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MONDAY, June 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- After being diagnosed with bladder cancer, some patients face an almost impossible decision -- have their bladder removed or take a risk knowing that the cancer may be more likely to spread if the bladder is left intact. But what if there was another way?For David Cabelis, 68, the decision was more straightforward than most, as he had a unique opportunity to take part in a clinical trial testing a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy as a potential replacement for bladder removal.More than two years after the trial began, Cabelis is part of a small group of patients for whom the experimental treatment was successful. Cabelis is now living cancer-free, with his bladder still in place.While the trial is ongoing, the results thus far...

MONDAY, June 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- People hospitalized for COVID-19 are often discharged in much worse shape than before their illness — underscoring the value of preventing severe cases with vaccination.In a new study, researchers found that during the pandemic's early months, almost half of COVID-19 patients discharged from their health system had some degree of "functional decline."That's a broad category including people who needed further therapy for physical impairments, like muscle weakness and low fitness levels; assistance with walking or other daily activities; home oxygen; or speech therapy or special diets after being on a ventilator.The researchers said it all highlights a vital point: Many people who survive severe COVID-19 still face a long recovery."Surviving is...

MONDAY, June 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Antibiotics do not reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in patients with a lethal lung disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a new study finds."We were certainly disappointed in the results," said study co-author Dr. Imre Noth, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at UVA Health in Charlottesville, Va. "But we remain hopeful that in further downstream analyses, we may yet find groups of patients that were potentially benefiting. In the meantime, this study will make sure that no one takes antibiotics without need."Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) causes scar tissue to build up in the lungs over time, preventing them from providing the body with sufficient oxygen. It usually affects people over 50, mostly men. Most...

MONDAY, June 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- It has been an elusive goal so far -- finding a potent treatment that can beat back the new coronavirus before it grabs a hold of a patient's immune system and sends it into overdrive.But new research suggests that more than a dozen existing drugs or drugs under development may do the trick.Investigators tested more than 12,000 drugs in two different types of human cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The drugs were either approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or had been tested for safety in humans. From those thousands of drugs, the researchers identified 90 that prevented SARS-CoV-2 from replicating in at least one of the human cell lines. Of those drugs, 19 were found to work in concert with or boost the activity of remdesivir, an...