CHRIS CURTIS, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The current method of distributing insecticidal nets for malaria isn’t working well enough. Chris Curtis explains what needs to be done.
Jean Jannin
Renewed Battle Against Chagas Disease
JEAN JANNIN, World Health Organisation
MICHAEL MILES, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Jean Jannin of the WHO discusses the organisation’s new push to eliminate Chagas Disease; and Michael Mills explains how London School research will contribute.
Harold Margolis
Quiet Progress for the Dengue Vaccine
REFERENCE: www.pdvi.org HAROLD MARGOLIS, Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative, Seoul Harold Margolis, director of the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative, describes current progress in the development of a vaccine for dengue fever.
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT N Engl J Med 2007; 357: 28-381 STUART POCOCK, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Reassuring findings about the safety of the anti-diabetic drug rosiglitazone have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine following an interim analysis of the Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of Glycaemia in Diabetes (RECORD) study. This latest publication follows a meta-analysis in June 2007 by Nissen and Wolski which raised doubt about the safety of the drug. Nicola Solomon spoke with the RECORD trial’s statistician, Stuart Pocock, to get the latest data from this largest study specifically designed to look at cardiovascular outcomes.
Hodgkin’s Disease: 10-Year Results Show Further Benefit From Escalated BEACOPP Therapy
REFERENCE: Abstract 8015, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007 VOLKER DIEHL, University of Cologne
GEORGE CANELLOS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
Long-term results presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting have given further support to the use of an escalated BEACOPP regimen in patients with Hodgkin’s disease. Volker Diehl, of the University of Cologne, discussed his latest data with George Canellos, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and Peter Goodwin.
Sandra Horning
Less Radiation Is Significantly Better for Patients With Favorable Hodgkin’s Disease
REFERENCE: Abstract 8014, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007 SANDRA HORNING, Stanford University
Less aggressive radiotherapy when combined with chemotherapy has proven superior to the use of extended field radiotherapy for patients with favorable prognosis Hodgkin’s disease. This finding from long-term follow-up of mature data from a Stanford University study was presented at the 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. After her talk in the lymphoma session, Sandra Horning talked with Sarah Maxwell about her group’s latest results.
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Lancet 2007;369:1083-89 Editorial page 1061 RUPERT PEARSE, Barts and The London School of Medicine
A big step forwards in the management of patients in the emergency room who need artificial ventilation has been reported in the Lancet. A study carried out by Bruno François of the Dupuytren Teaching Hospital in Limoges at 15 intensive-care units of the Association des Réanimateurs du Centre-Ouest, has found that giving patients prednisolone therapy 24hrs before a planned extubation can substantially reduce the incidence of laryngeal oedema and the need for reintubation. Karen Regester spoke to Rupert Pearse who wrote the commentary on the article in the Lancet.
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 278, also: N Engl J Med 2007;357:9-17 SJOERD REPPING, University of Amsterdam
Genetic screening of embryos before implantation for in-vitro fertilisation caused a big reduction in the number of live births as compared with no screening, contrary to expectations. That’s the finding of a study announced at the fertility conference in Lyon and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Sjoerd Repping of the investigating team from the University of Amsterdam discussed the study findings and its clinical implications with Peter Goodwin.
Eggs From Young Patients Before Chemotherapy: New Hope for Future Fertility
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 107, ESHRE Annual Meeting Lyon July 1-4, 2007 ARIEL REVEL, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem
Harvesting eggs from young girls before they undergo aggressive chemotherapy can now be done to give the hope of pregnancy in the future, according to fertility experts from Jerusalem reporting to the European conference on fertility being held in Lyon. The investigators have obtained oocytes from girls as young as five years. Lead author Ariel Revel talked about his group’s findings with Sarah Maxwell.
