There will be nearly 1.3 million deaths from cancer in Europe in 2011, according to predictions from a study published in the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology.
The estimates, which have been reached after researchers used for the first time in Europe a new mathematical model for predicting cancer mortality, show a fall in overall cancer death rates for both men and women when compared to 2007. But they also highlight some areas of concern, particularly rising rates of lung cancer in women.
Researchers looked at overall rates in the European Union (EU) and also individual rates in six major EU countries: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK.
They predicted there would be 1,281,466 cancer deaths in the EU in 2011 (721,252 men and 560,184 women), compared to 1,256,001 (703,872 men and 552,129 women) in 2007. When these figures are converted into world standardized rates per 100,000 of the population, this means there will be a fall from 153.8 per 100,000 to 142.8 per 100,000 in men, and from 90.7 to 85.3 in women -- a drop of 7% in men and 6% in women -- since 2007.
"Cancer is no longer an immediate death sentence, the vast majority of people today survive," explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the leading U.S. trade organization. The overall downward trend in cancer death rates is driven mainly by falls in breast cancer mortality in women, and lung and colorectal cancer in men.
However, the number of women dying from lung cancer is increasing steadily everywhere apart from in the UK, which has had the highest rates in women for a decade and is now seeing a leveling off. In the EU as a whole, world standardized death rates from lung cancer in women have gone up from 12.55 per 100,000 of the female population in 2007 to 13.12 in 2011.
Lung cancer has overtaken breast cancer as the first cause of cancer death in Polish women, as well as in women from the UK. The number of women who will die from lung cancer this year in the UK is 15,632 (compared to 14,900 in 2007); this represents a slight drop in the death rate from 20.57 per 100,000 women in 2007 to 20.33 in 2011. In Poland, 6,343 women will die from lung cancer this year compared to 5,643 in 2007, and this represents an increase in the death rate from 15.53 per 100,000 women to 16.60 in 2011.
Declines in mortality from other major cancers such as stomach, uterus, prostate and leukaemia are likely to be seen in 2011, say the researchers.
Showing posts with label cancer statistics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer statistics. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Calorie Intake Linked To Longevity And Cancer Development
Cutting consumption of glucose, the most common dietary sugar, can extend the life of healthy human cells and speed the death of precancerous cells, reducing cancer's spread and growth rate.
According to findings reported by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reducing calorie-intake can benefit longevity and help prevent diseases like cancer that have been linked to aging.
The researchers conducted tests by growing both healthy human-lung cells and precancerous human-lung cells in laboratory flasks. The flasks were provided either normal levels of glucose or significantly reduced amounts of the sugar compound, and the cells then were allowed to grow for a period of weeks. Restricted glucose levels led the healthy cells to grow longer than is typical and caused the precancerous cells to die off in large numbers.
Every year some 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer. It ranks as one of the leading factors for the need for costly long-term care according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance among aging seniors.
Two key genes were affected in the cellular response to decreased glucose consumption. The first gene, telomerase, encodes an important enzyme that allows cells to divide indefinitely. The second gene, p16, encodes a well known anti-cancer protein.
Healthy cells saw their telomerase rise and p16 decrease, which would explain the boost in healthy cell growth, the researchers explained. The research into the links between calorie intake, aging and the onset of diseases related to aging is thought to be a first of its kind given that it used the unique approach of testing human cells versus laboratory animals.
According to findings reported by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reducing calorie-intake can benefit longevity and help prevent diseases like cancer that have been linked to aging.
The researchers conducted tests by growing both healthy human-lung cells and precancerous human-lung cells in laboratory flasks. The flasks were provided either normal levels of glucose or significantly reduced amounts of the sugar compound, and the cells then were allowed to grow for a period of weeks. Restricted glucose levels led the healthy cells to grow longer than is typical and caused the precancerous cells to die off in large numbers.
Every year some 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer. It ranks as one of the leading factors for the need for costly long-term care according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance among aging seniors.
Two key genes were affected in the cellular response to decreased glucose consumption. The first gene, telomerase, encodes an important enzyme that allows cells to divide indefinitely. The second gene, p16, encodes a well known anti-cancer protein.
Healthy cells saw their telomerase rise and p16 decrease, which would explain the boost in healthy cell growth, the researchers explained. The research into the links between calorie intake, aging and the onset of diseases related to aging is thought to be a first of its kind given that it used the unique approach of testing human cells versus laboratory animals.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Drinking Coffee Reduces Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer
A new study reveals a strong inverse association between coffee consumption and the risk of lethal and advanced prostate cancers.
Data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference revealed that coffee has effects on insulin and glucose metabolism as well as sex hormone levels, all of which play a role in prostate cancer.
Medical researchers report that that men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer than men who did not drink any coffee. This is the first study of its kind to look at both overall risk of prostate cancer and risk of localized, advanced and lethal disease.
Some 745,000 men are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance that tracks critical illness data for cancers, heart attack and stroke. Approximately 300,000 men die each year of cancer.
The researchers are unsure which components of the beverage are most important, as coffee contains many biologically active compounds like antioxidants and minerals. They study examined both regular and decaffeinated coffee intake of nearly 50,000 men every four years from 1986 to 2006.
Nearly 5,000 men developed prostate cancer over that time. The researchers examined the association between coffee consumption and levels of circulating hormones in blood samples collected from a subset of men in the cohort. The results do suggest there is no reason to stop drinking coffee out of any concern about prostate cancer, the report adds.
For free price quote for critical illness insurance, go to: American Association for Critical Illness Insurance Consumer information Center.
Data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference revealed that coffee has effects on insulin and glucose metabolism as well as sex hormone levels, all of which play a role in prostate cancer.
Medical researchers report that that men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer than men who did not drink any coffee. This is the first study of its kind to look at both overall risk of prostate cancer and risk of localized, advanced and lethal disease.
Some 745,000 men are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance that tracks critical illness data for cancers, heart attack and stroke. Approximately 300,000 men die each year of cancer.
