The injection of immunotherapy directly into precancerous oral lesions may reduce risk for progression to cancer and help some patients avoid potentially debilitating surgery, according to study results.
The size of treated lesions decreased on average by more than half and a majority remained cancer free after 1 year, findings presented at American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting showed. Researchers observed no dose-limiting or systemic immune-related toxicities.
If validated in follow-up trials, the approach could represent a paradigm shift, according to lead author Moran Amit,

Disparities in sex, race and ethnicity exist in diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome among U.S. adults meeting standard diagnostic criteria, according to study results published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
An analysis of survey data showed women were more likely to seek care for IBS symptoms than men, and white individuals were more likely than Black individuals to receive a IBS diagnosis.
“Patients without a clear IBS diagnosis may face coverage denials for effective therapies,” Lin Chang, MD, the study’s senior author and chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of

The American Board of Pediatrics has approved a shorter, 2-year training path for fellows entering practice within pediatric subspecialties, according to a statement from the organization.
The decision, approved by the ABP board of directors earlier this month, follows longstanding critiques from pediatric subspecialists that the current model, which requires them to complete 3 additional years of training after general pediatric training, places them at an immediate financial disadvantage. As Healio has previously reported, average salaries in pediatrics are far lower than adult specialties,