Archive for the ‘Cancer / Oncology’ Category

Green tea has been touted for various health benefits (such as fighting against heart disease and cancer) largely due to it’s high level of antioxidants called catechins. Now, Chinese scientists have found that the catechins appear to be able to penetrate into the tissues of the eyes, especially into the retina, which is the light-sensing tissue that lines the back of the eye. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, demonstrated that this antioxidant activity can last for up to 20 hours after drinking green tea extract. The authors theorize that the readily absorbed antioxidants help to protect the delicate tissues of the eye from glaucoma and other eye diseases. However, it must be noted that East Asians experience the highest rate of blindness from one common type of glaucoma, despite being among the largest consumers of green tea. Therefore, further studies will definitely be needed to confirm any protective ocular effects of green tea in humans. [Via WebMD]

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The British Medical Journal is reporting on a new Canadian study which suggests that women who are taking the drug tamoxifen for treatment of breast cancer should not take the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine). This is because Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that significantly inhibits an enzyme called cytochrome P450 2D6, which is needed to metabolize tamoxifen into its active form. This effect, however, was not seen with other SSRIs that were evaluated, including Celexa (citalopram) and Effexor (venlafaxine). It’s important to note that if you are currently takin Paxil, you should not abruptly stop the drug because it can cause serious withdrawal side effects. People who are currently taking Paxil and tamoxifen should talk with their doctors about changing their antidepressant. [via HealthDay]

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Scientists report today in the journal Nature that the genetic codes of two of the most commons cancers – skin and lung – have been sequenced in their entirety. It was found that melanoma skin cancer contains more than 30,000 DNA errors, mostly due to sun exposure. Lung cancer contains more than 23,000 gene errors largely as a result of cigarette smoking. The identification of these genetic errors will allow us to develop new drugs which can potentially target each of these site specifically. As well it’s conceivable that blood tests can be developed to detect DNA patterns which are unique to each type of cancer. This landmark accomplishment is the first step in the effort lead by the International Cancer Genome Consortium to catalogue all the major cancer types. Scientists in Japan are working on decoding the sequence for liver cancer, India on mouth, UK on breast, China on stomach, and the US on brain, ovary, and pancreas. [via BBC]

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New York senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer announced this week their intention of introducing the BPA-Free Kids Act, which would ban the chemical BPA from all food containers used by infants and toddlers. BPA (bisphenol A) is used to make polycarbonate plastics used in many consumer products including DVDs, food storage containers and sports and medical equipment. It is also used to line the insides of food and beverage cans. The concern with BPA is in it’s estrogen-like effects on the human body. Because it can leach from food containers and lining of cans into our food, there has been a great deal of concern regarding its effects on human development. The NIH has previously cautioned about BPA’s potential risks in puberty, breast cancer, and prostate effects. Pregnant women and children appear to be most vulnerable. Currently, a proposed federal ban on BPA in all food containers is pending in Congress and some two dozen states have pending bills that would restrict BPA. In 2004 over 1 million tons of the chemical was produced in the U.S. alone. [via MSNBC]

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Earlier this month the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel of respected experts in primary care and prevention, caused an uproar when they presented evidence that routine mammogram screening for breast cancer should not begin until the age of 50. The group based their recommendation on evidence showing that the “additional benefit gained by starting screening at age 40 years rather than at age 50 years is small, and that moderate harms from screening remain at any age”.  Essentially, the number of women we need to screen in order to extend one woman’s life is far higher for the group between the ages of 40 to 49 than for the group aged 50 to 59. However, current US Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, issued a statement yesterday stating that there will not be any changes to government policy on mammography: screening mammograms should continue to start at the age of 40. [via Medical News Today]

Additional USPSTF recommendations include:

• Regular biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74.
• No teaching of breast self-examination (BSE).
• There is not enough evidence to assess whether clinical breast examination (CBE) does more harm than good, beyond screening mammography in women 40 years or older.
• Current evidence is not enough to assess whether digital mammography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be better or worse than film mammography.

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The journal Cancer reports on a new study which shows that women previously treated for breast cancer have a higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have highly dense breasts. Women who were classified as having highly dense breasts had a 21% chance of cancer recurrence, compared to 5% among women with low-density breasts. Because of this the study authors suggest that women with highly dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies, such as radiation, after breast and lymph node surgery. [via Medical News Today]

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The FDA recently announced the approval of a second HPV vaccine for the U.S. market. Cervarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is the sole competitor to rival vaccine Gardasil, produced by Merck & Co. The vaccines differ in the strains of HPV they guard against, but both will fight the two most common strains that cause 70% of cervical cancers. At the same time, however, the FDA also granted approval for Merck’s Gardasil to be used in preventing genital warts (not genital cancer) in boys and men ages 9 through 26. But, do our children need yet another vaccine? You be the judge. Both vaccines are expected to net their respective companies over $1 billion per year in the coming years. [via ABC News]

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A new law, which took effect last Friday, is allowing U.S. college students to take up to one year away from school for medical reasons while remaining on their family’s health insurance plan. “Michelle’s Law” is named after college student Michelle Morse who decided to remain a full time student, against the recommendation of her doctors, while undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer because she could not afford to be dropped from her parents’ health insurance policy. Previously, students between the ages of 19-24 could continue their health coverage under their parent’s policy as long as they remained as a full-time student (12 credits). If they became too ill to continue as a full time student they would either lose their insurance or could continue their coverage under the C.O.B.R.A. portion of the parent’s policy for an additional premium. By law C.O.B.R.A. can be as much as 102% of the premium for up to 36 months; many families cannot afford this expense.  Michelle Morse was an aspiring teacher who died six months after she graduated from college at the age of 22. [via Businessweek]

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Some researchers believe the popularity of indoor tanning among adolescent girls in recent years may be behind a recent increase in melanoma rates among U.S. women aged 15-39. Melanoma is a dangerous type of skin cancer. This has prompted the FDA to recommend to indoor tanning operators that teenagers be limited to three or fewer sessions in the first week of tanning. However, a new study published in the Archives of Dermatology shows that only about 11% of operators followed these guidelines, and 71% of tanning bed operators said they would allow a teen to tan seven days a week. “Exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning lamps has been linked with both melanoma and squamous cell cancer, and first exposure before age 35 years may increase melanoma risk by as much as 75 percent,” said the study authors. [CBS News]

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Since the introduction of their Gardasil vaccine (marketed for the prevention of cervical cancer in women), pharmaceutical giant Merck has been wanting to expand the vaccine’s use to include males. Currently, the vaccine is approved for use in girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26. If Merck has its way Gardasil will be used in boys and men ages 9 to 26 as well. In documents posted online, the FDA said the vaccine prevented genital warts in males 90 percent of the time. Based on this the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is supporting the use of Gardasil in males. However, it is unlikely that the use of the vaccine will prevent a significant amount of penile and anal cancers, compared with cervical cancer. Cancer of the penis and anus are extremely rare, with less than 2,000 cases reported annually. Gardasil was approved for women in 2006 and had sales over $1 billion last year. [via CBS News]

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