THERAPY IS MUSIC TO CANCER PATIENTS' EARS
A new type of therapy is music to cancer patients' ears -- literally. A pilot study showed patients who underwent a bone-marrow transplant felt less pain and nausea following such treatment. Dr. O.J. Sahler of the University of Rochester Medical Center and colleagues studied 42 marrow-transplant recipients ages 5 to 65 who were being treated for leukemia, lymphoma, solid tumors and other cancers. After the transplant, some relaxed and envisioned positive images to tunes performed by college music students, played instruments, composed songs and discussed their favorite lyrics. Others received the standard treatment. The music therapy patients rated their pain and nausea "severe" before sessions, but "moderate" afterwards. Also, they began producing their own white blood cells 13.5 days after the transplant, compared to 15.5 days for the control group.
VITAMIN C MAY PROTECT AGAINST ULCERS
A deficiency in vitamin C appears to increase the risk of developing a bacterial infection that causes ulcers and stomach cancer, researchers report. Researchers at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center say study participants with low levels of the vitamin in the blood were more likely to become infected by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. The investigators could not determine whether vitamin C might prevent initial infection, which often happens during childhood. And the mechanisms at work are not entirely clear, said. However, they say it would be prudent for people who test positive for H. pylori infection to increase their intake of the vitamin. "The bottom line is that higher levels of vitamin C may have the potential to prevent peptic ulcers and stomach cancer," said team leader Dr. Joel Simon.
TENDON SURGERY MAY EASE ULCERS
A study suggests a procedure to lengthen the Achilles tendon can reduce the risk of the recurrence of foot ulcers in people with diabetes. The study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, reported in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, shows the benefits of the procedure, researchers said. "The return of ulcers has been a key concern for patients and their clinicians," said principal investigator Michael Mueller, associate professor of physical therapy. "If these wounds don't heal, there's a greater risk that a patient will have to have a portion or all of the foot amputated. This study shows that lengthening the Achilles tendon can have a dramatic effect on the problem of ulcer recurrence."
PAIN TOLERANCE MAY INCREASE INJURY RISK
Researchers say athletes who participate in contact sports have a greater than average tolerance for pain, thus potentially increasing their risk of suffering serious injury. The study by researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia assessed pain threshold and tolerance among intercollegiate male athletes. "Pain and injury are often a consequence of sports play," said Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, assistant professor of psychology. "In addition, the likelihood of experiencing pain and injury increases as physical contact among athletes increases." He says athletes who build a high tolerance for pain can compete longer with an injury, which may make their injury more serious.
(Editors: For more information about CANCER, contact Tom Rickey at 585-275-7945 or [email protected]. For VITAMIN, Camille Rey at 415-476-8429 or [email protected]. For ULCER, Nicole Vines at 314-286-0105 or [email protected]. For PAIN, Bryan Raudenbush at 304-243-2330 or [email protected])
