Day: October 15, 2025

Categories : Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags : Leave a comment

Caesarean Delivery Linked to Higher Risk of Pain and Sleep Problems After Childbirth

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New mothers are more likely to experience severe pain that disrupts sleep and activities of daily living, as well as develop sleep disorders, if they give birth by caesarean delivery (C-section), suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting.

“Sleep is often overlooked in postpartum recovery, but it is central to a mother’s physical and mental health,” said Moe Takenoshita, MBBCh, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in the department of anaesthesia at Stanford University Center for Academic Medicine. “Caesarean delivery in particular appears to increase the risk for severe pain and sleep disorders, which can lead to postpartum depression, thinking and memory problems, and fatigue, as well as disrupt bonding with their babies and relationships with family and friends.”

The study included both qualitative and quantitative analyses. For the qualitative analysis, the authors interviewed 41 mothers about their pain and sleep experiences after childbirth, 24 of whom had vaginal births, 11 who had scheduled C-sections and six whose C-sections were unplanned. More than two-thirds of the mothers who had C-sections (73% of the scheduled cesareans and 67% of the unplanned) reported severe pain that disrupted sleep and activities of daily living, compared to 8% of those who had vaginal births.

For the quantitative study, the authors analysed a nationwide insurance database of more than 1.5 million mothers who delivered babies between 2008 and 2021. They determined that individuals who have C-sections are 16% more likely to be diagnosed with a new sleep disorder (eg, insomnia, sleep deprivation or obstructive sleep apnoea) between a month and a year after giving birth, compared to those who delivered vaginally.

New mothers, especially those recovering from C-sections, should be sure to manage pain adequately, since untreated pain can worsen sleep, said Dr Takenoshita. Other measures that can help to improve sleep include regular exercise as appropriate, sleeping when the baby sleeps, avoiding caffeine or alcohol late in the day, and relaxing before bed by taking a bath or practising deep breathing.

“About one-third of U.S. births are C-sections,” said Dr Takenoshita. “Those who are planning a C-section should understand that the procedure is linked to more severe pain after delivery and a higher risk of sleep disorders. Anyone having sleep problems during pregnancy or after childbirth should discuss their concerns with their physician, who can evaluate the issue, make recommendations and refer them to a specialist if necessary.”

Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists

Categories : CancerTags : Leave a comment

Prostate Cancer Therapy Improved with Focused Ultrasound

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Credit: Darryl Leja National Human Genome Research Institute National Institutes Of Health

Combining an existing small-molecule protein therapy called tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) with focused ultrasound (FUS) can significantly reduce tumour size and burden in prostate cancer models, according to a new study published in Advanced Science by researchers at Rice University and Vanderbilt University.

Around the world, about 10 million people die of cancer each year. This collaborative study, led by Michael King, bioengineering professor at Rice, and Charles Caskey, associate professor in radiology and radiological sciences at Vanderbilt, is the first to demonstrate that low-intensity mechanical force in combination with TRAIL can treat cancers.

The study sheds new light on how low-intensity focused ultrasound and soluble TRAIL specifically destroy cancer cells within the compact environment of a primary prostate cancer lesion.

Urgency for safe, effective therapy for prostate cancer

“There is urgent need to improve how we treat advanced and recurrent prostate cancer, which is the second-leading cause of death among men in the United States and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in more than 100 countries,” said King, who is a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar. “We have now found a safe, effective and noninvasive way to enhance the antitumor effects of a specific cancer drug (TRAIL), a promising finding which we are hopeful can soon be translated for clinical care.”

Current standard-of-care prostate cancer treatments are associated with severe adverse effects. In recent years, FUS-based therapies have been gaining attention since they can be localised specifically to tumour tissue, resulting in fewer off-target effects.

Mechanical stimuli amplify anticancer effects of TRAIL via Piezo1

TRAIL protein specifically induces the death of cancer cells without harming nearby healthy cells. However, despite promising results in lab studies, only a few cancer patients have shown improvements with intravenous administration of TRAIL in clinical trials. This is because TRAIL has a very short half-life (~30 minutes) and remains in blood circulation only briefly before it gets destroyed.

