My brother is heterozygous for the C282Y hemochromatosis mutation. He has two children ages 18 and 23. Does this mean he is a carrier? Should his children be tested? I also have hemochromatosis.
Having a large waist or belly before menopause may increase a woman’s risk of one type of breast cancer, a study suggests. The study looked at waist and hip measurements for 116,000 women. They had been part of the Nurses’ Health Study since 1989. Women with a larger middle were more likely to develop estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. The hormone estrogen does not cause growth in these tumors. The link between this type of breast cancer and belly fat may be insulin, researchers said. People with a large middle are more likely to have high levels of insulin in their blood. Animal studies have shown that insulin can cause breast cancer cells to grow. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it December 15.
Abuse of prescription opioid medications has increased, resulting in overdoses and deaths. There is also evidence that long-term use of an opioid can affect the nervous system and cause other side effects.
My 27-year-old daughter was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. Her doctor prescribed metformin, which is a diabetic medication. Can this hurt her since she does not have diabetes? Also, what can you tell me about this syndrome?
People who exercise regularly as young adults tend to gain less weight as they get older, new research has found. But it took about 150 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise each week to show much benefit. This could include housework, fast walking, exercise classes or running, for example. The study included more than 3,500 adults. They were 18 to 30 years old at the start of the study. Researchers kept track of them for about 20 years. Most people gained weight in that time. But those who kept up the exercise gained less. The difference was about 13 pounds for women and 6 for men. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study. HealthDay News and Reuters Health news service wrote about it December 14.
What causes feet to swell?
Annual screening tests would reduce deaths from ovarian cancer by about 11%, a new study finds. Researchers created a computer model to show the growth of ovarian cancer. Some types grow faster and others more slowly. The model accounted for this difference. Researchers also estimated how many cancers could be detected with current screening tests, and at what stages. They said the decrease in death rates with annual screening would be “modest.” Current tests are more likely to detect slow-growing cancers than fast-growing ones. That’s one reason the death reduction would not be greater, researchers said. The journal Cancer published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it December 13.
Three drugs that were developed to fight a certain type of breast cancer on their own may work even better when combined, according to a report presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Friday. The drugs interfere with the growth of cancers that test positive for HER-2, a cancer marker. In one study, more than half of the women who took a two-drug combination â along with standard chemotherapy â went into remission before they had breast surgery. This allowed the surgeon to remove only a small area of tissue (lumpectomy) rather that the whole breast (mastectomy).
Are there any negative side effects for radioactive iodine tests?
U.S. life expectancy dropped slightly in 2008, a new report says. It fell from 77.9 years in 2007 to 77.8. The National Center for Health Statistics released the new report December 9, the Associated Press (AP) said. The center also reported that stroke, for the first time in 50 years, is no longer the No. 3 cause of death in the United States. It’s now fourth, behind chronic (long-term) lung diseases. This category includes asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Heart disease and cancer remained the top 2. The death rate from stroke dropped 4%. The death rate from lung diseases increased 8%. AP said the increase is partly related to a change in definition. The lung disease category now is broader.