Living Healthy Life

Cancer protein 'can be disarmed'

2009-11-14T21:48:00.001+07:00

Scientists have found a way to disarm a protein thought to play a key role in leukaemia and other cancers.

A malfunction in the protein causes leukaemia

The breakthrough raises hopes of a new type of therapy that could treat cancer and other diseases.

Previous attempts to neutralise the protein had failed, leading experts to conclude it was effectively "undruggable".

The study, carried out by the US Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, features in the journal Nature.

The protein is one of the body's transcription factors, which turn genes on or off and set in motion genetic cascades that control how cells grow and develop. They also help fuel the growth of tumours.

The transcription factor targeted in the latest study is a protein called Notch.

The gene responsible for manufacturing the protein is often damaged or mutated in patients with a form of blood cancer known as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

As a result the gene is switched on all the time, driving the uncontrolled cell growth characteristic of cancer.

Similar abnormalities in Notch also underlie other cancers, including lung, ovarian, pancreatic and gastrointestinal tumours.

Examining the structure of Notch closely, the researchers isolated a potential weak spot in its structure.

They employed a state-of-the-art technique using chemical braces to mould protein snippets called peptides into specific three dimensional shapes.

These "stapled" peptides are readily absorbed by cells, and are so tiny they can be deployed to alter gene regulation at specific sites.

After designing and testing several synthetic stapled peptides, the researchers identified one that was able to disrupt Notch's function.

When tested in mice it was found to limit the growth of cancer cells.

Analysis showed that activity was depressed in genes both directly and indirectly controlled by Notch.

The researchers hope the technique could also be used to target other transcription factors with a similar structure.

Researcher Professor Greg Verdine said: "Stapled peptides promise to significantly expand the range of what's considered 'druggable'.

"With our discovery, we've declared open season on transcription factors and other intractable drug targets."

Dr David Ish-Horowicz, head of developmental genetics at Cancer Research UK's London Research Institute, described the research as "very interesting".

He said: "There is already considerable work by scientists into ways to block Notch to try and reverse the effects of ALL, but the current drugs have some serious side-effects.

"This study describes the design of a new chemical that blocks the mechanism in a different way.

"The new chemical has only been tested in mice so far, and so we don't know how it will behave in humans.

"But, long term, it may lead to alternative drugs and better treatments for this kind of leukaemia and maybe other cancers."

Complete retirement 'bad for you'

2009-11-09T08:29:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Giving up work completely on retirement could be bad for your health, US research suggests.

Keeping active after retirement may boost health

The study of 12,189 people found retirees who take on temporary or part-time work have fewer major diseases, and function better day to day.

The findings were significant even after considering people's physical and mental health before retirement.

The University of Maryland study appears in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

The researchers examined data on 12,189 people, who were aged 51-61 at the beginning of the study.

The participants were interviewed every two years over a six-year period beginning in 1992 about their health, finances, employment history and work or retirement life.

The researchers registered only medical conditions which had been clinically diagnosed, and took account of factors such as sex, education level and financial wealth.

Mental health

The participants also completed a basic mental health questionnaire.

The findings showed that people who took on post-retirement jobs that were related to their previous careers reported better mental health than those who fully retired.

However, no similar boost to mental health was found in people who worked in jobs outside their career speciality after retirement.

The researchers believe this may be because retirees who take jobs not related to their career field may need to adapt to a different work environment and, therefore, become more stressed.

Also, the results showed that retirees with financial problems were more likely to work in a different field after they officially retire.

Temporary or part-time work after retirement was defined as bridge work.

Researcher Dr Mo Wang said: "Rather than wanting to work in a different field, they may have to work.

"In such situations, it's difficult for retirees to enjoy the benefits that come with bridge employment."

The researchers suggest that, when possible, retirees carefully consider their choice of post-retirement employment.

Dr Kenneth Shultz, who also worked on the study, said: "Choosing a suitable type of bridge employment will help retirees transition better into full retirement and in good physical and mental health."

Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health psychologist at the University of Lancaster, said: "All the evidence suggests that if your mental wellbeing is depleted it will affect you physically.

"Conversely, if you are more positive mentally you are going to be much more robust and active.

