Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Steve holds a PhD in biochemistry from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. As a medical scientist for 18 years, he worked in both academia and industry, where his research focused on the discovery of new vaccines and medicines to treat inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases. Steve is a published author in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals and a patented inventor.

Articles by Steve Bryson

Woman develops CAD secondary to thyroid cancer: Case report

A 50-year-old woman developed cold agglutinin disease (CAD) secondary to two different types of cancer within the thyroid gland, a study reported. The surgical removal of the thyroid gland successfully treated both the cancer and CAD. While CAD has been reported to occur secondary to blood cancers, it is…

Erythropoietin effective for anemia in CAD patients: Study in Italy

Treatment with erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production, safely increases hemoglobin levels in adults with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and other autoimmune hemolytic anemias (AIHAs), according to a single-center study in Italy. Data show the treatment was effective in patients with abnormally low levels…

COVID-19 complicated blood cancer-associated CAD

Diagnosis and treatment of cold agglutinin disease (CAD) secondary to a type of blood cancer was complicated by COVID-19 in a middle-aged man, a case study reports. The researchers identified specific mutations in immune cells that may explain the “treatment resistance and susceptibility to COVID-19,” they wrote in the…

Blood cancer treatments may help people with hard-to-treat CAD

Two approved blood cancer treatments, daratumumab and bortezomib, were each partially effective at reducing signs of cold agglutin disease (CAD) in two people with hard-to-treat cases of the autoimmune disorder, a study showed. These two therapies, alone or in combination, also were found to effectively treat five of six people with other…

Youngest case of primary CAD reported

A rituximab-based therapy regimen successfully treated a 16-year-old girl with primary cold agglutinin disease (CAD), according to researchers in the U.S. who say the case represents “the youngest patient reported with this diagnosis.” The case study, “An unusual case of primary cold agglutinin-associated lymphoproliferative disease…

Enterovirus 71 Triggers Anemia in Young Boy

An enterovirus infection triggered autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) — a condition in which the body’s immune system generates self-reactive antibodies that destroy red blood cells — in an 11-year-old boy, a case study has reported for the first time. Although some signs were consistent with a case of virus-induced…

Global Genes Honors Rare Disease Leaders

Global Genes announced the winners of its RARE Champions of Hope awards, recognizing leaders and organizations for their work driving advocacy and innovation in rare diseases, such as cold agglutinin disease (CAD). As part of the 2022 RARE Disease Patient Advocacy Summit, held Sept. 12–14 in San Diego,…