News

New genetic clues connect sarcoidosis with lung cancer risk

Researchers have identified 12 genes linked to chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and lung scarring that appear to be shared across both sarcoidosis and lung cancer. These genes were also tied to the Wnt signaling pathway, a system that helps regulate immune response and cell growth. Based on these findings,…

Underdiagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis leaves people at risk

Only about one in four patients with unexplained, life-threatening arrhythmias are tested for cardiac sarcoidosis, even though medical guidelines call for it, according to a large worldwide study. As a result, cardiac sarcoidosis remains largely underdiagnosed, a problem that “carries significant risks, including delayed treatment and the potential for…

Overactive immune genes may fuel sarcoidosis inflammation: Study

Sarcoidosis appears to involve activation of several immune pathways, particularly those guiding responses against some common viruses. These are the findings of a study that looked for immune signatures of the disease by analyzing differences in gene activity between people with sarcoidosis and healthy controls. “These findings support the…

Rituximab treatment may help some neurosarcoidosis patients

Treatment with rituximab can lead to meaningful improvements for some people with neurosarcoidosis affecting the brain and/or spinal cord — particularly those with hard-to-treat disease and involvement limited to some nerves. That’s according to a retrospective study of 19 people treated across four U.S. centers, which showed that…

Efzofitimod misses main goal in large pulmonary sarcoidosis trial

EFZO-FIT, a Phase 3 clinical study testing efzofitimod for pulmonary sarcoidosis, failed to meet its main goal of significantly reducing the need for corticosteroids among people with the rare inflammatory disease. However, the first-in-class immunomodulatory therapy did show some clinical benefits, according to its developer Atyr Pharma. Specifically,…