HEALTH ISSUE: SHORT CUTS

SHORT CUTS


NRI develops single-dose
raiation therapy for cancer


     An Indian oncologist is among three experts in the UK who have achieved a breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer after a ten-year trial that demonstrates that a single dose of radiation during surgery is just as effective as a prolonged course of rediotherapy. Goa-origin Jayant Vaidya, who works at the University College, Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals, designed and led the trial called interoperative radiotherapy (TARGET) involving 2,000 women along with oncologists Jeffrey Tobias and Mike Baum. The new approach means selected patients surgery to remove breast cancer. A probe is inserted into the breast so that it can target the exact site of the cancer.


Test-tube twins born 4 years apart:

       Meet IVF twins Bailey and Megan Orrells who were born a record-breaking four years apart. And they were both born to the same surrogate mother, reports the News of the world. The time-lapse sisters came from the last batch of eggs mum jayne - who has had a hysterectomy - was able to produce. All jayne's eggs were fertilized by dad Simon through IVF, then frozen, Bailey was born in 2006. Jayne's remaining three embryos were left in the freezer - until the end of their legal shelf life in 2009 when the couple was faced with a final heartbreak choice of using them or losing them.