"And if you continue working after retirement often your status remains similar to that you experienced during your career, and as a result your self-esteem and sense of wellbeing will be enhanced."

However, Professor Cooper said that sometimes making a clean break from a stressful job could be a good thing.

In that instance, he said, the key was to ensure that you had hobbies to keep you active.

Child obesity 'is levelling off'

2009-11-07T22:16:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Forecasts of a huge rise in obesity among children in England have been significantly downgraded following a new analysis of data.

Child obesity levels have been rising for decades

The National Heart Forum found evidence that the rate of increase in childhood obesity may be starting to slow.

Its figures suggest that by 2020 the proportion of boys aged 2-11 who will be overweight or obese will be 30% - not 42% as previously predicted.

For girls of the same age the revised prediction is now 27% - down from 48%.

The revised predictions also indicate a big drop in the number of overweight and obese young people aged 12-19.

They represent the first sign of encouraging news for decades, as obesity rates have been rising in England - as in most developed nations - since the 1970s.

A similar trend has been recorded in several other countries, including the US, France and Denmark.

There are currently 1.5 million children in England who are overweight or obese - leaving them at increased risk of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

The Department of Health has set a target of reducing the number of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels by 2020.

The National Heart Forum based its latest predictions on data collected for the Health Survey for England between 2000 and 2007.

Previous estimates were based on data collected for the same survey between 1993 and 2004.

The researchers said it was not clear why obesity levels might have levelled off, but said government interventions and media coverage may have played a role. Read more...

X-rays 'top scientific invention'

2009-11-06T11:44:00.001+07:00

BBC NEWS

The public has voted the X-ray machine as the best invention, ahead of the Apollo 10 space capsule and Stephenson's Rocket.

X-rays revolutionised diagnosis

Out of nearly 50,000 votes cast, one in five people named it for having made the greatest impact on the past, present and future.

Ten of the most significant objects in science, engineering, technology and medicine were selected for the vote.

Information on all the items is found at the Science Museum in London.

The first three positions were filled by medical inventions or discoveries, the X-ray machine being followed by the discoveries of penicillin and the DNA double helix structure.

X-rays provided the first possibility of looking inside someone's body without cutting them open - a massive medical advance.

'Laying patients bare'

The particular X-ray machine in question - the Reynolds machine in the Museum's Making the Modern World Gallery - was a "do-it-youself" experiment by a father and son who were so inspired by news of the discovery of the X-ray that they set about building the equipment in their own home.

Museum curator Katie Maggs said: "It's very inspirational to budding scientists to learn that an invention now declared the most important in world history could be pioneered by enthusiastic amateur inventors."

Professor Andy Adam, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, was delighted to learn of the result.

He said the X-ray machine had revolutionised medical practice and that the technology had now advance so much that we are reaching the era of the "transparent patient".

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said: "Any competition that pits the Apollo 10 spacecraft against Stephenson's Rocket, and the DNA double helix against the Model T Ford, is bound to provide talking points aplenty.

"The public's choice of the X-ray machine as the winner is testament to our insatiable curiosity to find out how things work."

The poll was conducted as part of the Science Museum's events to mark its centenary. The 10 objects form a special Centenary Journey trail through the museum galleries.

Are You Eating Safe? How to Find Out

2009-11-05T09:08:00.002+07:00

Where to Find Information on Making Sure Your Food Is Safe

Abc News

Eating right is hard enough, but with all the recent food recalls it seems eating safely is getting harder and harder.

But there is help available, if you know where to look.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a huge repository of information on food safety.

They arrange the info in the form of an FAQ, with a big list of reputable external links at the bottom of the page:

The Food and Drug Administration also has a wealth of in

Among the information on the FDA Web site is what it calls the Bad Bug Book, which is basically a handbook of nasty foodborne bugs.

The National Institutes of Health also has a fantastic primer on foodborne illness -- essentially a consumer-level FAQ with some good answers:

And for tips on how to tell when the food in your fridge has gone bad, click here.

Clinically proven fat binder

Women have 'same heart symptoms'

2009-11-02T08:49:00.001+07:00

BBC News

It is a myth that women have different heart attack symptoms from men, according to Canadian researchers.

