Cancer survivors who practice healthy habits have higher quality of life

A new study from the American Cancer Society finds cancer survivors who follow health behavior recommendations avoiding tobacco, eating more fruits and vegetables, and getting adequate exercisehave higher health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores than those who do not follow such recommendations. The study, which appears in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, also finds cancer survivors have low rates of smoking, but few are meeting physical activity recommendations or meeting the 5-A-Day fruit and vegetable consumption recommendation, suggesting a cancer diagnosis may change smoking behavior but have little impact on exercise and healthy eating.

Researchers led by Kevin Stein, PhD, used data from more than 9,000 survivors participating in the American Cancer Societys Study of Cancer Survivors-II (SCS II), a national cross-sectional study of HRQoL among cancer survivors identified through population-based cancer registries. The analysis revealed that eight out of ten survivors were not meeting the 5-A-Day recommendation (range 80.0 to 85.2 percent). Up to seven out of ten were not meeting recommendations for physical activity (range 52.7 percent to 70.4 percent). Meanwhile, survivors were more likely to be non-smokers than those without a history of cancer (range 82.6 to 91.6 percent). Only about one in 20 survivors was meeting all three lifestyle behavior recommendations (range 3.6 to 5.8 percent).

The study also found higher HRQoL in survivors who were meeting each lifestyle behavior recommendation, with the strongest associations emerging for physical activity. And the more lifestyle behaviors cancer survivors met, the higher their HRQoL score, regardless of the type of cancer.

It is concerning that up to 12.5 percent of cancer survivors are not meeting any lifestyle behavior recommendation and less than 10 percent on average across the cancer groups are meeting two or more recommendations, said Dr. Stein. What

'/>"/>

Genes Linked to Osteoporosis Identified

Two teams of researchers report finding a series of gene variants linked to bone density and the risk for fracture, which might also be linked to osteoporosis.

While not a predictor of individual risk for osteoporosis, this finding could lead to new therapies to combat the disease, they noted.

"When we look at a screening of genes for osteoporosis and low-impact fractures, we find five loci in the genome, and a couple of them fall into very well-known areas associated with the formation of bone," said researcher Dr. Kari Stefansson, founder and CEO of deCODE Genetics in Reykjavik, Iceland. His team's report was published Tuesday online as an early release from the New England Journal of Medicine.

Osteoporosis, however, involves many genes, not just the five areas identified in this study, Stefansson noted. "Osteoporosis is a very complex phenomenon," he said.

Stefansson was clear that these findings are not something that can be used in diagnosing osteoporosis. "It is a very exciting insight into the biology," he said. "We are beginning to understand osteoporosis."

One of the genes, the researchers identified it as the RANKL gene, is a target of new drugs in clinical trials being tested for osteoporosis, Stefansson said.

In the study, Stefansson and colleagues analyzed genes from 5,061 Icelanders. The researchers looked at those associated with bone mineral density.

Stefansson's team found a significant association with bone mineral at five gene regions. These regions are close to or included in genes that have previously been shown to be associated with bone and the development of osteoporosis.

In addition to RANKL, the other genes are the estrogen receptor 1 gene, the osteoporosis gene, and a gene region, including 40 genes called ZBTB40. In addition,

'/>"/>

Cervical Cancer Screens Effective But More Can Be Done

Screening for cervical cancer reduces the risk for all types of the disease in women of all ages, say Swedish researchers. They also concluded that better follow-up of women who have cervical cancer screening could lower rates of the disease.

The researchers reviewed data from the National Cervical Cancer Screening Registry on 1,230 cervical cancer patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2001, and 6,124 age-matched women who hadn't been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Women who hadn't had a Pap smear screening test within the recommended three-year interval were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than women who had regular Pap tests. Women who didn't have regular screening were also nearly five times more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer than those were had regular screening.

Regular screening reduced the risk for all types of cervical cancer and reduced the risk of women between ages 23 and 30, which were new findings, according to the researchers.

They noted that screening didn't completely protect women from cervical cancer. Women who were screened at the recommended interval and were found to have abnormal cells were 7.6 times more likely to develop cervical cancer than women who were screened and had normal results.

