Month: May 2011

Drinking lots of coffee might help to protect men from the most dangerous form of prostate cancer, new research suggests. The study focused on 48,000 men in a study of health professionals. Researchers asked about their coffee drinking habits. The study lasted 20 years. In that time, more than 5,000 men developed prostate cancer. Of those, 672 died of the disease or had cancer that spread beyond the prostate. Men who drank at least 6 cups of coffee daily had a 60% lower risk of these dangerous cancers. The risk was 30% lower for men who drank 1 to 3 cups a day. Only about 5% of the men drank 6 or more cups a day. Caffeine was not a factor. Cancer rates were similar whether the men drank regular or decaf. Coffee contains antioxidants, which could fight cancer. It also may help the body make better use of insulin.

Both surgery and medicines can successfully treat acid reflux, a head-to-head comparison finds. The study focused on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In this condition, a muscle in the esophagus does not stay closed. Acid and digestive enzymes back up in the throat. This causes heartburn and other symptoms. The study included 554 people who already had done well with the drug esomeprazole (Nexium). They were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group kept taking Nexium. The other group received surgery to strengthen the muscle. Five years later, GERD symptoms were under control for 85% of those who had surgery and 92% who took Nexium. People taking Nexium were more likely to have acid reflux than those who had surgery. People who had surgery were more likely to have gas, bloating and problems with swallowing.

An experimental drug may slow the decline of breathing ability in a fatal lung disease, new research finds. The studies focused on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This condition causes scarring in the lungs. As the scars get worse, people can breathe in less and less air. About 4 out of 5 people die within 5 years of diagnosis. In the new studies, people were randomly divided into two groups. One group took the drug pirfenidone. The other got placebo (fake) pills. The first study lasted 72 weeks. Researchers looked at changes in a measurement of breathing called forced vital capacity. A decline of 10% is a major milestone in this disease. About 20% of people in pirfenidone group had this large decline, compared with 35% in the placebo group. The average drop in breathing ability was 8.4% in the pirfenidone group and 12.4% in the placebo group.