The researchers are unsure which components of the beverage are most important, as coffee contains many biologically active compounds like antioxidants and minerals. They study examined both regular and decaffeinated coffee intake of nearly 50,000 men every four years from 1986 to 2006.
Nearly 5,000 men developed prostate cancer over that time. The researchers examined the association between coffee consumption and levels of circulating hormones in blood samples collected from a subset of men in the cohort. The results do suggest there is no reason to stop drinking coffee out of any concern about prostate cancer, the report adds.
For free price quote for critical illness insurance, go to: American Association for Critical Illness Insurance Consumer information Center.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Walking And Exercise May Lower Prostate Cancer Risk
Men who regularly get moderate exercise may have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
Researchers examined men who underwent biopsies for possible prostate cancer. Those who exercised moderately, the equivalent of three to six hours of walking per week, were less likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
The study found that compared with their sedentary counterparts, these men were two-thirds less likely to have a biopsy positive for prostate cancer. In addition, men who performed one to three hours of walking each week had an 86 percent lower chance of having an aggressive form of the cancer.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some 745,000 men are diagnosed with cancer each week. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer impacting men. The study findings which appear in the current issue of the Journal of Urology do not prove that exercise helps prevent prostate cancer the researchers point out. But it could offer men another incentive to get active.
A number of studies have looked at the relationship between exercise and prostate cancer, and while most have pointed to a protective effect, about one-third have found no association. The medical experts found that among the 111 sedentary men in the study, half were diagnosed with cancer after biopsy. That compared with 27 percent of those men who got the equivalent of three to six hours of walking each week.
And among men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 51 percent of sedentary patients had more-aggressive cancer, versus 22 percent of those who had been mildly active -- getting the equivalent of one to three hours of moderate walking per week.
Exercise itself remained linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer after the researchers accounted for a number of other factors, like age, weight and race. Exercise has been shown to lower blood levels of testosterone and other hormones that may stimulate prostate tumor growth. Exercise is also believed to stimulate the immune system and the body's natural antioxidant mechanisms, both of which may help prevent the development of prostate cancer.
Researchers examined men who underwent biopsies for possible prostate cancer. Those who exercised moderately, the equivalent of three to six hours of walking per week, were less likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
The study found that compared with their sedentary counterparts, these men were two-thirds less likely to have a biopsy positive for prostate cancer. In addition, men who performed one to three hours of walking each week had an 86 percent lower chance of having an aggressive form of the cancer.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some 745,000 men are diagnosed with cancer each week. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer impacting men. The study findings which appear in the current issue of the Journal of Urology do not prove that exercise helps prevent prostate cancer the researchers point out. But it could offer men another incentive to get active.
A number of studies have looked at the relationship between exercise and prostate cancer, and while most have pointed to a protective effect, about one-third have found no association. The medical experts found that among the 111 sedentary men in the study, half were diagnosed with cancer after biopsy. That compared with 27 percent of those men who got the equivalent of three to six hours of walking each week.
And among men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 51 percent of sedentary patients had more-aggressive cancer, versus 22 percent of those who had been mildly active -- getting the equivalent of one to three hours of moderate walking per week.
Exercise itself remained linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer after the researchers accounted for a number of other factors, like age, weight and race. Exercise has been shown to lower blood levels of testosterone and other hormones that may stimulate prostate tumor growth. Exercise is also believed to stimulate the immune system and the body's natural antioxidant mechanisms, both of which may help prevent the development of prostate cancer.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Obesity Causes 100,000 U.S. Cancer Cases
Obesity causes more than 100,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year according to a report from the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, creating a greater financial strain on health insurance companies and American families.
Researchers estimate that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society reports that nearl 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of the disease.
Medical researchers at the American Institute for Cancer Research reported that having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer, which is a type of cancer of the uterus. Too much body fat they note was also responsible for one third of esophageal cancer cases.
The researchers expect the number of cancer cases will likely rise as Americans get fatter. Nearly a third of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30.
More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).
The American Institute for Cancer Research reported the percented of cancer cases that would be prevented if everyone in the United States maintained a healthy weight. Here are some of its estimates of cancer types that could be prevented annually if Americans stayed slender:
Endometrium - 49 percent of cases or 20,700 people
Esophageal - 35 percent of cases or 5,800 people
Pancreatic - 28 percent or 11,900 people
Kidney - 24 percent or 13,900 people
Gallbladder - 21 percent or 2,000 people
Breast - 17 percent or 33,000 people
Colon - 9 percent or 13,200 people
Researchers estimate that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society reports that nearl 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of the disease.
Medical researchers at the American Institute for Cancer Research reported that having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer, which is a type of cancer of the uterus. Too much body fat they note was also responsible for one third of esophageal cancer cases.
The researchers expect the number of cancer cases will likely rise as Americans get fatter. Nearly a third of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30.
More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).
The American Institute for Cancer Research reported the percented of cancer cases that would be prevented if everyone in the United States maintained a healthy weight. Here are some of its estimates of cancer types that could be prevented annually if Americans stayed slender:
Endometrium - 49 percent of cases or 20,700 people
Esophageal - 35 percent of cases or 5,800 people
Pancreatic - 28 percent or 11,900 people
Kidney - 24 percent or 13,900 people
Gallbladder - 21 percent or 2,000 people
Breast - 17 percent or 33,000 people
Colon - 9 percent or 13,200 people
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Low Cholesterol Could Be Sign Of Cancer In Men Especially
Low total cholesterol may be a sign of cancer according to researchers.
Previously, some medical experts had thought that low cholesterol may have been a cause. According to researchers reporting this week, findings suggest that men who have low cholesterol actually have a lower risk of developing high-risk prostate cancer.
There were some 1.4 million cancer cases in the United States last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The cost of caring for medical conditions caused over 60 percent of the 1.5 million Americans to declare bankruptcy.
A study of more than 5,000 U.S. men conducted by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found a link between low cholesterol and a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer among men over age 55.
