When to Start Worrying about a Chronic Itch (Links to an external site)

I have an occasional “phantom” itch in the middle of my back in a place I can’t reach. I use a long-handled comb to give it a good scratch. There’s no obvious cause — no rash, no irritation or redness, no diagnosed skin disorder. It’s annoying, but it doesn’t disrupt my life.

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea traced to immune cells (Links to an external site)

Washington University researchers have found that immune cells called macrophages can trigger smooth muscle contractions in the intestinal tract, independent of nerve cells. The research in mice suggests that targeting a receptor (green) on macrophages (red) holds potential for treating chemotherapy-induced diarrhea.

Potential new therapy relieves chronic itch (Links to an external site)

The roots of chronic itching have long remained a mystery. Meanwhile, those with the condition suffer from an unrelenting and sometimes debilitating urge to scratch. Now, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified immune signaling molecules that are essential for activating neurons in the skin to cause chronic itching.

New topical immunotherapy effective against early skin cancer (Links to an external site)

A combination of two topical drugs that have been in use for years triggers a robust immune response against precancerous skin lesions, according to a new study. The research, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard Medical School, shows that the therapy activates the immune system’s T cells, which then attack […]