Thus, to effectively eliminate cancer cells, TRAIL therapy needs to be administered multiple times per day, which is not only inconvenient but also increases the risk of unwanted side effects.

“Previously, we had found certain mechanical forces like fluid shear stress (FSS) could amplify the anticancer effects of TRAIL with an influx of calcium and activation of a protein called Piezo1 that triggered cell death,” King said.

However, FSS is not clinically applicable for solid tumours because it is only present in the circulatory and lymphatic systems and thus only effective against circulating tumour cells, which are often observed at later stages of malignancy.

“The field is still lacking a straightforward and effective clinical approach that combines the application of mechanical force with soluble TRAIL as a localised therapeutic to treat primary prostate tumours effectively before they metastasise to different locations, which prompted us to undertake this preclinical study to examine if FUS might be a good candidate to be developed into a combination therapy for prostate cancer,” King said.

Low-intensity FUS acts synergistically with TRAIL to reduce prostate tumours in lab

Using prostate cancer cell lines, Abigail Fabiano and Malachy Newman – graduate students mentored by King and Caskey respectively – performed several experiments to refine and optimise several operational parameters of in vitro FUS.

Their initial goal was to ensure that the nearby healthy cells remained unharmed by the mechanical shear forces. Next, they found that combination therapy of FUS and TRAIL was much more effective in reducing the number of cancer cells and size of tumours than FUS or TRAIL alone, supporting the idea that the synergistic action of TRAIL and FUS-mediated Piezo1 activation is key to achieving maximum tumour reduction.

“This foundational study provides crucial preclinical insights that can be used to develop a novel combination therapy for prostate cancer,” King said. “Furthermore, it opens the doors to many new avenues for using mechanotherapy in medicine and has far-reaching implications in how FUS and other mechanical therapies can be combined with small-molecule protein therapy and other drugs to effectively treat various types of cancers with fewer adverse effects in the future.”

Source: Rice University

Categories : Cancer General InterestTags : Leave a comment

Hope Blooms in Durban – A Spring High Tea with Purpose

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and what better way to celebrate than with floral elegance, an exquisite high tea, motivational speakers, and a live auction – all in the spirit of hope and healing.

On Saturday morning, 25th October 2025, at 11 am, PinkDrive will host their Hope Blooms High Tea at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga, a time of spring celebration and impactful fundraising.  And you’re invited!

PinkDrive is a non-profit organisation (NPO) committed to prolonging lives through early detection of gender-related cancers. They operate mobile health units – those iconic pink trucks – that travel to rural and township areas to provide essential screenings to those who lack or have limited access to adequate healthcare.

Recent Rio Tinto outreach statistics highlight the urgent need for such interventions. In just one week in KwaZulu-Natal, 2251 health services were rendered, including 146 mammograms and 141 clinical breast examinations.

PinkDrive receives no government funding, relying entirely on donations, corporate partnerships, and community support to sustain its essential work. Among these partners is Lee-Chem Laboratories through their Mandy’s brand.

“This cause is deeply important to us – we’ve proudly supported PinkDrive for many years as a long-term corporate partner because of the difference they make in communities that need it most,” says Bhavna Sanker, Marketing Manager at Lee-Chem Laboratories. “It is a privilege to stand alongside them in their efforts to promote early detection and prolong lives. The Hope Blooms fundraiser perfectly reflects our shared commitment to raising awareness, providing crucial screening, and ultimately bringing hope where it’s needed most,” she explains. “We therefore want to encourage the public to also get involved by purchasing a ticket and enjoying an uplifting morning in support of PinkDrive’s vital work.

According to Janice Benecke from PinkDrive, corporate sponsors and partnerships, like that of Mandy’s, enable them to deliver this essential community service. “Mandy’s has been a proud supporter of PinkDrive for many years, generously providing branding, hampers, and product samples, along with an annual donation,” she says. “Through sponsored events like Hope Blooms, we hope to inspire further partnerships and support for our mission.”