The researchers report that if men had total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter, they had a nearly 60 percent lower risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, the riskiest kind.
It is not clear whether taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might help men with prostate cancer. That would need to be studied, the medical experts noted. The study was reported in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
For years, researchers had noticed that people who have lower total cholesterol -- a combination of both low-density lipoprotein or LDL, the "bad" kind, and high-density lipoprotein or HDL, the "good" kind -- appeared more likely to have certain types of cancers than other people.
They report this finding was worrisome because having low cholesterol, and particularly low levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, has been shown to protect against heart attacks and strokes.
An expert at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, said in a statement, "The study affirms that lower total cholesterol may be caused by undiagnosed cancer. In terms of a public health message, we found that higher levels of 'good' cholesterol seem to be protective for all cancers."
An 18-year study of nearly 30,000 Finnish male smokers, the largest and longest of its kind, found that over the nearly two decades some 7,545 men developed cancer. The men with lower total cholesterol levels -- below 230 milligrams/deciliter -- had an 18 percent higher risk of cancer overall.
But, when the researchers excluded cancers that occurred in the first nine years of the study, this risk disappears. The findings the researchers notes support the idea that the lower serum total cholesterol level we detected as a possible cancer risk factor may actually have been the result of undiagnosed cancers.
Previously, some medical experts had thought that low cholesterol may have been a cause. According to researchers reporting this week, findings suggest that men who have low cholesterol actually have a lower risk of developing high-risk prostate cancer.
There were some 1.4 million cancer cases in the United States last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The cost of caring for medical conditions caused over 60 percent of the 1.5 million Americans to declare bankruptcy.
A study of more than 5,000 U.S. men conducted by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found a link between low cholesterol and a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer among men over age 55.
The researchers report that if men had total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter, they had a nearly 60 percent lower risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, the riskiest kind.
It is not clear whether taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might help men with prostate cancer. That would need to be studied, the medical experts noted. The study was reported in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
For years, researchers had noticed that people who have lower total cholesterol -- a combination of both low-density lipoprotein or LDL, the "bad" kind, and high-density lipoprotein or HDL, the "good" kind -- appeared more likely to have certain types of cancers than other people.
They report this finding was worrisome because having low cholesterol, and particularly low levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, has been shown to protect against heart attacks and strokes.
An expert at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, said in a statement, "The study affirms that lower total cholesterol may be caused by undiagnosed cancer. In terms of a public health message, we found that higher levels of 'good' cholesterol seem to be protective for all cancers."
An 18-year study of nearly 30,000 Finnish male smokers, the largest and longest of its kind, found that over the nearly two decades some 7,545 men developed cancer. The men with lower total cholesterol levels -- below 230 milligrams/deciliter -- had an 18 percent higher risk of cancer overall.
But, when the researchers excluded cancers that occurred in the first nine years of the study, this risk disappears. The findings the researchers notes support the idea that the lower serum total cholesterol level we detected as a possible cancer risk factor may actually have been the result of undiagnosed cancers.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Study Reports Cholesterol Medicines Effective Against Cancer
Research shows that medicines based on statins used to lower blood cholesterol may also be effective in the treatment of cancer.
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in metabolism. Medical experts note that they have also been shown to help proteins attach to cell membranes. Because many of the proteins that are lipid-modified cause cancer, there are now hopes that it will be possible to use statins in the treatment of cancer.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Germany, conducted studies that show statins can have a dramatic inhibitory effect on growth and development. The researchers note that their results support the idea that statins can be used in more ways than just to lower cholesterol. Not least that they can prevent the growth of cancer cells caused by lipid-modified proteins, but also that they can be effective in the treatment of diabetes and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's.
The findings were published in the article Statins Inhibit Protein Lipidation and Induce the Unfolded Protein Response in the Non-Sterol Producing Nematode C. elegans, published in the journal PNAS. The study is the result of a research partnership between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology.
Information on critical illness is gathered and posted by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization focused on helping individuals understand the importance of protecting their financial futures.
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in metabolism. Medical experts note that they have also been shown to help proteins attach to cell membranes. Because many of the proteins that are lipid-modified cause cancer, there are now hopes that it will be possible to use statins in the treatment of cancer.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Germany, conducted studies that show statins can have a dramatic inhibitory effect on growth and development. The researchers note that their results support the idea that statins can be used in more ways than just to lower cholesterol. Not least that they can prevent the growth of cancer cells caused by lipid-modified proteins, but also that they can be effective in the treatment of diabetes and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's.
The findings were published in the article Statins Inhibit Protein Lipidation and Induce the Unfolded Protein Response in the Non-Sterol Producing Nematode C. elegans, published in the journal PNAS. The study is the result of a research partnership between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology.
Information on critical illness is gathered and posted by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization focused on helping individuals understand the importance of protecting their financial futures.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
High-def Colonoscopy Detects More Polyps
A high-definition (HD) colonoscopy is much more sensitive than standard colonoscopy in finding polyps that could morph into cancer.
According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic it appears that high-definition colonoscopy detects more precancerous polyps. The difference could be as much as 20 percent.
Approximately 14 million colonoscopies are performed each year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry organization that tracks and reports data related to critical illnesses. Some 745,000 men were diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly 10 percent with colon cancer.
A study was conducted between September 2006 and December 2007 when the Mayo Clinic in Florida was switching its six colonoscopy procedure rooms from standard colonoscopy endoscopes to high-definition endoscopes.
The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego, Calif., are not only important because a large group (2,430) of patients participated, but they resulted from the only study to date that has compared these two methods in a general clinical practice setting, among all the patients who needed a colonoscopy and with all the physicians who performed it.
An endoscope is the lighted tube inserted into the colon and rectum to look for, and remove, polyps. A high-definition endoscope uses both a high-definition video chip and HD monitors (like HD television) that increase the resolution of the image. Patients were not assigned to one scope or the other. Instead, they were placed in whatever room was available and assigned a gastroenterologist who was on duty at the time.
