Health
Experimental women's cancer drug boosts survival rates in notable study
A new drug is showing promise in tackling treatment-resistant ovarian cancer.
Relacorilant, the drug tested in a phase 3 ROSELLA trial with Corcept Therapeutics in California, was found to improve overall survival and progression of the disease when matched with a chemotherapy drug called nab-paclitaxel.
The ROSELLA trial, conducted in collaboration with The GOG Foundation, analyzed 381 patients around the world, including the U.S., Europe, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and Australia, according to a press release.
AI DETECTS OVARIAN CANCER BETTER THAN HUMAN EXPERTS IN NEW STUDY
The large, randomized phase 3 study revealed a 30% reduction in risk of disease progression in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, compared to those just treated with nab-paclitaxel. (Some types of chemotherapy contain the element platinum.)
Patients whose disease returns less than six months after receiving platinum-containing therapy have “platinum-resistant” disease, according to Corcept Therapeutics. (iStock)
The researchers also noted “significant improvement” in overall survival with this combination of drugs.
Relacorilant, which is administered as an oral pill, was reportedly “well-tolerated” by patients without increased side effects.
“A 30% decrease in risk of recurrence and a 31% decreased risk of death is promising.”
The drug is administered by mouth one day before, the day of and one day after nab-paclitaxel therapy, which is given via infusion every week.
The findings will be presented at a medical conference later this year, researchers say. Results from the Phase 2 were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2023.
OVARIAN CANCER TREATMENT ON FAST TRACK FOR FDA APPROVAL AS CHEMO ALTERNATIVES EMERGE: ‘WE’RE MAKING PROGRESS’
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in women and is the deadliest of gynecologic cancers, according to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.
Alexander B. Olawaiye, MD, director of gynecological cancer research at Magee-Women’s Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh and principal investigator in the ROSELLA trial, discussed the results with Fox News Digital.
Relacorilant, which is administered as an oral pill, was reportedly “well-tolerated” by patients without increased side effects. (iStock)
Olawaiye echoed that this new agent is the “first of its kind” in the battle against cancers that don’t have many treatment options.
“That’s what makes the findings of this study really exciting, because it did show a very significant improvement in both progression-free survival and overall survival,” he said.
OVARIAN CANCER SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS
The expert shared his gratitude to his research team, mentioning that they “never stopped trying” for women undergoing treatment.
“I want to congratulate the women that are being treated for ovarian cancer — first, for helping us to do this trial and second, for the potential that we may now have another option on the block.”
Patients in the trial showed a 30% decrease in death risk, according to researchers. (iStock)
Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology and co-chair of the Cancer Research Committee at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, also commented on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“We know ovarian cancer is very, very difficult to treat, particularly in those patients who have a disease that’s resistant to the standard chemotherapies,” he said.
“For a long time, we’ve been trying to find treatments that can help patients not only keep the disease away longer, but also live longer. And most of the trials, unfortunately, have been negative.”
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Slomovitz, a member of The GOG Foundation, said he considers the ROSELLA trial an “opportunity to use a unique drug” that has shown “positive, encouraging results.”
“A 30% decrease in risk of recurrence and a 31% decreased risk of death is promising,” he stated.
Relacorilant is administered one day before, the day of and one day after nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy, which is given via infusion every week. (iStock)
“To see data like this is refreshing, and it represents something that’s exciting for our patients who suffer from ovarian cancer.”
Olawaiye shared his hope for the treatment to receive clinical approval “pretty soon.”
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As research and technology advance, various cancer treatments have surfaced in the last several years.
Olawaiye commented that the past two decades have been a “very exciting time,” as there’s been an “explosion of approvals” for cancer therapies.
“Today’s news about Relacorilant is just another addition,” he said.
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY
The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN’T EXPECT
The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS
The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take
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