Women with abnormal Pap results accounted for 11.5 percent of all cervical cancer cases. This increased risk was not noted in women diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer.

The study was published online April 29 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The researchers said their findings show that irregular screening is the most important risk factor for incident cervical cancer and that abnormal smears, if not followed up by a biopsy, are also an important risk factor.

Unlikely Drugs Emerge as 'Cognition Enhancers'

One in five respondents to a new survey acknowledges using so-called "cognition-enhancing drugs" -- such as ADHD and heart medications -- to stimulate their focus, concentration or memory.

The most popular drug was Ritalin (methylphenidate), which is prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but has emerged in recent years as a campus "study aid." Coming in second was the stimulant Provigil (modafinil), followed by blood-pressure drugs called beta blockers, which can also help to reduce anxiety.

The online survey was open to subscribers of Nature -- who tend to be researchers and scientists -- and the results are published in the April 10 issue of the scientific journal. The survey found that people of all ages are using these drugs for cognitive enhancement.

That flies in the face of conventional wisdom that suggests stimulant use is highest among people 18 to 25 years old and students, Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, noted in the report.

Ritalin was the most popular drug, with 62 percent of users reporting having taken it. Forty-four percent of the respondents -- more than 1,400 people from 60 countries -- said they'd taken Provigil, while 15 percent said they'd taken beta blockers such as propanolol.

Other popular drugs of choice included adderall, an amphetamine similar to Ritalin; centrophenoxine, which is used to treat dementia; and dexedrine, an amphetamine. Supplements such as ginkgo and omega-3 fatty acids were also commonly used, according to the poll.

One third of those using drugs for non-medical purposes said they'd bought them over the Internet. Others got them from pharmacies or with a prescription, according to the survey

The most common reason given for taking any of these drugs

'/>"/>

Viscosity Enhancers Curb Bleeding Complications

Viscosity enhancers that thicken the blood are highly effective in treating severe bleeding, according to a study by University of California, San Diego, bioengineering researchers.

Currently, intravenous administration of isotonic fluids is the standard emergency treatment for patients with severe bleeding. Previous research has shown that intravenous fluids eight times saltier than normal saline may be beneficial. Building on that research, the UCSD team combined hypertonic saline with viscosity enhancers that thicken blood.

They found this approach resulted in dramatic increases in beneficial blood flow in the small blood vessels of hamsters who'd lost as much as half of their blood. The combined hypertonic saline and viscosity enhancement significantly improved the hamsters' functional capillary density, a key measure of healthy blood flow through tissues and organs.

The findings were published online in the journal Resuscitation.

"Of course, trauma physicians want to get the blood flowing as soon as possible, and increasing the viscosity of blood may not make any sense to them," team leader Marcos Intaglietta, a professor of bioengineering, said in a prepared statement.

"However, our results are highly suggestive that increasing viscosity and partially restoring blood volume is a better way to increase blood flow through tissues. These findings also are consistent with recent discoveries showing that higher shear forces of more viscous blood leads to dilation of small blood vessels," Intaglietta said.

Severe blood loss can lead to a dangerous condition called hypovolemic shock, which is one of the main causes of death in trauma patients. Trauma is the leading cause of death among North Americans aged 1 to 44, according to background information in a news release about the study. A los
'/>"/>

Smoking Boosts 'Bleeding' Stroke Risk in Those With High Blood Pressure

Smoking boosts the increased risk of a hemorrhagic stroke already faced by people with high blood pressure, researchers say.

The study examined data on 563,144 people, average age 47, who took part in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration.

More than a third of the participants were smokers at the start of the study. During a median of 6.8 years of follow-up, 746 of the 210,961 smokers and 899 of the 352,183 nonsmokers suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, where a blood vessel bursts inside the brain.

Further analysis revealed that for every 10mm/Hg increase in systolic (when the heart beats) blood pressure, smokers faced an 81 percent increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, compared with a 66 percent increased risk for nonsmokers.

This added risk of smoking in people with high blood pressure appeared to be specific to hemorrhagic stroke, as there was no evidence to indicate a similar effect on the risk of ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow to the brain) or coronary heart disease, the researchers said.