Researchers found that the rate of detection of adenomas -- polyps that are likely to become cancerous -- was 29 percent among patients who were scanned with high-definition endoscopes, versus 24 percent for those in which standard endoscopes were used.
The study was funded by Mayo Clinic, and the authors declare no conflict of interest nor do they endorse the products mentioned in the study.
According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic it appears that high-definition colonoscopy detects more precancerous polyps. The difference could be as much as 20 percent.
Approximately 14 million colonoscopies are performed each year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry organization that tracks and reports data related to critical illnesses. Some 745,000 men were diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly 10 percent with colon cancer.
A study was conducted between September 2006 and December 2007 when the Mayo Clinic in Florida was switching its six colonoscopy procedure rooms from standard colonoscopy endoscopes to high-definition endoscopes.
The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego, Calif., are not only important because a large group (2,430) of patients participated, but they resulted from the only study to date that has compared these two methods in a general clinical practice setting, among all the patients who needed a colonoscopy and with all the physicians who performed it.
An endoscope is the lighted tube inserted into the colon and rectum to look for, and remove, polyps. A high-definition endoscope uses both a high-definition video chip and HD monitors (like HD television) that increase the resolution of the image. Patients were not assigned to one scope or the other. Instead, they were placed in whatever room was available and assigned a gastroenterologist who was on duty at the time.
Researchers found that the rate of detection of adenomas -- polyps that are likely to become cancerous -- was 29 percent among patients who were scanned with high-definition endoscopes, versus 24 percent for those in which standard endoscopes were used.
The study was funded by Mayo Clinic, and the authors declare no conflict of interest nor do they endorse the products mentioned in the study.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Breast Tenderness Linked To Elevated Cancer Risk
October 16, 2009. Women who developed new-onset breast tenderness after starting estrogen plus progestin hormone replacement therapy were at significantly higher risk for developing breast cancer. This compared to women on the combination therapy who didn't experience such tenderness.
Breat cancer is the most common cancer among women according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 692,000 women were diagnosed with cancer last year; about 26 percent with breast cancer.
According to researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA they are not certain why breast tenderness indicates increased cancer risk among women on the combination therapy.
The researchers based their findings by examining data on more than 16,000 participants in the Women's Health Initiative estrogen-plus- progestin clinical trial. They speculated that it may be because the hormone therapy is causing breast-tissue cells to multiply more rapidly, which causes breast tenderness and at the same time indicates increased cancer risk.
The UCLA research, published in the Oct. 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, compared the daily use of oral conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg), or CEE+MPA, with the daily use of a placebo pill.
Of the participants in the trial, over 8,500 took estrogen plus progestin and just over 8,100 were given placebos. Participants underwent mammography and clinical breast exams at the start of the trial and annually thereafter. Self-reported breast tenderness was assessed at the beginning of the trial and one year later, and invasive breast cancer over the next 5.6 years was confirmed by medical record review.
Women on the combination therapy who did not have breast tenderness at the trial's inception were found to have a threefold greater risk of developing tenderness at the one-year mark, compared with participants who were assigned placebos (36.1 percent vs. 11.8 percent). Among the women who did report breast tenderness at the beginning, the risk at one-year was about 1.26 times that of their counterparts on placebos.
Of the women who reported new-onset breast tenderness, 76.3 percent had been on the combination therapy.
Women in the combination therapy group who did not have breast tenderness at the outset but experienced new-onset tenderness at the first annual follow-up had a 48 percent higher risk of invasive breast cancer than their counterparts on combination therapy who did not have breast tenderness at the first-year follow-up.
Breat cancer is the most common cancer among women according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 692,000 women were diagnosed with cancer last year; about 26 percent with breast cancer.
According to researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA they are not certain why breast tenderness indicates increased cancer risk among women on the combination therapy.
The researchers based their findings by examining data on more than 16,000 participants in the Women's Health Initiative estrogen-plus- progestin clinical trial. They speculated that it may be because the hormone therapy is causing breast-tissue cells to multiply more rapidly, which causes breast tenderness and at the same time indicates increased cancer risk.
The UCLA research, published in the Oct. 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, compared the daily use of oral conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg), or CEE+MPA, with the daily use of a placebo pill.
Of the participants in the trial, over 8,500 took estrogen plus progestin and just over 8,100 were given placebos. Participants underwent mammography and clinical breast exams at the start of the trial and annually thereafter. Self-reported breast tenderness was assessed at the beginning of the trial and one year later, and invasive breast cancer over the next 5.6 years was confirmed by medical record review.
Women on the combination therapy who did not have breast tenderness at the trial's inception were found to have a threefold greater risk of developing tenderness at the one-year mark, compared with participants who were assigned placebos (36.1 percent vs. 11.8 percent). Among the women who did report breast tenderness at the beginning, the risk at one-year was about 1.26 times that of their counterparts on placebos.
Of the women who reported new-onset breast tenderness, 76.3 percent had been on the combination therapy.
Women in the combination therapy group who did not have breast tenderness at the outset but experienced new-onset tenderness at the first annual follow-up had a 48 percent higher risk of invasive breast cancer than their counterparts on combination therapy who did not have breast tenderness at the first-year follow-up.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Skin Cancer Can Be Inherited
Two new studies suggest that skin cancer can be inhereited.
One study found that having an identical twin with melanoma increased a person's own risk of developing the disease much more than having a fraternal twin with this type of skin cancer. The other study revealed that having a parent or sibling with one of several different types of non-melanoma skin cancer increased risk as well.
Having an identical twin with melanoma increased a person's own risk of the disease nearly 10-fold, while melanoma associated with having a non-identical twin with the disease was roughly doubled.
Prior studies have suggested melanoma and other skin cancers run in families. But medical experts note it has been difficult to separate the difference between the influence of genes and those caused by other environmental conditions. Some 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia looked at twin pairs in which at least one sibling had been diagnosed with melanoma. After looking at hundreds of candidates, the researchers found that in four of the 27 identical twin pairs, both had melanoma, while three of the 98 fraternal twin pairs had both been diagnosed with the deadly skin cancer.
