(HealthDay News) – A gene-targeted personalized vaccine may delay the return of pancreatic cancer according to a small, but promising, trial. The mRNA vaccine, which was tailored to the genetic makeup of each patient’s tumor, worked in half of those who received it during 18 months of follow-up, researchers reported May 10 in the journal…  read on >  read on >

Poor sleep brought on by sleep apnea may ultimately undermine the brain health of older men and women, new research suggests. The concern stems from a new brain scan investigation that involved 140 sleep apnea patients. “Sleep apnea is a medical condition in which patients … stop breathing during sleep, which can affect their sleep…  read on >  read on >

While the U.S. Veterans Affairs health system has been criticized for long appointment wait times and limited access to specialists, the quality of care and access to a range of surgical services is as good as or better than at non-VA health centers on several measures, new research reveals. “Surgery involves many steps of care,”…  read on >  read on >

Cats who became infected with COVID-19 had the same variants as their owners throughout the different phases of the pandemic, new research finds. Scientists looked at retrospective samples to assess COVID-19 infections in U.K. cats from April 2020 to February 2022. The cats had been infected with the Alpha and Delta variants following their emergence…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay News) – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday issued a six-month extension for people seeking to fill controlled medication prescriptions via telehealth. That ability had been set to expire along with the ending of the pandemic public health emergency on May 11. “These medications, including those used to treat opioid use disorder, are…  read on >  read on >

Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests. These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, oil, gas, wood or tobacco burn. Flame grilling of meat and other foods also contribute to PAH…  read on >  read on >

It’s easy to keep your skin safer in the summer sun if you have the right sunscreen. UCLA Health offers some tips for picking the best type and SPF level. Getting sunburned just five times in a lifetime doubles the risk of getting melanoma, the most serious skin cancer, so making sure you’re protected is…  read on >  read on >

Having a latex allergy is no fun, but it can be a real challenge for health professionals who have to work with a wide variety of medical equipment that can contain the allergen. Latex allergy can trigger a range of symptoms, from itchy hives and rashes to life-threatening anaphylaxis. While StatPearls estimates that it only…  read on >  read on >