Gene testing might provide more precise treatment of arthritis, bowel disease and psoriasis Many people with chronic inflammation have had good results using a biologic medicine. However, for some the effect gradually wears off. Now Norwegian researchers have made discoveries that could provide a more genetically tailored treatment.
A blood test that reveals whether we are at risk of dementia is just around the corner But it may take several years before a medicine to treat the disease is available. “We are in an ethically difficult time now,” researchers say.
Promising treatments for COVID-19 were reported early on. So why haven’t there been bigger breakthroughs? The whole world is looking for solutions. But while vaccine researchers seem to be storming ahead, it’s been much more chaotic for researchers studying COVID-19 treatments.
Anabolic steroid use reported by a third of male substance users A third of male patients seeking treatment for substance abuse had also used anabolic steroids, according to a new study from Oslo University Hospital. This puts them at greater risk for health problems.
Norwegian-British cancer medicine to be tested on British COVID-19 patients BerGenBio believes it is 80 per cent likely that their bemcentinib pill will help people who are sick with the coronavirus. The pill is now being tested on 120 British patients who have COVID-19.
New research on stuttering: Personality is important in deciding which treatment works best People who stutter can benefit from going to a speech therapist. But their personality has as much to say as the treatment method itself in terms of results, one researcher says.
Why testicular cancer can cause weight problems Researchers at the Cancer Registry of Norway have investigated why many men who survive testicular cancer later suffer from weight problems and high blood pressure. They found greater epigenetic changes in survivors than in other men.
What’s the lasting effect of surgical knee repair? For the first time, a researcher has looked at how different surgical methods affect knee function 5-10 years after treatment.
New medicine for multiple myeloma shows promising results A new drug reduced the risk of relapse and increased survival by five months, according to a recent study. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Chicago in June.
Few physical differences found between healthy individuals and those afflicted by chronic fatigue syndrome Norwegian researchers studied adolescents who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and chronic fatigue (CF) after having mononucleosis.
Many diagnosed with asthma may actually have EILO EILO, or Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction, is a condition where the voice box closes down during vigorous exercise. Norwegian researchers believe many people with this condition are misdiagnosed and are given the wrong treatment.
Cancer drug doesn’t work for chronic fatigue Cancer drug rituximab has no effect on chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to a Norwegian study.
Drugs that didn’t keep their promise The medicines were called “disease-modifying” because they were supposed to slow down the disease itself. But earlier medications for arthritis didn’t do this. Several of them, however, had dangerous side effects. Why did patients take them anyway?
Addicts in fear of mandatory rehab Substance abusers whose lives are acutely at risk can be committed to compulsory rehabilitation treatment. Some become scared of, angry at, and sceptical of the health services. What was meant to be an exception to the rule of voluntary participation has now become standard procedure in many Norwegian municipalities.
Pills can quench thirst for alcohol Many medications are available on the market that can ease alcohol cravings, but these pills are not widely used in Norway.
Liver transplants ten times better than chemotherapy Transplantations can be lifesavers for many colon cancer patients with a spread of tumours to the liver. New research reveals that survival rates are ten times higher than treatment with chemotherapy.
Prompt detection hastens healing of psychoses Individuals whose serious psychoses are detected and treated within just a few weeks of being diagnosed appear to have double the chance of being in sound mental health ten years later.
New scans aid brain cancer treatment A new MRI technique offers better images of brain tumours and quicker diagnoses. It can also help doctors decide more quickly to halt the use of ineffective medications.
Cancer researchers strive to predict chemotherapy resistance A main obstacle to a cancer cure is chemoresistance. A new test is developed to identify resistant patients before treatment starts.
Drug users in prison want treatment Drug users are massively overrepresented in Norwegian prisons, but there are few drug treatment programmes.
Treatment of drug abuse: Here’s what works Drug abuse among adolescents is best fought by a combination of family therapy and individual treatment in the early stages of the drug habit formation.