In what might be termed as one of the biggest leap in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, scientists have been able to disable a dementia-linked protein which shows a tantalising capacity to interfere with the formation of waxy amyloid deposits like those that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, reported the Nature journal.In people suffering from the disease, the protein, serum amyloid P, seems to exacerbate the build-up. Research hasn’t revealed whether these deposits cause Alzheimer’s disease or are the result of it, but many scientists argue that limiting amyloid deposits will benefit patients. Immunologist Mark B. Pepys, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, and his colleagues report that a drug called CPHPC can reduce the amount of serum amyloid P in the blood and in amyloid deposits. Pepys and his colleagues plan to begin testing the drug on Alzheimer’s patients soon.Cancer victims may not need chemotherapyWASHINGTON: A preliminary research has revealed that for those patients who have undergone surgery to treat their advanced head and neck cancer, radiation alone, and not chemotherapy, is more than enough to reduce the risk of any recurrence. The findings are contrary to what previous studies said — that a combination of chemotherapy and radiation would improve the odds of staying cancer-free. The researchers analysed 407 patients who had surgery to remove cancer and were at high risk for recurrence.
