Experimental Pfizer Drug Slows Down Late Stage Breast Cancer

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Main Category: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Also Included In: Breast Cancer
Article Date: 06 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST

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Experimental Pfizer Drug Slows Down Late Stage Breast Cancer

An experimental new drug by Pfizer has been proven to eliminate progression of an incurable form of breast cancer for over two years, according to new research presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Patients were given the medicine, called PD 0332991, with Novartis (NOVN) AG's Femara. The findings reveal no tumor advancement for a median of 26.1 months, compared with 7.5 months in those who received femara independently. The drug was in its second of three mandatory stages required for U.S. approval.

PD 0332991 is the first in a new group of agents that functions by inhibiting a protein imperative to cancer cell cycle.

Dr. Mace Rothenberg, senior vice president of clinical development and medical affairs for Pfizer's Oncology Business Unit says:

"These results are especially important because of the magnitude of clinical effect observed and the fact that PD-991 represents a potential first-in-class compound. Based on these positive Phase 2 data, Pfizer is planning to open a randomized Phase 3 study of PD-991 in this patient population in 2013. We are working with regulatory authorities to advance the development of this promising compound in the most expeditious and responsible way."

The findings are significant because of the size of the advantage and comparative safety of the experimental treatment. This study consisted of 165 patients with metastatic disease, a rather small trial and should be confirmed in a larger population.

The participating women had tumors stimulated by the hormone estrogen, the most common type of breast cancer. All of the women had metastatic disease, meaning cancer that has spread to other parts of the other body and is considered incurable.

Breast cancer is the second most fatal type of cancer in women. According to the American Cancer Society, 230,000 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with year and over 39,900 will die from it.

When the investigators included women who had stable disease for 6 months or more, 70 percent of those given a combination of the drugs saw benefits, while just 44 percent of those given Femara benefited.

Pfizer will move the compound along into the final stage of testing required for approval as soon as possible, with an international trial planned to start next year.

During the study, about one in three patients needed to have their dose of the experimental drug decreased at some point. Side effects that were seen include low levels of infection-fighting white blood cells, fatigue, and anemia.

Pfizer continues to contact cancer experts to help create the most efficient studies and answer questions about when and how the drug should be prescribed, as well as what other medicines can be given to maximize the advantages.

Rothenberg said, "It's an irony of having a drug moving forward as quickly as we can. There will be gaps in our knowledge of how to give it and when. We're trying to move forward with a thoughtful, methodical approach."

Lead researcher Richard Finn concluded:

"The magnitude of this benefit I don't think should be underestimated. These are patients who have incurable breast cancer. A lot of drugs in oncology have been approved or are getting a lot of traction because of improvements that last weeks to a few months. We have gone from 7 months to 26 months. That's groundbreaking."

Written by Kelly Fitzgerald

Can ADHD Drugs Help Keep People Law-Abiding?

ADD & ADHD Health Center

Can ADHD Drugs Help Keep People Law-Abiding?

People With ADHD Less Likely to Break Law When on Medication

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By Denise Mann
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Nov. 21, 2012 -- People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are taking medication to help control the symptoms of this illness may be less likely to commit crimes, a new Swedish study suggests.
ADHD symptoms include:

• Impulsiveness
• Hyperactivity
• Difficulty paying attention

Previous research has suggested that people with ADHD may be more likely to experience difficulty in school, holding down jobs, and sustaining relationships. They are also at greater risk for alcohol or substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and may be more likely commit crimes.
But taking their ADHD medication may help keep them on the right side of the law.
Researchers tapped into a Swedish registry of more than 25,650 people with ADHD. They compared medication history with criminal records from 2006 to 2009.
During times when they were taking medication for ADHD, men were 32% less apt to commit a crime and women were 41% less likely to do so compared to when they were not taking ADHD medication.  The type of ADHD medication did not affect the results.
The majority of crimes were non-violent, with burglary being the most common.

ADHD in Adults

Less Likely to Break the Law

Study researcher Paul Lichtenstein, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, says in an email that the findings would likely apply to any ADHD patients, regardless of where they are from.
“The most probable interpretation would be that medication reduces symptoms like impulsivity, and that would be similar regardless of country or culture,” Lichtenstein says.
While the study didn’t examine why, he says it’s likely because medication reduces symptoms related to ADHD, such as impulsivity, restlessness,  and irritability, that could lead to criminal acts.
He adds that anyone with ADHD needs to think about the pros and cons of taking medication.
“What this study adds is that this probable reduction in the risk of crime should now also be taken into account in this evaluation,” Lichtenstein says. “So, I guess it might be taken as a motivation for parents as well as young adults to consider to take medication."
Andrew Adesman, MD, says the findings may help ease concerns that medications are overprescribed. “This is further affirmation that medication, when indicated, is part of the solution, not part of the problem,” says Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York.
The findings are interesting, says Howard Abikoff, PhD. He is a professor in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at the New York University Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center.
‘”There is some evidence to suggest that while on medication, a person with ADHD is less likely to get involved in criminal behavior,” he says. “They may be less impulsive, or perhaps they are better organized in their life.” Some may have poor judgment when they are not taking medicine to control their symptoms.

Using iPad at night 'could trigger depression'

Using your iPad or watching television late at night could make you depressed, according to a study that shows exposure to bright light during sleeping hours affects behaviour and stress levels.

According to a recent study using your iPad or watching television late at night could make you depressed Photo: ALAMY

By Stephen Adams, Medical Correspondent

6:00PM GMT 14 Nov 2012

American scientists found that mice regularly exposed to light at night became ‘depressed’ - showing less interest in doing ‘fun’ things, being less likely to explore new objects in their cages and not moving around as much. They also had higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Samer Hattar, professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University in the US, said: “Basically, what we found is that chronic exposure to bright light - even the kind of light you experience in your own living room at home or in the workplace at night if you are a shift worker - elevates levels of a certain stress hormone in the body, which results in depression and lowers cognitive function.”

He and his colleagues also found that the bright light affected special cells in the mice’s eyes, called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which affect the part of the brain that manages mood, memory and learning.

Although the study was in mice, Prof Hattar said mice and men were similar in certain ways and so the study held lessons for people.

“I'm not saying we have to sit in complete darkness at night, but I do recommend that we should switch on fewer lamps, and stick to less-intense light bulbs: Basically, only use what you need to see,” he said.

20 Jun 2012

A spokesman for Johns Hopkins: "When people routinely burn the midnight oil, they risk suffering depression and learning issues, and not only because of lack of sleep. The culprit could also be exposure to bright light at night from lamps, computers and even iPads.
The study is published in the journal Nature.

忠誠荷爾蒙 Hormone may help protect monogamous relationships

Hormone may help protect monogamous relationships

Study shows that monogamous men given the hormone oxytocin will put extra space between themselves and an attractive woman they've just met.

Oxytocin is a brain chemical known to promote trust and bonding. (Jerome Favre / European Pressphoto Agency / November 13, 2012)

By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times

November 13, 2012, 6:27 p.m.

If retired Army Gen. David H. Petraeus had gotten an occasional dose of supplemental oxytocin, a brain chemical known to promote trust and bonding, he might still be director of the Central Intelligence Agency, new research suggests.

