Insidermedicine in 60 - July 23, 2008

From Germany - According to research published in Radiology, scientists have discovered a new minimally invasive treatment for male infertility. Researchers from the University of Bonn Medical School have found that venous embolization, which involves placing a catheter through the groin, was able to improve sperm function in men with varicoceles, a common cause of infertility that affects 1 in 10 men.

From Surrey - According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a new prostate cancer drug is showing promise for treating an aggressive form of the disease. Researchers enrolled 21 men with drug resistant prostate cancer to treatment with abiraterone and found that, in addition to being well-tolerated, the drug lead to tumor shrinkage in 70 to 80% of patients.

And finally, from London - In an effort to tackle the public health issue of high blood pressure, the Food Standards Agency has stated that the average adult should eat no more than 6g of salt each day. Experts claim that the resulting drop in blood pressure could prevent as many as 20,000 heart attack and stroke deaths across the UK each year. However, some critics are warning that this advice may not benefit everyone, such as the elderly, those who sweat heavily when they exercise, or pregnant women.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Allison Chow from Queen's University.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• sperm
• fertility
• surgery
• varicoceles
• prostate
• cancer
• drug
• tumor
• salt
• sodium
• obesity
• blood
• pressure
• heart
• attack
• stroke