In the second study conducted at the University of California Los Angeles, researchers looked at the Swedish Family-Cancer Database to gauge the risk for several types of skin cancer among siblings and children of people diagnosed with these diseases.
They found that people with a sibling or parent diagnosed with some types of skin cancer were more likely to develop skin cancers of various types, not just the ones their relatives had. When tumors occurred at parts of the body more likely to have been exposed to the sun (such as the face, compared to the torso), the familial risk was stronger. The findings were reported in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, September 2009.
One study found that having an identical twin with melanoma increased a person's own risk of developing the disease much more than having a fraternal twin with this type of skin cancer. The other study revealed that having a parent or sibling with one of several different types of non-melanoma skin cancer increased risk as well.
Having an identical twin with melanoma increased a person's own risk of the disease nearly 10-fold, while melanoma associated with having a non-identical twin with the disease was roughly doubled.
Prior studies have suggested melanoma and other skin cancers run in families. But medical experts note it has been difficult to separate the difference between the influence of genes and those caused by other environmental conditions. Some 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia looked at twin pairs in which at least one sibling had been diagnosed with melanoma. After looking at hundreds of candidates, the researchers found that in four of the 27 identical twin pairs, both had melanoma, while three of the 98 fraternal twin pairs had both been diagnosed with the deadly skin cancer.
In the second study conducted at the University of California Los Angeles, researchers looked at the Swedish Family-Cancer Database to gauge the risk for several types of skin cancer among siblings and children of people diagnosed with these diseases.
They found that people with a sibling or parent diagnosed with some types of skin cancer were more likely to develop skin cancers of various types, not just the ones their relatives had. When tumors occurred at parts of the body more likely to have been exposed to the sun (such as the face, compared to the torso), the familial risk was stronger. The findings were reported in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, September 2009.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
New Test Assesses Individual Breast Cancer Risk
October 7, 2009. Some 692,000 American women are diagnosed with cancer according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About one quarter (26%) have breast cancer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a new report notes that analyzing individual breast tissue for specific structural characteristics may more precisely determine a woman's risk for developing breast cancer.
Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers report that the more acini a woman has and the larger her breast lobules, the higher the chance she will get breast cancer. Acini, the medical experts note, refers to a cluster of cells that in this instance are the sacs that produce milk.
Currently, factors such as family history of breast cancer, number of pregnancies and age at first pregnancy are helpful in predicting how often breast cancer will arise in a larger population. But, reserachers note, these same tools are poor indicators of individual risk.
Other than family history and genetics, the best tool experts have to predict individual breast cancer risk is the Gail model, which takes into account age and number of previous biopsies, as well as family history and pregnancy history. But, the authors of the report note that the Gail model is "only slightly better than chance alone.
Breast cancer originates in the breast lobules. The lobules are supposed to disappear as a woman ages, reducing her breast cancer risk, but this doesn't always happen. The researchers tissue from women with breast cancer (as well as earlier tissue samples taken before they developed the cancer). The more acini per lobule a woman had and the larger the lobule, the higher her risk for developing breast cancer, the researchers found. This new technique proved more accurate than the Gail model.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a new report notes that analyzing individual breast tissue for specific structural characteristics may more precisely determine a woman's risk for developing breast cancer.
Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers report that the more acini a woman has and the larger her breast lobules, the higher the chance she will get breast cancer. Acini, the medical experts note, refers to a cluster of cells that in this instance are the sacs that produce milk.
Currently, factors such as family history of breast cancer, number of pregnancies and age at first pregnancy are helpful in predicting how often breast cancer will arise in a larger population. But, reserachers note, these same tools are poor indicators of individual risk.
Other than family history and genetics, the best tool experts have to predict individual breast cancer risk is the Gail model, which takes into account age and number of previous biopsies, as well as family history and pregnancy history. But, the authors of the report note that the Gail model is "only slightly better than chance alone.
Breast cancer originates in the breast lobules. The lobules are supposed to disappear as a woman ages, reducing her breast cancer risk, but this doesn't always happen. The researchers tissue from women with breast cancer (as well as earlier tissue samples taken before they developed the cancer). The more acini per lobule a woman had and the larger the lobule, the higher her risk for developing breast cancer, the researchers found. This new technique proved more accurate than the Gail model.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Asian Spice Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
An estimated six million women in the United States currently use hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause.
Taking a combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy has increased their risk of developing progestin-accelerated breast tumors note medical experts. According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance nearly 700,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with cancer this year and over one-quarter will have breast cancer.
University of Missouri researchers have found that curcumin, a popular Indian spice derived from the turmeric root, could reduce the cancer risk for women after exposure to hormone replacement therapy.
The results of the study showed that women could potentially take curcumin to protect themselves from developing progestin-accelerated tumors, researchers noted. In the study, researchers found that curcumin delayed the first appearance, decreased incidence and reduced multiplicity of progestin-accelerated tumors in an animal model.
Taking a combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy has increased their risk of developing progestin-accelerated breast tumors note medical experts. According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance nearly 700,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with cancer this year and over one-quarter will have breast cancer.
University of Missouri researchers have found that curcumin, a popular Indian spice derived from the turmeric root, could reduce the cancer risk for women after exposure to hormone replacement therapy.
The results of the study showed that women could potentially take curcumin to protect themselves from developing progestin-accelerated tumors, researchers noted. In the study, researchers found that curcumin delayed the first appearance, decreased incidence and reduced multiplicity of progestin-accelerated tumors in an animal model.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Mini-Stroke Precedes Just 1 In 8 Strokes
October 1, 2009. One out of every eight strokes is preceded by a milder interruption of blood flow to the brain, called a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Canadian researchers conclude that such an attack is not the crucial warning sign that physicians need.
