Mysterious Bacterium Could Offer New Key Insights Into Fight Against Cancer
Scientists have discovered that a type of bacterium travels with some types of cancer as it spreads through the body, and that in those cases using an antibiotic actually slows the growth of cancer cells in mice. In other public health news: HIV guidelines, do-it-yourself gene editing kits, depression, tobacco, medical care for homeless, light therapy and more.
The New York Times:
Why Is This Bacterium Hiding In Human Tumors?
A mysterious bacterium found in up to half of all colon tumors also travels with the cancer as it spreads, researchers reported on Thursday. Whether the bacterium, called Fusobacterium nucleatum, actually plays a role in causing or spurring the growth of cancer is not known. But the new study, published in the journal Science, also shows that an antibiotic that squelches this organism slows the growth of cancer cells in mice. (Kolata, 11/23)
The Washington Post:
‘I Don’t Feel Like I’m A Threat Anymore.’ New HIV Guidelines Are Changing Lives.
Last year, Chris Kimmenez and his wife asked their doctors a simple question. Could Chris, who has been HIV positive since 1989 but keeps the virus in check through medication, transmit it sexually to Paula? They were pretty sure they knew the answer. Married for more than 30 years, they had not always practiced safe sex, but Paula showed no signs of having the virus. Their physicians were less certain. “They had a conversation, and they did some research on it,” Kimmenez said. “They came back to us and said there may still be a risk, but we’re comfortable enough” that unprotected sex is safe. (Bernstein, 11/24)
Stat:
The FDA Says It’s Illegal To Sell Do-It-Yourself Kits To Edit Human Genes. But What, Exactly, Does That Mean?
It’s unclear exactly which law would be violated by sale of those products. An FDA spokesperson declined to clarify. Nor would the FDA identify any specific products that regulators believe cross the line. Instead, the spokesperson sent links to two articles. One featured Josiah Zayner, who runs a company called The ODIN that sells genetic engineering kits for bacteria as well as genetic material that could be used to modify human muscle cell growth. Last month, he injected himself with a purified version of that genetic material. (Swetlitz, 11/24)
The Washington Post:
From Pills To Psychotherapy, Treating Depression Often Lies In A Gray Zone
Depression afflicts an estimated 16 million Americans every year, many of whom go to their doctors in despair, embarking on an often stressful process about what to do next. These visits may entail filling out forms with screening questions about symptoms such as mood changes and difficulty sleeping. Doctors may ask patients to share intimate details about such issues as marital conflicts and suicidal urges. Some patients may be referred to mental-health specialists for further examination. Once diagnosed with depression, patients frequently face the question: “Are you interested in therapy, medications or both?” (Morris, 11/25)
The New York Times:
Why Tobacco Companies Are Paying To Tell You Smoking Kills
The biggest tobacco companies in the United States will start running prime-time television commercials and full-page ads in national newspapers on Sunday — but the campaign is unlikely to spur enthusiasm for their products. “More people,” one ad says, “die every year from smoking than murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes, and alcohol, combined.” Another reads: “Cigarette companies intentionally designed cigarettes with enough nicotine to create and sustain addiction.” (Maheshwari, 11/24)
The Washington Post:
In The Woods And The Shadows, Street Medicine Treats The Nation’s Homeless
Nurse Laura LaCroix was meeting with one of her many homeless patients in a downtown Dunkin’ Donuts when he mentioned that a buddy was lying in agony in the nearby woods. “You should check on him,” said Pappy, as the older man is known. “But don’t worry, I put him on a tarp, so if he dies, you can just roll him into a hole.” LaCroix called her boss, Brett Feldman, a physician assistant who heads the “street medicine” program at Lehigh Valley Health Network. He rushed out of a meeting, and together the two hiked into the woods. They found Jeff Gibson in a fetal position, vomiting green bile and crying out in pain from being punched in the stomach by another man days earlier. (McGinley, 11/22)
The Washington Post:
Hoping To Find Other Patients, He Revealed A Cancer Often Mistaken For ‘Jock Itch’
Stephen Schroeder figured he had little to lose, his growing sense of desperation fueled by the loneliness of his unusual diagnosis. For more than two years, Schroeder had been coping with an extremely rare, invasive cancer called extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD), which had invaded his scrotum, requiring multiple surgeries. Women account for roughly half of EMPD cases; the cancer, often misdiagnosed as eczema or contact dermatitis, attacks the sweat-producing apocrine glands, including those in the genital and anal areas. (Boodman, 11/25)
NPR:
Light Therapy Might Help People With Bipolar Depression
As the months grow colder and darker, many people find themselves somewhat sadder and even depressed. Bright light is sometimes used to help treat the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Researchers are now testing light therapy to see if it also can help treat depression that's part of bipolar disorder. It's unclear how lack of light might cause the winter blues, although some suggest that the dark days affect the production of serotonin in the skin. (Neighmond, 11/27)
The Washington Post:
Pulling Your Hair Or Picking At Skin Can Be Signs Of Serious Disorders
Lucy Harper, 17, a high school junior who lives in College Station, Tex., has been picking at her skin for as long as she can remember. When she was in seventh grade, she also started pulling out her hair. “For a while my skin picking was under the radar, but it was because I was pulling my hair,” she says. “If I wanted my skin to clear up, I’d stop picking and start pulling. If I wanted my hair to grow back, I’d stop pulling and start picking.” (Cimons, 11/26)
NPR:
Human Brains Have Evolved Unique 'Feel-Good' Circuits
A brain system involved in everything from addiction to autism appears to have evolved differently in people than in great apes, a team reports Thursday in the journal Science. The system controls the production of dopamine, a chemical messenger that plays a major role in pleasure and rewards. "Humans have evolved a dopamine system that is different than the one in chimpanzees," says Nenad Sestan, an author of the study and a professor of neuroscience at Yale. (Hamilton, 11/23)
The Washington Post:
Having Trouble Sleeping? It Is Not Just Because Of Aging.
Many older adults have sleep problems that can be caused by aging. But other issues also contribute to the prevalence of sleep complaints, and they should be discussed and investigated, experts say. A national poll conducted by the University of Michigan and released in October found that almost half of those 65 and older have trouble getting to sleep, and more than a third are taking prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. (Sadick, 11/26)
NPR:
Apps Can Cut Blue Light From Devices, But Do They Help You Sleep?
If you're losing sleep over the blue light coming from your phone, there's an app for that. In fact, there are now lots of apps that promise to improve sleep by filtering out the blue light produced by phones, tablets, computers, and even televisions. But how well do these apps work? (Hamilton, 11/27)
The New York Times:
Dog Owners Live Longer
A Swedish study suggests that owning a dog is linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and death. Researchers used demographic data on 3.4 million Swedes ages 40 to 80. In Sweden, all dogs are registered with the Swedish Board of Agriculture and identified by number with an ear tattoo or a subcutaneous chip. (Bakalar, 11/22)
