FDA Warns MS Patients Against Unproven Stent Procedure

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By Michelle Fay Cortez - Thu May 10 22:26:00 GMT 2012

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and patients against the use of an unproven procedure known as liberation therapy that some physicians have touted as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

The procedure uses a balloon-tipped catheter or a metal device called a stent to prop open narrowed blood vessels in the neck and chest that some investigators claim may exacerbate or even cause multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the brain and spinal cord. The therapy has been linked to strokes, migration of the metal stents, damaged veins, blood clots, abdominal bleeding and death, the FDA said in a statement.

The unapproved treatment is used for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, which some doctors say may worsen multiple sclerosis by hindering blood flow from the brain and spinal cord, the agency said. No studies have conclusively linked multiple sclerosis to the condition and there is no accepted method to diagnose it, the FDA said.

There is no reliable evidence from controlled clinical trials that this procedure is effective in treating MS, said William Maisel, deputy director for science in the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health, who called for study of the link between multiple sclerosis and narrowed veins. Patients are encouraged to discuss the potential risks and benefits of this procedure with a neurologist or another doctor familiar with the procedure, he said in a statement.

Multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, affects about 400,000 Americans, according to National Multiple Sclerosis Society. It stems from damage to the myelin sheath, fatty tissue that protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord used to conduct electrical impulses that control movement.

The condition is currently treated with medications, including Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB)s Avonex and Tysabri and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA)s Copaxone.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Fay Cortez in Minneapolis at mcortez@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net

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FDA Warns MS Patients Against Unproven Stent Procedure

Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Cancer / Oncology Also Included In: Colorectal Cancer;Multiple Sclerosis Article Date: 28 Jun 2012 - 9:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

3 (2 votes)

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health, is published in the journal Brain.

Lead author of the study Elaine Kingwell, a postdoctoral fellow in the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Brain Research Center at UBC and VCH Research Institute, explained:

After comparing diagnoses of cancer in MS patients in British Columbia with those of the general public, the researchers discovered that MS patients were less likely to develop cancer. In particular MS patients had a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, the team found that these patients had a slightly increased risk of developing brain and bladder cancer, although this increase was not significant. Furthermore, the risk for non-melanoma skin cancer was significantly higher among patients with relapsing-onset MS.

The researchers note that further studies are required in order to understand why MS patients have a reduced overall risk of developing cancer.

The researchers also found that MS patients who developed cancer usually had larger tumors at time of diagnosis. They state that more researcher is needed to find out why some tumors might be caught later in individuals with MS.

Helen Tremlett, associate professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, said: "Because the symptoms of MS can be broad and include feelings of fatigue, it's possible the symptoms of cancer are being masked or overlooked."

Tremlett states that MS patients and their physicians should continue to follow cancer screening guidelines, regardless of the study findings. A follow-up study is planned in order for the researchers to determine if cancer mortality rates are altered in MS patients.

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Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Cycling With Multiple Sclerosis: 5 Stop Tour

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I grew up cycling in the summertime. This is the reason I still love cycling. It provides me with a great form of exercise for my multiple sclerosis as well. I have cycled in some beautiful places all across the United States as both a child and an adult.

This is the reason I will take you on a 5-stop tour for cyclist. These are 5 of the top places that I have either been cycling as a child or an adult. These 5 stops are also the most memorable stops that I have made in my lifetime.

Stop number one

I grew up in the Hudson Valley area in New York. This is one of the reasons that I love to revisit this area as one of my cycling destinations. The one park that I have returned time and time again to ride through is Minnewaska State Park. This is one of the most beautiful places to go cycling in New York's Hudson Valley area.

The reason I love this park so much is that it offers some of the most beautiful landscaping in New York. As I ride through this park I enjoy stopping and looking over the cliffs at the scenery below. It offers views of the surrounding lakes. As I continue to ride through the park I eventually arrive at my favorite spot. This is the wonderful waterfall that runs through the park.

This allows me time to stop and reflect as an adult who is fighting multiple sclerosis. This is the reason I always find the time to stop by this waterfall.