Dr Marion Algar, Clinical Oncologist at Hopelands Cancer Centre specialising in breast cancer treatment, and Advocate Pria Hassan, founder of Women of Africa and champion of accessible healthcare through initiatives like iBreast, will share their insights as guest speakers. The elegant affair will be hosted by the lovely Delia Kroll, Mrs SA 2024 finalist, and attendees can also look forward to a welcome drink, networking opportunities, raffle prizes, gift bags, and an exciting live auction. Proceeds will go towards supporting PinkDrive’s free services, including clinical breast examinations, education, pap smears, and funding toward a new mammogram truck. Last year’s event raised R25 000; this year’s goal is to double that amount through your support.

“Hope Blooms reflects the courage, resilience, and renewal that come with a breast cancer journey,” notes Benecke. “Just like flowers that bloom after winter, it’s a reminder that through awareness, support, and love, hope always finds a way to grow.”

She concludes: “We want everyone to leave with this key message, and it’sa motto that I live by: ‘Only Believe, All Things Are Possible.’ Just look at me, I am a walking miracle.”

Tickets are R695 per person with a floral dress code. 10% of proceeds go directly to PinkDrive, and bookings can be made at info.durban.umhlanga@radissonblu.com. So why not consider purchasing a corporate table, inviting members from your sports or social club, or coming along with friends to enjoy a morning of elegance and purpose?

We look forward to welcoming you.

Categories : Ageing CancerTags : Leave a comment

Global Study Challenges Age-Based Treatment Decisions in Leukaemia

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Study of 2,800 patients suggests moving beyond chronological cut-offs in cancer care

SAG Leukaemia. Credit: Scientific Animations CC0

An international study conducted by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cooperative Group reveals that age-based classifications in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) may be outdated and overly simplistic.

AML is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow that disproportionately affects older adults. Historically, age has been a key factor in determining treatment intensity, eligibility for clinical trials, and access to targeted therapies. However, this new research suggests that age alone is not a reliable indicator of disease biology or prognosis.

“Our findings support a more flexible, biology-driven approach to AML treatment and trial design. Age alone should not be a gatekeeper to potentially life-saving therapies,” said Alliance researcher and lead author Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD, associate professor of Internal Medicine and director of the Clara D. Bloomfield Center for Leukemia Outcomes Research at The Ohio State University. “Our results suggest reconsidering age-based eligibility criteria for treatments. By focusing on molecular and genetic profiles rather than chronological age, clinicians may better tailor treatments to individual patients, improving outcomes and expanding access to novel therapies.”

Published in Leukemia, the study analysed data from 2823 adult AML patients treated in the setting of large cooperative group frontline trials across the United States (CALGB/Alliance) and Germany (AMLCG), uncovering nuanced age-related trends in genetic mutations and survival outcomes that challenge current clinical practices. This research is the first large-scale, cross continental study to analyse the mutational patterns and outcomes among patients of all age groups with AML.

The analysis included patients treated with frontline cytarabine-based chemotherapy between 1986 and 2017. Molecular profiling was conducted using targeted sequencing platforms, and survival outcomes were assessed using the 2022 European LeukemiaNet (ELN) genetic-risk classification.

The study found no clear age threshold that could biologically or prognostically separate patients into distinct groups. Instead, genetic mutations and survival outcomes varied continuously across the age spectrum. This challenges the long-standing practice of using arbitrary age cut-offs, such as 60 or 65 years, to guide treatment decisions.

Survival outcomes also declined steadily with age, even among patients classified as having favourable genetic risk. For example, patients aged 18 to 24 with favourable-risk AML had a five-year overall survival rate of 73%, while those aged 75 and older had a survival rate of just 21%. This trend was consistent across all risk categories, indicating that age negatively impacts prognosis regardless of genetic classification.

“This research arrives at a critical moment in oncology, as precision medicine continues to transform cancer care,” added Dr Eisfeld. “Most targeted treatment options are still only available for patients above a certain age threshold that is dictated by corresponding inclusion criteria of pivotal clinical trials, even though patients outside of that age range might equally benefit from these often less toxic treatments.”

Source: Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology