The cancer drugs that could lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers screened over 1,300 candidate drugs, narrowing them down to five that showed potential for reducing Alzheimer's risk in human patients, including two cancer drugs.
The selected drugs, letrozole (for breast cancer) and irinotecan (for colon and lung cancer), were tested on mice and appeared to improve memory and brain function.
This finding is significant because developing new drugs for Alzheimer's is extremely costly and time-consuming, whereas repurposing existing ones could accelerate clinical trials.
The study, published in the medical journal Cell, offers a promising new direction for treatment given that Alzheimer's affects millions and care costs are projected to rise substantially.
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The Guardian
27 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Top medical body concerned over RFK Jr's reported plans to cut preventive health panel
A top US medical body has expressed 'deep concern' to Robert F Kennedy Jr over news reports that the health secretary plans to overhaul a panel that determines which preventive health measures including cancer screenings should be covered by insurance companies. The letter from the the American Medical Association comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kennedy plans to overhaul the 40-year old US Preventive Services Task Force because he regards them as too 'woke', according to sources familiar with the matter. During his second term, Donald Trump has frequently raged against organizations and government departments that he considers too liberal – often without any evidence. The US president, and his cabinet members such as Kennedy, have also overseen huge cuts and job losses across the US government. The taskforce is made up of a 16-member panel appointed by health and human services secretaries to serve four-year terms. In addition to cancer screenings, the taskforce issues recommendations for a variety of other screenings including osteoporosis, intimate partner violence, HIV prevention, as well as depression in children. Writing in its letter to Kennedy on Sunday, the AMA defended the panel, saying: 'As you know, USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services.' 'As such, we urge you to retain the previously appointed members of the USPSTF and commit to the long-standing process of regular meetings to ensure their important work can be continued without disruption,' it added. Citing Kennedy's own slogan of 'Making America healthy again,' the AMA went on to say: 'USPSTF members have been selected through an open, public nomination process and are nationally recognized experts in primary care, prevention and evidence-based medicine. They serve on a volunteer basis, dedicating their time to help reduce disease and improve the health of all Americans – a mission well-aligned with the Make America Healthy Again initiative.' According to the Affordable Care Act, public and private insurance companies must cover any services recommended by the Preventive Services Task Force without cost sharing. In a statement to MedPage Today, Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon did not confirm the reports, instead saying: 'No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS' mandate to Make America Healthy Again.' Reports of Kennedy's alleged decision to overhaul the taskforce come after the American Conservative published an essay earlier this month that described the taskforce as advocating for 'leftwing ideological orthodoxy'. It went on to accuse the panel of being 'packed with Biden administration appointees devoted to the ideological capture of medicine', warning that the 'continued occupation of an important advisory body in HHS – one that has the capacity to force private health insurers to cover services and procedures – by leftwing activists would be a grave oversight by the Trump administration'. In response to the essay, 104 health organizations, including the American Medical Association, issued a separate letter to multiple congressional health committees in which they urged the committees to 'protect the integrity' of the taskforce. 'The loss of trustworthiness in the rigorous and nonpartisan work of the Task Force would devastate patients, hospital systems, and payers as misinformation creates barriers to accessing lifesaving and cost effective care,' the organizations said. In June, Kennedy removed all 17 members of a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel of vaccine experts. Writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, he accused the committee of having too many conflicts of interest. Kennedy's decision to overhaul the immunization panel was met with widespread criticism from health experts, with the American Public Health Association executive director Georges Benjamin calling the ouster 'a coup'. 'It's not how democracies work. It's not good for the health of the nation,' Benjamin said.