The classic symptoms of a heart attack are equally common in men and women

A study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress found no gender differences in symptoms after studying 305 patients undergoing angioplasty.

They say it is a commonly held belief that men and women feel the effects of a heart attack differently.

Dr Beth Abramson, of Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation, said: "Heart disease is an equal-opportunities killer."

'The Myth'

In 2003 a study by the US National Institutes of Health did suggest that many women never had chest pains and that their symptoms were not as predictable.

Martha Mackay, who led the Canadian research, said these latest findings suggested that this simply was not the case.

In the study, researchers found was that the women had all the classic symptoms like chest pain and also tended to have pain in the throat, jaw and neck.

She said: "Clear educational messages need to be crafted to ensure that both women and healthcare professionals realise the classic symptoms are equally common in men and women."

The average age of the people undergoing angioplasty was 63 and nearly 40% of them were women. Read more...

'Lie still' for pregnancy boost

2009-10-31T18:16:00.000+07:00

BBC News

Women undergoing fertility treatment with artificial insemination may boost their chances of pregnancy if they lie still afterwards, a study shows.

Artificial insemination is a common fertility treatment

Researchers found 27% of women who lay down for 15 minutes after the procedure went on to have a baby compared with 17% who got up and moved around.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers said lying down may prevent "leakage" of sperm.

One UK doctor said fertility clinics should test the findings further.

A total of 390 couples undergoing intrauterine insemination - which involves placing sperm in the womb after stimulation of ovulation or during natural ovulation - were included in the study.

The technique is the main fertility treatment offered to couples before they go on to try IVF, particularly when the cause of infertility is unclear.

In the UK, figures suggest 12% of women under 35 who get the procedure become pregnant at the first cycle, a success rate that increases with repeat attempts.

All the couples in the study were given three cycles of treatment but half of the women were able to move around immediately after the procedure and half were asked to lie still for 15 minutes.

After the first cycle the success rate was 10% in the group asked to stay still followed by a further 10% and 7% in the second and third cycles.

This compared with 7%, 5% and 5% after each cycle in the group who could move around.Read more...

Why are fat people abused?

2009-10-29T23:14:00.001+07:00

By Denise Winterman

BBC News Magazine

Shouted at, spat at and even attacked, overweight people are campaigning for laws to protect them. Why is "fattism" seen by many as an acceptable prejudice?

"You big fat pig" is all Marsha Coupe heard before she was kicked in the stomach and punched in the face.

The 53-year-old businesswoman says she was sitting in an almost empty train carriage in the early evening when she was kicked, punched and shouted at for taking up two seats.

Her attacker was pulled off by another passenger and restrained, but got off at the next stop before the police arrived.

It might surprise some people that the person doing the kicking and punching was a middle-aged woman, who was also travelling alone. But it might not stun those who are already significantly overweight.

"Fat people are fair game for everyone," says Ms Coupe, who weighs 22 stone (139kg). "Yes, I've had beer cans thrown at me by youngsters, but the abuse doesn't just come from the obvious places.

"The normal rules about behaviour, respect and common courtesy don't apply to us."

The rise of what could be called "fattism" is being met with a backlash from those who are affected, triggering a nascent rights movement. Read more...

Egg screening 'ups IVF success'

2009-10-26T07:49:00.001+07:00

BBC News

A screening technique can double the chance of IVF success, giving hope to tens of thousands of women struggling to have children, say experts.

The test boosts the odds of success

Doctors at an annual US fertility meeting heard for the second year running of the merits of a test that screens embryos for genetic faults.

So far more than 20 babies have been born using the technique.

The UK researchers say they are now able to back the method with "great confidence".

They hope it will eventually be available to all. Currently, it is offered in a few private UK clinics.

Doctors believe the £2,000 test, called comparative genomic hybridisation or CGH, will be particularly useful to older women, whose embryos have a greater risk of carrying genetic errors that cause conditions like Down's syndrome.

The screening checks chromosomes in the developing embryo when it is a few days old, meaning only those embryos with the best chance of success are used in fertility treatment.

