It’s always nice to know what advances have been made for the year in medicine. Over fifty percent of the population will encounter some sort of life threatening condition at some point in their lives, whether it be high blood pressure, diabetes, or respiratory complications.
It’s important to be knowledgeable about your options when it comes to treatment of these conditions. It’s also exciting to see what science has to offer this year. So, let’s get down to business. Here is a quick overview of some of the top advances in medicine for the year 2015.
Single-Dose Radiation Therapy
In the past, radiation treatments for breast cancer have been gruelling and evasive to the body’s tissues. There has also never been a way to get the job done with only one treatment, until now. The only downfall is that this treatment is at its most effective when the cancer is caught in the early stages.
Before now, the most common treatment for breast cancer was to perform a lumpectomy. The patient would then be subjected to several weeks worth of radiation therapy to avoid recurrence. This new therapy is performed during surgery. The mass is removed, and therapy is performed right then. One step, one dose, and you’re on your way.
Endoscopic Brain Surgery
Endoscopic brain surgery is the cream of the crop when it comes to medical advances. It’s far superior to performing a craniotomy in every sense. Recovery is faster and easier on the body. The procedure is far less invasive. There is now no more need to use drills and start cutting so close to the body’s control center. Brain surgery will always be risky and dangerous for both the surgeon and patient, but this procedure just made it a hundred times better.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, as of now, has no cure. Through the course of the disease, the lungs are irreversibly scarred, causing complications in breathing. Troubled breathing will result in less oxygen being pumped to the organs, and can lead to a whole slew of problems from there. There is a mere three to five year life expectancy once one is diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. This year, the FDA placed its stamp of approval on two hopeful drugs that have been proven to slow the progression of the disease. This treatment could provide valuable time for those suffering from this disease.
Alzheimer’s Research Advances
New medications have been discovered that will more effectively treat and reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s. There have also been recent blood testing developed that can accurately (within 90% accuracy, at least) diagnose whether a healthy individual will develop the condition within the next three years of their life. These new drug and therapy methods won’t cure the disease, but they will likely slow its progression, and increase viable living time.
Originally posted on October 17, 2015 @ 3:15 pm