Categorizing Chinese herbs
Chinese physicians used several different methods to classify traditional Chinese herbs: * The Four Natures (四氣 or 四性) * The Five Tastes (五味) * The Meridians (歸經) The earlier (Han through Tang eras) Ben Cao (Materia Medicae) began with a three-level categorization:
Colorectal Cancer Survivors Not Adhering to Screening Guidelines, But Computerized System May Help
New data reveal that after curative resection for colorectal cancer, many patients do not adhere to screening guidelines. Although the majority of patients adhered to surveillance guidelines for follow-up office visits, less than half met the guideline-based recommendations for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing. About three quarters of patients met the guideline-specified criteria for colonoscopy, although […]
Targeted Therapies Improve Outcomes in Renal Cancer and GIST, but Challenges Remain
Targeted therapies have significantly changed the treatment of cancer and are now considered to be a component of care for a number of common malignancies, including breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. In particular, they have significantly improved outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
Facial Transplantation Shows Promise for Severe Disfigurement
Facial transplantation can be a useful treatment for severe disfigurement, although it is not without risks, according to two case reports involving facial damage caused by a bear attack and by growth of a rare aggressive tumor. Both reports appear in the August 23rd issue of The Lancet.
Catheter-Directed Embolectomy Life-Saving in Massive Pulmonary Embolism
Catheter-directed intervention can be life-saving for patients with massive pulmonary embolism (PE) who fail to respond to or cannot receive systemic thrombolysis, according to a report in the August issue of Chest.
Elderly Patients May Be Less Likely to be Taken to a Trauma Center by EMS Personnel
Emergency medical services (EMS) providers may be less likely to transport elderly patients to a trauma center, according to the results of a retrospective analysis reported in the August issue of Archives of Surgery.
New Imaging Technique May Enhance Accuracy of Cancer Surgery
Use of a chemofluorescence technique may allow surgeons to visualize, in real time, cancerous tissue, thereby increasing the precision of their resections, according to animal study findings presented Tuesday at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia.
New Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Problems After Joint Surgery Identified
In addition to confirming previously identified risk factors for cardiovascular complications after total joint replacement (TJR) surgery, researchers have shown that bilateral and revision operations are associated with increased risk. "Revision joint replacement and bilateral surgery are much more prolonged operations than primary unilateral joint replacement," Dr. Jeffrey N. Katz, from Brigham and Women's Hospital […]
High HBV Viral Load at Surgery Tied to Liver Cancer Return
In patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, viral load at the time of surgery is predictive of hepatoma recurrence, according to Chinese researchers.
Earlier and More Aggressive LDL Lowering, or Better Approaches for Targeting High-Risk Individuals?
A new review by three renowned experts in cardiology suggests that efforts to treat elevated cholesterol levels are not exploiting the full potential of cholesterol-lowering strategies, and current approaches to treatment are simply doing "too little, too late. [1]" The evidence, say these experts, is strong enough to support even more aggressive use of lipid-lowering […]
