Previous Medical News

2010/09/04

1. Michael Douglas Says He Has Stage Four Throat Cancer (Multiple sources)
He has a walnut-sized tumor at the base of his tongue. These tumors can become quite advanced before symptoms appear because there is no pain sensation at the base of the tongue. Smoking is the most common cause. Alcohol is not as bad but the combination is the worst combination. There has been a surge in cases due to human papillomavirus-HPV, the sexually transmitted virus best known as a cause of cervical cancer and genital warts. People with more than six lifetime oral sex partners have the greatest oropharyngeal cancer risk and decades can pass between HPV infection and appearance of cancer. If caught in its early stages, this "throat cancer" can be cured 85% of the time by surgery or radiation. Later stages are more problematic. For the advanced stage IV cancers, it depends on the situation with the lymph nodes in the neck. There is over a 60% chance of remission if it has not spread to the lymph nodes. But if it already has spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, the odds of remission are more like 40% or 30%. The most common symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer include:

Throat pain
Difficulty swallowing
Ear pain (which is actually pain from the base of the tongue referred to the ear)
Bleeding in the mouth or throat
Hoarseness
A lump in the throat, or the feeling that something is stuck in the throat

2. Bone drugs may raise risk of throat cancer (BMJ, 9/3/10)
People who take bone-strengthening drugs for several years may have a slightly higher risk of esophageal cancer. Bone-building pills called bisphosphonates are drugs, sold as Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva and other brands, are widely used after menopause to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Normally, the risk of developing cancer of the esophagus, or throat, in people aged 60 to 79 is 1 in 1,000. The researchers estimated that with about five years use of the drugs, the risk was 2 in 1,000. It is not clear why these drugs might lead to throat cancer, but the pills can cause inflammation in the esophagus, which could make cancer more likely. People taking these drugs should report difficulty in swallowing and throat, chest or digestive discomfort so that they can be promptly evaluated and possibly advised to discontinue the drug.

3. New Migraine Gene Discovered: Study finds first genetic link to common migraine (Nature, 8/29/10)
Having a particular variation of a gene on chromosome 8 may raise the risk of getting migraines. While migraines have long been believed to have a genetic component, pinpointing specific genes has proven difficult.

4. Omega-3 margarines fail to help in heart study: Too little too late? (European Society of Cardiology, 8/29/10)
Giving patients with a history of heart attacks a margarine enriched with omega-3 oils in addition to standard drugs appears to make no difference to their chances of having a repeat attack. A 40-month study of more than 4,800 patients showed taking low doses of omega-3 fatty acids in margarine did not significantly reduce rates of serious heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. The lack of efficacy might reflect the good background drug treatment patients were receiving, with 85 percent on cholesterol-lowering statins, as well as blood pressure and blood-thinning tablets. All the men and women in the Dutch study were aged between 60 and 80 and had suffered a heart attack roughly four years previously. They were randomly assigned use of one of four margarines on bread instead of their regular spread -- one containing no extra omega-3 fatty acids; one with 400 milligrams a day of extra eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); one with 2 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA); and one with a combination of EPA-DHA and ALA. Fish like salmon, herring and sardine are a common source of EPA-DHA, while ALA is found in vegetables including soybeans, flaxseeds and walnuts.

5. Inspectors find unsanitary conditions at egg recall farms (FDA, 8/30/10)
The FDA has indentified a slew of violations that include the presence of manure pits, rodents and dead flies at two Iowa farms implicated in the recent egg recall due to salmonella infection.

6. Benefits seen for high-risk women in ovary removal: Gene Test, Preventive Surgery Save Women's Lives (Journal of the American Medical Association, 9/1/10)
Surgery to remove healthy ovaries gives a triple benefit to some women at high risk for cancer. It lowers their threat of breast and ovarian cancer, and boosts their chances of living longer. The women in the study had BRCA gene mutations.

7. Pediatric Group Issues New Flu Shot Guidelines (American Academy of Pediatrics, 8/30/10; Pediatrics, 10/10)
All children and adolescents 6 months of age and older should receive the annual trivalent influenza vaccine this flu season. The American Academy of Pediatrics also says special efforts should be made to immunize anyone who falls into the following categories: all family members, household contacts and out-of-home care providers of children younger than 5 years of age; children with high-risk conditions such as asthma, diabetes and neurological disorders; health care workers; and pregnant women.