For the study published in the Sept. 29 issue of Neurology, researchers found that, of the 16,409 people diagnosed with stroke over a four-year period, 2,032 -- or 12.4 percent of them -- had a TIA in the weeks before the stroke.
As a result, the medical experts concluded that a TIA does not have enough predictive power to warrant intensive preventive measures.
A TIA, which some refer to as a mini-stroke, occurs when a clot briefly blocks a brain artery. Symptoms of a TIA are the same as those of a stroke -- sudden onset of weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, loss of vision or double vision, speech difficulty, dizziness, loss of balance -- but they go away, often in a few minutes. Many people ignore the symptoms, but they are clear signs of possible trouble.
Dr. Larry B. Goldstein, director of the Duke Stroke Center. But he disagrees with the Canadian report's interpretation of the predictive importance of TIAs. "They predict 10 to 15 percent of strokes," Goldstein said. "This is not a small number, so it is an opportunity to prevent stroke that you don't want to miss when it happens."
Some medical experts noted that better predictive tools are available. Many prefers carotid ultrasound, an inexpensive way to listen to blood flow in the main artery to the brain.
Stroke is a leading cause of critical illness with over one million new cases diagnosed in the United States annually according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance the national trade organization.
For the study published in the Sept. 29 issue of Neurology, researchers found that, of the 16,409 people diagnosed with stroke over a four-year period, 2,032 -- or 12.4 percent of them -- had a TIA in the weeks before the stroke.
As a result, the medical experts concluded that a TIA does not have enough predictive power to warrant intensive preventive measures.
A TIA, which some refer to as a mini-stroke, occurs when a clot briefly blocks a brain artery. Symptoms of a TIA are the same as those of a stroke -- sudden onset of weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, loss of vision or double vision, speech difficulty, dizziness, loss of balance -- but they go away, often in a few minutes. Many people ignore the symptoms, but they are clear signs of possible trouble.
Dr. Larry B. Goldstein, director of the Duke Stroke Center. But he disagrees with the Canadian report's interpretation of the predictive importance of TIAs. "They predict 10 to 15 percent of strokes," Goldstein said. "This is not a small number, so it is an opportunity to prevent stroke that you don't want to miss when it happens."
Some medical experts noted that better predictive tools are available. Many prefers carotid ultrasound, an inexpensive way to listen to blood flow in the main artery to the brain.
Stroke is a leading cause of critical illness with over one million new cases diagnosed in the United States annually according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance the national trade organization.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Study: PSA Test Considered Unreliable Prostate Cancer Screening
Researchers noted that the inability of the PSA test to distinguish between deadly and harmless prostate cancers makes it unusable as a population-wide screening tool. PSA is a protein made by the prostate gland. It is found in small amounts in the blood of healthy men, and is often elevated in men with prostate cancer, but also in men with benign prostate enlargement.
Some 745,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer this year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group. Nearly 300,000 will die and prostate cancer causes about a quarter of all cancer deaths among men.
The lead author of one study, a urologist with Gavle Hospital in Gavle, Sweden, noted that in addition to PSA, further biomarkers are needed before inferring population-based screening for prostate cancer. The claim was based on a study of PSA tests of over 500 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Their PSA was measured several years before being diagnosed. Scientists compared those tests with PSA tests from over 1,000 men without prostate cancer.
Reserachers reported that in men with a prediagnostic PSA level below 1 nanogram per milliliter, only six men [1.2 percent] were later diagnosed with a high-risk prostate cancer. Hence, PSA levels below [that] almost ruled out a future high-risk prostate cancer diagnosis. They noted that the direct implication of their findings in a screening situation was that no matter which PSA cut-off you adopt for selecting men for further diagnostic work-up, you will either have too many false positives or too many false negatives.
Given the current trend in lowering the PSA cut-off to about 3 nanograms per milliliter, the medical reserachers noted that a large number of healthy men will be subject to painful, stressful and costly diagnostic procedures. Their report worried that the wide overdiagnosis of slow-growing tumors causing unnecessary medical treatment and anxiety.
Although most agencies providing recommendations on prostate cancer screening, especially those outside the United States, do not recommend routine PSA testing for the early detection of prostate cancer, it continues to be performed frequently medical experts noted.
Some 745,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer this year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group. Nearly 300,000 will die and prostate cancer causes about a quarter of all cancer deaths among men.
The lead author of one study, a urologist with Gavle Hospital in Gavle, Sweden, noted that in addition to PSA, further biomarkers are needed before inferring population-based screening for prostate cancer. The claim was based on a study of PSA tests of over 500 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Their PSA was measured several years before being diagnosed. Scientists compared those tests with PSA tests from over 1,000 men without prostate cancer.
Reserachers reported that in men with a prediagnostic PSA level below 1 nanogram per milliliter, only six men [1.2 percent] were later diagnosed with a high-risk prostate cancer. Hence, PSA levels below [that] almost ruled out a future high-risk prostate cancer diagnosis. They noted that the direct implication of their findings in a screening situation was that no matter which PSA cut-off you adopt for selecting men for further diagnostic work-up, you will either have too many false positives or too many false negatives.
Given the current trend in lowering the PSA cut-off to about 3 nanograms per milliliter, the medical reserachers noted that a large number of healthy men will be subject to painful, stressful and costly diagnostic procedures. Their report worried that the wide overdiagnosis of slow-growing tumors causing unnecessary medical treatment and anxiety.
Although most agencies providing recommendations on prostate cancer screening, especially those outside the United States, do not recommend routine PSA testing for the early detection of prostate cancer, it continues to be performed frequently medical experts noted.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Exercise May Prevent Protate Cancer
September 28, 2009. Regular exercise may help protect men from prostate cancer.
According to a new study released today by Duke University Medical Center men who were moderately active were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Moderately active was defined as anything equivalent to walking at a moderate pace for several hours a week.
The researchers looked at men who had a prostate biopsy and found that exercise was associated with less aggressive disease in men who did develop prostate cancer. As the amount of exercise increased, the risk of cancer decreased, the study's lead author said in a news release.
