Benefits seen in hormone use early in menopause

A new study may reassure some women considering short-term use of hormones to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Starting low-dose treatment early in menopause made women feel better and did not seem to raise heart risks during the four-year study.
However, the research didn't address the risk of breast cancer, perhaps the biggest fear women have about hormones since a landmark study a decade ago. The new one was too small and too short for that.
Still, it is the first fresh research in many years on the sometimes confusing effects of hormones on women's health. The advice remains the same: Use hormones only for severe symptoms - not to prevent bone loss or aging-related problems - at the lowest dose for the shortest time possible.
"The benefits outweigh the risks when hormone therapy is used for symptom management with relatively short-term treatment," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, preventive medicine chief at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She was a study leader and will discuss results Wednesday at a conference of the North American Menopause Society in Orlando, Fla.
For decades, doctors believed hormone pills helped prevent heart problems and were good for bones and minds. That changed in 2002, when a big federal study was stopped because women taking estrogen-progestin pills had higher rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Critics pounced on the study's limitations. Participants were well past menopause - 63 on average - and most were not seeking symptom relief. Many were overweight and smokers, and at higher risk of heart disease to start with. Only one type of pill in one dose was tested.
Women who could take estrogen alone - those who had had hysterectomies - did not have the risks that women on the combination hormone pills did. In fact, they had lower rates of breast cancer.
These factors led many experts to think some hormones might help certain women, and that the type and dose might matter. The new study tested that.
It enrolled about 700 healthy women ages 42 to 58 within three years of menopause. They were given either low-dose estrogen pills (Premarin, made by Wyeth, now part of Pfizer Inc.), a low-dose estrogen skin patch (Climara, made by Bayer), or a placebo. Women on estrogen also received Prometrium, a progesterone that more closely mimics what the body makes.
All women received a patch and two types of pills, but some of those were fake treatments and neither they nor their doctors knew who had the real medicine versus placebos until the study ended. That is standard study design to test who is really helped by a medication.
The main goal was seeing whether hormones made a difference in hardening of the arteries, a precursor to heart disease, as seen on imaging tests. Other health measures also were tracked. After four years, doctors found:
-No effect on blood pressure or artery hardening.
-Both types of estrogen reduced hot flashes and improved bone density, mood and sexual health.
-Estrogen pills raised good cholesterol and lowered the bad form, but also caused triglycerides (another type of fat in the bloodstream) to rise.
-Estrogen patches did not affect cholesterol but improved blood-sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, possibly making them a better choice for overweight women at risk of diabetes.
Patches and pills have different effects, said Dr. S. Mitchell Harman, an endocrinologist and director of the Kronos Longevity Research Institute, a Phoenix-based group with no industry ties that paid for the study. Oral estrogen goes straight to the liver, resulting in higher concentrations than when it's absorbed through the skin. That raises blood-clotting factors that might be especially harmful to smokers. But higher estrogen levels also cause the liver to make more HDL, or good cholesterol. So estrogen can have good and bad effects depending on the form, he said.
Skin patches account for just 2 percent of hormone use, some studies estimate. Besides Climara, at least one other is on the market - Vivelle-Dot, sold by Novartis and Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc. A generic version is expected in about a year.
Dr. Sanjay Asthana, a geriatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, led a separate analysis that found estrogen pills and patches improved depression and anxiety but had no effect on cognition or memory. The National Institute on Aging paid for that study.
Women need to realize the new study is much less definitive than the big federal one that found more lung and breast cancer deaths among women on estrogen-progestin pills, said one researcher involved in the earlier work, Dr. Rowan Chlebowski of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. It would be unwise to try to prevent certain health problems by using a treatment "that increased the two leading causes of cancer deaths in women," he said.
Manson agreed that hormones should be used only for severe symptoms. Two study participants found they helped.
"My mood leveled out. I found that I was just generally calmer" on the estrogen patch, said Kathy Smerko, 60, a nurse practitioner from Phoenix.
Dianne Fraser, 56, an accountant from suburban Boston, said the patch eliminated the drenching sweats that woke her in the night. She was able to quit treatment after five years and seldom has problems now.
"It was enough to get me through that crazy period" right after menopause began, she said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/03/benefits-seen-in-hormone-use-early-in-menopause/#ixzz28FmMcXB2

New 'smart' breast cancer drug gives an extra six months of life and stops loss of hair

A new ‘smart’ drug for breast cancer extends women’s lives by six months while reducing toxic side effects including hair loss.

