Traditionally a series of x-rays of all of the major bones in the body are used to detect myeloid myeloma , a process known as a radiographic skeletal survey. Yet in some areas, especially Europe, whole body CT is beginning to gain favor as testing indicates it is a more effective and thorough exam for measuring bone involvement in multiple myelomas , a bone-based form of leukemia. Ask your oncologist about whole body CT scanning for multiple myeloma . A formal comparison between the two imaging technologies was presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society's annual meeting by ...

Parents and docs know preemies come with a range of possible health risks, but what about the little bundles that arrive late instead of early? Turns out they have a few risks too. A recent study has found that being born after 42 weeks of pregnancy is linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a higher number of behavioral and emotional problems in early childhood. Try to give birth at term - when your baby is due. Lead author Hanan El Marroun , a researcher in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology at Erasmus MC in the Netherlands, ...

Acid reflux, or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is not just an uncomfortable result of a greasy meal. Given enough time, some people with acid reflux may develop damage to their esophagus. And without treatment, enough damage can influence the tissue to become cancerous. While treatment for GERD or the precancerous condition known as Barrett's esophagus usually involves acid suppression with several medications, a new surgical device provides a permanent solution to treat advanced cases of heartburn. Ask your doctor about long term treatments for acid reflux. Formally known as ...

The tricky thing about protecting people against bacterial meningitis is that so many different strains exist and the current vaccines protects against only a couple. A couple vaccines exist for specific strains of meningococcal serogroup B, which causes bacterial meningitis, but a vaccine that protects against this whole class of strains is not yet available. The conclusion of a recent trial for a vaccine that would protect people against a wide range of bacterial meningitis strains showed both good levels of effectiveness and a good safety record. Be sure you're up to date on...

Changing characteristics of people in the last century in the western world have had some unlikely effects. Rising levels of gastric cancer, for example, caused one researcher to examine whether obesity could be the cause. A group from North Ireland's Queen's University Belfast published an overall analysis of obesity and digestive tract cancers, looking at cancers both in the stomach and throat. Ask your doctor about how to get started on long term, effective weight loss. Researchers concluded that absolutely obesity indicated higher chances of both forms of cancer, but surpris...

Advances in fertility medicine have been a blessing for parents who struggled to have children on their own. But one hitch has been a higher rate of birth defects among test tube babies. A large recent study has found an increased rate of birth defects among babies born through assisted reproduction, though different types of assisted reproduction had different higher rates of congenital problems. Discuss the risks of any fertility treatment with your doctor. Michael Davies, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Institute and School of Paediatrics ...

Scientists have discovered an unexpected overlap between genes implicated in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Writing in the April 27 issue of the journal Cell, the team’s findings support the idea of “a neurodevelopmental component to adult-onset neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia”. Neurodevelopmental disorders typically appear in childhood, while schizophrenia tends to afflict older adolescents and young adults. Since these diseases are not classified together, the study’s finding that neurodevelopmental ...

More than any other factor, early detection of melanoma is key. While you might be more familiar with your moles, apparently fresh eyes are best.

Suicide attempts are common for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). New research looks into the predictors of suicide in patients with BPD with aims at designing treatments to offset the risk.

Drug development is a tricky process, and it's common for pharmaceuticals to flounder initially before their best use is discovered.