Dr Dagan Wells from Oxford University, who led the study, described the latest results on 115 women - six times as many as last year - as "astonishing".

The results are particularly impressive as many of the women were on their "last chance" at IVF - they were typically aged 39 with two failed IVF cycles behind them. Read more....

Key cancer spread gene found

2009-10-25T12:48:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Scientists have pinpointed a gene linked to more than half of all breast cancers.

The gene plays a role in many cases of breast cancer

The gene, NRG1 (neuregulin-1), is also thought to play a role in many bowel, prostate, ovarian and bladder tumours.

The University of Cambridge team said the breakthrough should provide "vital information" about how cancer spreads.

Experts agreed the finding, published in the journal Oncogene, could represent a very significant advance in the fight against cancer.

The Cambridge team showed that the gene - which helps to suppress the growth of cancer - is located on chromosome 8.

Cancerous cells are known often to miss part of that chromosome, and when the researchers analysed breast cancer samples they found that at least part of the key gene had often been lost.

Everybody is born with an intact NRG1 but it seems that in some cases it can become damaged - leaving the way open for cancer to thrive.

Lead researcher Dr Paul Edwards said: "I believe NRG1 could be the most important tumour suppresser gene discovery in the last 20 years as it gives us vital information about a new mechanism that causes breast cancer.Read more...

Low dose radiation 'harms heart'

2009-10-24T07:01:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Low doses of radiation can cause cardiovascular disease, according to work carried out by mathematicians at Imperial College.

Nuclear workers have been shown to have higher rates of heart disease in some studies

They have constructed a model which suggests that the risk would increase as the dose increases.

Studies have shown that nuclear workers exposed to long-term doses of radiation have higher levels of heart disease.

But experts said it was too early to draw such conclusions without the biological research to back it up.

Controversial theory

The team at Imperial College, writing in the journal PLOS Computational Biology, say they explored a novel mechanism that suggests radiation kills monocytes, which travel across the arterial wall to mop up a protein called MCP-1.

High levels of MCP-1 are thought to cause the inflammation which leads to cardiovascular disease.

Their model was consistent with the rates of heart disease seen in nuclear workers and also predicted the changes in MCP-1 caused by high levels of cholesterol in the diet.Read more...

Cancer Society Catches Heat for Breast, Prostate Cancer Screening Criticism

2009-10-22T20:52:00.002+07:00

Top ACS Official's Statements on Some Cancer Tests Has Docs Locked in Debate

By PEGGY PECK
MedPage Today Executive Editor
Abc News

A firestorm of controversy erupted today when a top official with the American Cancer Society let slip that the benefits of breast cancer and prostate cancer screening may have been oversold.

The epicenter of the controversy is statement by Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the ACS. Brawley made the statement in an interview with the New York Times about a Journal of the American Medical Association analysis of breast and prostate cancer screening, which raised questions about claims that screening saves lives.

Brawley said the questions raised in the journal article were legitimate, and he said the ACS was in the process of reworking its message on breast and prostate cancer screening. According to the Times report, he said the benefits of screening had been "exaggerated."

When ABC News contacted the ACS for an interview with Brawley, it was told that he was attending a family funeral and was not available for comment.

The ACS did, however, release a prepared statement under Brawley's name: "While the advantages of screening for some cancers have been overstated, there are advantages, especially in the case of breast, colon and cervical cancers. Mammography is effective – mammograms work and women should continue get them... The American Cancer Society stands by its recommendation that women age 40 and over should receive annual mammography, and women at high risk should talk with their doctors about when screening should begin based on their family history."Read more...

Top Seven Deadly Foods: Gross, or Tasty?

2009-10-21T21:41:00.001+07:00

Gross Foods from the Blog and Book, 'This Is Why You're Fat'

By SARAH SARGENTI
Abc News

A hot dog on a stick -- encrusted in French Fries? Or, perhaps, a peanut butter, banana and bacon donut? Do these offerings sound tasty, or just too ridiculous? Regardless, they're just a couple of the creations that define what some have termed the "gross-food movement."

The phrase comes from Gourmet magazine, in an article published in June.