Stop number two

I was born and raised in Palm Springs, Calif.; this is the reason it is stop number two on my tour. My favorite stop in the Palm Springs region is Joshua Tree National Park. This ride is one that allows me to reflect, while riding through this park. I always tend to forget about my multiple sclerosis while riding in this park. There are miles of ground to cover and for me the longer I'm able to ride on these trails the better I feel about my accomplishments in life.

Stop number three

Murrells Inlet, S.C., is my third stop on this cycling tour. In particularly I will be heading straight for Huntington Beach State Park. This is a ride that blows my mind every time I take it. Huntington Beach State Park is known for its alligators, and, boy, have I ever seen them. These are creatures that put fear into me. The only time I do not seem to fear these creatures is when I ride in this park.

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Cycling With Multiple Sclerosis: 5 Stop Tour

Top Five Ways Swimming is Beneficial to People With Multiple Sclerosis

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Swimming in the summertime is one of my favorite activities. There are a lot of reasons that I enjoy going for swims in the summertime, and there are plenty of benefits to swimming for me since I have multiple sclerosis. I try and swim at least three times a week in the summertime since it allows me to choose between a swimming pool and a lake.

The benefits, for me, are both health and social benefits.

Benefit number one

Social interaction is the first reason I love to swim. I'm able to interact with people that are perfectly healthy, and people that have medical conditions like me. Since I'm not able to work any longer I choose to swim to get my source of social interaction.

I have met many new friends swimming at the local swimming pool. Without these friends my life would be more difficult since I would be closed up inside my house. I spend time going out to eat, and just talking with these friends. My new-found friends have given a sense that not all is lost in my life, even though I have multiple sclerosis.

Benefit number two

Strength training is easiest for me to accomplish through swimming. While I enjoy other strength training exercises like cycling, scuba diving, and walking, swimming is the easiest on my body. I'm able to build strength in my arms and legs through this one healthy exercise. The strength training of swimming comes from the motions in swinging my arms and kicking my legs.

Before I got back into swimming I had to use a walker to get around. Since I started strength training through swimming I have regained my strength and am now able to walk freely. I no longer require the use of a walker or a cane on a daily basis. There are times that my multiple sclerosis is so bad, though, I do use my cane to get around.

Benefit number three

It is easy to become relaxed while swimming. With my multiple sclerosis, high levels of stress are not good for me. High levels of stress can lead me to a relapse in my multiple sclerosis. This is another reason I love to swim. Swimming allows me to relax, therefore bringing down my stress level.

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Top Five Ways Swimming is Beneficial to People With Multiple Sclerosis

Genzyme Demonstrates Depth of MS Pipeline at AAN with Results from Multiple Sclerosis Phase lll Trials

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Genzyme, a Sanofi company (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that 12 data presentations, including six platform presentations, from the companys multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trial programs for alemtuzumab and teriflunomide will be featured at the American Academy of Neurology's (AAN) 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La., April 21-28. Presentations will include full data results from CARE-MS II (The Comparison of alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis), a Phase III trial investigating alemtuzumab in MS patients who had relapsed while receiving prior MS therapy, as well as new findings from the teriflunomide clinical program, one of the largest and broadest of any MS therapy in development.

Genzymes robust development programs for alemtuzumab and teriflunomide were designed to understand how these therapies can best address significant unmet medical needs of people living with MS, said David Meeker, M.D., President and CEO, Genzyme. We are committed to becoming a long-term partner to the MS community with the goal of raising the expectation of what life with MS can be.

Marketing applications for teriflunomide for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS are under review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). Genzyme is on track to submit applications to the FDA and EMA for approval of alemtuzumab to treat relapsing forms of MS in the second quarter of this year.

Following are selected scientific abstracts highlighting new results from the Phase III CARE-MS II and CARE-MS I trials for alemtuzumab, as well as the Phase III TEMSO (Study of Teriflunomide in Reducing the Frequency of Relapses and Accumulation of Disability in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis) trial for teriflunomide.