A study published Tuesday in the Journal of Neuroscience has uncovered a surprising new property of oxytocin, finding that when men in monogamous relationships got a sniff of the stuff, they subsequently put a little extra space between themselves and an attractive woman they'd just met.

Oxytocin didn't have the same effect on single heterosexual men, who comfortably parked themselves between 21 and 24 inches from the comely female stranger. The men who declared themselves in "stable, monogamous" relationships and got a dose of the hormone chose to stand, on average, about 6 1/2 inches farther away.

When researchers conducted the experiment with a placebo, they found no differences in the distance that attached and unattached men maintained from a woman they had just met.

Even when an attractive woman was portrayed only in a photograph, the monogamous men who received oxytocin put a bit more distance between themselves and her likeness. But when the new acquaintance was a man, administration of oxytocin did not prompt attached men to stand farther away than single men, the researchers reported.

The latest findings suggest that oxytocin, which floods the body in response to orgasm, early romance, breast-feeding and childbirth, may act more subtly in humans than has been widely understood.

A mounting body of recent research suggests that boosting oxytocin in the human brain will indiscriminately promote trusting, friendly behavior. Research on female prairie voles has suggested the chemical might play some role in pair-bonding, and in humans playing games of risk and power, it increased empathy and trust in males and females alike. Injected into the cerebrospinal fluid of male rats, oxytocin causes spontaneous erections.

Accordingly, researchers examining oxytocin's effects on people — including the authors of the latest study — assumed that men under its influence would draw closer to women, not farther away.

"This was quite surprising," said Dr. Rene Hurlemann, a psychiatrist at the University of Bonn in Germany, who led the study.

At the same time, the new findings make evolutionary sense, Hurlemann added: As human societies evolved to give men an increasing role in safeguarding and supporting their mates and offspring, it appears that oxytocin may have taken on a more discriminating role in human interaction by favoring staying over straying behavior among men who've already found a mate.

Paul Zak, founding director of Claremont Graduate University's Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, said the new findings squared nicely with research, including his own, suggesting oxytocin doesn't merely make people friendlier — it makes them more empathetic, more attuned to social cues, and more inclined to adjust their behavior accordingly.

But the study also suggests something important about the ways in which the human brain differs from those of other animals, said Zak, who was not involved in the German experiments.

"The finding that one's relationship status affects how oxytocin affects the brain provides some evidence that our brains evolved to form long-term romantic relationships," Zak said. "Hugh Hefner is the exception, not the role model for men."

Inhaled oxytocin was marketed until 1997 in the United States under the name Syntocinon as an aid to new mothers having difficulty with breast-feeding. (It was withdrawn for business reasons unrelated to safety concerns.) In recent years, it has been under investigation as a drug that may help those with autism or schizophrenia to strengthen social skills.

Oxytocin's effects in women are quite clear. It plays a pivotal role in childbirth (its infused synthetic form, called Pitocin, is used to induce labor) and in breast-feeding, where it facilitates the "letdown" of milk.

For men, however, the chemical's effects have been mysterious. High levels of testosterone, for instance, inhibit the release of oxytocin.

Asked whether an oxytocin nasal spray might be used to help philandering males resist temptation, Hurlemann chuckled and asked whether any drug could be so powerful. At the same time, he underscored that high levels of oxytocin — or its more masculine counterpart, the hormone vasopressin — are produced by the body in response to sexual activity, cuddling or even the touch or close physical presence of a mate.

"What we actually simulate is a kind of post-coital posture" with the nasal administration of oxytocin, Hurlemann said. "And why should you actually approach another women when you're in a post-coital situation? It doesn't make much sense."

For women whose partners seem to get a little too friendly with new female acquaintances at parties, he said, the effects of inhaled oxytocin might be achieved by other means.

"It might make a lot of sense to remind him of the relationship, and sexual activity might be one means of achieving this," Hurlemann said. "I'm not sure it's politically correct to say so, but from a biological point of view, it makes sense."

忠誠荷爾蒙 

忠誠荷爾蒙 :  男人體內存在“忠誠荷爾蒙” 可抵制美女誘惑

有的男人能“執子之手，與子偕老”，一輩子對妻子一心一意；有的男人卻連三年之癢都邁不過去，一有美女色誘立刻變心。科學家研究發現，男人對妻子是否三心 二意，與他們身體內一種叫做“忠誠荷爾蒙”的化學物質的分泌有關。能分泌較多忠誠荷爾蒙的男人更能抵制美女的誘惑，能理智控制性衝動，背叛妻子的幾率也更 低。

忠誠荷爾蒙

　　德國波恩大學的科學家對這一課題進行了研究，研究成果刊登在《自然神經科學》雜誌上。科學家發現，忠誠荷爾蒙分泌較多的男性，與異性相處時潛意識裏會 設定一個底線安全距離，大概是10～15厘米。如果異性主動突破這個距離，男性也不會對投懷送抱的美女動心，反而敬而遠之。

　　這種荷爾蒙的分泌量與一種被命名為RS3334的基因片斷相關，這種基因片段上的變化同男人是否忠貞緊密相連 ，它會抑制忠誠荷爾蒙的分泌。有一個或者兩個RS3334片斷的男人，忠誠荷爾蒙的分泌就偏少，在忠貞度上也就大打折扣。

　　科學家發現 ，當男性跟愛人在一起時，體內分泌的忠誠荷爾蒙會增加，這種荷爾蒙的另一個作用是緩解緊張情緒。研究人員收集了一些忠誠荷爾蒙，對57名異性戀男性做了實 驗，這些人當中有半數人坦白經常抑制不住對貌美異性的性衝動。科學家給每個人都噴灑了用忠誠荷爾蒙調製成的噴霧，45分鐘后用貌美女子測試他們抵抗色誘的 能力。實驗結果讓研究人員大吃一驚，有近80%的受試者竟然抵抗住了誘惑。此外，科學家用同樣的辦法對一夫一妻制的小鼠做了實驗，實驗結果與此類似，一些 有亂性習慣的小鼠收斂了許多 ，甚至當有其他雌鼠試圖誘惑它們時，也不為所動，始終忠誠於原配。

　　研究人員樂觀估計，如果這種神奇的荷爾蒙最終能被確認對人體無害，那它將有望加入商業運作，生産出類似能讓男性保持忠誠的藥物。

keyword :  忠誠荷爾蒙

Gene variant could play central role in Alzheimer's disease

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 10:00PM EST
Last Updated Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 11:14PM EST

A rare mutation of a gene that’s normally linked to inflammation could triple the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research from an international team of scientists.
Less than 1 per cent of the population has the gene variant, called TREM2. Scientists hope that by studying the gene they will better understand how Alzheimer’s attacks the brain -- and find a way to stop it.
Their findings were published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Photos

A rare mutation of a gene that’s normally linked to inflammation could triple the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research from an international team of scientists.

Less than 1 per cent of the population has the gene variant, called TREM2. Scientists hope that by studying the gene they will better understand how Alzheimer’s attacks the brain -- and find a way to stop it.

