Harvard Health Content API

The head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute is warning his staff to limit cell phone use. Ronald B. Herberman, M.D., says he wants to “err on the side of being safe” from cancer. Many studies have found no link between cell phone use and cancer. Dr. Herberman says he is basing his action on unpublished data from research that is not complete. He says children should use cell phones only for emergencies. He urges adults to keep the phone away from the head and use the speaker phone or a wireless headset. The Associated Press wrote about Dr. Herberman’s memo July 24.

There were more measles cases in the United States between January 1 and July 31, 2008 than during the same period in any year since 1996. Health experts said many cases were in people who were not vaccinated due to religious or other beliefs. Measles can be serious and even deadly. The report comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Associated Press wrote about the report on August 21, 2008.

The risk of dying after obesity surgery is lower than once thought. A Swedish study looked at nearly 15,000 surgeries done between 1980 and 2005. One year after surgery, 1 of every 200 people had died. Studies done in the United States showed higher rates, closer to 10 of every 200 people. In Sweden, men were twice as likely as women to die after the surgery. Reuters Health reported on the study December 26.

Drug treatment can help to keep the cancer multiple myeloma from coming back after a stem cell transplant, a new study has found. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The study included 568 people. First, doctors removed stem cells from the patients’ blood. Then they were treated with drugs or radiation to kill their cancer. Finally, the blood cells were returned to their bodies. About 100 days later, people were divided into two groups. Half began to take a new drug, lenalidomide (Revlimid). The others received a placebo (fake drug). Cancer came back within just over two years for half of the people getting the placebo. But cancer returned more slowly for the lenalidomide group. In all, their risk of cancer’s return was 58% lower than for people getting the placebo.

Bedbugs are back, and the U.S. government is looking for solutions. Rare since World War II, the tiny insects now are widespread. They are bothering sleepers in college dorms, public housing, hospitals and even fancy hotels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is getting involved. The agency began a two-day conference on the topic April 14. The Associated Press (AP) reported on the conference April 14. Pesticides are not an easy solution, AP said. Many that worked in the past have been taken off the market to protect the environment. The bugs also can resist some pesticides. The pest-control industry wants to test other sprays to see if they are safe for home use. Other ideas include heating, steaming or freezing the bugs.

Two drugs that help to prevent breast cancer are equally good options for high-risk women, a new study finds. The study looked at tamoxifen and raloxifene (Evista). Both drugs help to prevent breast cancer by blocking the effects of estrogen. This hormone fuels growth in most breast cancers. The new study included nearly 20,000 older women. All had a high risk of breast cancer because of family history, genes or other factors. They were randomly assigned to take one of the drugs for about five years. About half of the women took each drug. Doctors kept track of them for seven years. In that time, there were 310 cases of invasive breast cancer among women who took raloxifene. There were 247 cases among those who took tamoxifen. But the women on tamoxifen had more serious side effects. They developed more cases of uterine cancer, as well as abnormal growths in the uterus.

Drugs that lower cholesterol may also help prevent blood clots in veins, a study suggests. The study included 17,802 people. Half were randomly assigned to take Crestor, a statin drug. The others took placebos (fake pills). Statins reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and inflammation. People in the study did not have high LDL. They did have high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. High levels indicate inflammation. People took the pills for two years. In that time, 34 people taking Crestor and 60 taking the placebo had a blood clot in a leg vein. These clots are much less common than heart attacks, but can kill if they travel to the lungs. Researchers presented the study at a conference. The New England Journal of Medicine published it online. The Associated Press wrote about it March 30.

Medical research has shown that long-term hormone replacement therapy can increase the risk of breast cancer. So many women with menopause symptoms are looking for alternatives. Some are turning to “bioidentical” hormones, the Associated Press said October 26. Actor Suzanne Somers praised these compounds in a book she wrote. The hormones are compounded for each woman by a pharmacist. But they have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many of them contain estriol. This form of estrogen is not approved for sale in the United States. Experts say there’s a lack of research about these compounds. Thus there’s no proof that they are safe or effective. And they may have the same risks as conventional hormone therapy.

Some frail elderly people may not benefit from dialysis and other aggressive care, two studies suggest. One study looked at health records of 3,702 nursing home residents who had dialysis for kidney failure. Within a year, 58% died. Another 29% became less able to walk, get dressed or do other daily activities. The other study focused on 323 nursing home residents. Their average age was 85, and they had advanced dementia. They could not recognize loved ones and were unable to talk or walk. About 25% died within 6 months and 54% within 18 months. Just over 40% ended up having a hospital stay, tube feeding or other aggressive care in their last 3 months of life. Both studies appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Associated Press wrote about them October 15.

Smokers are more likely than others to get colon cancer, and to die from it, a new study finds. Researchers combined data from 106 studies. They found that smoking increased the risk of getting colon and rectal cancer by 18%. It increased the risk of dying from the cancer by 25%. HealthDay News wrote about the study December 16. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.