Hananel Holzer
First Baby Born From Thawed, Frozen, In-Vitro Matured Oocytes
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 018, ESHRE Annual Meeting Lyon July 1-4, 2007 HANANEL HOLZER, McGill University, Montreal
The results of a study that has produced the first live birth by maturing oocytes in vitro which have been collected from unstimulated ovaries, freezing them, and subsequently thawing them for fertilization were presented to the ESHRE meeting in Lyon. This is the first time oocytes collected without hormonal stimulation have resulted in pregnancies. For some women potentially facing sterility, such as those with breast cancer who do not have time for hormonal stimulation, this technique provides the hope of pregnancy which could otherwise be denied. Sarah Maxwell interviewed Hananel Holzer about the findings.
Masoud Afnan
Ovarian Stimulation: Menotrophin Gives More Live Births than Follicle-Stimulating Hormone for Assisted Reproduction
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 098, ESHRE Annual Meeting Lyon July 1-4, 2007 MASOUD AFNAN, Birmingham Women’s Hospital
Of two types of gonadotrophins currently used for ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction one has now clearly demonstrated superiority in a meta-analysis presenteted to the fertility conference in Lyon. Human menotrophin (hGH) gave more live births than recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) whether reproduction was by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Peter Goodwin talked with Masoud Afnan from Birmingham after his presentation of the study which he co-authored with Madelon van Wely and Julko van der Veen.
Viveca Söderström-Anttila
Single Embryo Transfer Recommended For Most Patients Receiving Donated Oocytes
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 007, ESHRE Annual Meeting Lyon July 1-4, 2007 VIVECA SÖDERSTRÖM-ANTTILA, Väestoliitto Fertility Clinics, Helsinki
When oocytes are donated to achieve a pregnancy, single embryo transfer should generally be recommended over double transfer, according to the findings of a study from Helsinki. Sarah Maxwell discussed the data with Viveka Söderström.
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 005, ESHRE Annual Meeting Lyon July 1-4, 2007 PER-OLOF KARLSTRÖM, Academic Hospital Uppsala
COMMENT: RICHARD KENNEDY, University Hospital, Coventry
Elective single embryo transfer, now the norm in Sweden for in-vitro fertilisation, has greatly reduced rates of multiple pregnancy and the risks that go with it. And there are other benefits, according to Per-Olof Karlström from Uppsala who talked with Peter Goodwin during the ESHRE conference on fertility held in Lyon.
The evidence from Sweden was put in perspective during the conference by Richard Kennedy from Coventry.
MARTIN MCKEE, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Martin McKee on the smoking ban – and how the tobacco industry is now looking to promote oral tobacco. Is it an effort to keep people addicted?
Virginia Berridge
Health Politics Must Involve History
REFERENCE: The Guardian, 20th June VIRGINIA BERRIDGE, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Virginia Berridge on how the past holds important lessons for public health in the present.
Martin McKee
Alcohol Consumption in Russian Men
REFERENCE: The Lancet 2007; 369:2001-2009 MARTIN MCKEE, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Martin McKee also discusses the new study on alcohol and mortality in working-age Russian men, and evidence that non-beverage alcohol is a major cause of early death.
More Support for Bevacizumab in Advanced Lung Cancer
REFERENCE: Abstract LBA7514, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007 CHRISTIAN MANEGOLD, Heidelberg University, Mannheim
COMMENT: ROY HERBST, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
The benefit of adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer was further underlined by a phase III trial presented at ASCO. A European study tested two doses of the targeted agent with or without cisplatin plus gemcitabine chemotherapy. Derek Thorne heard the results from Christian Manegold of the University of Heidelberg.
David Baker
Reduced Chemotherapy: Same Benefit in Pediatric Intermediate Risk Neuroblastoma
REFERENCE: Abstract 9504, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007 DAVID BAKER, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth
A phase III study of pediatric patients with neuroblastoma has shown that chemotherapy doses can be reduced whilst maintaining the typical high survival rates of standard dose radiotherapy. Sarah Maxwell talked with investigator David Baker during the ASCO conference.
Robert Mayer
Oral Agent Benefits Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer
REFERENCE: Abstracts 4513 and 4514, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007 ROBERT MAYER, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
The oral pro-drug known as S-1 has been shown in two Japanese studies to bring survival benefit to patients with advanced gastric cancer. During the ASCO meeting Peter Goodwin asked Robert Mayer for the details and for his assessment of the importance of these new data.