In this Sept. 20, 2012 photo, a physical therapist guides a dementia patient through a puzzle at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP Photo/Jim Fitzgerald)

About 30 million people around the world have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to rise to 35 million in the next three years.
The incurable disease first destroys the mind’s ability to remember. Over time, as brain cells are attacked, symptoms worsen and patients lose more of their mental abilities until they are entirely dependent on caregivers.
Until now, it’s been commonly thought that the disease is caused by Amyloid plaques -- a sticky, toxic material. Based on this theory, pharmaceutical companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars testing medications to treat Alzheimer’s, but most attempts have failed clinical studies.
The new research suggests those experimental treatments were pointed in the wrong direction, and that TREM2’s role suggests inflammation could be the main culprit.
“What we are now finding out from genetic study is that inflammation is an important part of the disease itself,” Dr. Peter St. George-Hyslop of the University of Toronto told CTV News. “It starts early, and it is part of the way the disease actually happens.”
TREM2 has been previously linked to other forms of dementia, and was first found by researchers with Iceland-based deCODE Genetics Inc., who mapped the genetic code of 2,200 people.
Other scientists searched for the gene variant in 3,550 Alzheimer’s patients and people suffering from other types of dementia, and found it was more common in those with Alzheimer’s.
Study subjects who were found to have TREM2, but did not suffer from Alzheimer’s, still had lower mental function than those without the gene variant.
Dr. Lili-Naz Hazrati, of the University Health network, is hopeful that studying TREM2 could lead to a major breakthrough in fighting the disease.
“We are finding different components of the disease and yes, we are very optimistic that we are going towards a treatment for Alzheimer’s.”
However, Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, a Harvard Medical School geneticist, was more cautious.
He told The Associated Press he would prefer to “see more evidence” that TREM2 was linked to Alzheimer’s and not one of the other forms of dementia already connected to the gene variant.
With a report by CTV’s medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip, and files from The Associated Press

Compounding Pharmacy Linked to 2002 Illnesses

BY THOMAS M. BURTON

A top Massachusetts health regulator has told a congressional committee that the pharmacy at the center of this fall's deadly meningitis outbreak was also linked to apparent meningitis cases in 2002.
In testimony prepared for a House hearing Wednesday, Dr. Lauren Smith, interim commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, said that two patients in 2002 received methylprednisolone from New England Compounding Center and "experienced pain and headaches and were hospitalized with meningitis-like symptoms."

Eating Before Lipid Test OK

By Chris Kaiser, Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today

Published: November 12, 2012

Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Franciscoll screen.

Action Points

• It may not be necessary to fast before a routine cholesterol check.
• Note that the researchers found only a few statistically significant differences among cholesterol subclass levels for fasting intervals when compared with either a 9- to 12-hour fasting time or a greater than 8-hour fasting time.

It may not be necessary to fast before a routine cholesterol check, a large community-based population study suggested.
Overall, the mean cholesterol subclass levels varied by less than 2% for total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, by less than 10% for calculated low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and by less than 20% for triglycerides, reported Christopher Naugler, MSc, MD, of the University of Calgary in Alberta, and colleagues.
"This finding suggests that fasting for routine lipid level determinations is largely unnecessary," they said in the Nov. 12 Archives of Internal Medicine.
The finding is not new and corroborates results from smaller observational studies.
Naugler and colleagues noted that fasting is inconvenient for patients and "may discourage compliance with routine screening programs."
They also suggested that eating before cholesterol testing can highlight insulin resistance, which is "associated with worse postprandial lipid or lipoprotein clearance." In addition, high triglyceride levels after eating are "excellent predictors of insulin resistance."
For the study, investigators included 209,180 individuals who had at least one lipid profile completed during a 6-month period in 2011.
Participants were from Calgary, Alberta, and their mean age was 53. Slightly more than half (53%) were women. The mean total cholesterol at baseline was 183.4 mg/dL, the HDL cholesterol was 55.2 mg/dL, the LDL cholesterol 103.3 mg/dL, and triglycerides 127.6 mg/dL.
A policy change at the testing laboratory allowed the processing of patient samples irrespective of the duration of fasting times. However, the fasting times had to be recorded in the laboratory report, researchers wrote.
The researchers found only a few statistically significant differences among cholesterol subclass levels for fasting intervals when compared with either a 9- to 12-hour fasting time or a greater than 8-hour fasting time.
For example, in men fasting 14 and 15 hours, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and calculated LDL cholesterol were significantly different from the 9- to 12-hour fasting time, but from 1 to 13 hours did not differ.
In women, the total cholesterol and calculated LDL cholesterol at 1 and 2 hours of fasting were significantly different than both the 9- to 12-hour fasting time and greater than the 8-hour time.
"So how does this help our physician? The fact that total and HDL cholesterol values vary little is quite useful," wrote J. Michael Gaziano, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, in an accompanying editorial.
Much of the value of a lipid profile is captured in total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, which did not vary considerably, Gaziano said.
A different approach has to be considered if triglycerides are the focus of concern, as their levels are more tied to fasting levels, Gaziano noted.
"Lipid testing plays a major role in cardiovascular risk stratification and the assessment of lipid responses to clinical interventions," wrote Amit Khera, MD, and Samia Mora, MD, MHS, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, in an invited commentary.
"Current guidelines suggest that blood samples for lipid profiles should be obtained after a 9- to 12-hour fast. This requirement is not always practical for patients, who rarely present to healthcare providers in a fasting state," Khera and Mora said.
They noted that the relatively low mean age of this cohort (53) and low total cholesterol at baseline (183 mg/dL) might preclude these results from applying to higher risk patients. Despite this, they praised the study as one of the largest in North America to examine fasting versus nonfasting before cholesterol testing.
They also wrote that these results add to the growing body of evidence that patients need not fast before lipid blood draws.
Naugler and colleagues noted a limitation of the study was that meal contents were not known before blood draws. Also, there might have been recall errors for self-reported fasting times.
In addition, their analysis did not include cholesterol components such as apolipoprotein A-1 or B-100. They also did not know the status of who was or wasn't on lipid-lowering drugs.

Naughler and colleagues said they have no conflicts of interest.
Mora disclosed relationships with Pfizer, Quest Diagnostics, Abbott, AstraZeneca. Khera had no conflicts of interest.
Gaziano reported no conflicts of interest.

Primary source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Source reference:
Khera AV, Mora A "Fasting for lipid testing: Is it worth the trouble?" Arch Intern Med 2012; DOI: 10.1001 /2013.jamainternmed.263.
Additional source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Source reference:
Gaziano JM "Should we fast before we measure our lipids?" Arch Intern Med 2012; DOI: 10.1001 /jamainternmed.2013.1771.
Additional source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Source reference:
Sidhu D, et al "Fasting time and lipid levels in a community-based population: A cross-sectional study" Arch Intern Med 2012; DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3708.