ALEMTUZUMAB CARE-MS II Platform Presentation:

ALEMTUZUMAB CARE-MS I Platform Presentations:

TERIFLUNOMIDE TEMSO Platform Presentation:

Additional Genzyme MS portfolio data to be presented include:

ALEMTUZUMAB:

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Genzyme Demonstrates Depth of MS Pipeline at AAN with Results from Multiple Sclerosis Phase lll Trials

‘Eccentric sensation’ fashion show raises money for Multiple Sclerosis research

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Written by Lyndsey Sager Wednesday, 28 March 2012 20:27

Danielle Flowers, sophomore fashion design major, does the model's make up behind the scenes of the Multiple Sclerosis Benefit Fashion Show, March 28. Photo by Chelsae Ketchum.

The Exquisite Inc. Modeling Troupe raised $500 for Multiple Sclerosis research at the fourth annual MS Benefit Fashion Show Wednesday night.

The theme of the show was eccentric sensation, which includes styles similar to Lady Gaga, said Jazmine Woods, freshman news major and Exquisite model.

The show, which took place in the Student Center Ballroom, included collections from six designers and dances from AFOE and Legacy, two dance teams at Kent State.

Tickets were $5 in advance, or $10 at the door. All proceeds went to the Kym Sellers Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis.

We dont get 10 percent or 5 percent, Woods said. Absolutely all of the money will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Cory Froomkin, junior broadcast journalism major, hosted the event.

This is the type of stuff I kind of want to do one day, Froomkin said. I know when I anchor one day, Ill have to do stuff like this so its good practice.

Diamond Towns, junior marketing major and Exquisite president, said Exquisite Inc. also hosts a Fall into Fashion show during fall semester.

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‘Eccentric sensation’ fashion show raises money for Multiple Sclerosis research

Dartmouth walks toward a world free of Multiple Sclerosis

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DARTMOUTH Hundreds of people from Dartmouth and surrounding communities are coming together Sunday, April 1, for Walk MS, presented by Biogen Idec & lan, to help individuals and families address the challenges of living with multiple sclerosis. Organized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the three-mile route starts and finishes at Dartmouth Middle School, 366 Slocum Road.

Check-in opens at 9 a.m., and the official start is 10 a.m. Walk MS is a fundraising event that provides MS education, support, advocacy, and services to people affected by multiple sclerosis, while it supports cutting-edge research and treatment to stop disease progression, restore function lost, and end MS for future generations.

Each walker, 12-years-old and above, is required to raise at least $25. T shirts are awarded for at least $100 in fundraising, but historically walkers easily average above $200. Family members and coworkers are encouraged to form teams who walk and fundraise together in support of a loved one with MS.

Teams and individual walkers can register online, http://www.walkMSgne.org, to take advantage of e fundraising tools. Registrations are also accepted by phone, 1-800-344-4867 opt. 2, and in-person on walk day. Volunteers are also needed. Send questions about walking, fundraising, or volunteering to walkMSgne@nmss.org.

Donations in support of walkers and teams may be made online, at walkMSgne.org. Click on 'Donate', select "Massachusetts, Dartmouth 'Donate/ePledge'", and enter the individual or team you want to support.

Of the many sponsors that make Walk MS possible each year, their most loyal and generous are Biogen Idec & lan, EMD Serono & Pfizer, Bernie & Phyl's Furniture, Data Associates, Patients Like Me, WCVB TV5, Honest Tea, and Pure Protein. Visit http://www.walkMSgne.org for details.

Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-FIGHT-MS (344-4867).

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Dartmouth walks toward a world free of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis won't slow down Hilton Head woman

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Ashley Carson was among the top 3,000 finishers out of the 5,000 in Savannah's Rock 'N' Roll Marathon in November.

Earlier this month, the 28-year-old trimmed her time to less than an hour in the Tybee Run Fest 10K. She also ran in the Jingle Bell 5K in 2009 and the Hilton Head Island half marathon in February 2011.

