Cancer Genes Test

A new test being trialed on patients within the Royal Marsden Foundation Trust will check for mutations linked to cancer in 97 genes, half of which are not currently tested by the NHS.

Patients will then be given personalised treatment plans based on the results.  In time doctors hope the test will become routine so that those at higher risk of cancer can be monitored.  The test is being developed by the Institute of Cancer Research and American genetics company Illumina.  Professor Rahman, the institute’s head of genetics, said: “It is very important to know if a mutation in a person’s genetic blueprint has caused their cancer.  It allows a more personalised treatment … It also improves the information available for relatives about their own cancer risks.”

It is hoped the test will become available to all NHS patients after its trial next year.

Vitamin B Halts Brain Shrinkage

Research into whether taking a vitamin B supplement can assist with memory issues has been published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and revealed that people in the trial who took B vitamins were almost entirely protected from brain shrinkage.

Image courtesy of Rhoda Baer (Photographer) on behalf of National Cancer Institute / Wikimedia Commons

A rapidly shrinking brain is one of the sign’s that a patient has an increased risk of Alzheimers.  Paul Thompson, professor of neurology and head of the Imaging Genetics Center at UCLA School of medicine in California, said: “I’ve never seen results from brain scans showing this level of protection.  We study the brain effects of all sorts of lifestyle changes – alcohol reduction, exercising more, learning to handle stress, weight loss – and a good result would be a 25 per cent reduction in shrinkage.”  Those participating in the trial saw a 90 per cent reduction but although the figures look amazing doctors warn against taking too much vitamin B.

Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Until further trials have confirmed these findings, we would recommend people think about a healthy and balanced diet along with controlling weight and blood pressure, as well as taking exercise.

Assisted Death Debate Continues

As the debate around assisted death rumbles on, some of Britain’s most senior doctors have revealed their support for helping the terminally ill to die.

In a recent letter to The Times, they argue that the medical profession should no longer offer blanket opposition to helping people to end their lives.  In their letter they wrote: “As past presidents of Medical Royal Colleges we believe that there is a strong case for the legislation of assisted dying for terminally ill mentally competent adults … We hope that the debate among legislators and the public will focus on the central issue.  This is whether a small group of very advanced terminally ill patients should be allowed this degree of control over the end of their life.”

Currently, there are no leading medical body’s which officially support doctors providing drugs to assist in death.

Organ Donation on the Up

Figures revealed by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) have shown that the number of people who gave one of their organs to a complete stranger almost trebled last year.

Image courtesy of Sarahha7xxxjayne / deviantART

The watchdog said that 104 donors gave organs to someone else; one donating part of their liver and 103 donating one of their kidneys.  The HTS assesses all proposed transplants to ensure donors have not been put under any pressure or been offered a financial incentive.  More than 100,000 people are currently on the waiting list for organ donation and three people die every day because of the shortage.

Diane Warwick, HTA chairperson, said: “Giving someone an organ is a brave and amazing gift; to do it for someone whom you don’t know is doubly so, and the huge increase in people willing to do so is incredible.”

Sun Cream a Health Product

Asda is leading a lobby to rename Sun Cream as a health product rather than a luxury item.
According to the supermarket chain, part of the reason people don’t use enough Sun Cream is because it’s still labelled a ‘luxury’.  An Asda spokesperson said: “Sixty per cent of people in the UK state that they find sun protection products overpriced … We want to raise awareness of the importance of sun protection and champion low cost, high quality sunscreen this summer.”  UK tax law means that a 20 per cent VAT amount is added to all luxury items which makes essentials like sun cream that bit more pricey.

Skin cancer is largely preventable but by the end of this summer around 1,250 people will die in the UK from the disease and there are approximately 100,000 cases of it ever year in this country.