FLICKR, ~GGVIC~
1. Elderly patients tolerate chemo
Though doctors often deem older patients unfit to receive chemotherapy, a recent trial showed that patients at a median of 74 could tolerate combination therapy for colorectal cancer, suggesting that with careful oversight, this age group can be enrolled in clinical trials and be treated with more aggressive drugs.
M.T. Seymour et al., "Chemotherapy options in elderly and frail patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MRC FOCUS2): an open-label, randomised factorial trial," Lancet, 377:1749-59, 2011. Free F1000 Evaluation
2. Gut bacteria prevents asthma
Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with ulcers that routinely colonizes the gut, appears to prevent the development of asthma by stimulating the production of regulatory T cells.
I.C. Arnold et al., "Helicobacter pylori infection prevents allergic asthma in ...