Men Must look - 男人必看- 驗孕棒睪丸癌

驗孕棒睪丸癌 

English Version: 

http://raymondnews2012.blogspot.hk/2012/11/how-pregnancy-test-can-reveal-you-have.html

驗孕棒睪丸癌 :  男子太無聊玩驗孕棒竟「2條線」　檢查後發現患睪丸癌

男子也會懷孕？！日前有一名男子覺得太無聊，玩起女友的驗孕棒，最後索性拿來驗驗看，沒想到竟驗出懷孕會出現的「2條線」，事後男子到醫院檢查，竟發現是自己罹患睪丸癌所致，手術過後已無大礙。

驗孕棒睪丸癌

該名男子發現驗孕棒驗出2條線時，一開始還覺得好笑，便將驗孕棒照片po到社群網站上，但後來有網友建議他到醫院檢查，男子聽信網友建議，沒想到檢查後發現，竟是因為自己睪丸上長一顆惡性腫瘤，切除後已無大礙。

據了解，beta-HCG性腺激素會使驗孕棒產生反應，而部分睪丸癌會導致男性尿液中驗得出beta-HCG性腺激素，因此該名男子才會驗出「懷孕」現象。不過所幸男子因自己的無心之舉發現病症，提早就醫治療，沒有讓病情更惡化。

無聊男玩驗孕棒竟顯示懷孕　原來罹患睪丸癌

一名西方男子窮極無聊，拿女友的驗孕棒來「驗孕」，想不到驗出兩條紅線，「懷孕了」，男子覺得好笑，自己畫了三格漫畫配上驗孕棒的照片，放上自己的社群《Reddit》，幾天內就吸引了上千名網友關注，大家都覺得很好笑。

但其中有一名網友留言給他：「你可能得了睪丸癌，不要開玩笑，去找個腫瘤科醫生，告訴他你用了驗孕棒結果顯示懷孕」。男子半信半疑與女友一同去掛了號，結果醫生真的在他的睪丸上檢查出一個小小的惡性腫瘤，手術切除後已經沒有大礙。

原來，有部分的睪丸癌，會導致男性尿液中也驗得出驗孕棒有反應的beta-HCG性腺激素，男子無聊的行為反而讓自己提早發現癌症，救了自己一命。

keyword :  驗孕棒睪丸癌

Study: Gargling Glucose Can Help Smokers Quit

November 10, 2012 11:36 PM

File photo of packs of cigarettes. (REMY GABALDA/AFP/GettyImages)

ATHENS, Ga. (CBS Atlanta) – Glucose is a type of sugar whose main purpose and benefit when working out is to supply energy to your muscles and brain.
Researchers now believe it has a new benefit – helping those addicted to smoking cigarettes kick the habit.
Researchers at the University of Georgia conducted tests on the subject using 51 students, according to the U.K. Sun.

Two tests measuring self-control were administered to the students, the National Monitor further learned. One task allegedly involved crossing out the letter “E” from a page of a statistics book. The other task required students to identify the color of a word written on the screen – a word that usually reflected a different color than the on-screen font, the website noted.
The Sun reported that participants who rinsed their mouths with sugar-sweetened lemonade were said to respond significantly faster to color of the words – as opposed to words themselves – than those students instructed to rinsed with lemonade that was sweetened artificially.
“Researchers used to think you had to drink the glucose and get it into your body to give you the energy to have self-control,” UGA Professor Leonard Martin was quoted as saying by the paper. “After this trial, it seems that glucose stimulates the simple carbohydrate sensors on the tongue. This, in turn, signals the motivational centers of the brain where our self-related goals are represented. These signals tell your body to pay attention,” he added.
“So, if you are trying to quit smoking, a swish of lemonade may not be the total cure, but it certainly could help you in the short run,” he added.
Martin, along with co-author and doctoral candidate Matthew Sanders, concluded that motivation to quit comes from emotional involvement in the process.
“It is the self-investment,” Martin said. “It doesn’t just crank up your energy, but it cranks up your personal investment in what you are doing.”

Statins Linked to Reduced Cancer Death

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Nov. 7, 2012 -- Statins -- widely prescribed drugs used to help prevent death from heart disease -- may play a role in reducing risk for cancer death, too, a new study shows.
Researchers followed all cancer patients in Denmark diagnosed between 1995 and 2007. They found that those who took cholesterol-lowering statins before they were diagnosed were less likely to die from their disease than patients who did not take the drugs.
The study does not prove that statins have a direct impact on cancer survival. But Eric J. Jacobs, PhD, of the American Cancer Society, called the findings "intriguing and exciting" and worthy of further research.
But he says that "they do not mean that people with cancer should start using statins in the hopes of improving their prognosis."
He points out that a large number of studies that establish the role of statins in preventing heart attack and stroke have not shown the drugs to reduce cancer deaths.
"Additional research will be needed to clarify if and how statins might influence survival in cancer patients," he says.
The new study appears in the Nov. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers used a national health database to track statin use among the Danish population. The study included close to 300,000 adults aged 40 or older. They had been diagnosed with cancer between 1995 and 2007. Researchers followed them until the end of 2009.
When the researchers examined deaths from all cancers, they found that patients with a history of statin use had a 15% lower risk of dying than those who had not used the drugs.

Slideshow: Top Cancer-Fighting Foods

How Statins May Improve Cancer Survival

Researcher Sune F. Nielsen, PhD, says there are several possible mechanisms by which statins improve cancer survival.
He says that some studies suggest that cancer cells need cholesterol to grow. And a lack of cholesterol has been shown to inhibit tumor growth.
"It is not so far-fetched to imagine that taking a cholesterol-reducing drug can slow the progression of cancer," Nielsen says.
Almost 19,000 participants in the Danish study took statins before their cancers were diagnosed. But the study did not address whether statins can prevent cancers from occurring.
The study had some limitations, including missing information for many patients about cancer treatment details, tumor size, and cancer spread.
Jacobs says there is little evidence from previous studies that statin use has important effects, "either good or bad," on overall cancer risk.
Neil E. Caporaso, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, wrote an editorial published with the study. He says important questions need to be answered before the studies needed to verify the findings can be conducted.
"But if statins do influence cancer survival it is certainly worth verifying because this could impact millions of cancer patients," he says.

Setback for first malaria vaccine in African trial - 悲情新聞

A young girl with malaria rests in the inpatient ward of the Malualkon Primary Health Care Center in Malualkon, in the South Sudanese state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, June 1, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Adriane Ohanesian

