THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical science has made tremendous advances in “personalized medicine” — drugs that fight cancer and other diseases by boosting the immune system or targeting specific genetic traits. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter benefited from one of these drugs, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), which successfully beatContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Nov. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Coffee’s bitter taste shouldn’t be a selling point. But a genetic variant explains why so many people love the brew, a new study suggests. Bitterness evolved as a natural warning system to protect people from harmful substances. That means they should want toContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Home pregnancy tests are commonplace, but that doesn’t mean that every type of self-test for health issues is reliable. And even if results are accurate, you shouldn’t forgo getting advice from your health-care provider, especially if the condition is life-changing and requires veryContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Nov. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Kids with summer birthdays, especially those who spend long hours playing on smartphones and tablets, might be at greater risk for vision problems, a new study suggests. Nearsightedness, also called myopia, is on the rise worldwide. It’s what eye doctors call a refractiveContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Has stroke hit your family particularly hard? A healthy lifestyle may be your best defense, new research shows. The study of more than 306,000 white British people found that exercising, eating right and not smoking lowered stroke risk — even for those whoseContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In some bad news for chocolate Labrador Retriever lovers everywhere, new research shows that they have shorter life spans than their black and yellow cousins. Not only that, but they also have higher rates of skin disease and ear infections. For the study,Continue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of genes known to be associated with autism now stands at 102, researchers report. They also said that they’ve made significant progress in distinguishing between genes associated with autism and those associated with intellectual disability and developmental delay, conditions that oftenContinue Reading
(HealthDay News) — Of all cases of cancer, only 5 to 10 percent are thought to be strongly related to an inherited gene mutation, the American Cancer Society says. While most people do not need to have predictive genetic testing, the society says testing is worth considering if you have:Continue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Scientists report they have uncovered the first evidence that erectile dysfunction may have genetic underpinnings. In the study, the researchers analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of men. The investigators found gene variations in a specific spot in the human genome near theContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only a small percentage of Americans have had their DNA analyzed — but many are tempted to try it, according to new research. For the study, University of Michigan researchers surveyed nearly 1,000 adults aged 50 to 64. While curious about their ancestryContinue Reading