The majority (58 percent) of the men in this study were sedentary, which means they exercised less than the equivalent of one hour per week of easy walking.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance . Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40.
Men at higher risk include African-America men older than 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium. The lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men and those who do not eat meat (vegetarians).
Prostate cancers are grouped according to tumor size, any spreading outside the prostate (and how far), and how different tumor cells are from normal tissue. This is called staging. Identifying the correct stage may help the doctor determine which treatment is best.
According to a new study released today by Duke University Medical Center men who were moderately active were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Moderately active was defined as anything equivalent to walking at a moderate pace for several hours a week.
The researchers looked at men who had a prostate biopsy and found that exercise was associated with less aggressive disease in men who did develop prostate cancer. As the amount of exercise increased, the risk of cancer decreased, the study's lead author said in a news release.
The majority (58 percent) of the men in this study were sedentary, which means they exercised less than the equivalent of one hour per week of easy walking.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance . Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40.
Men at higher risk include African-America men older than 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium. The lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men and those who do not eat meat (vegetarians).
Prostate cancers are grouped according to tumor size, any spreading outside the prostate (and how far), and how different tumor cells are from normal tissue. This is called staging. Identifying the correct stage may help the doctor determine which treatment is best.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Excess Body Weight Causes 124,000 New Cancers
Based on estimates from a new modeling study, the proportion of cases of new cancers attributable to body mass index were highest among women and in central European countries such as the Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia and Bulgaria.
The lead author of the study noted that as more people stop smoking and fewer women take hormone replacement therapy, it is possible that obesity may become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade.
Researchers created a sophisticated model to estimate the proportion of cancers that could be attributed to excess body weight in 30 European countries. Using data from a number of sources including the World Health Organization they estimated that in 2002 (the most recent year for which there are reliable statistics on cancer incidence in Europe) there had been over 70,000 new cases of cancer attributable to excess BMI out of a total of nearly 2.2 million new diagnoses across the 30 European countries.
The percentage of obesity-related cancers varied widely between countries, from 2.1% in women and 2.4% in men in Denmark, to 8.2% in women and 3.5% in men in the Czech Republic. In Germany it was 4.8% in women and 3.3% in men, and in the UK it was 4% in women and 3.4% in men.
They found that the number of cancers that could be attributed to excess body weight increased to 124,050 in 2008. In men, 3.2% of new cancers could be attributed to being overweight or obese and in women it was 8.6%. The largest number of obesity-related new cancers was for endometrial cancer (33,421), post-menopausal breast cancer (27,770) and colorectal cancer (23,730). These three accounted for 65% of all cancers attributable to excess body mass index.
Cancer is one of the leading critical illnesses afflicting Americans according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. There were 1.4 million Americans diagnosed with cancer in 2008.
The lead author of the study noted that as more people stop smoking and fewer women take hormone replacement therapy, it is possible that obesity may become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade.
Researchers created a sophisticated model to estimate the proportion of cancers that could be attributed to excess body weight in 30 European countries. Using data from a number of sources including the World Health Organization they estimated that in 2002 (the most recent year for which there are reliable statistics on cancer incidence in Europe) there had been over 70,000 new cases of cancer attributable to excess BMI out of a total of nearly 2.2 million new diagnoses across the 30 European countries.
The percentage of obesity-related cancers varied widely between countries, from 2.1% in women and 2.4% in men in Denmark, to 8.2% in women and 3.5% in men in the Czech Republic. In Germany it was 4.8% in women and 3.3% in men, and in the UK it was 4% in women and 3.4% in men.
They found that the number of cancers that could be attributed to excess body weight increased to 124,050 in 2008. In men, 3.2% of new cancers could be attributed to being overweight or obese and in women it was 8.6%. The largest number of obesity-related new cancers was for endometrial cancer (33,421), post-menopausal breast cancer (27,770) and colorectal cancer (23,730). These three accounted for 65% of all cancers attributable to excess body mass index.
Cancer is one of the leading critical illnesses afflicting Americans according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. There were 1.4 million Americans diagnosed with cancer in 2008.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Aspirin Protects Against Colon Cancer
An aspirin a day can prevent colon cancer in people with a genetic disorder that increases their risk of developing the disease.
Colorectal is the second biggest cause of cancer death in the United States and Europe, where a total of 560,000 people develop the disease each year, and 250,000 die from it according to the American Association for Critical Illness insurance, the national trade organization.
Scientists at the Institute of Human Genetics at Newcastle University in Britain said the benefits of aspirin were only seen after several years. The researchers noted that they uncovered a simple way of controlling stems cells that make tumors grow.
The researchers tested over 1,000 people with Lynch syndrome -- an inherited condition that predisposes a person to a range of cancers, particularly of the colon. Some were given aspirins and some a placebo.
Follow-up tests after 10 years showed that although there was no difference in cancer rates after 29 months, a significant difference was detected after four years. Fewer people in the aspirin group developing colon cancer, the study's leader noted.
To date, there have been only six colon cancers in the aspirin group as opposed to 16 who took placebo, the study notes. There is also a reduction in endometrial cancer.
People with Lynch syndrome have an increased risk of many cancers including stomach, colon, brain, skin, and prostate. Women carriers also have a high risk of developing endometrial and ovarian cancers.
In low daily doses aspirin has been found to stave off the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as chase away occasional aches and pains. Other scientists have previously found it can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and suggested it does so by blocking the enzyme cyclooxygenase2, or COX-2, which promotes inflammation and cell division and is found in high levels in tumors.
Colorectal is the second biggest cause of cancer death in the United States and Europe, where a total of 560,000 people develop the disease each year, and 250,000 die from it according to the American Association for Critical Illness insurance, the national trade organization.
Scientists at the Institute of Human Genetics at Newcastle University in Britain said the benefits of aspirin were only seen after several years. The researchers noted that they uncovered a simple way of controlling stems cells that make tumors grow.