By Kate Kelland and Ben Hirschler

LONDON | Fri Nov 9, 2012 9:11am EST

(Reuters) - The world's first potential malaria vaccine proved only 30 percent effective in African babies in a crucial trial, calling into question whether it can be a useful weapon in the fight against the deadly disease.
The surprisingly poor result for the vaccine, which GlaxoSmithKline has been developing for three decades, leaves several years of work ahead before a protective malaria shot could be ready for countries that desperately need one.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, kills hundreds of thousands a year, mainly babies in Africa, and scientists say an effective vaccine is key to hopes to eradicate it.
Philanthropist Bill Gates, who helped fund the GSK vaccine's development, said further research was now needed to see whether and how it might be used.
"The efficacy came back lower than we had hoped, but developing a vaccine against a parasite is a very hard thing to do," he said in a statement.
Results from the final-stage trial with 6,537 babies aged six to 12 weeks showed the vaccine provided "modest protection", reducing episodes of the disease by 30 percent compared to immunization with a control vaccine, researchers said on Friday.
That efficacy rate a year after vaccination is less than half the 65 percent in an earlier trial in babies which analyzed protection rates after six months. It is also a lot less than the 50 percent rate seen in five to 17 month-olds.
Vaccinating babies, rather than toddlers, is the preferred option, since the new vaccine could then be added to other routine infant immunizations. A separate program for older children would involve a lot of extra costs.
Eleanor Riley, a professor of immunology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said the results showed that GSK's vaccine, called RTS,S or Mosquirix, is potentially useful, but "not the complete solution".
"The slightly lower than expected efficacy will ... affect the cost-benefit analysis that health providers and funders will have to undertake before deciding whether the vaccine represents the best use of limited financial resources," she said.
NOT GIVING UP
Despite the setback, Britain's top drugmaker said it would push ahead with developing RTS,S and GSK Chief Executive Andrew Witty said it could be an important tool in fighting malaria.
"We've been at this for 30 years, and we're certainly not going to give up now," he told reporters on a conference call.
GSK does not expect to make any profit from the vaccine, which would only be sold in poor countries.
Witty reiterated a promise that if RTS,S is ultimately approved for market, it would be priced at cost of manufacture plus a 5 percent margin, and the margin would be reinvested by GSK in malaria research.
Given the target market, it is governments and international groups that will fund the vaccine's roll-out, and they now need more positive data before deciding whether it is worth buying.
"We will have to have more information to give us a clearer idea as to how useful this vaccine will be," said Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance, which funds bulk-buy vaccination programs for poorer nations.
In particular, Berkley told Reuters he wanted to see longer-term data, including the effect of booster shots, and an analysis of how the vaccine performed in different settings.
Details of the malaria trial, which is Africa's largest ever clinical trial involving almost 15,500 children in seven countries, were presented at a medical meeting in Cape Town and published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.
Witty said he would have liked to have seen efficacy rates of around 50 percent in infants, but stressed that more data would become available before the trial ends in 2014 which may throw more light on why rates of success are so variable.
"It may open up a more customized approach to how this potential vaccine gets used," he said.
Malaria is caused by a parasite carried in the saliva of mosquitoes. It is endemic in more than 100 countries worldwide and infected around 216 million people in 2010, killing around 655,000 of them, according to the World Health Organisation.
Control measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying and anti-malaria drugs have helped cut cases and deaths significantly in recent years, but scientists say it will take an effective vaccine and many more years work to wipe out malaria.
Scientists around the world are working on other potential malaria vaccines but RTS,S is by far the furthest ahead in development.
(Editing by Mark Potter and Jon Hemming)

Doctors prescribe iPad Mini: a perfect lab coat fit

Doctors glad that iPad Mini sticks with same interface as its bigger brother

By Lucas Mearian

November 9, 2012 02:16 PM ET

7 Comments

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Computerworld - One in three physicians planned to buy the iPad Mini even when its existence was just a rumor, according to a poll of doctors by medical app developer Epocrates.

According to 90% of the respondents to the survey, the smaller size of the iPad Mini is the device's main attraction. The 50 physicians surveyed indicated the iPad Mini will be easier to tote around between exam rooms and on hospital rounds because it fits nicely into the pockets of their lab coats.
Lab coat pockets are 8.5 in. long and 7.5 in. wide. The iPad Mini is 7.87 in. long and 5.3 in. wide.
The use of tablets by physicians for professional purposes has almost doubled since 2011, reaching 62% this year, with the iPad as the dominant device. Half of tablet-using physicians have used their devices at the point of care, according to a study by market research and advisory firm Manhattan Research.
The original iPad offered a lighter, less expensive alternative to the purpose-built tablets that medical personnel had been using, according to IHS iSuppli, a market research firm. The first-generation iPad was popular with physicians even though it lacked a critical feature that they very much wanted -- a camera. The iPad 2 and later models included cameras, which medical staffers use in patient care -- photographing wounds in order to keep a visual record during treatment, for example.
A survey of 3,798 physicians conducted in May last year by QuantiaMD, a mobile and online community of 125,000 physicians, found that accessing electronic medical records (EMR) is No. 1 on the list of ways physicians would like to use mobile technology.
More than 80% of the physicians responding to QuantiaMD's survey indicated that they own a mobile device capable of downloading applications. That means the rate of adoption of smartphones and tablets among physicians is significantly higher than it is throughout the general U.S. population.
Apple products are the clear preference of physicians, according to QuantiaMD's survey. Here's a breakdown of the mobile devices purchased by physicians for their private practices: iPhone, 59%; iPad, 28%; Android smartphone, 21%; Android tablet, 3%; and Blackberry, 11%. Among tablet users, the iPad was virtually the only choice; only a fraction of physicians who use tablets said they had Android devices, according to the survey. Of the survey respondents who don't use mobile devices, 66% said that they're likely to select an Apple product when they do get one.
Dr. Mark Vadney, an anesthesiologist at Jefferson Anesthesia Services in Watertown, N.Y., participated in the Epocrates physician survey. Vadney said he has owned an iPad from "the very first day they came out." He is currently waiting to get a new iPad Mini when they're in stock in his area.
"My current iPad is full of medical apps for ultrasound regional anesthesia, anesthesiology textbooks, and medical calculators," Vadney said. "The new iPad Mini is exciting because it will take a bit of the heft away of the current iPad without changing any of the functionality I need."
Vadney said the iPad's resolution is "terrific" for ultrasound image evaluation. As a non-radiologist, he said the resolution is good enough for his needs.
In addition to Epocrates point-of-care medical applications, Vadney said he uses the Kindle's mobile app (which he uses to download anesthesiology textbooks), a pediatric care medical calculator that generates tables of recommended medication doses, and an anesthesiology ultrasound app.

A doctor at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Israel shows a patient an X-ray image on an Apple iPad in this October 2010 photo. Physicians are looking forward to using the smaller iPad Mini, because, among other things, it fits into their lab coat pockets. (Photo: Nir Elias / Reuters) 

 

Asked what sets the iPad Mini apart from other small tablets, such as the Google Nexus 7 or tablets specifically made for physicians, such as the Motion C5v Tablet, Vadney said familiarity was the key feature.
"I trust and have been happy with the iPad and all of my Apple products. They seem to be well built, deliver what is promised, and have been around for a while, and [Apple continues] to work towards improving the product," he said.
The only drawback to the iPad, Vadney said, is that it's not designed specifically for medical use. For example, iOS lacks a central file management system, so files become associated with specific apps, and it's hard to use files with other apps. Android tablets, meanwhile, do have a central file management system.
Epocrates and other medical app providers, such as Medscape and Skyscape, make their products available on both iOS and Android-based tablets.
Marianne Braunstein, vice president of product management at Epocrates, said the company was excited about the iPad Mini because it's another device that supports the company's healthcare workflow. She said her company's physician clients were particularly happy that Apple kept the iPad's user interface rather than using the iPhone's interface.
"On the iPhone, there are only so many things you can do with the real estate, so physicians may need more tabs to open with that," she said. "The iPad has a larger form factor, so the same information can be presented on the screen even if it's a smaller size."
For example, drug monographs are highly detailed and thoroughly documented studies on drugs that, if presented on an iPhone, would require a physician to select multiple tabs in order to find an adult or pediatric dosing recommendation.
"Whereas all of that information can be nicely listed in one flow and with one swipe on the iPad," Braunstein said.
Rhoda Alexander, an analyst at IHS iSuppli, said the iPad Mini provides the functionality healthcare providers need.
While the iPad Mini's screen resolution isn't as sharp as that of third- or fourth-generation iPads, "the greater portability is likely to outweigh that consideration in this particular purchase decision for many," Alexander wrote in an email to Computerworld.
IHS hasn't surveyed physicians to find out what they think about the iPad Mini, but Alexander said the device seems "a natural match" for the medical profession, given the fact that physicians showed early interest in iPhones and were quick to adopt the original iPads. "The smaller, lighter size has key advantages," she said, noting that it enables medical staffers "to keep hands free when not using the tablet" because they can store it securely "in an easily available pocket," she wrote.
 

