most common frontline therapies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-breast-cancer-drug-boosts-leukemia.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:08 EST news685804822 A major review of prior research has found no evidence that menopause hormone therapy either increases or decreases dementia risk in postmenopausal women, in a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-menopause-hormone-therapy-impact-dementia.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:30:03 EST news685615142 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a promising combination approach to treat a rare but catastrophic pediatric brain cancer called atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-combination-therapy-potential-pediatric-brain.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:17:32 EST news685124222 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Omisirge (omidubicel-onlv) as the first hematopoietic stem cell transplant therapy to treat patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-fda-stem-cell-therapy-severe.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:00:03 EST news684763055 Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have developed a new type of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell that elicits a more controlled immune response to cancer in mice—effectively killing cancer cells, including those that typically escape detection, with fewer toxic side effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-generation-car-cells-stronger-safer.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:00:08 EST news684583902 A new clinical trial suggests that pairing bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates with CAR T-cell therapy may sharply boost one-year progression-free survival for people with aggressive lymphoma. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-combination-approach-aims-car-durable.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:30:03 EST news684405836 Hot flashes and night sweats are miserable, as anybody going through menopause can tell you. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-doctor-hrt-black.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:08:04 EST news684414421 A study assessing the real-world commercial roll-out of gene therapies for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia offers lessons learned to inform best practices as manufacturers and medical centers prepare to meet growing demand for gene therapies in the coming years. The study was presented at the 67th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition held 6–9 December, in Orlando, Florida. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-real-world-commercial-gene-therapies.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 07:00:08 EST news684057421 A rare and life-threatening kidney disease in children finally has an effective therapy, thanks in large part to pioneering research and clinical leadership from University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-pegcetacoplan-closest-rare-severe-kidney.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:00:01 EST news683975281 The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first-ever guideline on using GLP-1 medications to treat obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-issues-guidance-glp-drugs-obesity.html Tue, 02 Dec 2025 19:40:02 EST news683904673 About 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV infection. In the United Kingdom, there are approximately 100,000 people affected. If the infection is not treated, the body will eventually be unable to defend itself against pathogens or tumor cells. This leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which causes several diseases, some of which are life-threatening. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-treatment-safety-cases-late-hiv.html Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:31:22 EST news683825461 A research group led by Assistant Professor Megumi Aimoto and Professor Akira Takahara at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, revealed that pyrazole-3 (Pyr3), a selective inhibitor of the transient receptor potential canonical-3 (TRPC3) channel, a calcium-permeable channel in the heart, prevents the persistence of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a tachyarrhythmia that occurs in the atria and is a major cause of stroke and heart failure. This study demonstrated that the TRPC3 channel is a promising new therapeutic target for atrial fibrillation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-trpc3-channels-atrial-fibrillation.html Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:30:01 EST news682876541 Some lung cancers manage to overcome a targeted drug therapy despite it showing initial success. Yale researchers have now discovered a molecular-level resistance mechanism that begins to take hold as early as six to eight weeks after the cancer drug is introduced. They report their findings in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-cellular-resistance-osimertinib-adenocarcinoma.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:14:04 EST news682791242 Removing the most dire warning from hormonal therapies to treat menopause is likely the right call, women's health experts say, but exuberance for the treatments could be getting ahead of the evidence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-menopause-hormone-therapy-longer-fda.html Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:28:14 EST news682680486 Trypanosomatids are parasites that can result in more than 1 billion potentially fatal infections per year globally. In Africa, Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), better known as sleeping sickness, causes a devastating infection that without treatment results in death. Unfortunately, most drug therapies against HAT have mixed results and multiple adverse side effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-drug-sickness-parasites-dna.html Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:01:04 EST news682617661 Shilpa Gajarawala struggled with hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems and brain fog. But given her history of breast cancer, treating these menopausal symptoms with hormone therapy wasn't an option. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-hormone-therapy-menopause-options.html Sun, 16 Nov 2025 06:05:18 EST news682495506 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is eliminating the prominent "black box" warnings on many hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications, signaling a major shift in how the treatment is viewed for menopausal women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-fda-major-hormone-therapy.html Sat, 15 Nov 2025 15:30:02 EST news682183606 The United States on Friday said it would add its most serious warning label to a gene therapy treatment for a debilitating muscle-wasting disease, and also limit its approved use. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-narrows-muscle-therapy-teen-deaths.html Sat, 15 Nov 2025 05:20:03 EST news682405497 Earlier this year, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn created a first-of-its-kind drug customized to a unique genetic mutation to save an infant named Baby KJ from dying of a rare liver disorder. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-gene-therapy-rare-diseases-fda.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:40:01 EST news682339046