On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that companies cannot patent isolated human genes that are naturally occurring. The decision defeats the Salt Lake City company, Myriad Genetics Inc. who had previously been granted patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that put women at a greater risk for breast and ovarian ...

A vaccine that thwarts cancer cells has so far proved to be better in theory than in practice, and researchers may finally understand why. The possibility of turning the body’s own immune system against tumor cells has hovered like a medical mirage over the cancer-research community for decades. While tumors emerge ...

The breakthrough drug, which targets a small percentage of breast tumors, may be effective against more cancers, according to the latest study. About 20% of women have breast cancers that are HER2 positive, meaning the tumor cells carry a protein on their surface that helps tumors grow faster. Herceptin (Trastuzumab), which ...

Ever heard of telomeres? They may stand between you and your next bout with the sniffles. Telomeres are protective sections of DNA that cap off the ends of chromosomes. They serve as a molecular clock for a cell’s lifespan; they shorten each time cells divide, gradually lowering the cell’s ability to ...

Acupuncture already helps to relieve pain in some patients, and the latest study hints that it might relieve sneezing and itchy eyes as well. Most patients plagued with sniffles brought on by seasonal allergies turn to antihistamines for relief, but when they don’t get relief, some opt for alternative treatments like ...

Chicago residents have a new way of curing a hangover or flu: getting an IV. Since its grand opening in the Windy City on Dec. 15, revive, a “hydration clinic” staffed by surgeon Dr. Jack Dybis, D.O., and emergency room nurses, provides intravenous (IV) fluids to help healthy people recover from ...

Your child’s pediatrician isn’t likely to ask whether you are giving your youngsters herbs or treating them to acupuncture. But enough children are now using alternative therapies  that physicians should be inquiring about it and parents need to volunteer information about any complementary medicine approaches their children are using to ...

When Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart’s grandmother descended into the depths of dementia, she stopped speaking. Hart was caring for her at his home, but was on the verge of entering her in hospice.Then he played for her. Although she had not uttered a word for nearly a year, when ...

On Tuesday, Colorado and Washington became the first two statesto legalize recreational use of marijuana. The referendums come at a time when more than a third of states have approved the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes. Proponents for legalizing marijuana tout its pain-relieving benefits and use by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy ...

Getting yearly physicals makes intuitive sense—routine checkups can pick up early signs of disease and get you on treatment that could save your life. Or can they? But the latest review, published in the Cochrane Library from the The Cochrane Collaboration shows that such vigilance do not reduce the risk of ...