Scientists have been studying something called circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA. These are tiny bits of DNA that cancer cells release into the bloodstream. They've found that checking these bits can help doctors know if a treatment is working. Researchers looked at patients with two types of kidney cancer: clear cell and non-clear cell. They were treated with either i...
You probably know that continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a big deal for kids in the ICU with kidney troubles. But guess what? Figuring out how they'll do after starting CRRT is like trying to predict the weather in a place you've never been before. That's because there are so many different kinds of kids and doctors do things differently everywhere. Plus...
Nivolumab, a drug used to treat advanced melanoma, was initially given based on a person's weight (3 mg/kg every two weeks). Then, in 2018, health providers started using a flat dose (240 mg every two weeks or 480 mg every four weeks) instead. This change was made without direct proof from clinical trials, simply based on some calculations. But what’s the real deal?...
Eating disorders (EDs) are a serious health issue, and finding ways to help more people is a big goal for public health. One idea is to use apps to provide support and treatment. Some apps offer real-time help and messages, but do they really make a difference? And can they help people use health services better? Not much is known about this yet. A study looked at h...
Imagine you're diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it's still contained within the prostate. A treatment called focal therapy using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is gaining attention. This method targets only the cancerous tissue, leaving the rest of the prostate untouched. In a multi-center study spanning seven years, researchers looked at how effective t...
Think about a group of 65 people who couldn't get their high blood pressure under control, even with lots of medication. They decided to try something different: a procedure called renal denervation. This isn't a new movie plot; it's real life. These people had their blood vessels near the kidneys treated to see if it would lower their blood pressure. The study check...
Have you ever broken your wrist? It's painful and can take some time to heal. Doctors often use special plates to fix these breaks, called volar locking plates (VLPs). But are the more expensive, brand-name plates really better? A recent study set out to answer this question. They looked at patients with wrist fractures who were treated with either generic or convent...