Health Matters

Health Matters I am a health advocate, coach, researcher and author. My latest eBook is focused on healthy aging health and well being

My work covers a spectrum of health matters, particularly on latest research and I post found articles that interest me and my readers.

Worth watching
12/09/2025

Worth watching

A recent report highlighted the work of physician and researcher Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and his development of an immunotherapy called Anktiva. The approach centers on activating the body’s natural killer (NK) cells rather than using traditional chemotherapy to help the immune system better recognize and target cancer cells. Anktiva is currently approved by the FDA for one form of bladder cancer, and ongoing studies are exploring its use in additional conditions.

According to the report, Soon-Shiong and his team believe that NK cells, when stimulated with IL-15, may play a stronger role in antitumor activity than previously recognized. They point to cases in which patients lived longer than expected after standard treatments were no longer effective.

Critics, however, caution that broader claims about the therapy go beyond existing evidence, emphasizing the need for large, randomized clinical trials to confirm safety and effectiveness across different cancer types.

Soon-Shiong’s team says they have treated more than 1,000 patients in research settings including individuals with metastatic pancreatic cancer and recurrent HPV-positive throat cancer and have observed encouraging responses in some cases. The ongoing discussion reflects a tension between scientific enthusiasm for emerging therapies and the regulatory processes designed to ensure rigorous evaluation before wider access is granted.

This is worth keeping an eye on for future developments
12/09/2025

This is worth keeping an eye on for future developments

A new study identifies a biological process that empowers specific brain cells to eliminate harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. By increasing the levels of a specific regulatory protein in mice, scientists successfully cleared existing brain plaque and halted memory loss. These f...

excellent use of new medtech
12/08/2025

excellent use of new medtech

Researchers discovered that a gene regulator called TRA2β, which helps tumors grow in cancers like breast, brain, and colon, normally ignores a special RNA segment called a poison exon. This allows cancer cells to survive and resist treatment. By reactivating the poison exon, scientists effectively flipped a cellular “kill switch,” forcing cancer cells to self-destruct.

Using tiny molecules called antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), the team stopped cancer cells from multiplying without harming healthy cells, showing promise for targeted, less toxic therapies across multiple cancer types. This approach could lead to a new generation of precision cancer treatments.

📄 Research Paper: PMID: 39955311

calorie restriction
12/08/2025

calorie restriction

A calorie-restricted diet could slow down the aging that naturally happens in the brain as we get older, according to a new study of rhesus monkeys, and the findings could also be relevant to brain diseases such as Alzheimer's. Researchers led by a team from Boston University analyzed the brains of....

another promising cancer approach
12/07/2025

another promising cancer approach

Scientists have engineered a new molecule, PIP-CpG, that could change how cancer is treated. Instead of needing to be injected straight into a tumor, this molecule can be delivered through the bloodstream, travel through the body, and seek out harmful cells on its own. PIP works like a guided tracker, locking onto proteins commonly found on cancer cells, while CpG signals the immune system to activate and attack.

In animal studies, the outcomes were striking. Three simple injections cleared aggressive breast and pancreatic tumors, and in some tests, even one dose led to a complete response. Areas previously filled with cells that block immunity were suddenly flooded with protective immune defenders. Because PIP-CpG works throughout the body, clears quickly, and is simpler to manufacture, researchers say it could pave the way for more accessible and effective treatments in the future.

Source / Credit
📄 Research Paper: PMID: 34774126

Virus helpers are becoming increasingly common
12/07/2025

Virus helpers are becoming increasingly common

Researchers are testing a tweaked version of the herpesvirus (RP1) in patients with late-stage melanoma. Injected directly into tumors alongside an immunotherapy drug, RP1 infects and kills cancer cells while boosting the immune system to attack tumors beyond the injection site.

In clinical trials, about one-third of patients saw significant tumor shrinkage. Most experienced only mild side effects like flu-like symptoms. This promising approach could provide a new lifeline for patients with treatment-resistant melanoma.

📄 Clinical Trial: NCT06264180

Another Cancer treatment that goes outside the usual box thought
12/07/2025

Another Cancer treatment that goes outside the usual box thought

One of the hallmarks of cancer cells is their ability to evade apoptosis, or programmed cell death, through changes in protein expression. Inducing apoptosis in cancer cells has become a major focus of novel cancer therapies, as these approaches may be less toxic to healthy tissue than conventional....

wow this is amazing. this cancer is one of the deadliest
12/05/2025

wow this is amazing. this cancer is one of the deadliest

☢️ A tiny radioactive gel just wiped out 80% of pancreatic tumors in mice — and scientists say it could transform one of the deadliest cancers.

A team at Duke University has created a new treatment that combines a standard chemotherapy drug with a biodegradable, radioactive gel — and the results are some of the most dramatic ever seen in pancreatic cancer research.