Smoking may further damage blood vessels in the brain that are already weakened by high blood pressure, the researchers suggested. Weakened blood vessels are prone to rupture and bleeding, thus increasing the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Smokers with the highest systolic blood pressure readings (150mm/Hg or greater) were 9.32 times more likely to suffer hemorrhagic stroke than smokers with the lowest readings (120mm/Hg or less). Nonsmokers with the highest systolic blood pressure readings were 7.05 times more likely to suffer hemorrhagic stroke than those with the lowest readings.

The study was published in the current issue of Stroke.

"Smoking and high blood pressure both increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Since we found that these two risk factors hav

Indian traditional drugs to be filed: Govt

The government is creating a database of traditional Indian drugs aimed at preventing wrongful patenting of drugs, including medicinal plants.

"We are creating a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, a database of our classical drugs in Ayurveda, Sidha and Yoga. This is being done to prevent misappropriation of knowledge about our ancient heritage and wrongful patenting of drugs," Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaaka Lakshmi said

Speaking at the International Herbal Summit and Expo, Lakshmi said the efficacy of medicinal plants in India needs to be documented in a better way and the export potential of these drugs should be fully exploited.

The government has set up Herbal Farm Clusters for improving quality of drugs and promotion of exports, doubling cultivation of medicinal plants, continuous focus on R&D on product and process development and effective marketing of herbal products, she said.

At present, the Indian herbal market is estimated to be worth Rs 7,000 crore and over 3,600 crore of herbal raw materials and medicines are exported by India.

As per a study conducted by industry body Assocham, Indian herbal market is likely to reach Rs 14,500 crore by 2012 and exports to Rs 9,000 crore. However, India's share in medicinal plant export in global trade is just about 2.5 per cent against 13 per cent of China.

The country has a rich biodiversity of plants and of these, 7,000-8,000 are known to have medicinal properties.

"There is need to sensitise the people about conservation of this rich biodiversity and about the role of medicinal plants in providing holistic healthcare," she said

10 Hal yang Dapat Dilakukan Untuk Mengurangi Risiko Kanker

Umumnya orang berasumsi bahwa penyakit kanker disebabkan karena faktor genetik dan tidak bisa dihindari. Namun, menurut the American Cancer Society, perilaku hidup yang sehat ternyata dapat mencegah sekitar separuh dari kematian akibat kanker. Berikut ini disampaikan daftar 10 hal yang dapat anda lakukan yang dapat mencegah atau mendeteksi dini kanker, berdasarkan penelitian – penelitian terbaru :

1. Hindari merokok / mengkonsumsi produk tembakau
Tembakau meningkatkan risiko berbagai jenis kanker, termasuk kanker paru, bronkhus, kepala dan leher, usus besar, dan kandung kemih. Oleh sebab itu, langkah pertama, hindari atau berhenti merokok.

2. Lakukan skrining deteksi dini kanker secara rutin
Deteksi dini kanker secara bermakna sangat meningkatkan angka kesembuhan dan sangat menurunkan risiko kematian akibat kanker. Berikut adalah daftar pemeriksaan skrining kanker yang telah tersedia :

• Usus besar : Mulai usia 50 tahun, dianjurkan pemeriksaan kolonoskopi tiap 10 tahun bagi yang tidak mempunyai risiko (tidak mempunyai riwayat keluarga menderita kanker ini / tidak mempunyai polip risiko tinggi). Bagi yang berisiko, diperlukan frekuensi pemeriksaan yang lebih sering. Pemeriksaan alternatif lainnya bagi yang tidak mempunyai risiko, yaitu flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT-scan, dan pemeriksaan darah samar pada tinja.
• Kanker payudara : Mulai usia 40 tahun, para perempuan dianjurkan menjalani pemeriksaan mammogram dan pemeriksaan fisik oleh dokter tiap tahunnya.
• Kanker prostat : Mulai usia 50 tahun, tiap tahun, pria dianjurkan menjalani pemeriksaan fisik oleh dokter (termasuk pemeriksaan colok dubur) dan pemeriksaan laboratorium (prostate specific antigen / PSA)
• Kanker serviks : Skrining untuk kanker serviks dimulai saat seorang perempuan aktif secara seksual dan dilakukan berkala tergantung risiko dan usia. Pemeriksaan skrining berupa Pap smear dan pemeriksaan human papillomavirus.
• Kanker kulit : Dianjurkan pemeriksaan kulit tiap tahun oleh dokter bagi orang dewasa.

