Month: March 2014

Men with prostate cancer may live longer if they have surgery rather than “watchful waiting,” a long-term study suggests. The benefit was strongest for younger men and those with medium-risk tumors. At the time the study began, the PSA test was not widely used. Most men were diagnosed because they had symptoms or a lump in the prostate. The study included nearly 700 Swedish men with prostate cancer. They were randomly assigned to receive prostatectomy (removal of the prostate) or no immediate treatment. In the next 23 years, 56% of the men in the surgery group and 69% in the watchful-waiting group died. Prostate cancer was the cause of death for 18% of the surgery group and 29% of the other group. Men in the surgery group also were less likely to have their cancer spread or to need anti-hormone treatments. The most benefit occurred among men who were under age 65 when diagnosed.

Eating more meat in middle age may increase people’s risk of death, particularly from cancer, a new study finds. But older adults who ate more protein lived longer than those who ate less. The study was based on diet surveys from more than 6,800 adults. Researchers kept track of deaths during the next 18 years. People were divided into 2 groups: middle aged (50-65) or older (over 65). Diets with at least 20% of calories from protein were classified as high-protein. Middle-aged people with high-protein diets were 75% more likely to die during the study period than those with low-protein diets (less than 10% of calories). They were 4 times as likely to die of cancer. Cancer-death risk was 3 times as high in the moderate-protein group (10% to 19% of calories). Most protein came from meat and dairy products.

A standard healthy diet may help prevent kidney stones as well as a special diet, a small study suggests. People who have had kidney stones often are advised to eat a diet low in “oxalate.” This chemical binds to calcium to form the most common type of stone. But the diet also prohibits many healthy foods. Researchers randomly divided 51 people into 2 groups. One group followed a low-oxalate diet. The other followed the DASH diet, which helps prevent high blood pressure. This diet is high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. It is low in fat, salt, sugar and meat. In all, 41 people completed the 8-week study. People on the DASH diet had more oxalates in their urine than those on the low-oxalate diet. But the DASH group was less likely to have oxalates bound to calcium in the urine. These are the compounds that form stones.

Childhood vaccines save about $10 in total costs to society for every $1 spent, a new study finds. But another study finds that messages about the value and safety of vaccines may backfire. The first study found that vaccines led to nearly $69 billion in medical and economic savings for U.S. babies born in 2009. In the other study, more than 1,700 parents answered questions about their attitudes toward vaccines. Then they were randomly divided into groups that received different messages. One message explained that there’s no evidence that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Another discussed the dangers of the diseases that MMR prevents. A third message featured a mother talking about her baby’s severe illness with measles. The fourth message included photographs of children with illnesses that vaccines can prevent.