(HealthDay News) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a new drug for people who have a rare, inherited type of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The medication, toferson (Qalsody), targets a mutation in the SOD1-ALS gene. ALS attacks and kills nerve cells that control voluntary muscles. With ALS, patients lose nerve cells that affect chewing, walking, breathing and talking. The muscles weaken, and that leads to paralysis. The newly approved medication is made by the company Biogen, which is based in Cambridge, Mass. The FDA approved the drug based on evidence of a reduction in plasma neurofilament light, a blood-based biomarker of nerve injury and neurodegeneration. It did not show that the drug slowed the disease, the Associated Press reported. Still, “the findings are reasonably likely to predict a clinical benefit in patients,” the FDA said in a statement. “Since SOD1 mutations were first identified as a cause of ALS 30 years ago, the familial ALS community has been searching for genetically targeted treatments,” Jean Swidler, chair of Genetic ALS & FTD: End the Legacy, said in a Biogen news release. “Qalsody offers families who have lost generation after generation in the prime of their life to this devastating disease a therapy targeting the underlying cause of SOD1-ALS. Today marks an important moment in ALS research…  read on >  read on >

A gel applied directly into the brain could offer new hope for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in adults. The gel cured 100% of lab mice with glioblastoma when it was applied to the tumor cavity following surgery to remove the cancer, said senior researcher Honggang Cui, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering with Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The gel provides a workaround to some special challenges inherent in the treatment of brain cancer. The blood-brain barrier hampers the ability of cancer drugs to get into the brain, and immune response to brain tumors tends to be blunted, the researchers noted. Surgical removal of tumors is the standard of care for glioblastoma, but “the surgeon cannot remove all the tumor cells,” Cui said. “Some are left behind, and the cancer may come back.” The experimental gel fills in tiny grooves and irregular surfaces left in the brain after a tumor is removed, reaching areas that surgery might miss to kill lingering cancer cells. Glioblastomas are the fastest-growing brain tumors, and they are nearly always advanced when detected. Five-year survival rates are 22% for people ages 20 to 44, 9% for adults ages 45 to 54 and 6% for those ages 55 to 64, according to the American Cancer Society. The hydrogel is made of paclitaxel, a chemotherapy…  read on >  read on >

Each year, about 140 kids in the United States are diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma, a typically non-cancerous brain tumor that develops near the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. Doctors treat craniopharyngiomas with surgery to remove the entire tumor or a less aggressive surgery followed by radiation to kill any remaining cells. Now, a new study suggests that using proton therapy, a more targeted form of radiation, after surgery may stave off potential learning issues in the future — without compromising the already high survival rates seen in kids with these tumors. “Proton radiotherapy reduces exposure of normal brain tissue in children treated for brain tumors,” said study author Heather Conklin, chief of the neuropsychology section in the psychology department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. “For children undergoing treatment for craniopharyngioma, this reduced exposure results in reduced doses to the temporal lobes of the brain, which theoretically should result in less cognitive problems following treatment.” With conventional radiation or photon therapy, X-rays pass through the tumor to parts of the brain that are responsible for learning. By contrast, proton therapy stops within the tumor, sparing normal brain tissue and reducing collateral damage, such as learning issues. For the new study, the researchers compared how the two therapies stacked up in 94 kids treated for craniopharyngioma. Kids who received proton…  read on >  read on >

Skin conditions may be the first sign that a person has a rheumatic disease that will also affect the joints, muscles or ligaments. It’s essential to know what to look for, said Dr. Kathryn Dao, an associate professor of internal medicine in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases at UT Southwestern in Dallas. “Skin lesions can occur at any time,” Dao said in a university news release. “If they are associated with an autoimmune disease, they will manifest when the disease is active. When autoimmune diseases are treated, the skin lesions will usually improve.” People should see their doctors if their skin lesions are painful or if they are combined with other symptoms, such as fever, weight loss, diarrhea or joint swelling. It is fine to monitor skin conditions to see whether they resolve on their own if there are none of these other symptoms, Dao said. “If the lesions progressively get worse, patients should try to get in to see their doctor sooner for an evaluation,” she said. Dao said it’s important to avoid scratching skin lesions, which may worsen or cause an infection. She also urged people to protect themselves from the sun and get regular skin checks. Dao and colleague Dr. Benjamin Chong, an associate professor of dermatology at UT Southwestern, highlighted some common skin problems that they say could foretell of a…  read on >  read on >

