New Briefs: January 2022
New Methods for Treating Difficult Cancers
A new preclinical study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that treating people who have aggressive cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, with immune checkpoint inhibitors, quickly followed by mutation-targeted therapy, can help overcome treatment resistance and help people live longer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which work by re-energizing tumor-killing immune or T cells, and mutation-targeted therapies, which kill tumors that harbor specific mutations that turn on cancer-driving pathways, have revolutionized the way people with advanced cancers are treated. However, resistance to each type of therapy is a common problem, especially when resistance develops in the brain, limiting the effectiveness of these newer therapies. In the study, published in Cancer Cell, the researchers tested different sequential-combinatorial regimens in multiple animal models of human melanoma, pancreatic and colorectal cancers driven by common genetic mutations. They consistently found that only one regimen far outperformed the rest and uncovered molecular and cellular mechanisms to explain why sequencing on top of combination maximizes treatment efficacy. This study was inspired by observations in the clinic, which generated hypotheses this team tested in the laboratory. Based on these laboratory findings, the team has begun to test rational sequencing in a clinical trial at UCLA.
COVID-19 Vaccines Compared to Natural Immunity
If you had COVID-19, it’s logical to assume you have some immunity and therefore do not need the vaccine or the booster. But a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in people 65 and older COVID-19 vaccines are more effective at preventing hospitalizations than natural immunity. The research appeared in an early release of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on Oct. 29, 2021. Data analysis from 187 hospitals across nine states show that the odds of COVID infection in hospitalized people were nearly 20 times greater among unvaccinated seniors than fully vaccinated recipients with no previously documented infection. Additionally, the study found hospitalized people under age 65 who were unvaccinated were at five times greater risk of COVID infection compared with those who received both doses of an mRNA shot. The study further confirms that vaccine-induced immunity was more protective than infection-induced immunity against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Study researchers recommend that everyone eligible get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, even if they have previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2. It’s especially important for the older population who are not yet fully vaccinated to do so. Older people are more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, especially those who have chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, dementia, and cardiovascular diseases. According to the CDC, about 16% of the total U.S. population is 65 and older, but they account for about 75% of COVID deaths.
Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Death After Stroke
People who walk or garden at least three to four hours per week, bike at least two to three hours per week, or do an equivalent amount of exercise after having a stroke may have a 54% lower risk of death from any cause, according to a new study published in Neurology. Researchers compared data from 895 people, average age 72, who had a prior stroke to 97,805 people average age 63 who had never had a stroke. Weekly physical activity was evaluated from questions about activities such as walking, running, gardening, weight training, and bicycling. Participants were followed for about four and a half years. Researchers found that 25% of the people who had previous strokes died from any cause, compared with 6% of the people who had never had a stroke. In the stroke group, 15% of the people who exercised at least the equivalent of three to four hours of walking each week died during followup, compared with 33% who did not exercise that minimum amount. Study authors found the results especially exciting because just three to four hours a week of walking was associated with big reductions in mortality, and that may be attainable for many community members with prior stroke.
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