Latest news with #remission
The Australian
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Australian
New treatment allows cancer patients to avoid going under the knife
You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback. You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Australian hospitals have adopted a new combination chemotherapy for bladder cancer that has brought remission rates to 60 per cent, taking patients out from under the knife. A blend of the drugs Gemcitabine and Docetaxel has seen patients sidestep side effects while cutting rates of surgical bladder removal since being trialled at Monash Health in 2023, with the treatment now available to hospitals. Hailed as a means to 'change the whole protocol for the treatment of bladder cancer', the combination takes medications already made affordable by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to an eligible population of thousands of patients. The drugs are referred to collectively as Gem-Doce. It represents the first non-surgical alternative in bladder cancer treatment since the decades-old introduction of tuberculosis drug Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, for which supply is volatile. Retired teacher Alan Feher, 72, was a successful recipient of the combination therapy after he was diagnosed with aggressive bladder cancer. He had been late to catch his cancer, given he is colour blind and missed the most obvious symptom of blood in his urine. He was also misdiagnosed with an enlarged prostate in 2018 before landing on the true cause of his symptoms. 'It's quite by accident that the process started because I was mainly concerned about prostate cancer, and didn't have much idea about bladder cancer,' he said. 'The biopsy showed two things: that it was a non-invasive bladder cancer, and it was also high grade. 'The urologist said it was normal to remove the bladder and the prostate … that's looking at quite radical surgery, which would have meant having some kind of a bag hanging off of my body, where the kidneys redirected outside of my body … I nearly fainted when I heard that.' Facing the prospect of surgery, his entrance into the 2023 drug trial led him into remission. Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand president Damien Bolton welcomed the successful combination therapy, pointing to rising death rates from bladder cancer as an indication of how necessary new treatments were. Its lethality has risen in line with Australia's ageing population. Weranja Ranasinghe. Picture: Monash Health Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand president Damien Bolton. 'One way we can hold back and hopefully cure bladder cancer is not by having a big operation to remove your bladder and give you a stoma, or by having chemotherapy and radiation which have serious toxicities, but by putting different anti-cancer agents into the bladder, and this combination … Gem-Doce, is a huge step forward for that,' he said. 'Since the time of Covid, there's been a shortage worldwide of BCG … in Australia, like many countries around the world, we've had to ration our use. 'Now with Gem-Doce, you've got the ability to reserve BCG for when it's most needed, and you've got another viable alternative.' Professor Bolton said he hoped, pending the therapy's success, it would be adopted into recommended treatment guidelines. Annually, more than 3000 Australians are diagnosed with bladder cancer, most aged over 50. An aggressive cancer, it disproportionately affects men. In isolation, Gemcitabine and Docetaxel are poor treatments for bladder cancer; when administered together, 60-69 per cent of patients respond positively. A simultaneous European study has reported a 79 per cent high-grade disease-free survival rate and 73 per cent overall disease-free survival rate. Monash Health study lead Weranja Ranasinghe said the therapy would take patients out of palliative care. 'This new treatment provides an excellent alternative for these patients with good tolerance and durability. The other advantage is that these agents are widely available and affordable,' Associate Professor Ranasinghe said. 'The new treatment, Gem-Doce, is (using) established chemotherapy medicines and administering them sequentially into the bladder is shown to be effective in about 60 to 69 per cent of patients who don't respond to BCG treatment or who want to preserve their bladder.' Read related topics: HealthVaccinations
Medical News Today
5 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Psoriasis healing stages: Explanation and duration
Flare-ups Improvement Remission Symptom duration Treament Summary Psoriasis symptoms generally develop in three stages: flare-ups, improvement, and remission. The condition causes lifelong skin symptoms, but a person can stay in remission for many months if they follow their proposed treatment schedule. Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. It can lead to inflamed, cracked skin and white scales, often on the elbows, knees, scalp, and other areas of the body, but symptoms vary from person to person. For many people with psoriasis, symptoms get worse during periods called flares and improve during remission. Flares often occur in response to triggers, including stress, illness, dry air, skin injuries, or certain medications and foods. This article explains the healing stages of psoriasis, how long they last, and what psoriasis treatment involves. CatherineDuring flare-ups, symptoms develop or get worse. These often last for weeks or months before improving. These occur because the process that causes skin cells to grow in deeper layers of skin and move to the surface speeds up. This usually takes about a month, but it may occur in days for people with psoriasis. stress illness, which may cause flares 2-6 weeks after an infection skin injury, which may lead to symptoms around 10-14 days later at the injury site weather changes, such as dry air or low sunlight rarely, allergies, specific foods, alcohol, or factors in the environment may contribute to psoriasis flares Avoiding these triggers may help people prevent flares, but this is not always possible. When a person starts psoriasis treatment, they should see symptoms improving. If plaques have a smaller surface area, fewer plaques are visible, or they are becoming less severe, medical professionals would likely deem these to be signs of improving psoriasis. A doctor may use a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) to track how symptoms respond to treatments or move through the healing stages. This index rates the redness, thickness, and scaling of psoriasis plaques on a scale from 0 to 4, with 0 being complete remission and 4 being very severe. The score also uses an estimated percentage of the head and neck, upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs that the plaque or plaques take up. The time this takes depends on the treatment applied. For example, topical treatments such as creams and ointments are usually the first a doctor recommends. It can take up to six weeks before an individual notices improving symptoms. Others, such as calcineurin inhibitors, have more potent side effects, including burning and irritation. However, they may start to improve symptoms within a week. Treatment is essential for extending remission periods in people with psoriasis. For example, a 2021 study surveyed 930 people with psoriasis that covered less than 3% of their body. Of these, 51.7% claimed to have psoriasis that was in remission. Remission periods lasted 31 months on average, and 79.1% of those in remission reported receiving ongoing treatment. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, psoriasis symptoms can flare for weeks or months . As the duration of symptoms may be hard to predict, a person should speak to their dermatologist about the expected course of healing and how to support their healing time while symptoms move through the improvement stage. Psoriasis can last for a long time, and some types may even be lifelong. However, treatments may help to reduce the severity, duration, and frequency of flare-ups and speed up recovery. Topical treatments: These involve using lotions, ointments, creams, solutions, and foams, often corticosteroids, to treat mild or moderate psoriasis. Nonsteroidal treatments include retinoids, medicines containing vitamin D, tar products such as coal tar or anthralin, and drugs that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. These involve using lotions, ointments, creams, solutions, and foams, often corticosteroids, to treat mild or moderate psoriasis. Nonsteroidal treatments include retinoids, medicines containing vitamin D, tar products such as coal tar or anthralin, and drugs that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Methotrexate: This is an antimetabolite drug that may slow down skin cell division. People take it as an injection or by mouth. This is an antimetabolite drug that may slow down skin cell division. People take it as an injection or by mouth. Oral retinoids: This is a form of vitamin A that, along with phototherapy, may support people with severe psoriasis. This is a form of vitamin A that, along with phototherapy, may support people with severe psoriasis. Biologics: These injected drugs block certain molecules in the immune system, helping to slow disease progression and inflammation. These injected drugs block certain molecules in the immune system, helping to slow disease progression and inflammation. Immunosuppressants: For people with severe psoriasis, these can help to suppress immune activity. For people with severe psoriasis, these can help to suppress immune activity. Oral phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors : These slow the production of new skin cells by targeting enzymes inside immune cells. : These slow the production of new skin cells by targeting enzymes inside immune cells. Oral tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitors : People with psoriasis take TYK2 inhibitors to prevent certain immune cells from activating. : People with psoriasis take TYK2 inhibitors to prevent certain immune cells from activating. Phototherapy: This involves shining specific wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) light on the skin in a clinician's office. Doctors may prescribe this for people whose plaques cover a large surface area. Some people will need to administer phototherapy at home using a special light unit. Psoriasis symptoms flare up and heal in three stages. They can last from weeks to months before starting to improve, usually with the help of treatments such as creams or systemic medications. The recovery time can vary based on the type, severity, and treatment received. Treatment aims to achieve complete remission, or a complete absence of symptoms and clear skin. This often lasts up to 12 months, but psoriasis may flare up again in response to a trigger.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Gloucester MP Alex McIntyre loses seven stone after diabetes diagnosis
An MP who has lost seven stone (44.4kg) since January after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has said he wants to show others it is possible to put the disease into Alex McIntyre, who was elected MP for Gloucester in the 2024 general election, said the diagnosis was "the wake up call I needed" and he is now resetting his relationship with 32-year-old is urging anyone carrying "a bit of extra timber" to get tested for the condition, and consider joining the NHS rapid weight loss programme."The real privilege of being an MP is that I can talk about my diabetes publicly to help other people with it too," he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire. About 34,000 people in Gloucestershire are living with type 2 diabetes, according to NHS condition occurs when a person cannot make enough of the hormone insulin which helps the body use glucose for energy, leading to levels of glucose in the blood becoming dangerously of the primary causes of type 2 diabetes is obesity, and complications can include cardiovascular disease, sight loss, nerve damage and even amputation in extreme making lifestyle changes to lose weight can put the disease into remission. Those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in their 30s lose an average of 16 years from their life span."For me, 16 years is the difference between seeing my son growing up and getting married one day or not," McIntyre said."It's also been a real opportunity to look at my relationship with food and think 'what do I want my life to look like over the next 20 years?' "I want it to be healthier, I want it to be happier and I want it to be more active."McIntyre is on the NHS's year-long Pathway to Remission programme, which begins with a 12-week diet of only soups and shakes amounting to between 800 and 900 calories a day."It's not for the faint-hearted but you are supported through it," he said."You have a weekly check-up call and you are constantly measuring your blood sugar and weighing yourself to make sure you are doing it healthily." Almost a third of those who complete the programme put their diabetes into remission, according to the MP said the support of his friends and family, and feeling more energetic when playing with his son, were the things that helped him through."One of things I want to do by coming forward is to tell people you can do it but also encourage a conversation about how we can support people as well," McIntyre added.