Carson's accomplishments as a runner aren't record breaking, but they are significant for someone who has been fighting multiple sclerosis since 2005.

"Some days I can run a marathon and others I do good just to get out of bed," Carson said.

Carson, a Hilton Head Island resident, is training for the three-day, 50-mile Challenge Walk MS: Charleston Challenge, which raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system for which there is no cure yet. The 2012 event is March 2-4 from historic Charleston to the Isle of Palms.

She started running just before her senior year of college to lose weight. "While running I started noticing some weird things going on with my body," Carson recalled. "When I bent my neck to look down to tie my shoe, I felt an electrical shock from my spine into my leg and a lot of numbness and tingling. I felt like I was going to fall."

It continued with what she describes as a sensation of fireworks in her body. "My symptoms started with the tingling," Carson said. "And there was weakness and very minor balance issues. I had achy leg pain and fatigue, which are very common factors with MS, and I deal with this on a daily basis."

Her official diagnosis came the day before she began her senior year, studying athletic training at Lees-McCrae College in Banner Elk, N.C.

The diagnosis didn't stop her from 2 1/2 more years to obtain her graduate degree in occupational therapy.

Today, she is inspired by her patients. She is an occupational therapist at Coastal Carolina Hospital, where she works with adults, and at the Hilton Pediatric Rehab Outpatient clinics on Hilton Head and in Bluffton, where she works with children.

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Multiple sclerosis won't slow down Hilton Head woman

HOUSE CALL: Raising hope: The future of Multiple Sclerosis

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By Dr. Mark Tullman stltoday.com | Posted: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 5:45 am | (Loading) comments.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease that affects the brain, nerves that connect the eyes to the brain, and spinal cord. Approximately 400,000 people in the U.S. have MS, which typically begins between the ages of 20 and 40 and is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults.

2011 was a remarkable year in MS. Here's a glimpse at some of the latest discoveries:

Twenty-nine new genes that influence the risk of developing MS were identified.

New criteria were established that allow for an earlier MS diagnosis.

Researchers found that higher vitamin D levels in people with MS are associated with fewer new brain MRI lesions. * Another study concluded vitamin D supplementation in combination with interferon (an MS medication) may be more effective than interferon alone. Studies are ongoing to conclusively determine if vitamin D supplementation is beneficial in MS.

Research suggests individuals with MS who smoke may be more likely to develop disability. People with MS who smoke should definitely try to stop.

In 2008, a vascular surgeon, Dr. Paolo Zamboni, coined the phrase chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) to describe a state of impaired drainage of blood from the brain and spinal cord due to narrow veins in people with MS.

He has speculated CCSVI might contribute to the cause of MS and surgery to improve blood flow might be a treatment for MS. Numerous studies in the past year have yielded conflicting results regarding the frequency of CCSVI in MS.

Some revealed no evidence of CCSVI while others reported CCSVI in healthy individuals. Research is ongoing to determine if CCSVI is related to MS. If an association is confirmed, a study to determine if surgical treatment of blocked veins is safe and effective should begin later this year.

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HOUSE CALL: Raising hope: The future of Multiple Sclerosis

Tricia's Story of Multiple Sclerosis

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Update from Tricia September 17, 2008: Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words! When I hear how my story has touched people around the world, I can't believe it! When the National MS Society put together and posted the video, I was shocked at the response. Now, three years later, people are still watching it, forwarding it and commenting on it - wow! My son Jake will be 15 this year, he still loves playing baseball and is a freshman in High School

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Tricia's Story of Multiple Sclerosis

Venous obstruction is of primary importance in MS pathogenesis – YES (CONy 2012) – Video

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30-06-2012 14:27 The 5th World Congress on Controversies in Neurology (CONy) - Asia Pacific Life Course Related Conditions Debate: Venous obstruction is of primary importance in MS pathogenesis - YES MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TREATMENT October 14, 2011 11:10 | Length: 17:14 min Presenter: J. Kotowitcz

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Venous obstruction is of primary importance in MS pathogenesis - YES (CONy 2012) - Video