3. Hindari banyak mengkonsumsi alkohol
Konsumsi alkohol berhubungan dengan peningkatan risiko beberapa jenis kanker, termasuk kanker payudara, esofagus, usus besar, pankreas, dan kanker kepala dan leher. Konsumsi alkohol hendaknya dibatasi 2 gelas untuk pria dan 1 gelas untuk perempuan.

4. Lindungi kulit anda dari sinar matahari
Gunakan krim pelindung sinar matahari tiap kali beraktivitas di luar ruangan (dianjurkan dengan jenis SPF 30 atau lebih tinggi yang dapat melindungi dari cahaya ultraviolet A dan B). Selain itu, lindungi kulit dengan topi dan kacamata, serta sebisa mungkin hindari terpajan sinar matahari pada jam 10 pagi hingga jam 4 sore.

5. Jaga pola hidup aktif secara fisik
Hasil penelitian mengatakan bahwa latihan fisik 3 – 4 jam tiap minggu (misalnya jalan cepat, bersepeda, atau dansa) dapat menurunkan risiko beberapa jenis kanker sekitar 30 % - 50 %. Berbagai penelitian menemukan bahwa latihan fisik yang teratur dapat menurunkan risiko terkenanya kanker payudara, usus besar, endometrium, dan paru.

6. Jaga berat badan normal
Orang dengan berat badan lebih atau obes, memiliki peningkatan risiko untuk timbulnya beberapa jenis kanker, misalnya kanker usus besar, payudara, pankreas, hati, ginjal, dan endometrium, dan juga leukemia atau limfoma. Cara terbaik untuk mempertahankan berat badan normal adalah dengan banyak mengkonsumsi sayur dan buah – buahan segar, dan kurangi makanan tinggi kalori seperti minuman mengandung gula dan makanan berlemak.

7. Hindari menggunakan terapi hormonal menopause
Terapi sulih hormon menopause meningkatkan risiko kanker payudara, endometrium dan kemungkinan kanker ovarium (indung telur).

8. Pertimbangkan mengkonsumsi obat untuk mengurangi risiko kanker
Terdapat beberapa obat yang telah terbukti efektif dalam menurunkan risiko kanker bagi yang mempunyai risiko tinggi. Misalnya, tamoksifen dan raloxifen untuk menurunkan risiko kanker payudara pada perempuan usia > 60 tahun dan memiliki faktor risiko. Penggunaan obat ini harus dengan konsultasi ke dokter.

9. Hindari pajanan terhadap bahan penyebab kanker
Pajanan terhadap radioaktif dan bahan kimia tertentu telah terbukti meningkatkan risiko kanker. Bagi karyawan yang bekerja di industri yang berhubungan dengan radioaktif ataupun bahan kimia berbahaya tertentu, wajib mengikuti prosedur keselamatan yang berlaku.

10. Konsumsi makanan penurun risiko kanker
Beberapa penelitian mengatakan bahwa makanan dari tumbuh–tumbuhan berhubungan dengan penurunan risiko beberapa kanker, terutama kanker usus besar. Anjuran tentang makanan yaitu :

• Kurangi konsumsi daging merah (red meat). Batasi hingga tidak lebih dari 4 ons/ hari (rerata). Hindari pula mengkinsumsi daging yang telah diproses, sebab bahan kimia yang digunakan dapat menyebabkan timbulnya beberapa jenis kanker.
• Konsumsilah berbagai jenis sayuran dan buah tiap hari. Direkomendasikan oleh the National Cancer Institute, sebanyak minimal 5 porsi sayur dan buah tiap hari.
• Kurangi konsumsi makanan tinggi kalori, seperti minuman mengandung gula, dessert, permen, dsb.
• Konsumsilah makanan tinggi kalsium dan vitamin D, seperti susu rendah lemak, dan yogurt.