"The Gross-Food Movement, as I hereby christen it, is a grassroots embrace of all things deep-fried, bacon-wrapped, and cheese-slathered," wrote Robert Ashley in the article.

Jessica Amason, author of the blog and book, "This Is Why You're Fat," noticed a trend in crazy food items and developed the website around the idea. The book will be released on Oct. 27, and it goes into more depth than the blog, including recipes and stories from the creators of these items.

"The items are really disgusting, enticing and hilarious," said Amason. "And people actually take the time and energy to make these things.

"It made sense that there be a one-stop-shop site for all of these gross items where users could submit their own [food creations]," she added. "The title was sort of just a cheeky joke."Read more...

'Weight loss lip balm' under fire

2009-10-20T22:39:00.000+07:00

By Sima Kotecha
Newsbeat US reporter
BBC News

Lip balm is mostly used to heal chapped lips. But now there's a different kind on the market which claims to help you lose weight.

Burner Balm makers say their product can cut your appetite

However, some health workers aren't impressed with it and are warning Britons against trying it.

Burner Balm hit the shops in the US six months ago and already tens of thousands of sticks have been sold there.

In the UK it can now be bought online for under £5.

The manufacturers say four key ingredients blended together make it work: Green tea (which has been linked to weight loss), caffeine (to boost energy), the mineral Chromium Piclinate - (which, it's claimed, helps the body burn fat), and the herb Hoodia (which apparently suppresses the appetite).

Peer influence

The Burner Balm website states the contents "have all been proven for many years to be effective as dietary supplements".

But experts have hit back, saying it's a gimmick.

Tam Fry is from the National Obesity Forum in London. He told Newsbeat: "My main concern is young women because they're easily influenced by their peers.

"You would have to put this on your lips every minute of the day to get enough to Read more...

'Ethical' stem cell crop boosted

2009-10-19T07:40:00.001+07:00

BBC News

US researchers have found a way to dramatically increase the harvest of stem cells from adult tissue.

The research was done using fibroblast skin cells

It is a practical step forward in techniques to produce large numbers of stem cells without using embryos.

Using three drug-like chemicals, the team made the procedure 200 times more efficient and twice as fast, the Nature Methods journal reported.

It is hoped stem cells could one day be widely used to repair damaged tissue in diseases and after injuries.

Much of the work on stem cells has focused on those taken from embryos as they have an unlimited capacity to become any of the 220 types of cell in the human body - a so-called pluripotent state.

But this has proven controversial and some campaigners have objected to their use on the grounds that it is unethical to destroy embryos in the name of science.

The creation of stem cells from human adult skin cells was first reported in 2007 by Japanese and US researchers, opening the way for new sources of stem cells. Read more...

Med-style diet 'can battle blues'

2009-10-18T17:14:00.001+07:00

BBC news

The Mediterranean diet, already thought to protect against heart disease and cancer, may also help to prevent depression, Spanish researchers say.

The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are an important part of the diet

They found depression was more than 30% less likely to develop in people who followed a diet high in vegetables, fruit and cereals, and low in red meat.

They studied 10,094 healthy adults over four years, the Journal of the American Medical Association reports.

However, the team stressed additional, larger-scale studies were required.

Researchers at the Universities of Las Palmas and Navarra recruited university graduates to take part.

Dietary patterns

They completed questionnaires and the researchers calculated their adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) for an average of four-and-a-half years.

Participants who had a strong adherence to the MDP tended to be male, ex-smokers, married and older individuals.

They were more active physically and showed a higher total energy intake.

The researchers identified 480 new cases of depression during the follow-up period - 156 in men and 324 in women.

They found that those with the highest adherence to the MDP were more than 30% less likely to develop depression. Read more...

Green spaces 'improve health'

2009-10-16T08:46:00.002+07:00

BBC News

There is more evidence that living near a 'green space' has health benefits.

The best health benefits come from living less than a kilometre (0.62miles) from a green space

Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill health.

The annual rates of 15 out of 24 major physical diseases were also significantly lower among those living closer to green spaces.

One environmental expert said the study confirmed that green spaces create 'oases' of improved health around them.

The researchers from the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam looked at the health records of 350,000 people registered with 195 family doctors across the Netherlands.

