FDA approves Afinitor for some breast cancers

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Afinitor to treat breast cancer patients who have not had reactions to other medications.  Afinitor is used already for pancreatic, brain, and kidney cancers.

For the full article, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48263229/ns/health-cancer/.

Researchers explore connection between popular pain relievers, bladder cancer

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute, Norris Cotton Cancer Center and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth show a possible link between ibuprofen users of 10+ years.  Their study involved over 2,500 bladder cancer and non-bladder cancer patients from the New England area in the US.  They looked at the relationship between NSAIDs and a new class of NSAIDs, COX-2s. Their study was published in the International Journal of Cancer.

For the full article, please visit http://www.aalatimes.com/2012/11/09/researchers-explore-connection-between-popular-pain-relievers-bladder-cancer/.

Michigan Hospital Systems in Merger Talks

Henry Ford Health System and Beaumont Health System have started discussing the possibility of merging.  The combined organization would become a $6.4 billion annual revenue hospital system, with 8 hospitals, 38 medical centers, 3,600 beds, 42,000 employees, 1,900 employed physicians, 3,000 private practice physicians, and a 643,000 member health plan.

For the full article, visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204846304578090831989898580.html.

Doctors will have to work in rural areas

Doctors in Bihar state in India will be required to work in rural areas, according to Bihar Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey.  More help is needed in the rural areas of India.  Over 8,000 more doctors are needed to help Indians. 

The state government is talking about the potential of opening up to three more medical colleges to provide for this need.

For the full article, visit http://www.aalatimes.com/2012/11/05/doctors-will-have-to-work-in-rural-areas-bihar-health-minister/.

Making robotic surgery easier and safer: a clinical review

Vattikuti Network Surgeon Meenakshi Jain discusses the Jain Technique in her published article, "Making robotic surgery easier and safer: a clinical review" which has been published in the World Journal of Laparoscopic Surgery.

For a direct link to the article, visit http://www.jaypeejournals.com/eJournals/ShowText.aspx?ID=3314&Type=FREE&TYP=TOP&IN=_eJournals/images/JPLOGO.gif&IID=256&Value=4&isPDF=YES.

New device could diagnose tumour in less than 20 minutes

In London, researchers at QuantuMDx are developing a medical device that could cut tumor diagnosis to 20 minutes.  This device should be completed within the next three years.  The goal is to have a low-cost device that will analyze the tumor DNA to make sure patients can get proper care as quickly as possible.

For the full article, visit http://www.aalatimes.com/2012/11/04/new-device-could-diagnose-tumour-in-less-than-20-minutes/.

Meet Mumbai's first robo doc

Mid-day.com highlights and interviews Dr. Ramakant Panda of Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai.  Dr. Panda is a Vattikuti Foundation Network surgeon and Asian Heart Institute is a Vattikuti Foundation Network Hospital.

For the full article, visit http://www.mid-day.com/specials/2011/jul/310711-medical-technology-Robot-surgeon.htm.