Hepatitis C: Identification Of A Protein That Inhibits The Virus

Scientists in the Laboratoire Hépatite C of the Institut de Biologie de Lille in collaboration with INSERM Unit 602 and a laboratory at Stanford University have provided evidence of a protein, called EWI-2wint, that inhibits the hepatitis C virus at an early stage of its infective cycle. This research suggests possible new perspectives for the development of therapies to block the virus before it enters a cell.

Hepatitis C is a major public health problem that affects some 130 million people throughout the world. In France , where there are about 5000 new cases each year, it is estimated that half a million people could be affected by this disease. The causal agent is the hepatitis C virus (HCV) which targets cells in the liver called hepatocytes. HCV infection is usually chronic (60% to 80% of cases) and in the long term can lead to the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Unlike the hepatitis A and B viruses, there is no vaccine to combat this virus. Furthermore, the treatments employed are only of limited efficacy (the failure rate reaches around 40%), and they involve considerable side effects. It is therefore crucial to develop new antiviral compounds to control this infection.

HCV uses at least three receptors to enter and infect a hepatocyte. One of these receptors is the CD81 protein, which has the particular characteristic of associating with numerous other proteins. It was by studying these CD81 partner proteins that the researchers identified the EWI-2wint protein, which prevents the recognition of CD81 by the hepatitis C virus and inhibits it at a very early stage in its infective cycle. This protein is present in other types of cells, which could explain why they are not infected by HCV. Discovery of the role of EWI-2wint in hepatocytes has demonstrated the complexity of the mechanisms of entry of HCV into its target cells, and opens the way to new therapeutic approaches.

Possible Link Between Baby Swimming And Breathing Problems In Children

Children with mothers who have allergies or asthma have an increased risk of wheezing in the chest if they take part in baby swimming before 6 months of age. This is shown in a new study using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Study (MoBa) at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

The results come from a study of 30 000 participants from MoBa. Approximately 25 percent of these children took part in baby swimming from 0-6 months of age.

Most children who take part in baby swimming show no increased incidence of lower respiratory tract infections, ear inflammation (otitis media) or tightness and wheezing in the chest. Between 6-18 months the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections and otitis media were 13 percent and 30 percent respectively, whilst the proportion of children who experienced tightness or wheezing in the chest was 40 percent.

Among children of mothers with asthma and allergy, 44 percent of those who did not go swimming had tightness or wheezing in the chest. This was compared to the 47 percent of children who swam and experienced tightness and wheezing who had mothers with asthma and allergies.

- The difference is not large but it indicates a tendency to respiratory problems, says Wenche Nystad, primary author and Department Director at the NIPH’s Division of Epidemiology.

Earlier studies indicated that there can be a link between baby swimming and airway infections in children. It has been suggested that indoor environmental factors (airway irritants) such as volatile chlorination products for indoor swimming pools can affect lung epithelium and contribute to the development of respiratory illnesses like asthma among children.

- The connection between respiratory problems and baby swimming was suggested by a paediatrician who asked whether children with increased risk of asthma, who took part in baby swimming, had a greater tendency to develop respiratory diseases. Earlier studies indicated a connection but the results were uncertain. Therefore we want to carry out a more thorough study, says Nystad.

- If mother and baby are healthy, the study shows that there is no increased risk of otitis media or respiratory problems with baby swimming before six months of age.

High Cholesterol In Your 40s Increases Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

People with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with low cholesterol, according to new research.

"Our findings show it would be best for both physicians and patients to attack high cholesterol levels in their 40s to reduce the risk of dementia," said study author Alina Solomon, MD, with the University of Kuopio in Finland. Solomon collaborated with Rachel Whitmer, PhD, senior author of the study and a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.

The study involved 9,752 men and women in northern California who underwent health evaluations between 1964 and 1973 when they were between the ages of 40 and 45 and remained with the same health plan through 1994. From 1994 to 2007, researchers obtained the participants' most recent medical records to find 504 people had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and 162 had vascular dementia.

The study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams. People with total cholesterol levels of 221 to 248 milligrams were more than one-and-a-quarter times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

"High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease regardless of midlife diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke," said Solomon.

Solomon says conclusions regarding high mid-life cholesterol and the risk of vascular dementia were difficult to formulate as there are several types of vascular dementia that may have slightly different risk factors.