Over the past 12 months, cutting-edge scientists have unveiled an astonishing array of drugs, devices, and treatments that foreshadow a fresh approach to preventing and conquering disease. With the help of our esteemed editorial advisors, we assembled a list of the most impressive among them, and then asked ourselves which advances would most interest our readers and their families. From noninvasive alternatives to breast biopsies to new weapons against deadly infections, here are the most promising health advances of the last year.
Breakthrough that could wipe out “superbugs”
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered a new weapon to fight the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria — and it may already be in your medicine cabinet.
View an illustrated explanation of how bisphosphonates fight germs speeds treatment of vaginal infections.
Bisphosphonates — compounds in the bone-building drug Didronel — prevent superbugs from sharing their DNA, halting the spread of resistant strains. “Even more surprising, bisphosphonates kill cells that harbor resistant DNA, selectively eliminating the most dangerous germs,” says Matt Redinbo, PhD, a professor of chemistry, biochemistry, and biophysics at UNC. Some doctors are already prescribing bisphosphonates off-label to fight infections, though the drugs can have side effects such as gastrointestinal irritation and bone damage in the jaw.
View an illustrated explanation of how bisphosphonates fight germs.
Breakthrough that speeds treatment of vaginal infections
Probiotics — friendly bacteria that thrive in the body — are known to prevent or even cure yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Now there’s an OTC supplement containing the two Lactobacillus strains documented to promote vaginal health. The probiotic pill Fem-Dophilus has erased up to 90% of vaginal bacterial infections and significantly reduced yeast growth in trials by coating the lining of vaginal tissues and producing acids that keep pathogens from gaining a foothold. When women take antibiotics, Fem-Dophilus doubles the drugs’ effectiveness by recolonizing the vagina with healthy flora.
Read details about Fem-Dophilus.
Breakthrough that restores neck movement after surgery
People with cervical degenerative disk disease who receive a new flexible artificial disk implant can bend their necks normally after surgery — a vast improvement over patients who undergo standard spinal fusion, a procedure in which a surgeon removes the diseased disk and locks adjoining vertebrae, limiting range of motion. In a 2-year, 541-patient clinical trial, patients who received the Prestige Cervical Disc System from Medtronic (approved by the FDA in July) had greater range of motion, felt less pain, and returned to work 16 days faster than patients who got the standard treatment. A 7-year follow-up study is under way to evaluate long-term safety and effectiveness.
Learn more about the Prestige Cervical Disc System, neck symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Breakthrough that could prevent 90% of ovarian cancer deaths
Ovarian cancer, a stealthy killer responsible for about 15,000 deaths in 2007, may not be so silent after all: Recent studies show that even early-stage ovarian cancer reveals itself with subtle symptoms up to a year before typical diagnosis. Now the American Cancer Society is spreading the word. When cancer is detected while it’s still confined to the ovary, you have a 90% chance of being cured, but those odds drop to 20% if the cancer is advanced, which is when it’s usually diagnosed. Telltale symptoms are common and often due to something other than cancer, so you don’t have to worry about every bloating episode. But if symptoms occur almost daily and last more than a few weeks, the ACS recommends seeing a gynecologist.
Recurring symptoms women shouldn’t ignore:
Pelvic or abdominal pain, bloating, feeling full quickly or having difficulty eating, and having to urinate often or feeling an urgent need to go.
Read more about ovarian cancer symptoms.