Posts Tagged ‘Cancer’

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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A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences may lead to exciting discoveries regarding prostate cancer. By analyzing samples of prostate cancers scientists discovered that 27% of them contained xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV). XMRV is a virus that is known to cause leukemia and tumors in animals. Even though it has been found in association with human prostate cancer, there’s not evidence that it is the specific cause of the disease. However, it is an important question that needs to be answered. Another well-known virus that can cause human cancers is the human papilloma virus (HPV). Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, after lung cancer, killing approximately 250,000 men annually. [via ABC News]

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A report was released yesterday by the International EMF Collaborative entitled “Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern, Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone.” Interphone was a multinational, government and industry-funded study that began in 1999 to determine whether cellphone usage increases a user’s risk of brain cancer. According to this current report, the Interphone study greatly underestimated brain tumor risk due to design flaws that included the exclusion of children and young adults in the study (the most vulnerable population), exclusion of those who died or were too ill to be interviewed due to their brain cancers, as well as the exclusion of many types of brain cancers. US Scientists that have endorsed this viewpoint, that the Interphone study had serious design flaws, include faculty at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Columbia University, and the University at Albany. This report was sent to government leaders today by the International EMF Collaborative, who is urging all to take a second look at the public health implications of cellphone usage. [via Business Week]

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For years women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer have been told to avoid lifting heavy objects for fear of causing painful arm swelling, known as lymphedema. However, new research appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that, on the contrary, weight lifting actually reduces the incidence of lymphedema. By studying 141 breast cancer survivors, it was noted that fewer weightlifters had suffered lymphedema flare-ups – 14% versus 29% among those who did not participate in weight training classes. Lead study author Kathryn Schmitz, an exercise scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, recommends that women do not rush into weight training after breast cancer surgery. Rather, she recommends the following:

• Have a certified fitness professional teach you how to do the exercises properly.
• Start slow, with a program that gradually progresses.
• Wear a well-fitting compression garment during workouts.

[via CBS News]

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The medical community took a second look at the humble aspirin once again due to findings from a new Harvard Medical School study, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. After looking at nearly 1,300 colon cancer patients researchers noted that, of those who used aspirin regularly, death from the disease decreased by nearly 30%. This is quite significant since almost 50,000 people will die from colon cancer this year alone. It’s the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer. Although no formal recommendations have been made with regards to aspirin use in colon cancer (further studies will be needed), patients should speak to their physicians prior to initiating daily doses of the medication. [via Yahoo! News]

See guides for aspirin and colon cancer. Share your comments here.

For the majority of Americans, our access to health care is intimately linked to whether we have a job or not. Even though many of us have lost health insurance benefits, obtaining good health doesn’t have to cost a bundle.  M.D. Anderson, one of America’s top cancer centers, has released their top 5 list of low-cost tips to reduce your risk of cancer, four of which doesn’t involve stepping foot into the doctor’s office. ”If we eat healthier meals and increase daily exercise, we could avoid about one-third or 186,000 cancer deaths this year,” says Michele Forman, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology at M.D. Anderson. Here’s what made the list:

1. Exercise daily.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Avoid tobacco.
4. Practice sun-safety.
5. Get regular check-ups.

See why these tips made the list and share your comments here.

The National Cancer Institute just released the results of a large study which examined over half a million Americans and their diets. The main finding was that men and women with the highest total fat consumption were 53% and 23% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, compared to those with the lowest fat intake. The association was strongest for those whose dietary fat came mostly from red meat and dairy products. Individuals who consumed high levels of saturated fats were 36% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who consumed very low levels. It should be said that although there are positive links seen in this study between pancreatic cancer and fat intake, we cannot for certain say that fat is the culprit. There may be other factors that not were not considered, such as the use of hormones in raising cattle, genetics, etc.

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Using global figures from 2004, researchers estimate that 1 in 25 deaths worldwide is related to alcohol consumption. This includes deaths from injuries, accidents and diseases like liver cirrhosis, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The highest percentage of deaths linked to alcohol were found in countries of the former Soviet Union where 1 in 7 die of an alcohol related cause. One of the countries with the lowest alcohol related mortality is India where about 95% of women and 80% of men abstain from drinking. Much of the focus of this research is to shed light on the parallels between alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking-they both cause high disease and economic burdens, especially on developing countries. The researchers are calling for an international effort in alcohol control, especially in emerging economies like China and Thailand where increasing industrialization and westernization is correlating with increasing alcohol consumption.

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