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I'm one of the increasing number of young people to have a stroke and was paralyzed at 19... how I made a comeback
Sophia Gedgaudas was just 19 years old when she suffered a life-changing stroke and was given a 15 percent chance of survival. In 2019, Gedgaudas had moved from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to San Francisco to become a pilot with dreams of also joining an NFL team as a cheerleader. However, on February 5, two days after the Super Bowl, Gedgaudas and her family were at her home when she suffered a stroke. According to Gedgaudas's mother Lily, her parents found her laying on the ground completely paralyzed with her mouth drooping. Gedgaudas told 'My entire family had flown in to watch the game and spend the week together.' The aspiring pilot was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors told her that she had suffered a stroke due to extremely high cholesterol from a hereditary condition known as high lipoprotein (a). Lipoproteins are protein molecules that transport fat in the body, including cholesterol and triglycerides. Elevated levels of these can pose a risk to cardiovascular health. High Lipoprotein (a) is a genetic condition that creates a new form of cholesterol in the body that is similar to LDL (bad) cholesterol but has an additional protein. This new kind of cholesterol causes a buildup of plaque in arteries, triggering inflammation and increased blood clotting, ultimately hindering blood flow to the heart. As a result, people with this condition have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes - even if they take precautionary measures such as eating health and not smoking. About one in five Americans, or around 64 million people, suffer from high lipoprotein(a). In Gedgaudas's case, her condition created a blood clot in her brain that resulted in a stroke. According to the CDC, about 800,000 Americans experience a stroke each year while an estimated 138,000 Americans die from it. While usually associated with older populations, recent data indicates a concerning increase in stroke rates among individuals aged between 18 and 44. About 120,000 Americans under the age of 50 and 1.5 million young adults worldwide suffer a stroke each year. Sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, substance abuse (including smoking and excessive alcohol consumption), and stress are increasingly recognized as major contributors to stroke in young adults. She told the website: 'It was a complete shock. I've been an athlete my entire life—a state champion gymnast, a black belt in karate, and a competitive dancer and cheerleader. No one ever expected someone like me to have high cholesterol. 'But because of my genetics, my lipoprotein(a) level raised my cholesterol to dangerous levels and that's ultimately what caused my stroke. 'At the time, I was completely paralyzed and could only respond with one word: "yeah." That's all I could say.' Gedgaudas's doctors initially prescribed her a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) - a medication used to treat heart attacks by dissolving blood clots. However, due to the large size of the clot, the medication failed to work and she was forced to undergo a thrombectomy, a procedure where doctors insert a catheter into an artery through the groin to remove the clot. But while doctors were able to successfully remove the life-threatening clot, she was left partially deaf as the stroke damaged parts of her brain responsible for hearing. The intensive surgery combined with the paralysis she suffered left Gedgaudas struggling to recover for three years, relearning how to walk, talk, eat and read. During this time, she watched numerous wrestling matches and decided she wanted to pursue the sport rather than becoming a pilot and cheerleader. The now 25-year-old said: 'My dad would sit with me in the ICU and put wrestling on the TV. My mom says the first time I smiled after the stroke was while watching wrestling. 'Later, my brother took me to a live show, and after we left, I said, "That's what I'm going to do." 'There were days I didn't want to get out of bed. I was angry, I was depressed. But watching wrestling made me believe I could do something again. It gave me hope and purpose.' Once being given the green light by her entire medical team in 2022, she began training to be a professional wrestler. In 2023, she made her debut and quickly became a standout. Now, Gedgaudas is the reigning women's champion at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in Louisville, Kentucky - where wrestling legends John Cena, Dave Batista, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton started their road to stardom. She told 'Being part of OVW means everything to me. There's so much history here and amazing wrestlers that have come through, and I want to be one of the names. I want to show people a disability shouldn't stop anyone from reaching the top.' Gedgaudas continued: 'For a long time, I was embarrassed that I was partially deaf. I saw it as a weakness and didn't want anyone to think I was limited. But over time, I realized it's just part of who I am - and there's nothing to be ashamed of. 'Now, I embrace it. I've learned to adapt in ways that work for me. I've gotten good at reading lips, and in the ring, I naturally turn my good ear toward the sound so I can hear what I need to. Most importantly, I stay super focused. 'By staying locked in, I'm able to catch cues and respond without missing a beat. It's not always easy, but I've found ways to make it work - and even turn it into a strength. 'I have to read matches differently, and I rely on instincts and body language. It forces me to be completely in the moment, and I think it makes me a better performer.' To stay healthy and prevent another stroke, Gedgaudas workouts and follows a special diet comprised of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins including chicken and fish. For the future, Gedgaudas has global ambitions and hopes to one day wrestle internationally. But for now, her mission is personal. 'I want to wrestle in the UK, Japan, anywhere. But more than that, I want to keep helping people.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Menopause made my hair fall out. Then I discovered a new hair-loss solution. This is the secret ALL midlife women need to know
For me, midlife has brought various indignities, as well as many joys. But standing over a sink to count the number of hairs that had come out in my brush one morning has to be among the more distressing aspects. For the record, it was 201. And why was I counting them? Because I'd searched 'how to tell if your hair is falling out' online – and according to Dr Google, anything over 100 strands was a cause for concern.
