PSA test can be made more accurate with gene markers

Gene markers may make prostate test more accurate: "LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found a way to personalize a common prostate cancer test by looking at genetic variations, which should make it more accurate in predicting a man's risk of developing the disease.

Screening using PSA blood tests is controversial because cancer is missed in some men while others get false positive results.

An Icelandic-led team said they had discovered several DNA variations that affect background blood levels of PSA.

In the future, testing for these gene variations may be able to create much more accurate individual PSA thresholds.

"By using these markers ... we believe we have made the PSA test both more specific and more sensitive," Kari Stefansson said. However, Kate Holmes, research manager at Britain's Prostate Cancer Charity, said more research on a large number of men was needed to investigate the accuracy of the new approach.

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Sperm-Producing Cells May One Day Cure Diabetes

Sperm-Producing Cells Coaxed to Produce Insulin
(HealthDay): "HealthDay - SUNDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have been able to
prod human cells that normally produce sperm to make insulin instead and,
after transplanting them, the cells briefly cured mice with type 1
diabetes."

Once the cells were coaxed into becoming insulin-producing cells, the researchers transplanted them into the mice.

The goal is to coax these cells into making enough insulin to cure diabetes. These cells don't secrete enough insulin to cure diabetes in humans yet.

A benefit of the technique developed by Gallicano and his team is that the cells are coming from the same person they'll be transplanted in, so the body won't see the cells as foreign.

The only side effect of concern, said Gallicano, is a certain type of tumor called a teratoma. But, he said, it appears with these cells it would take significantly more transplanted cells than would likely be needed before such a tumor might potentially be created.