Latest news with #LucyMorgan
Medscape
09-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Australia Launches Lung Cancer Screening Program for Smokers
Australia has launched a government-funded lung cancer screening program that provides biennial low-dose CT scans to patients who are either current heavy smokers or who have quit in the past decade. The screening program is a 'game-changer' for Australia, Lucy Morgan, MD, PhD, respiratory physician at Concord and Nepean Hospitals in Sydney, told Medscape Medical News. 'This [program] gives us the opportunity to offer cure to people who would otherwise develop Australia's most deadly cancer.' Morgan is also chair of the Lung Foundation Australia and a member of the screening program's expert advisory committee. Early Diagnosis Crucial Shalini Vinod, MD Lung cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer in Australia and the most common cause of cancer death, claiming around 9000 lives per year. Survival rates for lung cancer (around one quarter of those diagnosed survive for 5 years) are far below those of more common cancers, including breast cancer, which has a 5-year survival rate of above 90%, and colorectal cancer, which has a 5-year survival rate of above 70%. The reason for the low survival rate of lung cancer is that by the time it is symptomatic, it's often advanced, said Shalini Vinod, MD, radiation oncologist at the University of New South Wales Sydney. 'Approximately in half the cases that I pick up, the cancer has spread beyond the lungs and so is incurable,' said Vinod, who is on the expert advisory committee for the program. Lung cancers that are detected early, before they have spread, have a much better prognosis and better treatment options, Vinod said. The most common approach for early lung cancer is surgery to remove the tumour or radiotherapy. 'If they're 2 centimetres or less, they're eligible for minimally invasive surgery…where rather than taking a whole lobe of the lung out, you can just take a part of the lobe with equivalent outcomes,' she told Medscape Medical News . The program, which was launched on July 1, is recruiting smokers aged 50-70 years who currently smoke or have quit in the past 10 years and have a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years. Henry Marshall, MD, PhD Only a handful of countries worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Taiwan, and Canada, have national or regional lung cancer screening programs, which all vary slightly in the choice of screening interval, age range, and smoking history. For example, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends yearly screening. The choice of 2-yearly screening was an effort to balance cost and benefit, said Henry Marshall, MD, PhD, a thoracic physician at the Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre in Brisbane. 'It's as effective in terms of its health benefit, but of course a lot cheaper because you're immediately halving the number of scans that you need to do,' said Marshall, who is also a member of the screening program expert advisory committee. Australia's Unique Challenges Australia faces unique challenges in implementing a national screening program like this one. The first is that lung cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the most common cause of cancer death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with incidence and mortality rates around twice those of non-Aboriginal Australians. 'Some of it is about living in rural and remote Australia, some of it is about smoking rates, some of it is probably about genetic predisposition; we don't understand that completely,' said Morgan. 'And much of it is about access to health care.' To address this disparity, the program was developed in partnership with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation sector and First Nations people to ensure that the design and implementation was community-led and culturally appropriate and that the information and education materials were tailored to the community. The program includes a mobile CT screening service to reach Australians in rural and remote areas because 'there are millions of Australians living more than four hours away from a CT scanner,' said Morgan. Five mobile screening trucks will be deployed around the country beginning in November this year. Participants must be initially referred for screening by their general practitioner (GP). If anything is detected on CT, they are then referred to another clinician according to a nodule management protocol that was developed specifically for the program. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has expressed concern about the potential increased workload for GPs, particularly those in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage, where greater numbers of patients are likely to have histories of heavy smoking and therefore be eligible for screening. The program will also lead to increased pressure on radiology and cardiothoracic surgery services in Australia, Vinod said, but another concern is whether smokers will actually sign up for the program. Uptake for breast cancer screening in Australia is around 50%, and uptake for bowel cancer screening is around 40%. 'If you just benchmark it against those, this is going to be tough because this is a cancer where there is a lot of stigma,' Vinod said.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Can science revive dead rhinos? The answer may shock you
Source: Wikipedia Scientists in the UK have revived living cells from a southern white rhino that died in 2021, offering new hope for conservation efforts. This breakthrough, reported by the BBC, was achieved by Nature's SAFE, a Shropshire-based charity. They successfully cultured millions of cells from a preserved skin sample taken before the rhino's death. This pioneering work could allow scientists to create new egg or sperm cells, helping to restore endangered populations. The technique, already proven in mice, marks a major step forward in protecting species like the southern white rhino and others at risk of extinction. A new discovery of rhino revival from dead to new life According to a BBC report, a skin sample taken from a rhino that died in 2021 is now offering fresh hope for conservation which has only become possible because of the pioneering efforts by a UK wildlife charity. The southern white rhino which lived at Whipsnade Zoo passed away at the age of 40. In the wake of its death, the veterinary staff collaborated with three specialist organizations to preserve tissue samples. Now, Nature's SAFE which is a conservation charity based in Whitchurch, Shropshire, has successfully cultivated millions of living cells from that sample. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like "I Had A Dad Bod - Until I Did This' Apex Labs Undo Rhino's revival discovery: a significant step to development This development represents a significant step toward a groundbreaking technique that may one day allow scientists to create viable egg or sperm cells from preserved rhino tissue, offering a new path for reviving endangered populations. Although the rhino died in 2021, new technology could allow her genetic material to support the southern white rhino population for generations to come. Before her death, conservation charity Nature's SAFE collected a skin sample from her ear while she was still alive. The cells were carefully frozen at –196°C, with the goal of preserving them long-term. Scientists hope that once melted, the cells can be revived and multiplied to produce new cell lines. A representative from the charity explained that while the process may seem like something out of science fiction, similar techniques have already been successful in mice ,showing promising potential for helping other species reproduce. Expert's efforts for Rhino revival from dead to new life In April, the team carefully took the rhino's frozen cells out of storage and brought them back to room temperature. Even though the rhino died nearly four years ago, they were able to grow new cells from the sample. Lab technician Lucy Morgan, who helped make it happen, said that the cells still carry the rhino's living DNA and can now be used to help protect the species, even though the animal is no longer alive. Nature's SAFE, which is also known as the "bio bank" has collected and preserved biological material from 300 different animal species — including 37 that are critically endangered and four that no longer exist in the wild. Goal of Nature's SAFE for Rhino's new life from dead The organization's goal is to help prevent animal extinction by protecting genetic diversity. It supports advanced reproductive technologies like artificial insemination and IVF to help maintain and rebuild strong, healthy wildlife populations. Debbie Rolmanis, the chief operations officer, explained: 'By collecting and growing skin cells from endangered animals, we're creating a living library of genetic material. This resource could one day help boost the genetic health of struggling species and stop them from disappearing.' She added that skin cells are especially useful because they're easy to collect and can be reproduced endlessly. Unlike other resources, they aren't limited, making them a powerful and reliable way to preserve an animal's DNA in working condition. Tullis Matson, founder and chair of the charity, shared his excitement about successfully reviving the rhino's cells, calling it a potential breakthrough for conservation. 'This is a major step forward,' he said. 'We've now shown that the rhino's cells are still alive and usable nearly four years after her death.' He explained that this achievement could be vital for saving other critically endangered animals — such as the mountain chicken frog and the Lake Pátzcuaro salamander — that might otherwise face extinction. Thanks to advances in bio-banking, their survival is now more possible than ever. Also read: Black Holes explained: Unraveling the facts of space's cosmic mystery