7-Up With Antioxidants To Be Taken Off The Market

By CANDICE CHOI and MAE ANDERSON 11/08/12 06:10 PM ET EST







NEW YORK -- 7-Up with antioxidants will soon be off the market, after an advocacy group accused the drink maker of making misleading health claims.
Dr Pepper Snapple Group said Thursday its 7-Up varieties that tout antioxidants will be off the market by early 2013. The company, based in Plano, Texas, said the decision to reformulate the drinks was not related to the lawsuit. It said the drinks were being taken off the market for consistency across its brands.
The company commented about the decision after an advocacy group on Thursday filed a lawsuit saying the drink's claims are misleading because they give the impression that the antioxidants come from fruit rather than added vitamin E. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, which advocates for food safety and nutrition, also noted that the Food and Drug Administration prohibits companies from fortifying candies and soft drinks with nutrients.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in California on behalf of a California man who bought the drinks but says he didn't know the antioxidants didn't come from juices.
7-Up Cherry Antioxidant, Mixed Berry Antioxidant, and Pomegranate Antioxidant were launched in 2009. Despite the pictures of cherries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries and pomegranates on various 7-Up labels, the drinks do not contain any fruit or juice.
"It's an implied claim of healthfulness without any evidence," says Mike Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Although there are many packaged foods that tout antioxidants, Jacobson said this was a particularly egregious example because regulations prohibit companies from fortifying junk foods.
Even if added antioxidants provided any benefit, Jacobson noted that people "shouldn't be getting them from a soda."
In a statement issued Thursday, Dr Pepper said its 7-Up Cherry is a "cherry-flavored soda that does not contain juice ... and it says so right on the label." The company says it had decided to reformulate the 7-Up drinks in 2011 and had met with the Center for Science in the Public Interest over the matter this summer.
The FDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

It's not the first time a soft drink maker has run into trouble for nutritional claims. In 2008, the FDA sent The Coca-Cola Co. a warning letter for placing inappropriate nutritional claims on its Diet Coke Plus soft drink. The agency had objected to the product's labeling, which described the drink as "Diet Coke with Vitamins and Minerals." The FDA said at the time that it is inappropriate to add extra nutrients to "snack foods such as carbonated beverages."
A Coca-Cola representative said the drink was taken off the market in 2010 because it wasn't performing well.
In 2009 the Center for Science in the Public Interest also sued Coca-Cola for what it said were deceptive claims about its Vitaminwater. The group said Coca-Cola was selling what it said is basically sugar water by claiming it has vitamins that boost immunity and reduce the risk of disease. That case is still pending, according to Steve Gardner, litigation director for the center.

Women's Respiratory Symptoms May Vary With Menstrual Cycle For example, study found wheezing highest on days 10 to 22

FRIDAY, Nov. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Women's respiratory symptoms -- such as wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath -- vary significantly during different stages of the menstrual cycle, a new study says.
The finding suggests that treatment for respiratory diseases such as asthma could be improved by individualizing it according to a woman's menstrual cycle, the researchers said.
The study included nearly 4,000 women who completed questionnaires that asked them about their respiratory symptoms, asthma, body-mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) and smoking status.
All the women reported higher levels of wheezing on menstrual cycle days 10 to 22, with a mild dip near the time of ovulation (days 14 to 16) in most women. On menstrual cycle days 7 to 21, shortness of breath was at its highest, with a dip just prior to mid-cycle in many women.
Levels of cough were higher just after ovulation among women with asthma, smokers and those who were overweight. Levels of cough were higher just prior to ovulation and menses in women with low rates of respiratory symptoms.
The study was published online Nov. 9 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
"Our finding that respiratory symptoms vary according to the stage of the menstrual cycle is novel, as is our finding that these patterns vary according to BMI and smoking status," lead author Dr. Ferenc Macsali, of the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, said in a journal news release. "These relationships indicate a link between respiratory symptoms and hormonal changes through the menstrual cycle."
"Our results point to the potential for individualizing therapy for respiratory diseases according to individual symptom patterns," he concluded. "Adjusting asthma medication, for example, according to a woman's menstrual cycle might improve its efficacy and help reduce disability and the costs of care."
While the study found an apparent link between women's menstrual cycles and levels of respiratory symptoms, it did not prove the existence of a cause-and-effect relationship.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about asthma.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

1 in 5 Still Smoke, but They're Smoking Less

Download Complimentary Source PDF 

By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today

Published: November 08, 2012

Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Action Points

• Tobacco use remained unchanged from 2010 to 2011, although the prevalence of heavy smoking has declined significantly, according to the CDC.
• Note that state-level funding for tobacco-control programs fell well short of CDC recommendations.

The percentage of people who smoke remained essentially unchanged from 2010 to 2011, but over time the prevalence of heavy smoking declined significantly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Overall, 19% of U.S. adults described themselves as smokers in 2011, down just a hair from 19.3% in 2010, but among those who self-described as daily or heavy smokers, the proportion who said they smoked 30 or more cigarettes a day decreased by more than 25% since 2005 (12.6% to 9.1%).
State-level funding for tobacco-control programs fell well short of CDC recommendations, as described in the November 9 issue of MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
"Despite increases in excise tax revenue, state funding for tobacco control programs has actually decreased during the past 5 years," reported Israel Agaku, DMD, of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health in Atlanta, and colleagues.
"Full implementation of comprehensive tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended funding levels might result in a substantial reduction in tobacco-related disease and death and billions of dollars in savings from averted medical costs and lost productivity," they said.
Coinciding with the 37th annual Great American Smokeout on Nov. 15, the report emphasized the ongoing health and economic burdens of smoking: 443,000 deaths annually as a result of smoking-related illness; $96 billion in direct medical expenses; and $97 billion in lost productivity.
Data from the CDC's 2011 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provided the basis for the report. Involving a sample of 33,014 adults, the NHIS showed no significant difference in smoking prevalence between 2010 and 2011. Smokers were defined as individuals who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetimes and continued to smoke every day or on some days.
Of the estimated 43.8 million smokers in 2011, 34.1 million (77.8%) smoked every day. The 19% total prevalence included 21.6% of men and 16.5% of women. Smoking prevalence was highest among non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives (31.5%) and among people ages 25 to 44 (22.1%) and lowest among non-Hispanic Asians (9.9%) and adults ≥65 (7.9%).
From 2005 to 2011, the largest decline in current smoking occurred among adults 18 to 24 (24.4% to 18.9%, P<0.05). Among self-reported daily smokers, the mean number of cigarettes decreased from 16.7 in 2005 to 15.1 in 2011 (P<0.05).
More than half (51.8%) of smokers and those who had quit in the past year had attempted to quit for more than 1 day during the past year.
Despite some evidence of progress toward tobacco control, smoking rates remained well above the 12% target set by the HHS Healthy People 2020 program.
For fiscal year 2011, only two states funded tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels, Agaku and co-authors noted. Funding was less than 25% of recommended levels in 27 states.
A summary of the report included the public health implications: "To meet the Healthy People 2020 target for smoking among adults, effective interventions need to be continued or augmented, such as a combination of smoke-free laws, tobacco price increases, access to tobacco cessation treatments and services, and anti-tobacco media campaigns featuring graphic personal stories on the adverse health impact of smoking."