Medscape
12-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
RA Remission Rates Vary in England and Wales
Although remission rates of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remained stable between 2018 and 2024 in England and Wales, regional differences were noted. Factors influencing the achievement of remission at 3 months included sex, timing of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) initiation, and symptom duration before referral. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted an observational cohort study using data from a national audit programme including people from England and Wales to examine variations in RA remission rates and to explore the associated factors. They included 21,904 patients with RA (mean age at diagnosis, 59.4 years; 63.6% women) who were enrolled in the programme between May 2018 and April 2024. The primary outcome was the achievement of remission, defined as a disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) < 2.6 at 3 months after the initial assessment. Data were available for analysis from 62.8% of patients at the 3-month mark. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 34.6% of patients achieved remission at 3 months, with stable remission rates observed throughout the study period. Remission rates at 3 months varied on the basis of the region, being lowest in London (28.4%) and highest in the East of England (40.3%) and South East England (40.0%). Older age was associated with an increased likelihood of achieving remission at 3 months (adjusted odds ratio per 10-year increase in age, 1.06; P = .0007). = .0007). Female sex, Black ethnicity, higher baseline DAS28, and delayed initiation of csDMARDs were independently associated with a decreased likelihood of achieving remission at 3 months ( P < .01 for all). < .01 for all). Patients with longer symptom durations before referral to rheumatology services were less likely to achieve remission at 3 months, and the proportion of those patients with symptoms lasting for 6 months or more before referral increased after the COVID-19 pandemic ( P = .002). IN PRACTICE: "Importantly, a major impact of the pandemic has been increasing delays between symptom onset and presentation to primary care for individuals with RA, which needs to be addressed if remission rates are to be improved going forwards," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Edward Alveyn, BMBCh, Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King's College London, London, England. It was published online on May 05, 2025, in Rheumatology . LIMITATIONS: Additional factors influencing remission, such as the dosage of DMARDs and other medications, could not be captured. This study could not definitively determine the extent to which treatment delays affected the achievement of remission. Remission outcomes at different timepoints may not have been captured. DISCLOSURES: One author was supported by funding from the British Society for Rheumatology and another by a National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Lectureship. One author reported being an associate editor and another reported being a paid statistical reviewer for Rheumatology . Several authors reported receiving honoraria, grants, travel support, and/or advisory board fees from various pharmaceutical companies.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeff Bridges Shares Health Update After Cancer Battle
Originally appeared on E! Online ' true grit has helped him through the hard times. The Hell or High Water actor shared that he's doing well nearly five years after he announced he was diagnosed with lymphoma, a blood cancer, and nearly four years after announcing he was in remission. Jeff told People in an interview published May 9, "I'm feeling good.' However, the 75-year-old admitted that he is facing some health challenges after battling a case of COVID-19 during his chemo treatment. "Some things,' Jeff explained, 'it's hard to tell if it's the cancer and the COVID or if it's just old age." As for what ailments he's currently facing, the Tron star explained, "I can't smell." But the challenges have turned into smiles with his wife, Susan Geston, who he met while filming Rancho Deluxe in 1975. "My wife laughs at me," he continued. "She says, 'I haven't showered in days. You can't smell?' Some positive sides to it, I suppose. Although I don't mind her smell." More from E! Online Pregnant Jessa Duggar Addresses Claim She and Ben Seewald Are 'Breeding Like Rabbits' Athlete Nayeli Clemente, 24, Dies After Attending Workout Event in Extreme Heat Taylor Swift's Rep Reacts to Subpoena in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Legal Battle Jeff originally revealed his lymphoma diagnosis in October 2020. At the time, he shared that he was staying positive. "Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. "I'm starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery." Less than a year later, the Iron Man actor shared the good news that he was in remission, and wrote on his website that his 9" x 12" mass had "shrunk down to the size of a marble." And while the combination of cancer and COVID led him to need an oxygen tank back in 2021, he didn't let that stop him from performing his dad duties for daughter Hayley, 38. "I had a goal—walking my daughter Hayley down the aisle," Jeff—who is also dad to Isabelle, 43 and Jessica, 41, with Susan—shared on his website at the same time he announced his remission. "I was able to, not only walk Hay down the aisle, but do the father/bride dance with her without oxygen." For more celeb cancer survivors who have opened up about their journeys, read on. Colin EgglesfieldGerry Turner Camille Grammer Ewan McGregor For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