Only people who had been registered with their GP for longer than 12 months were included because the study assumed this was the minimum amount of time people would have to live in an environment before any effect of it would be noticeable. Read more...

Tongue stud 'brain fatality risk'

2009-10-14T21:10:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Deadly brain abscesses should be added to the list of risks of having a tongue piercing, say doctors.

Piercings run the risk of infection

Archives of Neurology reports how a 22-year-old man who died in hospital following multiple brain abscesses weeks after getting his tongue pierced.

The man's Israeli doctors warn infection can spread in the bloodstream from the piercing up to the brain.

Piercing can more commonly lead to chipped teeth and oral infections, and sometimes heart problems, say experts.

Despite the risks, tongue piercings remain popular.

Celebrities like Spice Girl Mel B and Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips have had their tongues pierced.

But experts say people should think twice and put their health before fashion.

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, said: "Dentists are all too aware of the health problems that can be caused by oral piercings. Read more...

The Starter "Green Living" Cleanse.

US health reforms could hit other countries

2009-10-13T10:34:00.002+07:00

By Gemma Newby
Producer, US Health Reform, Beware of Side Effects!
BBC News

The US spends 16.2% of GDP a year on its healthcare, twice as much per head as the UK does, and yet the average American's life expectancy is lower.

Some fear changes in the US will have a knock-on effect

Whilst public debate on US health reform concentrates on reforming the insurance industry, the larger debate over how to change a system that has profits at its heart has become obscured.

Last year America spent $252bn on prescription drugs, and its people paid almost twice as much as most developed countries for their medicines.

While the US spent $2.2tn (£1.34tn) on healthcare in 2007, other OECD nations spent an average of 8.9% of GDP.

US drug companies can set the prices of their drugs at whatever price they think patients will pay for them, which means that even for Americans with health insurance, medical bills can be crippling.

"We went through our savings quite quickly," said Jim Eyler, who spends over £1000 a month on his and his wife Jackie's drugs for cancer, asthma and diabetes.

"I've taken second mortgages out twice to help pay the medical bills. So every month we live month to month."

Yet the Eylers still fear reform of the healthcare system, which contains the financial incentives that they believe gives American's like them the best medical treatment in the world.Read more...

Jaw bone created from stem cells

2009-10-11T21:54:00.003+07:00

BBC News

Scientists have created part of the jaw joint in the lab using human adult stem cells.

The new bone was created from bone marrow stem cells

They say it is the first time a complex, anatomically-sized bone has been accurately created in this way.

It is hoped the technique could be used not only to treat disorders of the specific joint, but more widely to correct problems with other bones too.

The Columbia University study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The bone which has been created in the lab is known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Problems with the joint can be the result of birth defects, arthritis or injury.

Although they are widespread, treatment can be difficult.

The joint has a complex structure which makes it difficult to repair by using grafts from bones elsewhere in the body.

The latest study used human stem cells taken from bone marrow.

These were seeded into a tissue scaffold, formed into the precise shape of the human jaw bone by using digital images from a patient. Read more...

Coeliac bone loss link uncovered

2009-10-09T11:19:00.002+07:00

BBC News

People with coeliac disease may be more susceptible to osteoporosis because their own immune system attacks their bone tissue, a study suggests.

Osteoporosis literally means that the bones become porous, and break

Osteoporosis is a known risk of coeliac disease and has been explained by a failure to absorb calcium or vitamin D.

But a study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests coeliac patients produce antibodies which attack a key protein that maintains bone health.

They could easily be treated with drugs to prevent bone loss, researchers say.

It also explains why osteoporosis in those with the digestive disorder may not respond to calcium and vitamin D.

Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, which damage the small finger-like villi that line the small intestine and play a key role in digestion.

When damaged and inflamed, the villi are unable to absorb food properly, causing diarrhoea and malnutrition.

It affects one in 100 people, and of these a significant proportion may go on to develop osteoporosis - a disease of bone that leads to an increased risk of painful and disabling fractures. Read more...

Patients warned over cancer delay

2009-10-08T08:24:00.002+07:00

BBC News

Nearly 40% of Britons would delay going to a GP with cancer symptoms because they would be worried about wasting the doctor's time, a survey suggests.

