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A vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer works in women as old as 45, a study finds. The vaccine prevents infection with four types of human papilloma virus (HPV). These types are most likely to cause cervical cancer. The vaccine is recommended for girls and women up to age 26. The new study included 3,200 women who had never been infected with HPV. Their ages ranged from 24 to 45. Women received three shots — either the vaccine or fake vaccine. In the next two years, four women who got the vaccine were infected with HPV. This compares with 41 women who got the fake vaccine. The journal Lancet published the study results online. HealthDay News and Reuters news service wrote about it June 2.

People with chest pain can get long-term relief from medicines, even without angioplasty, researchers say. In angioplasty, a tiny balloon is blown up inside an artery to widen it. This increases blood flow to end chest pain. A tube called a stent is put in to keep the artery open. The new study included 2,287 people who had chest pain that was not getting worse. They were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. One was treated with drugs. The other received drugs plus angioplasty. Angioplasty relieved pain better at first. But both groups continued to improve. Within three years pain was about the same in the two groups. The Associated Press wrote about the study August 14. It was in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Swine flu vaccine began arriving in doctors’ offices this week. But a poll shows that many children may not get it, though they are among the groups recommended for early vaccination. In the Associated Press-GfK poll, 59% of parents said they were likely to allow their children to get vaccinated at school. About 38 percent of parents said they were unlikely to give permission. Among all groups, about 72% said they worried about side effects from the new vaccine. No major side effects have showed up in tests so far. In a different survey, about half of parents said they didn’t think swine flu was any worse than seasonal flu. Vaccination against seasonal flu also is recommended for nearly all children. But most kids don’t get the shots. About 2.2 million doses of nasal spray vaccine for swine flu are available now. Injectable vaccine will begin to arrive next week.

A cholesterol pill helped prevent heart problems in people with no major risks, a study found. Almost 18,000 people with normal cholesterol got either a cholesterol-lowering pill called Crestor, or a dummy pill. Those on Crestor had about half the number of heart problems. But even people taking the fake pill had a low risk of heart problems. The study was reported November 9 at an American Heart Association conference.

Boxers may have high rates of growth hormone deficiency, a study has found. Researchers said this probably is caused by repeated head trauma. The study examined 61 boxers from the national team of Turkey. Of these, 44 still competed and 17 were retired. About 1 in 7 boxers had low levels of growth hormone. Among retired boxers, about half had this problem. Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland. Low levels can cause loss of strength, muscle and stamina. This problem also can affect memory and mood. Reuters Health news service wrote about the study June 2. It was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Using ultrasound along with a mammogram finds more breast cancers, a study has shown. About 2,800 high-risk women were in the study. The two tests found cancer in 12 out of 1,000 women. A mammogram alone found cancer in 8 out of 1,000. But the tests also found suspicious areas that turned out not to be cancer. The two tests combined found many more false alarms than mammograms alone. The American Cancer Society says high-risk women should get a mammogram and magnetic resonance imaging. Study authors said that an ultrasound is easier for most women to get. USA Today wrote about the study May 14. It is in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Massage therapy may quickly relieve pain and lift mood among cancer patients, researchers say. The study included 380 people with advanced cancer. They were randomly assigned to receive massage or simple touch. People who got massages reported quick pain relief. But it did not last a long time. Massage may decrease inflammation and fluid buildup, improve blood flow and relax muscles. It also can release endorphins to improve mood. The study appeared September 16 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

A maker of vitamins for men should not say they reduce the risk of prostate cancer, a consumer group says. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it would sue if the claims continue, the Associated Press reported. The disputed ads are for One-A-Day Men’s Health Formula and 50+ Advantage vitamins. Both are made by Bayer Healthcare. The company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its statements. But the consumer group said a recent study disproved the prevention claim. The focus of the dispute is selenium, an ingredient in the vitamins. In the study, men who took selenium had about the same prostate cancer rates as those who took placebos (fake pills). The National Institutes of Health sponsored the study.

The typical American gets 22 teaspoons of added sugars each day, and the American Heart Association says that’s way too much. It says the average woman should consume no more than 6 teaspoons daily. For a man, the limit should be 9. The group’s new statement is in the journal Circulation. The Associated Press (AP) wrote about it August 25. The limits include sweeteners such as corn syrup, too. They do not include natural sugars such as those in fruit. Soft drinks are by far the biggest source of added sugars for Americans, the guidelines say. A 12-ounce drink contains sweeteners equal to 8 teaspoons of sugar. Candy, sugar, cookies, cakes and pies rank next. People who want to consume more sugar should exercise more, the guidelines’ lead author told AP.

Most U.S. women who should be tested for chlamydia are not doing so, researchers say. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common type of bacterial infection spread by sex in this country. U.S. health officials say that sexually active women under 25 should be tested for it. So should older women with a new sex partner or multiple partners. Finally, it’s recommended for all pregnant women. But only 42% of women in these groups were tested in 2007, the new study found. That’s up from 25% in 2000. Data for the study came from public and private health plans. Reuters Health wrote about the study April 16. It appeared in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.