Latest news with #InterventionandTechnology
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
New gene therapy shows potential for restoring hearing
New Delhi: Ina significant scientific breakthrough, an international team of researchers has developed a novel gene therapy that can improve hearing in children and adults with congenital deafness or severe hearing impairment. In the study, Swedish and Chinese used gene therapy and improved hearing in 10 patients, and the treatment was well-tolerated. 'This is a huge step forward in the genetic treatment of deafness, one that can be life-changing for children and adults,' said Maoli Duan, consultant and docent at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, comprised 10 patients between the ages of 1 and 24 at five hospitals in China, all of whom had a genetic form of deafness or severe hearing impairment caused by mutations in a gene called OTOF. These mutations cause a deficiency of the protein otoferlin, which plays a critical part in transmitting auditory signals from the ear to the brain. The gene therapy involved using a synthetic adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver a functional version of the OTOF gene to the inner ear via a single injection through a membrane at the base of the cochlea called the round window. The gene therapy worked rapidly and helped the majority of the patients to recover some hearing in just a month. A six-month follow-up showed considerable hearing improvement in all participants, with the average volume of perceptible sound improving from 106 decibels to 52. The younger patients, especially those between the ages of five and eight, responded best to the treatment. One of the participants, a seven-year-old girl, quickly recovered almost all her hearing and was able to hold daily conversations with her mother four months afterward. However, the therapy also proved effective in adults. 'Smaller studies in China have previously shown positive results in children, but this is the first time that the method has been tested in teenagers and adults, too,' Duan said. 'Hearing was greatly improved in many of the participants, which can have a profound effect on their life quality. We will now be following these patients to see how lasting the effect is,' the expert said. Importantly, the results also show that the treatment was safe and well-tolerated.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Urine test could reveal prostate cancer: Study
(NewsNation) — The future of prostate cancer screening could be upon us. According to a new study published in the Cancer Research journal, early prostate cancer diagnoses can be made via a mere urine test. Prostate cancer is one of the world's most frequently occurring cancers among men. In the United States, it is the second most common cancer behind skin cancer. These 2 things in your diet could help lower inflammation: Study Researchers from Sweden, China, and the United Kingdom used AI models to analyze urine samples of almost 2,000 men and recognize biomarkers indicative of prostate cancer. 'New, more precise biomarkers than PSA (prostate-specific antigen blood test) can lead to earlier diagnosis and better prognoses for men with prostate cancer,' principal investigator Mikael Benson and senior researcher at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, said in a release. 'Moreover, it can reduce the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies in healthy men,' he added. The study was largely funded by the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Research Council and Radiumhemmet: a non-surgical cancer research and treatment center in Sweden. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