Patients say they would delay seeing a GP

The Cancer Research UK poll of 2,200 people also found 37% would be put off because they were frightened, while one in five said they would be embarrassed.

The charity said such attitudes could be "dangerous" as late diagnosis lowered the chances of survival.

GPs said people needed more convincing that cancer was not a "death sentence".

Cancer survival rates have been rising over recent decades.

However, the UK still lags behind many European countries, partly because of late diagnosis.

The government has responded to this by introducing some of the NHS's shortest waiting times for cancer care.

But the poll, which will be published at the National Cancer Research Institute conference in Birmingham later, suggests even guaranteeing quick treatment may not be the solution.

Professor Jane Wardle, from Cancer Research UK, said: "It's typically British to think 'I mustn't bother the doctor'.

"But when this etiquette stops us talking to the GP about potentially serious symptoms, it can be dangerous. Read more...

Top Quality Colon Cleansing

Asthma inhaler 'failing children'

2009-10-07T07:41:00.002+07:00

By Michelle Roberts
Health reporter, BBC News
BBC News

More than one in 10 children with asthma are taking inhalers that may do nothing for them, UK researchers say.

Blue inhalers contain "reliever" drugs

In Britain alone, 100,000 children - 13% of all children with asthma - carry two copies of a gene that renders the blue inhaler drug salbutamol redundant.

If these children need to use their "reliever" inhaler daily they are 30% more likely to suffer an asthma attack than others, their study shows.

Experts said children should continue to take medication as prescribed.

Co-author Professor Somnath Mukhopadhyay, of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, said: "Do not stop using your inhaler or change the way you use the inhalers.

"Salbutamol via the blue inhaler is effective reliever treatment in most children but it is common experience among doctors that a proportion of children do not seem to respond to this medicine as well as others."

The reason for this appears to be a genetic variant called Arg16.

Although this gene does not increase an individual's chance of getting asthma in the first place or make their asthma worse, it does seem to alter how well certain asthma medicines will work. Read more...

Young adults 'anxiety overload'

2009-10-05T15:14:00.002+07:00

BBC News

Young adults are suffering from "anxiety overload", a UK charity warns.

Men were less likely to report feeling stressed

A survey of 18-24 year olds found 66% feel stressed or anxious at least once a week, with money and job worries being the main cause.

Almost a third of respondents said they did not tell anyone of their worries, raising the need to teach young people "coping strategies", said Rethink.

Women seemed most badly affected, with one in three suffering frequent anxiety, compared with one in 10 men.

The YouGov poll of 2,000 adults, 250 of whom were aged 18-24, found 33% of young women felt stressed or anxious most days or every day.

Money worries were given as the main reason by 45% of respondents, followed by 33% having concerns about job prospects and 29% worried about pressures from school or university.

Some said they would seek advice or support from a partner or friend, but almost one third (31%) say they kept stress and anxiety to themselves. Read more...

Test 'spots blood disease danger'

2009-10-03T20:04:00.001+07:00

BBC News

UK experts say they have found a way of predicting which thalassaemia patients are going to develop heart failure.

Thalassaemia is a disorder of the haemoglobin protein which gives red blood cells their colour

The technique uses a magnetic resonance scanner to measure the level of iron in the heart, which builds to life-threatening levels in some patients.

The study, published in the journal Circulation, suggests the technique leads to a 71% reduction in deaths.

Thalassaemia is an inherited disorder of the blood system which causes a lack of haemoglobin.

A government spokesman said it could significantly help in the management of people with thalassaemia.

The teams at the Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College tried the technique on 652 patients over seven years.

Blood transfusions

Haemoglobin is a protein contained in red blood cells which takes oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

A lack of oxygen can cause breathlessness, lethargy and fainting - a condition known as anaemia.

People with thalassaemia may have to have two or three blood transfusions a month.

Each time they receive about 250 milligrammes of iron in the blood and daily drug treatments to try to remove the iron from their body - a normal daily intake of iron from the diet is 30 milligrammes.

Despite this, in 50-60% of patients there is a potentially life-threatening build up of iron levels. Read more...