The researchers tested over 1,000 people with Lynch syndrome -- an inherited condition that predisposes a person to a range of cancers, particularly of the colon. Some were given aspirins and some a placebo.
Follow-up tests after 10 years showed that although there was no difference in cancer rates after 29 months, a significant difference was detected after four years. Fewer people in the aspirin group developing colon cancer, the study's leader noted.
To date, there have been only six colon cancers in the aspirin group as opposed to 16 who took placebo, the study notes. There is also a reduction in endometrial cancer.
People with Lynch syndrome have an increased risk of many cancers including stomach, colon, brain, skin, and prostate. Women carriers also have a high risk of developing endometrial and ovarian cancers.
In low daily doses aspirin has been found to stave off the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as chase away occasional aches and pains. Other scientists have previously found it can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and suggested it does so by blocking the enzyme cyclooxygenase2, or COX-2, which promotes inflammation and cell division and is found in high levels in tumors.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Prostate Cancer Treatment May Spark Heart Problems
The findings from new research conducted at King's College in London could make doctors think twice before prescribing the standard hormone treatment to men with prostate cancer, particularly if they are at risk of heart disease.
More than 670,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer globally every year, making it the second-most common cancer in men, after lung cancer. In the U.S., over 185,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization. About 600,000 men are being treated with endocrine therapies for prostate cancer worldwide.
Researchers studied 30,000 men in Sweden with prostate cancer who received hormone therapy between 1997 and 2006. They compared the rate of heart problems in those patients to the rate in the general Swedish population. Prostate cancer patients had a 28 percent higher relative chance of having a fatal heart attack and a 21 percent increased chance of dying from heart disease.
While these risks were still low in absolute terms, the researchers estimated that the hormone therapies would cause heart problems including a heart attack at the rate of about 10 persons for every 1,000 prostate cancer patients.
Previous studies have found hormone therapy given to prostate cancer patients with a history of heart disease increases their chances of dying. Scientists believe that male-produced testosterone has some protective effect on the heart. Thus, hormones that interfere with testosterone could be deadly.
More than 670,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer globally every year, making it the second-most common cancer in men, after lung cancer. In the U.S., over 185,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization. About 600,000 men are being treated with endocrine therapies for prostate cancer worldwide.
Researchers studied 30,000 men in Sweden with prostate cancer who received hormone therapy between 1997 and 2006. They compared the rate of heart problems in those patients to the rate in the general Swedish population. Prostate cancer patients had a 28 percent higher relative chance of having a fatal heart attack and a 21 percent increased chance of dying from heart disease.
While these risks were still low in absolute terms, the researchers estimated that the hormone therapies would cause heart problems including a heart attack at the rate of about 10 persons for every 1,000 prostate cancer patients.
Previous studies have found hormone therapy given to prostate cancer patients with a history of heart disease increases their chances of dying. Scientists believe that male-produced testosterone has some protective effect on the heart. Thus, hormones that interfere with testosterone could be deadly.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Hispanic Americans Have Lower Cancer Risk
Hispanic (Latino) Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to develop and die from all cancers combined as well as the four most common cancers (female breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung) according to a new report.
However, Hispanics have higher rates of several cancers related to infections (stomach, liver, and cervix) and are more likely to have cancer detected at a later stage.
The findings come from the latest edition of Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanics/Latinos. Hispanic Americans comprise the largest, fastest-growing, and youngest minority in the United States. An estimated 98,900 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Hispanic/Latinos in 2009. Prostate is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, while breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cancer in both men and women.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. More than 1.44 million Americans had a diagnosis of cancer in 2008 and some 565,000 died. According to the National Institutes of Health, cancer cost the United States an estimated $228 billion in medical costs in 2008.
An estimated 18,800 Hispanics are expected to die from cancer in 2009; the top two causes of cancer death among men are lung and colorectal cancer, while breast and lung cancer are the top two in women.
Between 1997 and 2006, cancer incidence rates decreased among Hispanics by 1.3% per year in men and 0.6% per year in women, compared to decreases of 0.8% per year and 0.4% per year in non-Hispanic white men and women, respectively.
During the same time period, cancer death rates among Hispanics decreased by 2.2% per year in men and 1.2% per year in women, compared to decreases in non-Hispanic whites of 1.5% per year in men and 0.9% per year in women.
The report also finds that compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic/Latino Americans have a later stage of diagnosis for many cancers, including breast and melanoma and have generally similar 5-year survival, except for melanoma, for which survival rates are lower in Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic white men (79% versus 87%) and women (88% versus 92%).
However, Hispanics have higher rates of several cancers related to infections (stomach, liver, and cervix) and are more likely to have cancer detected at a later stage.
The findings come from the latest edition of Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanics/Latinos. Hispanic Americans comprise the largest, fastest-growing, and youngest minority in the United States. An estimated 98,900 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Hispanic/Latinos in 2009. Prostate is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, while breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cancer in both men and women.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. More than 1.44 million Americans had a diagnosis of cancer in 2008 and some 565,000 died. According to the National Institutes of Health, cancer cost the United States an estimated $228 billion in medical costs in 2008.
An estimated 18,800 Hispanics are expected to die from cancer in 2009; the top two causes of cancer death among men are lung and colorectal cancer, while breast and lung cancer are the top two in women.
Between 1997 and 2006, cancer incidence rates decreased among Hispanics by 1.3% per year in men and 0.6% per year in women, compared to decreases of 0.8% per year and 0.4% per year in non-Hispanic white men and women, respectively.
During the same time period, cancer death rates among Hispanics decreased by 2.2% per year in men and 1.2% per year in women, compared to decreases in non-Hispanic whites of 1.5% per year in men and 0.9% per year in women.
The report also finds that compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic/Latino Americans have a later stage of diagnosis for many cancers, including breast and melanoma and have generally similar 5-year survival, except for melanoma, for which survival rates are lower in Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic white men (79% versus 87%) and women (88% versus 92%).
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