Previous studies have suggested anti-inflammatory pain relievers, like ibuprofen, may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. but new research is challenging those findings.
Researchers thought that reducing inflammation in the body could help protect brain cells. But a new study has found that's not the case.
The study tracked 2,700 elderly patients and found those who took heavy doses of pain killers were 60 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer's or dementia.
The researchers speculate anti-inflammatory medications may delay the onset of dementia and that's why the drugs appeared to reduce Alzheimer's in younger patients -- only to have the risk rebound in older adults.
So what should seniors do if they're currently taking aspirin or anti-inflammatories?
If you need to take either ASA or anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen for other reasons -- such as for arthritis pain relief or blood thinning -- don't stop. Don't worry that you'll suddenly find yourself pushed into dementia by these drugs -- more research needs to be done. Conversely, if you're a senior don't start taking these drugs to protect you from disease unless advised by your health care professional.
New therapy improves chemo results
For many people with late stage prostate cancer a resistance develops against chemotherapy. Now a new therapy developed locally, may prevent that from happening and, in the process, prolong lives.
The drug OGX-011 targets a specific gene called clusterin. Clusterin is produced naturally in our bodies. With extended exposure to cancer therapies, our bodies make more of it -- which in turn makes cancer cells more aggressive -- and more resistant to chemotherapy and radiation.
"When we treat these cells in a lab in mice and cultures, we realized that we can re-sensitive cells to chemo as if they had never received chemo in the first place," said Dr. Alan S of The Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital.
At the highest dose of the drug, researchers found they could turn off the production of clusterin by more than 90 per cent.
And in the latest clinical trials it increased survival rates by 10 months in late stage cancer patients.
Planning is now underway for phase 3 clinical trials where large numbers of prostate cancer patients will be involved. Details will be released next month. If you have high-risk prostate cancer and are interested in this research talk with your oncologist to see if you may be eligible wonder for this study.