Heard of gonorrhea? Most likely. What about gonococcal arthritis? Maybe not. Most folks are familiar with what is gonorrhea, but few may know about gonococcal arthritis, a rare side effect of this sexually transmitted disease (STD). Unfortunately, gonorrhea cases are on the rise, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, especially among individuals between 15 and 24. While gonorrhea can trigger several health issues, one lesser known complication is related to the joints. Here’s everything you need to know about gonococcal arthritis, including its symptoms, causes and treatments. What you should know about gonorrhea and gonococcal arthritis Gonorrhea can cause infections in the genital area, rectum and throat, but one of the less common outcomes of the disease includes gonococcal arthritis. The condition causes joint inflammation and swelling, in addition to tissue inflammation. It falls under the definition of septic arthritis, where joint symptoms are triggered by an infection, according to the Arthritis Foundation. According to the Mayo Clinic, when gonorrhea is not treated, it can lead to various health issues in women, including: Development of scar tissue that obstructs fallopian tubes Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus) Infertility Chronic pelvic or abdominal pain that persists for an extended period of time. For men, untreated gonorrhea can lead to a painful condition in the tubes connected to their testicles, which in rare…  read on >  read on >

Reading is fundamental, but it’s also a complex skill. Now, a new study sheds more light on how the brain makes sense of the written word. Researchers found that two key brain “networks” work in tandem to help people read sentences — so folks not only grasp the meanings of individual words but also process the bigger picture of what’s being said. Because reading is such an essential daily activity, it’s easy to take it for granted, said study leader Oscar Woolnough, a research fellow with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. “That is, until you lose that ability,” he said. Woolnough pointed to the example of aphasia, which impairs people’s ability to use language — including their speech and ability to write or read. It stems from damage to the brain, often from a stroke or a head injury. If researchers can better understand how the healthy brain allows people to read, Woolnough said, that could improve understanding of aphasia and other types of reading impairment. For the latest study, the researchers recruited patients with epilepsy who’d had electrodes implanted in their brains to try to identify the source of their seizures. That allowed Woolnough’s team to record the participants’ brain activity as they read — precisely charting the timing of events in a way not possible with noninvasive imaging of the brain. Researchers…  read on >  read on >

Sciatica can send searing, unrelenting pain down your legs, and surgery is often recommended if other less invasive measures fail to bring relief. Unfortunately, a new study review suggests that such operations likely only provide temporary results, with pain typically returning within a year. Sciatica is “characterized by pain going down the back of the leg, most often due to pressure on a spinal nerve root caused by a ruptured spinal disc in the lower back,” said study author Christine Lin, a professor with Sydney Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney in Australia. “The condition can also manifest as back pain, muscle weakness, and a pins-and-needles sensation in the lower leg. “We set out to investigate if surgery was effective in relieving pain and disability in people with sciatica caused by a ruptured [spinal] disc,” said Lin. But after reviewing 24 prior studies, she and her colleagues concluded that while partial removal of a ruptured disc (discectomy) did result in short-term pain and disability relief, “the benefits reduced with time, and at one year there were no treatment benefits compared to people who did not have surgery.” Lin noted that while surgery is not the only intervention for sciatica patients, “we don’t have a lot of treatment options that are backed by scientific evidence.” There is only “limited evidence” suggesting that an exercise program…  read on >  read on >

Have you heard the old wives’ tale that knuckle cracking will enlarge your knuckles? What about the one that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis? There are many beliefs about this common behavior, but it’s time to debunk the myths about knuckle cracking. Why do people crack their knuckles? Harvard Health cites several possible reasons. “Knuckle cracking is a common behavior enjoyed by many,” said Dr. Robert Shmerling, a rheumatologist and senior faculty editor at Harvard Health. “It can become a habit or a way to deal with nervous energy; some describe it as a way to ‘release tension.’ For some, it’s simply an annoying thing that other people do.” Sometimes people crack their knuckles out of habit. Like cigarette smoking, excessive knuckle cracking can become a hard habit to break. Stress relief is another reason why people crack their knuckles. What causes the popping noise when you crack your knuckles? Dr. Thanda Aung, an assistant clinical professor in UCLA’s Division of Rheumatology, explains there haven’t been enough studies to explain the mechanism behind the cracking noise. However, she says there are two hypotheses. The first is the popping noise “could be from the movement of all the structures” in the finger such as the bones, tendons and ligaments. The second hypothesis has to do with the synovial fluid (the fluid that lubricates the joints) and…  read on >  read on >