8. C-section rate will keep rising: Almost 1 in 3 First-Time Deliveries Now Via C-Section (American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 8/30/10)
More women will be giving birth by C-section for the foreseeable future. Overall, cesarean deliveries account for about a third of births. Nearly one third of first-time moms delivered by cesarean. There are a variety of reason including: heavier moms and babies, women giving birth later in life, an increase the number of twins and multiple births, and evidence that doctors may be opting for a cesarean if women encounter difficulties in the early stages of labor.

9. Hormone in Hair May Reveal Heart Risk: Hair Gives a Heads-Up On Heart Attack Risk (Stress, 2010)
Increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the hair shaft -- a marker for chronic stress -- raises the risk of heart attack. Levels of cortisol have previously been measured in blood, urine, and saliva, but these measurements only provide a snapshot of stress at the moment. Hair cortisol, however, can provide a longer-term assessment of stress levels. Hair grows about 1 centimeter a month, so a 3-centimeter hair sample, for example, is a marker for stress over three months. Hair cortisol levels in this study were actually a more important predictor of heart attack risk than other known heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, and high cholesterol. Over the long term, elevated cortisol can cause increases in blood pressure, blood sugar, body fat, and blood clotting -- all of which are known risk factors for heart attack.

10. Garlic breath? Drink some milk (Journal of Food Science, 9/10)
Both fat-free and whole milk reduced the concentration of the chemicals of garlic that make it smell so strong. Water was the major component of milk responsible for deodorizing the smelly remnants of garlic. Because of the fat content, whole milk worked better than fat-free milk. Adding milk to garlic before ingesting it was more effective in deodorizing a person's mouth than drinking milk after eating garlic.

11. Insomnia is deadly for men (Sleep, 9/1/10)
Men who have chronic insomnia and sleep fewer than six hours a night are more than four times as likely to die as “good sleepers” according to this 14 year study. Add hypertension or diabetes, and men with insomnia were seven times as likely to die as those not suffering from sleep problems.

12. 'Mama's Boys' Have Better Mental Health (annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, 8/27/10)
Boys who have a close relationship with their mother – affectionately known as mama’s boys – may have better mental health than those who provoke them. Close relationships with their mother’s give men a sense of emotional security, which can reduce stress and promote good health.

13. 'DASH Diet' Shown to Lower Heart Attack Risk Almost 20% (Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 8/31)
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) -- was designed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. In this new study, it reduced the risk of heart attack by almost 20 percent. After 8 weeks, their low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol levels reduced by about 7 percent and their systolic blood pressure lowered by 7 mm Hg. The DASH diet includes: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, beans, seeds and nuts.

14. Can home cooking be hazardous to your health? (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9/3/10)
This is the first sizable assessment of food safety in private homes. At least one in seven home kitchens would flunk the kind of health inspection commonly administered to restaurants. The results are based not on actual inspections, but on an Internet quiz taken by about 13,000 adults.

15. Mental "exercise" linked to faster dementia progression (Neurology, 9/1/10)
While staying mentally active in old age has been linked to a delayed onset of dementia, seniors who engage in such brain "exercise" may actually have a faster rate of decline once Alzheimer's is diagnosed. These findings may point to the "cost" of delaying Alzheimer's onset by keeping the mind active with hobbies, reading, crossword puzzles and the like.

16. New test seen as big advance in diagnosing TB (New England Journal of Medicine, 9/2/10)
Scientists are reporting a major advance in diagnosing tuberculosis: A new test can reveal in less than two hours, with very high accuracy, whether someone has the disease and if it's resistant to the main drug for treating it. The test could revolutionize TB care and replace the 125-year-old process used now, which is slow and misses more than half of all cases.

17. Coffee May Combat High Blood Pressure (European Society of Cardiology Congress, 9/1/10)
Older people with high blood pressure who drink one to two cups of coffee a day have more elastic blood vessels than people who drink less or more, according to a Greek study. As we age, our blood vessels get stiffer, and that's thought to increase the risk of high blood pressure. The new findings suggest moderate coffee drinking may counteract this process. Compounds in coffee, including flavonoids, magnesium, potassium, niacin, and vitamin E, combat blood vessel aging by blocking the damaging oxidation process and reducing harmful inflammation. Other factors in the Greek lifestyle, such as the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, could explain the results. Another limitation of the study is that participants drank their coffee in cafes with friends or with family at home, in a relaxed atmosphere. Therefore, the psychological benefits of socializing on heart health may help explain the findings.

18. Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 9/10)
Heavy drinkers outlive nondrinkers, and moderate drinkers live the longest. Abstaining from alcohol actually tends to increase one's risk of dying even when you exclude former drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers' mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers. Moderate drinking, which is defined as one to two per day for men and zero to one per day for women, is associated with the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies. Moderate alcohol use (especially when the beverage of choice is red wine) is thought to improve heart health, circulation and sociability, which can be important because people who are isolated don't have as many family members and friends who can notice and help treat health problems. However, even if drinking is associated with longer life, it can be dangerous: it can impair your memory severely and it can lead to nonlethal falls and other mishaps. There's also the dependency issue: if you become addicted to alcohol, you may spend a long time trying to get off the bottle.

19. Heart Failure Mortality Benefit Seen With Ivabradine (Procoralan) (European Society of Cardiology, 8/29/10)
Among patients with systolic heart failure and reduced left ventricular function who were stable on beta blocker treatment, reducing heart rate with ivabradine (Procoralan) significantly reduced death and heart failure hospitalizations compared with placebo. The results of this study cannot be generalized to all patients with heart failure.

20. Diet Pill Meridia Ups Heart Attack Risk (New England Journal of Medicine, 9/2/10)
A new study is linking the popular weight loss drug Meridia to an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and stroke, although taking the drug did not seem to up the risk of death in patients with a history of heart problems. Since January, Meridia (sibutramine) has carried a label warning that it should not be used by people with preexisting heart disease.

21. Selenium May Protect Against Bladder Cancer (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 9/10)
Adding more selenium to your diet may reduce your risk of bladder cancer. Adults with low blood levels of the mineral selenium are more likely to develop bladder cancer. The lower your levels of selenium, the higher your risk. Dietary sources of selenium include plant foods and meats from animals that grazed on grain or plants grown in selenium-rich soil. The nutrient is also found in certain nuts. For example, brazil nuts often contain an abundance of selenium. The body uses selenium to make selenoproteins. Many selenoproteins function as antioxidants, which prevent cellular damage. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for selenium for adults is 55 micrograms per day. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may require higher amounts. Before adding more selenium to your diet, talk to your doctor. Too much selenium can be unhealthy and may lead to a condition called selenosis. Symptoms include stomach upset, hair loss, garlic breath odor, white spots on the nails, irritability, fatigue, and mild nerve damage. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences says the highest amount of selenium that adults can take safely without endangering their health is 400 micrograms a day.

22. Low Vitamin D Linked to Heart Failure Deaths (European Society of Cardiology Congress, 8/31/10)
Low vitamin D levels are associated with a higher risk of death and hospitalization in people with heart failure.

23. Vets With Stress Disorder More Likely to Develop Dementia (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 9/10)
Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, are more likely to develop dementia than those without the disorder. The results were significant even after accounting for other risk factors for dementia such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. The researchers noted that further investigation is needed to learn the reasons behind their findings.

24. Medicare expands coverage to help smokers quit (AP, 8/28/10)
Medicare is finally catching up to most private insurers by providing counseling for anyone on the program who's trying to kick the habit. Medicare already covers drugs used to help smokers quit, as well as counseling for those who have developed a smoking-related illness. But starting immediately, the program will expand the benefit to cover up to eight counseling sessions a year for people who want to quit.

25. Fruits, vegetables cut cancer risk for smokers (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 8/30/10)
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of some kinds of lung cancer for smokers. Although quitting smoking is the most important preventive action in reducing lung cancer risk, consuming a mix of different types of fruit and vegetables may also reduce risk, independent of the amount, especially among smokers.

26. Sleep-Deprived Teens Eat More Fat (Sleep, 9/1/10)
Teens who sleep less than eight hours a night are more likely to eat a high-fat diet that puts them at risk for obesity and the many health problems connected with it. There’s a craving for fatty foods among those who got less sleep. Lack of sleep can affect metabolism by changing the level of appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin, setting the stage for poor eating habits.

27. Starting Menstruation Young Could Increase Asthma Risk (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 9/10)
Women who start menstruating early may be at increased risk of asthma and poor lung function. Having one's first period at age 10 or earlier nearly doubled asthma risk. These are the young women who especially need to avoid smoking. Early menarche has been tied to a number of health risks, including heart disease and breast cancer.

28. Recall: Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. recalls ground beef after E. coli reports (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8/28/10)
Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. has recalled about 8,500 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli.