Fantastic Voyage

From Australian Doctor, 16 July 2007:
Once firmly in the realm of science fiction, nanotechnology is fast becoming a medical reality - so fast that regulators are struggling to catch up.
IN the classic 1960s science fiction film Fantastic Voyage, a medical team is shrunk to micrometre size and injected into the body of a dying scientist, with the mission of removing the blood clot that threatens to claim his life. They have just one hour to complete their task before the miniaturisation process reverses and they are restored to full size.
The story is one of countless nano-sized scenarios that have kept sci-fi fans enthralled for decades. But, while miniaturisation of entire humans is unlikely in the foreseeable future, nanotechnology has now moved from fiction into fact. Dramatic advances in the field promise extraordinary benefits for numerous areas of medicine - including cancer therapy and diagnostics - but they also raise unique safety concerns. Read more.

Pathology Update 2007

From Pathway, Winter 2007:
On one side of Sydney, lycra and sequins were in, but at Darling Harbour, lab coats were definitely the order of the day. As Sydney’s gay and lesbian community celebrated Mardi Gras, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia held their annual Pathology Update conference on March 2–4, hosting nearly 1000 delegates from as far afield as Malaysia and London.
Presentations included:
- The future for children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is looking a little brighter now that Australian and international researchers have identified a group of genes that could help target more aggressive treatment to those who need it most. Read more (scroll to page 40).
- A new approach to diagnosing subarachnoid haemorrhage offers a robust screening alternative to the more costly and difficult spectrophotometric scanning, say New Zealand researchers. Read more (scroll to page 40).
- An Australian researcher is heading the mammoth task of building a database of human genetic variation, which could revolutionise genetic medicine. Read more (scroll to page 42).
- Early detection and improved treatment have significantly increased life expectancy for children with cystic fibrosis, but an Australian expert has stressed the need for increased vigilance and standardisation in testing for the disease. Read more (scroll to page 42).
- A new group of genetic mutations has been identified that places carriers at a 70% lifetime risk of gastric cancer, and also significantly increases the risk of lobular breast cancer in female carriers. Read more (scroll to page 45).
- Pathology services in the United Kingdom are set to undergo a radical overhaul after an inquiry chaired by Lord Carter of Coles found fragmentation of service and a lack of centralised, standardised information on pathology services. Read more (scroll to page 45).

Stem cell therapy helps incontinence

From Australian Doctor, 6 July 2007:
LANCET Stem cell therapy is being hailed as the next leap forward in urogynaecology after a trial of skeletal muscle stem cells as a treatment for stress urinary incontinence reported a 90% success rate. Read more.

Web stokes Gardasil vax fears

From Australian Doctor, 6 July 2007:
First it was a mass fainting, now unsubstantiated rumours of a link to infertility have seen some parents withdraw approval for their daughters to receive the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. Read more.

Patients peeved by sharing, caring GPs

From Australian Doctor, 6 July 2007:
SHARING personal information with a patient during a consultation might seem like a nice way to build a good doctor-patient relationship, but a study has found such disclosure has the opposite effect.
Bringing up personal tidbits interrupted the flow of information between the doctor and patient and used up valuable patient time for no benefit, according to a paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine (25 June). Read more.