The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Primary source: MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report
Source reference:
Agaku I, et al "Current cigarette smoking among adults - United States, 2011" MMWR 2012; 61: 889-894.

Panel looks at pros, cons of expanding Medicaid in light of Obama's re-election

Written by 

Brian Lyman

With the Affordable Care Act all but certain to be fully implemented following Obama’s re-election, a state committee studying the future of the state’s Medicaid program Thursday morning took a “post-mortem” of the election and what it means for health care in the state.
The meeting, scheduled months in advance, came as lawmakers face big decisions and pressing deadlines on the implementation of the federal health care law. Gov. Robert Bentley has not yet said if he will opt into an expansion of Medicaid eligibility offered by the ACA that will be funded by the federal government for the first three years.
“By definition, Medicaid is going to expand if we do nothing,” said Rep. Greg Wren, R-Montgomery, a co-chair of the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Medicaid. “As planners and legislators, we have to anticipate what’s going to happen on the Medicaid piece.”
Nearly 1 million Alabamians are enrolled in Medicaid; nearly half of its beneficiaries are children.
After 2017, states would pay a growing share of the expansion, though the federal government still would bear most of the costs. By 2020, states would have to pay about 10 percent of the expansion. Alabama lawmakers, however, have argued that Alabama’s tight General Fund budget, which pays for Medicaid, would make any additional funding difficult.
The Medicaid expansion would cover all able-bodied adults between the ages of 19 and 65 who make 133 percent or less of the poverty level — $30,567 for a family of four.
If the state opted out of the expansion, those individuals might be able to obtain insurance through a health insurance exchange, a place where customers can price private insurance plans and apply for subsidies. But Joy Wilson, director of health care policy for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told the committee by phone that that would be a significantly larger expense.
Wren said after the meeting that those new costs likely would be borne by small businesses, adding that the Medicaid expansion was something the state should look into.

The state also faces a Nov. 16 deadline to tell the Department of Health and Human Services whether they want to set up a state-run health insurance exchange, allow the federal government to design the program or opt for a mixture of the two. Although the state is unlikely to be able to provide a blueprint of a state insurance exchange by a week from Friday, Wilson and other committee members expressed concerns that HHS had not given a blueprint for a federally run exchange.
“We don’t really have much information on how the federal exchanges are going to work, and how that cooperative agreement will work,” she said.
Wilson also told committee members there was a process for opting for a federally run exchange and then transitioning it to one run by the state.
An advisory HHS sent to states in August said states looking to run their own exchanges or participate in a state-federal partnership would have to submit a “complete Exchange Blueprint” by Nov. 16. Without a blueprint, HHS may offer a “conditional approval” that could mean the federal government running an exchange until the state’s plan was ready.

Top 10 foods that prevent breast cancer

IPSHITA MITRA, TNN Nov 7, 2012, 04.02PM IST

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has predicted that by 2020 the number of breast cancer cases will jump to an alarming figure and one in every eight women would run the risk of developing the disease in her lifetime.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) too, concluded that over the last two decades there has been a steep rise in the statistics pertaining to women being diagnosed with breast cancer. So grave is the scenario that in India, breast cancer has been declared the most common form of cancer, almost surpassing cervical cancer as the deadliest of all cancers. Early detection and regular medical-checkups are compulsory, but at the same time it is important that our diet and the food we eat prepare us to fight malignant cancer cells at the onset.

ina Sapra, senior clinical nutritionist & coordinator with Fortis Memorial Research Institute and Dr Vandana Mathur, consulting nutritionist, Metropolis Healthcare, Mumbai, give us an insight into the top foods that can prevent breast cancer risk in women. The doctors discuss age groups most vulnerable to the disease and also inform us about the foods that should be avoided in daily diet to keep cancer cell growth in check. Foods that prevent Breast Cancer
Flaxseed
You can get flax either as whole seed, ground or flaxseed oil. The omega-3s, lignans and fibre found in flaxseed are found to form a protective shield against cancer cells responsible for causing breast cancer. Include flax to yogurt or a smoothie to create a richer and nutty flavour. You can add flaxseed oil to salad dressings too or integrate them into baked goods, such as cookies or muffins.
Brazil nuts
Uniquely rich in selenium, fibre, and phytochemicals, Brazil nuts can help fight inflammation, improve the immune system and prevent tumour growth. And you do not need many of them—a palmful can do the trick. Enjoy them as any other nut either with fruits or asparagus (contains the anti-cancer component, chlorophyll).
Garlic
Rich source of cancer-fighting compound called allium, garlic and its relatives (onion, leeks, scallions, and chives) are shown to slow tumour growth and prevent breast cancer risk among other forms of cancer such as colorectal and prostate cancers. Garlic and onions are found in a variety of foods including Italian, Spanish, Indian, Thai and Chinese dishes. Crush or swallow a piece of garlic every morning and that's all it takes to live a cancer-free life!
Pomegranate
This is highly recommended for preventing breast cancer. It contains polyphenol- an ellagic acid with anti-oxidant properties that prevent cancer growth. Include this delicious fruit in your diet and discover effective health benefits.
Dark-green leafy vegetables
From kale, collards to spinach and Swiss chard, dark-green leafy vegetables probably are considered a "one stop shop" for all the best nutrients your body needs to fend off cancerous cells, i.e. fibre, vitamin B, phytochemicals, chlorophyll and more. It's time to add some greens to your diet.
Salmon
A great source of omega-3s and vitamins B12 and D, salmon can provide your body with the nutrients it needs to regulate cell growth and prevent cancer. In fact, certain types of Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) are proven effective in cancer treatment. Steam it, bake it, grill it or saute it. This fish is a great option and pairs well with many foods like garlic, dark-green leafy vegetables, turmeric, peppers and broccoli.
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts
As a cruciferous (belonging to the plant family Cruciferae) vegetable along with cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale; broccoli is rich in sulforophane and indoles, which are shown to regulate cell growth in multiple ways and help fight a range of cancers, including breast, bladder, lymphoma, prostate and lung cancer.