Campaigners claim the drug offers a ‘precious lifeline’ for women with the most aggressive form of the disease, who have tried other treatments.

Known as T-DM1, it combines the ‘wonder’ drug Herceptin with a potent chemotherapy agent.

T-DM1 is designed to seek out and destroy cancerous cells while sparing healthy tissue from unnecessary damage.

Results from a major trial show the drug prolonged the lives of patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer by 30.9 months compared with 25.1 months on standard therapy. 

Patients on T-DM1 had fewer, less severe side effects and reported a better quality of life.

The results were released yesterday at the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna, Austria.

Around 10,000 British women have HER-2 positive breast cancer diagnosed each year – about one in five of those affected.

Paul Ellis, professor of cancer medicine at King’s College London, said the trial results were remarkable in patients with advanced  disease who had relapsed on existing treatment. 

‘HER-2 positive breast cancer is very aggressive and once it progresses to the “advanced” stage it becomes very difficult to treat,’ he said. 

‘These results are truly outstanding and will positively alter the outlook and outcomes for patients.’

Professor Ellis said the drug was possibly the biggest advance since Herceptin was licensed for use in 2000. 

‘T-DM1 contains an extremely potent form of chemotherapy that’s been around 20 years which we haven’t been able to use before because it’s so toxic,’ he said.

‘Clever new technology has allowed these two older drugs to be linked so that the chemotherapy  is not released until it reaches  the target.

‘Drugs used at this stage of the disease often make women feel worse, but the beauty of this treatment is that it costs women fewer side effects such as hair loss and improves their quality of life.’

The international trial recruited 991 patients, including mother-of-two Emma Barnes, 36, who has been battling HER-2 positive breast cancer for nine years.

She joined the trial in May 2010 at the Christie Hospital Manchester after developing a liver tumour and has been having infusions of T-DM1 every three weeks. 

Although she became resistant to Herceptin after five years of treatment, the new drug has stopped any new secondary tumours.

BREAST CANCER RATES SOAR SINCE 1971

Breast cancer rates have increased by 90 per cent in the last four decades, figures suggest.

In 1971, there were 66 cases for every 100,000 women in England but by 2010 the rate had soared to 126 per 100,000, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest.

But the number of women dying from the disease has steadily declined since screening was introduced in 1987.

Charity Breast Cancer UK called on the Government to take action to reduce exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

Clare Dimmer, chair of Breast Cancer UK, said: 'This shocking increase in breast cancer rates over just one generation underlines how vital it is that all the root causes of breast cancer are fully explored.

'Whilst death rates from breast cancer have thankfully decreased, still more and more of us are getting the disease. This epidemic is clearly not down to genetics and lifestyle choices alone.

'Breast Cancer UK calls on the Government to finally start tackling the growing health risk associated with our exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as Bisphenol A, that have been scientifically linked to breast cancer as well as many other diseases, and to take action to ban them.'

The ONS said that in 2010, 41,259 new cases were diagnosed, 731 more than 2009.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in English women and in 2011 more than 9,700 women died from the disease.

‘I’m doing most things that I want to do,’ she said. 

‘My husband Garry has been amazing, and the children, but I think the drug’s been fantastic.’

She has experienced minor side effects but says it’s worth it. ‘I’ve got no evidence of disease at the moment,’ she added. 

‘I hope that every woman who needs this drug will eventually be able to get it.’

T-DM1 seeks out and destroys cancerous cells in a two-stage attack. It attaches to the tumour cell and blocks signals that encourage the cancer to spread.

Then it breaches the outer defences and releases chemotherapy to destroy it from within. This spares healthy tissue from unnecessary damage.

