Screening Archives

Breast cancer can be detected by a simple blood test

A simple blood test could be used to detect breast cancer — University of Leicester and Imperial College London in study to determine whether DNA in blood could show early signs of cancer – A simple blood test could one day be a more accurate way to test for the early signs of breast cancer than using mammograms to spot a lump. Researchers reveals that the blood test could improve treatment by detecting whether breast cancer patients are likely to relapse and what drugs their particular type of tumour will respond to.

Smoking, heavy drinking linked to pancreatic cancer risk

Smoking, heavy drinking linked to earlier onset of pancreatic cancer — University of Michigan Health System study makes step toward learning when cancer screenings should start – Those who smoke and drink heavily may develop pancreatic cancer at an earlier age than those who don’t. In a recent study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, heavy smokers with pancreatic cancer were diagnosed around age 62 and heavy drinkers at age 61 ? almost a decade earlier than the average age of 72.

Misoprostol not effective in women during labor

No evidence that drug used for preventing life-threatening bleeding in women during labor works — Rethinking WHO guidance: review of evidence for misoprostol use in the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage – There is insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of a drug that is being used increasingly to prevent life-threatening bleeding in women after giving birth in community settings in low income countries.

Breast cancer charity Komen overstated screening benefits

Breast cancer charity under fire for overstating the benefits of screening — Experts challenge ‘pink ribbon’ creator for misusing statistics to generate false hope – Professors Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin of the Center for Medicine and the Media at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice argue that last year’s breast cancer awareness month campaign by Susan G Komen for the Cure “overstates the benefit of mammography and ignores harms altogether.”

Prostate Cancer genetic test may predict risk

New Test May Help Predict Prostate Cancer – Karim Kader, MD, PhD, associate clinical professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, together with a team of researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, have developed a genetic test to predict a man?s risk for prostate cancer.

HIV test kit OraQuick approved – first OTC In Home HIV Test

FDA approves first over-the-counter home use HIV test kit – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, the first over-the-counter, self-administered HIV test kit to detect the presence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2). HIV is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Obesity screening recommended for all adults

Task Force Recommends Obesity Screening for All Adults — Docs Should Screen for Obesity and Direct Obese Patients to Intensive, Multicomponent Behavioral Interventions – In an update to its 2003 recommendation statement on screening for obesity in adults, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening all adult patients for obesity. Screening includes measurement of height and weight to ascertain BMI, although measuring waist circumference also is an accepted method.

Alcohol abuse increases after bariatric surgery

Adults who had a common bariatric surgery to lose weight had a significantly higher risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD) two years after surgery – Among patients who underwent bariatric surgery, there was a higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the second year after surgery, and specifically after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, compared with the years immediately before and following surgery.

GI cancers risk higher among childhood cancer survivors

Study finds high risk of GI cancers among childhood cancer survivors – Survivors of childhood cancers are at an increased risk of another battle with cancer later in life, according to new research published by the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers found that childhood cancer survivors develop these malignancies at a rate nearly five times that of the general population.

Prostate cancer screening PSA test controversial recommendation

Psychological Science explains uproar over prostate-cancer screenings – The uproar that began last year when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force stated that doctors should no longer offer regular prostate-cancer tests to healthy men continued this week when the task force released their final report.

Two genes TPH1 and TPH2 more likely to develop PTSD symptoms

PTSD genes identified by UCLA study — Findings could lead to new screenings, targeted therapies — Two genes TPH1 and TPH2 more likely to develop PTSD symptoms – Why do some persons succumb to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others who suffered the same ordeal do not? UCLA scientists have linked two genes involved in serotonin production to a higher risk of developing PTSD.

Autism Awareness Day – 2 April 2012

April is Autism Awareness Month — The fifth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2012 – 5th annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2012. Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events.