The following are 5 short news for your quick update:
• Liver Cancer Breakthrough Found
• Chemo Plus Surgery May Help Colon Cancer
• Second-hand Smoke Harms Kids, Study Confirms
• Taiwan to Invest US$900 million to Build Biotech Park

• Pharmacist's lipid clinic is another cognitive services run by hospital pharmacists. Our member Doreen Tan was featured in recent NHG newsletter on this subject. The full article can be read here.

Liver Cancer Breakthrough Found
The drug sorafenib appears to extend the survival rate of patients with liver cancer by several months. Results of a multinational study found that the drug taken daily successfully added nearly 3 months to the prognosis of patients with hard-to-treat, advanced stage liver cancer, compared to those who received placebo. The benefit is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the management of one of the deadliest forms of cancer. 

Adapted from CBS News

Chemo Plus Surgery May Help Colon Cancer
A study finds that treating colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver with chemotherapy before and after surgery to remove tumors can keep the disease in remission. The research is the first to scientifically support an approach many doctors have already tried with patients. The good results mean this could become standard treatment for colorectal cancer patients, said Dr. Bernard Nordlinger, lead study author and a cancer specialist at Ambroise Pare Hospital in Paris. 

Adapted from The Boston Globe

Second-hand Smoke Harms Kids, Study Confirms
Even small amounts of 2nd hand tobacco smoke can damage a child's arteries, Finnish researchers report in the journal Circulation. The study looked at the affect of smoking on children between the ages of 8 and 11, and found that second-hand smoke can harm the function of their arteries. Even a little exposure to smoke at home or in the public environment can be harmful to the cardiovascular system of healthy schoolchildren, researchers conclude. 

Adapted from Reuters Health News/Yahoo

Taiwan to Invest US$900 million to Build Biotech Park 
In a next salvo to compete in the highly competitive sector, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense has decided to convert military facilities in Nankang to become part of the $900 million biotech project. This  will see the 25 hectares of space transformed into a high-end biotech park which has recently been keenly promoted by the Taiwanese government.

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