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Top 10 Medical News Stories of 2010
Looking back, historians may mark 2010 as the most significant year for US medicine in decades. The healthcare reform legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama March 23 profoundly changes the way care is provided, and even if opponents succeed in repealing the legislation, the debate itself will shape the way we think about…
Read MoreFor All Body Types, Exercise May Reduce Endometrial Cancer Risk
Women who exercise for at least 150 minutes a week might have a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, according to a study presented here at the Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research. Exercise cuts the risk even for women who overweight, said Hannah Arem, a…
Read MoreFemale Cancer Patients Need to Know Fertility Preservation Options
Female cancer survivors who do not receive counseling about options for fertility preservation prior to their cancer treatment commonly have long-term regret and a reduced satisfaction of life, compared with those who do receive the counseling or fertility preservation, according to a study presented here at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) 66th Annual…
Read MoreChildhood Aggression Linked to Stressful Birth
Babies delivered with forceps are more likely to develop problems with aggression during childhood compared with those born by Caesarean section, according to a study in China. Researchers believe the behavioral problems may be linked to high levels of cortisol, a hormone the body produces during a difficult birth. Previous studies have found that cortisol…
Read MoreModerate Physical Activity May Reduce Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Moderate physical activity may reduce postmenopausal breast cancer risk, according to the results of a prospective study in the October 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. “Physical activity has many health benefits,” write A. Heather Eliassen, ScD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. “Although greater activity…
Read MoreFibroids Tied to Minor Increased Obstetric Risk
Although the heightened risk is low, women with leiomyomas are more likely to experience obstetric complications, Missouri-based researchers report in the November issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Molly J. Stout and colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, came to this conclusion after retrospectively studying data on more than 64,000 women with…
Read MoreHealthy Behaviors Lower Overall Breast Cancer Risk
Engaging in ‘breast-healthy’ behaviors – drinking alcohol in moderation, exercising regularly, and watching weight – appear to reduce a woman’s risk for the development of invasive breast cancer after menopause. However, healthy behaviors do not seem to modify risk attributable to a family history of later-onset breast cancer (FHLBC), according to a study published online…
Read More11-Year WHI Data Show Increase in More Advanced Breast Cancers
With median of 11 years of follow-up now in hand, investigators from the landmark Women Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that estrogen-plus-progestin hormone therapy is associated with greater breast cancer incidence than placebo. In short, they now say that the effect is long-term. The new follow-up data are published in the October 20 issue of the Journal…
Read MoreLower Doses of Estrogen in Hormone Therapy Carry Less Cardiovascular Risk
Chicago, Illinois-Lower doses of estrogen, when used in estrogen plus progestin hormone formulations, such as the transdermal patch, for the treatment of menopausal symptoms are associated with a significantly reduced risk for cardiovascular events, according to research presented here at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 21st Annual Meeting. Using the lowest effective dose for…
Read MoreBreast Cancer Risk Factors Vary According to Acculturation Level
Miami, Florida-Some risk factors for breast cancer among women of Mexican descent vary according to their level of acculturation, researchers said here at the Third American Association for Cancer Research Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities. The study, called the Ella Binational Breast Cancer Study, separated more than 1000 women with recently diagnosed…
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