The approach pairs paclitaxel with a soft, injectable implant made from elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) loaded with iodine-131. Once placed directly inside the tumor, the gel traps the radioactive isotope and slowly releases beta radiation exactly where it’s needed. That constant, localized dose makes the cancer far more vulnerable to chemotherapy, all while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Over several weeks, the gel safely dissolves and the radiation fades, leaving no foreign material behind.

Pancreatic cancer is infamous for its late detection, drug resistance, and survival rates that haven’t budged in decades. That’s why this study is so striking: the combination therapy shrank or eliminated tumors in 80% of treated mice, across multiple tumor types and even in hard-to-reach spots deep inside the pancreas — with no additional side effects beyond chemo.

It’s still early days, but researchers are now preparing for larger animal studies and, eventually, human trials. If the results hold, this could mark one of the most promising steps yet in the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Source: Nature Biomedical Engineering – “Brachytherapy via a depot of biopolymer-bound 131I synergizes with nanoparticle paclitaxel in therapy-resistant pancreatic tumours” (2022)

Mad scientist or future prophet?
12/05/2025

Mad scientist or future prophet?

British scientist says humans could live 20,000 years through DNA reprogramming and cellular repair technology that eliminates aging.

Another insight into the ability of sound waves to cure
12/04/2025

Another insight into the ability of sound waves to cure

🎶 Music May Do More Than Soothe the Soul — It Might Help Fight Cancer

In a fascinating experiment, Brazilian researcher Dr. Márcia Alves Marques Capella explored how different music genres affect cell growth. Her team exposed both healthy and cancerous cell cultures to audio recordings of various classical pieces.

Astonishingly, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor and György Ligeti’s “Atmosphères” caused around 20% of cancer cells to die within just a few days. Meanwhile, Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major showed no measurable impact.

The reason behind this difference remains a mystery. Scientists suspect that specific rhythmic or vibrational patterns may trigger biological responses at the cellular level — possibly influencing how cells divide or respond to stress.

Though still in early stages, this research opens up an entirely new field known as “sonocytology” — the study of how sound affects living cells — hinting that music might one day complement cancer therapy.

🧬 Source: Gizmodo — “Brazilian Scientists Investigate Beethoven’s Cancer-Fighting Music”

Another cancer breakthrough traetment
12/04/2025

Another cancer breakthrough traetment

🚨 A groundbreaking cancer vaccine has delivered remarkable results against two of the deadliest cancers: pancreatic and colorectal.

The vaccine, ELI-002 2P, was designed to target dangerous mutations in the KRAS gene, which drives 93% of pancreatic and 50% of colorectal cancers. Unlike personalized cancer vaccines that require tailoring for each patient, ELI-002 2P is an “off-the-shelf” solution, making it faster and more accessible.

In a phase 1 clinical trial of 25 patients recovering from surgery, the vaccine activated KRAS-specific T cells in 84% of participants, with nearly one in four achieving complete tumor clearance. Importantly, patients with the strongest immune responses remained cancer-free for almost 20 months—a survival rate far exceeding expectations for these aggressive cancers.

The vaccine works by delivering antigens directly to the lymph nodes, training the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Researchers also believe this approach could extend beyond KRAS, offering hope for tackling other mutations that fuel cancer growth.

While more trials are needed, this breakthrough signals a new era in cancer prevention and recurrence control—one that may finally give patients a powerful edge against treatment-resistant cancers.

📖 Source: Wainberg, Z.A., Weekes, C.D., Furqan, M. et al. Lymph node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial final results. Nature Medicine (2025). [DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03620-6]

Nanotech is one of the forefront technologies that will utterly transform healthcare and medicinal practices
12/04/2025

Nanotech is one of the forefront technologies that will utterly transform healthcare and medicinal practices

Tiny nanobots could revolutionise heart care and save millions instantly

Swedish scientists unveiled a jaw-dropping breakthrough: microscopic nanobots capable of clearing dangerous arterial plaque in just minutes. These tiny machines can navigate through blood vessels, seek out blockages, and safely dissolve them, offering a faster, safer, and far more efficient alternative to traditional procedures like stents and bypass surgery. For decades, patients have undergone repeat interventions, risking complications and long recovery times, while healthcare systems spend billions annually on these costly treatments. Now, science may finally provide a solution that prioritises patient health over profit.

Unlike conventional approaches that often require multiple procedures, these nanobots work with incredible precision at the cellular level, restoring blood flow naturally without invasive surgery. The implications are staggering: fewer hospital visits, faster recovery, and a significantly reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes. Beyond individual health, this technology could reshape the economics of medicine, showing us a future where cutting-edge innovations directly benefit patients rather than driving endless procedures.

Imagine a world where heart disease is treated in minutes rather than months, and life expectancy rises as cardiovascular risks decline. The potential of nanobots is just the beginning—they may open doors to healing other diseases with the same microscopic precision, redefining what modern medicine can achieve.

The future of healthcare is arriving faster than we think, and with breakthroughs like this, the line between science fiction and reality is disappearing. It’s time to dream bigger and imagine a world where tiny machines save countless lives.

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