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. A study comparing one- and three-month antibiotic treatments to prevent active tuberculosis (TB) finds that a high percentage of patients successfully completed both regimens and suffered few adverse side effects. A team led by Richard Chaisson, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, U.S.A., reports these findings in PLOS Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-shorter-treatment-regimens-safe-options.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:00:02 EST news689872753 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute-led research helped drive an FDA label update for axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) that removes a prior exclusion for patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma, a rare and aggressive lymphoma of the brain and spinal cord. The change is expected to expand access to commercial CAR T-cell therapy for eligible patients with relapsed or refractory disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-fda-primary-cns-lymphoma.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:30:01 EST news689861627 In infants and toddlers who had a stroke before birth or as a newborn (28 days or younger), a treatment that combined restricting the use of the stronger arm with intensive task-oriented physical therapy led to improved function and skill gained on the weak side compared to standard care, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026, held Feb. 4–6, 2026, in New Orleans. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-high-dose-therapy-benefits-infants.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:10:02 EST news689849919 In a first-in-human study, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center observed strong responses and early signs of antitumor activity in patients with difficult-to-treat non-Hodgkin lymphomas who received the novel cell therapy RB-1355. The therapy was effective for those who have relapsed after multiple treatments or no longer responded to standard-of-care options, such as CAR T cell therapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-human-immune-cell-therapy-safe.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:11:39 EST news689872262 For many Kentuckians with dementia, medical interventions may seem like the only choice, but a new University of Kentucky study shows that prioritizing joy and engagement through enrichment activities is vital for the health of both residents and the caregivers who support them. This research highlights how advancing Kentucky's health care means looking beyond standard measures to support the holistic well-being of the aging population. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-person-centered-dementia-residents-caregivers.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:15:48 EST news689865302 Led by Mathieu Beraneck, researchers at the University of Paris Cité/CNRS and the University of Barcelona explored the strength of the relationship between a type of inner hair cell in the ear and balance. Their work is published in eNeuro. Says Beraneck, "After 200 years of research on this system, still no one has demonstrated the quantity of hair cells necessary for balance, so our study is a first step in answering this long-standing question." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ear-hair-cells-affects.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:00:07 EST news689599866 Regular visits by a therapy dog can aid the healing of people hospitalized for treatment of mental disorders, a new study says. Therapy dogs eased the loneliness and isolation of patients in a hospital for psychiatric care, helping their treatment, researchers recently reported in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-therapy-dogs-ease-loneliness-people.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:20:02 EST news689848738 New research appearing in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network found that incorporating information from prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT scans may be able to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and guide treatment planning in patients with rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels following removal of the prostate. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-important-recurring-prostate-cancer.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:00:06 EST news689849716 Panic attacks are sudden bouts of intense fear without an obvious cause. An estimated 10% of people experience at least one panic attack in their lifetime. But between 2% and 3% of the population have such frequent and severe panic attacks that they meet the criteria for the debilitating condition "panic disorder." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-intensive-patients-panic-disorder-standard.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:03 EST news689592121 Hormone replacement therapy applied via the skin is the best way of protecting bone density in women whose periods have stopped due to anorexia or intense exercise, according to new research, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-transdermal-hrt-boosts-bone-density.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:00:01 EST news689575313 Wistar scientists have combined a promising cancer therapy with a molecule that targets tumors to treat cancer more effectively. The new approach could be a way to deliver treatment directly to tumors at higher doses, while reducing side effects in healthy tissue. The research is published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-dual-action-molecule-cancer-treatment.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:47:33 EST news689607962 An investigational anti-clotting medication, asundexian, has demonstrated a reduction in the risk of a second ischemic (clot-caused) stroke without raising bleeding concerns, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-medication-chances-clot.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:00:05 EST news689527893 More than 30 million people with HIV must take antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications daily to keep the virus under control, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The drugs are effective but don't eliminate the virus; HIV remains hidden in "reservoirs" throughout the body, ready to reactivate if treatment stops. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-hiv-hidden-reservoirs-lab-natural.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:55:44 EST news689525701 A research team has successfully demonstrated the world's first gene-editing treatment for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). The study was conducted in collaboration with the Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine and Edgene Co., Ltd. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-gene-therapy-effective-leber-hereditary.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:10:01 EST news689436330 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 Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy have released updated consensus guidelines and an associated reproducibility study to standardize how pathologists assess tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy (administered prior to surgery) across a dozen solid tumor types. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-guidelines-standardize-tumor-response-surgery.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:55:45 EST news689432101 Hormone therapy (HT) has proven effective for managing hot flashes and other common menopause symptoms, but questions remain about long-term safety, especially in women aged older than 65 years. A new study evaluated the health outcomes of HT in women aged 65 years and older, including women who initiated therapy after age 65 years. Results of the study are published today in Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-hormone-therapy-age-risky-women.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:39:15 EST news689431081 In less than 90 minutes, a new, less invasive electrical stimulation technique has been found to improve breathing in people with sleep apnea. The technique, which involves percutaneous hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS), was tested on 14 people with OSA under sedation during a procedure designed to mimic sleep apnea breathing patterns. Unlike traditional HNS methods that require incisions, this approach uses ultrasound guidance to place temporary stimulating electrodes through the skin, activating the tongue muscle to keep the airway open during sleep. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-solution-moderate-severe-apnea.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:20:44 EST news689419202 Transgender women might have more muscle mass than cisgender women one to three years after hormone therapy, but their physical fitness is comparable, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-physical-transgender-cisgender-women-current.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:30:03 EST news689319241 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 A collaborative team of researchers and students from Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Institute of Gerontology have studied the impact of a backward walking program on individuals with multiple sclerosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-results-mobility-decrease-falls-multiple.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:07:58 EST news689357221 Delivery of therapeutic genes is essential for gene therapy. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are a prime vector for carrying gene cargoes because of their superior gene segmentation flexibility and robust gene reconstitution efficiency. However, their limited packaging capacity is a major challenge for large gene transduction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-potent-dna-recombination-method-large.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:40:06 EST news689348852 Cancer is one of the causes responsible for the most deaths worldwide. In 2020, for example, it resulted in ten million deaths. It has been estimated that microorganism infections caused between 13 and 18% of these cases. Until now, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified thirteen microorganisms as carcinogenic, which include viruses, bacteria and parasites. However, recent studies have shown that there are other microorganism types linked to cancer; some of them are fungi. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-fungus-body-melanoma-aggressive.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:40:01 EST news689350099 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 Teenagers who are pathological liars also tend to struggle with executive function deficits, such as poor memory or impulse control, researchers have found. This means practitioners may be able to consider treatments centered around executive functioning (such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Habit-Reversal Training) for patients who present such patterns, said Victoria Talwar, professor in the McGill Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology. Talwar conducted the study along with colleagues at two institutions in Texas. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-pathological-teens-function-deficits.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:28:27 EST news689336882 Young men are being encouraged to undergo testosterone testing and start hormone therapy through Instagram and TikTok content that promotes unproven health claims while downplaying medical risks, a new international study has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-masculinity-crisis-social-media-testosterone.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:17:16 EST news689336162 For patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer, the addition of palbociclib to maintenance anti-HER2 and endocrine therapies leads to improved progression-free survival, according to a study published in the Jan. 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-addition-palbociclib-free-survival-hr.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:10:05 EST news689257930 Watching ads that promote alcohol has been linked to increased craving for alcohol and increased alcohol consumption for certain people. A study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that people who gravitated, either consciously or subconsciously, toward ads for alcohol instead of ads for other products experienced heightened craving for alcohol, and subsequently drank more than those who did not have a bias toward alcohol ads. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-viewing-alcohol-ads-linked-craving.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:58:37 EST news689248681 A national clinical trial led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has found that oxybutynin, a drug often used to treat overactive bladder symptoms, reduces hot flashes compared to the placebo in men receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer. This primary analysis of Alliance A222001 is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-randomized-trial-drug-therapy-hot.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 06:00:02 EST news689004481