Green tea
Consumption on a regular basis has been linked to lower incidence of breast cancer. The phyto-chemicals in green tea can well take the credit for its health benefits. One to two cups of green tea daily can help you keep cancer at bay.
Peppers
Pick a pepper, any pepper! Most have some phytochemical or nutrient that will help fight cancer. Chilli and jalapeno peppers have capsaicin (an active component of chilli peppers) that fight the growth rate of cancer cells. Green peppers are rich in chlorophyll which can bind cancer-causing carcinogens found in the gut. Red peppers have both capsaicin and antioxidant carotenoids. Put them in a vegetable stir-fry or eat them with hummus.
Turmeric
A spice commonly found in our country cancer-fighting compound called curcumin can inhibit many types of cancer cells, including breast, gastrointestinal, lung, and skin cancer. A pinch of turmeric fights toughest of cancer-causing cells.
Other breast-cancer-fighting-foods are
Walnuts
Abundant in omega-3-fatty acids, natural phytosterols and antioxidants, walnuts make for an ideal anti-breast cancer food.

Man Gets Treatment for Cancer Thanks to a Home Pregnancy Test and Reddit

By JuJu KimNov. 08, 2012
The social media site Reddit may have a bad rap for offensive content and trolls, but in among the jailbait photos there are gems of important knowledge — and even information that can safe a life.
When Reddit user CappnPoopdeck posted a rage comic earlier this week on the experiences of his male friend, who had jokingly taken a pregnancy test his ex-girlfriend left in his medicine cabinet and gotten a positive result, he intended the post as entertainment for the Internet masses. Instead, various commenters alerted him the test could be an indication of cancer. The most popular response read, “If this is true, you should check yourself for testicular cancer. Seriously. Google it.”
(MORE: Psy on Reddit: Inspired by Freddie Mercury, Wants to Meet Tom Cruise)
User goxilo was no troll. Pregnancy tests produce a positive result upon the detection of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, which is produced not only by pregnancy in women but also by testicular tumors in men. CappnPoopdeck’s friend visited the doctor and found a small tumor in his right testicle, according to a follow-up comic.
CappnPoopdeck expressed a number of conflicting feelings in his update, he wrote that early detection enabled the tumor to be treated immediately and thanked Redditors for their advice.
“I’m sad he might lose a nut, while I’m also amazed a preg test picked up a f—ing tumor and happy it was caught early, all at the same time,” CappnPoopdeck wrote in his second comic. “So both of us want to say thank you, and in all seriousness, if you are male check yourself for testicular cancer regularly. If you’re a girl, test yourself for breast cancer regularly.”
This isn’t the first time Reddit has clued individuals into medical problems. In March, WebProNews reported that a Wailuku, Hawaii man stumbled upon a submission on the site that allowed him to diagnose and treat his chronic sickness. Following the discovery, he announced that he wanted to write a book about the path to his diagnosis.
The male pregnancy test story has received considerable attention in the media, meanwhile — so much so that the original poster added a new comment on Reddit stating that he and his friend had grown pretty tired of calls from journalists. “There’s already a zillion articles on the internet about it, that is ENOUGH,” the poster wrote. So we’ll just end this here.

How a pregnancy test can reveal you have cancer

By Dr. Manny Alvarez

Dr Manny's Notes

Published November 08, 2012

  FoxNews.com

Recently, an anonymous user posted what he thought was a funny story to the popular social news site Reddit, describing how his male friend took a pregnancy test – which came back positive.  After many commenters urged the man’s friend to go the doctor, it turned out the friend actually had testicular cancer.
What a pregnancy test measures is a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).  This hormone is manufactured naturally in pregnancy by the placenta and later by the syncytiotrophoblast cells.  The pregnancy test specifically measures the beta subunit of hCG to predict the presence of a pregnancy and if it is developing normally.
However, there are some cancer cells that also produce beta hCG.  These cancers include some that are particular to males like testicular cancer, but also ones that are related to the female reproductive system.  There are certain cancers such as choriocarcinoma, ovarian germ cell tumors and molar pregnancies -- which are masses inside the uterus -- that have been linked with high elevations of hCG.
While a routine five-week pregnancy could have a range of beta hCG in the 7,000s mIU/ml range, for example, in some of these cancers, the range could be elevated significantly above the range expected for a normal pregnancy.  In males, you should never find any levels of hCG, which is why this man’s positive test was so irregular – and lead to the discovery of his tumor.
After hearing this story, some people have asked me how I feel about the hCG diet, and I keep saying that I certainly would not recommend it.

AHA: Is Looking Old a Mirror of the Heart?

By Cole Petrochko, Staff Writer, MedPage Today

Published: November 08, 2012

Action Points

• This study was published as an abstract and presented at a conference. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

LOS ANGELES -- Some of the hallmarks of "old age" -- baldness or fat deposits on the eyelids -- may be markers for increased risk of ischemic heart disease.
In a Danish cohort study patients' risk of myocardial infarction grew by 35% if they had fatty eyelid deposits, 11% if they had earlobe creases, and 40% for men with crown top baldness, Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen, MD, reported at the American Heart Association meeting.
Patients who presented three or four aging signs had a nearly 40% increased risk of ischemic heart disease (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.61) and a nearly 60% increased risk of MI (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.93), said Tybjaerg-Hansen, of the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
"Looking old for your age is a marker of poor cardiovascular health," she noted during the presentation, adding that patients presenting these signs of old age should engage in lifestyle change and that use of lipid-lowering therapy "should be intensified in these individuals."
Session moderator Kathy Magliato, MD, of St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif., noted that healthcare professionals need to visually inspect their patients.
"We need to really look at them," she said, adding that "I think doctors are sometimes so rushed to put on a blood pressure cuff and get a stethoscope on your chest that sometimes we forget to sit back and look at these visible signs of aging."
Tybjaerg-Hansen and colleagues analyzed aging signs in 10,885 participants, ages 40 and older, sampled from the general Danish population and followed for 35 years until the development of ischemic heart disease or MI. A majority of the sample were men (55%).
At baseline, participants were checked for visual signs of aging, including baldness, greying hair, wrinkles, earlobe creasing, fatty deposits around the eyelid (xanthelasmata), and lightening of the cornea. Prevalence of these conditions included:

• 69% had frontoparietal baldness
• 36% had crown top baldness
• 31% had earlobe crease
• 6% had fatty eyelid deposits

At 35 years follow-up, 3,401 patients developed heart disease and 1,708 suffered an MI. Fatty deposits around the eyes were the strongest predictor of MI and heart disease, Tybjaerg-Hansen said, although all four conditions were associated with increased risk of MI and heart disease.
However, she noted that risks grew significantly the more symptoms a patient presented (P<0.0001), with a greater than 50% increased risk among patients with three or four aging signs, and independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.
These factors "reflect your biological age" rather than one's chronological age and were a good marker of poor cardiovascular health, she said.
She noted that the study was made up entirely of white Danish individuals and that its results may not be generalizable to other populations.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Primary source: American Heart Association
Source reference:
Tybjaerg-Hansen A, et al "Aging signs predict risk of ischemic vascular disease independent of chronological age" AHA 2012; Abstract 15333.