This article has tried to summarize recent advances (from basic research to medical treatments) in the field of disease treatment. Some of the topics that have received particular attention are the discovery of mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, development of novel therapeutic approaches, and potential biomarkers for disease detection. Further work is needed to identify safer therapies and prevention strategies to reduce the burden of disease.
SGB using a variety of local anesthetics has been used as a pain management strategy for more than 100 years. However, there was no clear understanding of any specific mechanisms of action or anatomical structures contributing to analgesia by SGB. Data from a recent study from recent studies provide evidence that blockade of TRPV1 receptors in the dorsal root ganglion contributes significantly to the intrinsic analgesic effect of SGB. As such, SGB is now considered a viable alternative to conventional regional anesthesia procedures.
The most common side effect was hypotension (2%), followed by nausea (1%) and dizziness (0.7%). There were no cases of anaphylaxis. Results from a recent clinical trial indicate that stellate ganglion block is very safe when performed as an outpatient procedure under strict supervision by an experienced doctor.
The incidence of most common diseases in the general US population is increasing; however, this trend does not seem to apply to specific age groups. The discrepancy between peak incidence and prevalence among older adults suggests that some other age group should be targeted.
The median time from diagnosis to death was 4 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.7-8.4 mo; mean 3.1 mo). The mode of death was brain metastasis (79.5%), followed by death due to primary tumor (16.9%) and systemic progressive disease (3.6%). Twenty-seven percent of patients died within 1 yr from diagnosis. Patients' characteristics were associated with TTR, and these should be taken into account when evaluating efficacy and safety of therapeutic agents in clinical trials.
There were no common treatments for a variety of conditions, but there were some treatments that showed promise for certain conditions. For example, some medications have shown promise for treating breast cancer. For each treatment option, you can find their latest clinical trials using Power.
The average age when a person first develops a medical condition is different depending on the type of disease, with some conditions appearing earlier in life than others. This phenomenon is called 'ageing'. For example, most common types of cancer emerge later in life (over 60 years old) whilst lung cancer emerges earlier in life (30–40 years old). This is why screening for cancer is recommended every 2 years for those over 50, and every 3 years for those between 30 and 50. Screening for cancers is not recommended before the age of 40, unless there is a family history of the disease, because it does not change outcomes.
Findings from a recent study shows that there is no difference in the survival rates of diseases when comparing male and female patients. This suggests that women's health status may not have an effect on patient survival. More research should be conducted into this so that we can reduce public concern over the survival rate of women living with certain cancers.
The concept of “cure” is a powerful motivator. Individuals may view their disease as incurable when they do not perceive any possibility of a cure. This is particularly true of diseases that are chronic and progressive such as cancer and diabetes. Although patients may remain optimistic about the potential for cure, they often believe that the likelihood of a cure is low. The low perceived likelihood of a cure leads to patients' engagement in less intensive care against illness. Patients who have lower perceived likelihoods of a cure tend to engage in less health care services and are more likely to focus on self-management.
This review summarizes the current evidence base for clinical trials involving individuals with suspected or known disease. Clinicians must be aware that these trials do not always lead to more conclusive results than observational studies.