Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Vitamin E and Selenium do not Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk - [10/28/08]
Summary: A recent study found that selenium and vitamin E do not decrease the risk of prostate cancer. The patients in the research group were organized into four groups receiving a combination of selenium, vitamin E, and placebos for each of the two supplements. There was a small increase in prostate cancer risk for those on vitamin E, but it was not statistically significant.
Comment: Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer for men in the United States. This research shows that these supplements do not prevent prostate cancer. Men that are at risk for prostate cancer should consult their doctors to determine the best prevention therapies for their case.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 28, 2008
BAX the Death Protein - [10/26/08]
Summary: Apoptosis, the death of cells, occurs for many reasons. It is fueled by gene codes and proteins such as BAX. When the BAX protein is activated it kills the cell by destroying the mitochondria. Researchers have found a trigger to activate the BAX protein in cells with the BH3 peptide.
Comment: This study is the first to selectively trigger the BAX protein. Many cancer cells have genes that block the production of BAX. This ability to trigger death within certain cells can allow researchers to develop new drugs and therapies to kill cancer cells within a body. Being able to kill only cancer cells could provide doctors and patients with safer and more effective breast cancer therapies.
Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com October 26, 2008
Vegetarian Eating may Reduce risk of Disease and Cancer - [10/17/08]
Summary: A new book titled The Flexitarian Diet - The Mostly Vegetarian Way To Lose Weight, Lower Blood Pressure, Be Healthier & Add Years To Your Life encourages semi-vegetarian eating to help lower your blood pressure, glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels and reduce the likelihood of diseases and cancers. Being a "flexitarian eater" means lowering your intake of meat, and eating more fruits and vegetables, plant-foods and whole grains. "Being a flexitarian is a more flexible, more realistic way to be a vegetarian" says Dawn Jackson Blatner, the creator of The Flexitarian Diet.
Comment: Eating as a flexitarian has been found to improve, prevent or decrease the likelihood of acquiring many health conditions, including cancer. Cancer can be serious and fatal, making it important to find correct treatment and prevention when possible. These mostly easy-to-adapt-to eating habits may lead to a longer life because of the cancer preventing benefits.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 17, 2008
Patients Misunderstand Written Screening Tests - [10/14/08]
Summary: The majority of physicians require patients to answer written questions while in the waiting room to visit the doctor. However, a new survey has revealed the gap between doctors and patients in the process of answering the written questions. Because of the difference in literacy between patients and physicians, most patients are confused, or don't understand most of the questions. According to Dr. Master, one of the authors of this survey, the predominant reason for this is illiteracy.
Comment: Illiteracy is becoming more common in American which is causing great problems to physicians. Not only is there a problem with illiteracy but also with patients who are innumerate. By answering the surveys to the best of your abilities, you will receive better diagnosis or treatment of prostate cancer.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 14, 2008
Internet Consulted More Often Than Doctors - [10/12/08]
Summary: New market research shows that over the past year more adults went to the internet to get health information than consulted a doctor. This trend may likely be the product of an increasing consumer comfort in using the web to find reliable medical information. In addition, rising costs of healthcare coverage and visits to the doctor may be adding to the preference for first looking for information online.
Comment: The impacts of this trend, as well as others, will be discussed in an online seminar entitled "Is TV Dead? How the New New Media Changes Pharmaceutical DTC Advertising". The event is scheduled for October 14th at 11am EST and October 16th at 3pm EST.
Read article - Medical News Today. October 12, 2008.
Read article - Register for the Seminar
Vitamin D Linked to Overall Health - [10/10/08]
Summary: Vitamin D has been linked to improved overall health. This vitamin affects 36 organ tissues in the body including bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and uterus tissues. It has also been linked to improving immune systems, insulin secretion, heart health, blood pressure, muscle strength, brain activity, and decreased risk of cancer. For most adults 200-600 IU of daily vitamin D is recommended, but some experts recommend up to 2000 IU daily.
Comment: Vitamin D has previously been thought to improve bone health, but this study shows that it can affect all areas of health. By increased intake of vitamin D people with prostate cancer can experience improved health.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 10, 2008
Suicide Risk in Cancer Patients - [10/06/08]
Summary: A recently conducted study shows that cancer patients are two times more likely to commit suicide than the average U.S. citizen. Most patients with cancer that committed suicide were diagnosed with the condition when it was at a terminal state, concluding that they were "better off dead". "Our data suggest that the psychological experience of cancer survivors deserves further attention, as urged by the Institute of Medicine, particularly because appropriate use of psychosocial interventions in patients with cancer can make a positive impact on quality of life," write the authors of this study.
Comment: Cancer patients are at high risk for developing the condition of depression. It is very important to diagnose cancer as early as possible because of the even higher suicide risk of those who are diagnosed with cancer when it is at a terminal stage. Frequent doctor check-ups are a successful way to discover cancer early on, and reduce the chance of developing depression.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 6, 2008
Medicare Eliminates Coverage for 10 "Reasonably Preventable" Errors - [10/02/08]
Summary: New regulations, which will take effect next Wednesday, have Medicare halting payment for 10 errors which they have deemed "conditions that could reasonably have been prevented." Expected to affect hundreds of thousands, the new rules will mostly likely not result in a major reduction in expenses.
Comment: This new decision comes on the heels of announcements by four state Medicaid organizations last year in which they eliminated 28 "never events", preventable errors, from coverage. The trend seems to be growing and could have negative ramifications for millions of Americans. Among others, healthcare professionals have begun expressing concern about the decision.
Read article - Medical News Today. October 2, 2008.
New Blood Test Evaluates Prostate Cancer - [10/01/08]
Summary: Research has developed a new test that can detect prostate cancer better in the blood. The analysis of CTC (circulating tumor cells) in the blood stream is used to study the prognosis of the prostate cancer and better predict the survival rate. "CTC testing, used in conjunction with the existing prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, may allow doctors to more accurately evaluate the effect of treatment on a patient's tumour" says Lead researcher Dr Johann de Bono.
Comment: Prostate cancer can be an aggressive and sometimes terminal condition. With this new blood test, the prognosis and the survival rate can better be predicted, leading to more effective treatments for this condition.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 1, 2008
Disease Diagnosis Technology - [10/01/08]
Summary: Scientists at the University of Leeds have developed a biosensor technology that can detect bio-markers (molecules in the body that are often a sign of disease) with the use of anti-bodies. This technology could be used in a simple test that may be able to detect conditions such as multiple sclerosis, heart disease, strokes or cancer. "We've designed simple instrumentation to make the biosensors easy to use and understand," says Dr Millner.
Comment: A method called ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay) uses blood or urine to test for disease markers and is currently the most common one used. However, this test can take up to two hours to complete and can only be used by trained medical personal. This new discovery of technology may lead to great medical advances by making it easier to diagnose and detect serious conditions.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 1, 2008