Personalized drug screens could guide treatment for children with brain cancer

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) have demonstrated that personalized drug screens can be used to identify new therapeutic candidates for medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain cancer in children. The approach measures the effectiveness of therapeutics using tumor cells obtained from a biopsy and can be performed in a few days—making it one of the quickest sources of information used in clinical decision-making. Based on this proof-of-concept study, which was published in Cancer Research, a clinical trial using the approach is now planned.

Learning pathways could guide children who miss best start to improved literacy by age 11

The early talk and communication that children experience when very young, though essential in preparing them for school, has no direct impact on their reading and writing skills by age 11, new research shows.

Life after COVID hospitalization: Study shows major lasting effects on health, work and more

Surviving a case of COVID-19 that's bad enough to land you in the hospital is hard enough. But life after the hospital stay—and especially after an intensive care stay—is no bed of roses, either, according to a new study.

Accuracy of rapid COVID test may be lower than previously suggested

The accuracy of a rapid finger-prick antibody test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 infection, may be considerably lower than previously suggested, finds a study published by The BMJ.

Use of some contraceptives may temporarily delay a woman's fertility from resuming

Women who stop using some forms of contraception may have to wait up to eight months before their fertility returns, suggests research published online in The BMJ.

Evolution favors new diseases of 'intermediate' severity

New epidemic diseases have an evolutionary advantage if they are of "intermediate" severity, research shows.

Routine testing for COVID-19 can make surgery safer: study

Routine testing patients for COVID-19 before major surgery could reduce the risk of respiratory complications and save lives, a new study reveals.

Increased early-stage cancer diagnoses tied to ACA's Medicaid expansion, study finds

In an analysis published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health demonstrate positive effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on rates of early cancer diagnosis.