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Early Stage Clinical Trial Shows Promise for Colorectal Cancer Vaccine
A recently released clinical trial published in the Journal for Immunotherapy for Cancer has shown promising signs for a new colorectal cancer vaccine. The clinical trial sought to establish the safety of the vaccine itself and if it was able to activate immune cells--both of which were accomplished. The research team, led by clinical scientists at Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson, University explained the importance of the study’s initial findings: "This pivotal study provides some of the first evidence that it may be possible to safely direct a patient's own immune system to seek and destroy this cancer type. This is a true milestone — made possible through the scientists and clinicians in our colorectal cancer team working in synchrony."
Study Finds Clear Correlation Between Appendectomy and Parkinson’s Disease
A recent analysis of the health records of more than 62 million people in the United States suggests a link between appendix removal and a raised risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The analysis compared data on those had undergone an appendectomy to those who had not, and found that those who had were more than three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life. The study’s lead author, Dr. Mohammed Z. Sheriff explained: “This research shows a clear relationship between the appendix, or appendix removal, and Parkinson's disease, but it is only an association. Additional research is needed to confirm this connection and to better understand the mechanisms involved."
Research Finds That High LDL-C Inversely Relates to Dementia
Recent research comprised of 3,836 participants of Chinese descent age 50 years and over observed that those with high LDL cholesterol levels were less likely to have dementia than those with low cholesterol. The diagnoses of dementia and mild cognitive impairment were established according to the fourth edition of diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV). The researchers concluded: “Our result indicates that high level of LDL-C is inversely associated with dementia. High level of LDL-C may be considered as a potential protective factor against cognition decline.”
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