The cancer’s return is also delayed and side effects from chemotherapy such as diarrhoea and hair loss are significantly reduced.

Professor Ellis, who also works at Guy’s Hospital, London, said around 1,000 women a year would benefit from the drug in the UK after relapsing.

But eventually it might be used before the disease spread possibly replacing current treatment using Herceptin and chemotherapy as separate agents. 

It was possible the technology could be effective in treating other types of tumour.

The drug’s manufacturer, Roche, is applying for a licence in Europe, which could mean it is available for patients before the end of 2013. The price is not yet known.

Baroness Morgan, chief executive of the research charity Breast  Cancer Campaign, said: ‘This “smart” drug could be a precious lifeline for women with HER2- positive advanced breast cancer who currently have limited treatment options. We hope it will be made available to women as early as possible.’

Carolyn Rogers, senior clinical nurse specialist at another charity, Breast Cancer Care, said: ‘The trial evaluates a new way of combining chemotherapy and targeted therapy in one agent which could help delay the progression of secondary breast cancer as well as reduce the likelihood of some of the very unpleasant side effects that are associated with chemotherapy.’

Motherhood's agreeing with her! Overjoyed Snooki poses for pretty photo as she tweets about joy of being a new mom

It seemed to many she would never settle down from her life on Jersey Shore.

But things have certainly changed for Snooki since she became a mother.

For instead of tweeting about her latest drinking escapades, the 24-year-old is now letting her fans know how overjoyed she is after giving birth to Lorenzo LaValle on August 26.

On Tuesday the MTV favourite, real name Nicole Polizzi, said: 'Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.

'I can't wait till Lorenzo can walk so we can frolic together.'

And she was certainly glowing in the pictures she posted on the social networking site.

The reality television personality looked in great shape, wearing a white vest in one and a black flower headband in another. And she certainly looked overjoyed as she posed with the ambrosial youngster in her most recent Twitter baby picture. While the reformed wild child glowed in the joys of motherhood, her cast mates continued to live the celebrity lifestyle. Fellow show Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino and Pauly D were appeared as guest on Extra at the Grove in Hollywood on Tuesday.

Is that little mole a big problem? Ask Doctor Mole, the smartphone app that checks for signs of skin cancer

Most people with moles know they should check them regularly for signs of skin cancer, but how many of us actually know what we're looking for?

At the tap of a screen, a new smartphone app can help identify if a little blemish might turn into a big problem.

'Doctor Mole' uses augmented reality technology to check moles for irregularities in size, shape, colour and border.

After taking a picture of a mole, the user is presented with a colour-coded 'risk' level for each of these characteristics.

The app can archive and compare data to check for any changes in a mole. It will also remind the user when it's time to check a mole again.

Changes in moles are a common sign of malignant melanoma, one of the three main types of skin cancer. Melanmoma can also develop in normal-looking skin.

Although less common than basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma causes the majority of deaths from skin cancer. It is mainly caused by exposure to UV rays.

Mark Shippen, the developer of Doctor Mole, lives in Australia, which has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.

Having lived in South Africa for 26 years before moving to Australia, he's experienced the danger of having fair skin in a hot climate. 

'I have already had 3 basal cell carcinomas removed from my neck, face and back, and at my age this is very rare. So I have pretty much seen first hand the dangers of the sun. That's where the idea for Doctor Mole came from.

'I don't have a background in medicine, but when I found my first cancer a few years back I pretty much read everything about it and had a solid understanding of what to look for. Then it was just a simple case of combining the knowledge I had gained with my software development skills, and DoctorMole was created.'

Elizabeth Hurley dresses in pink every October

After nearly two decades, Elizabeth Hurley still finds herself dressed in pink in October to mark  ,,,,,,,,, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
She's been the face of the Estee Lauder Cos.' breast-cancer awareness and fundraising efforts for 18 years.
"This is a part of my life. I look forward to the month. Over the years, my commitment has become more significant," Hurley says.
The calendar is marked off for the entire month, the actress says, and she makes no other plans, although she's hoping to squeeze in a diner breakfast on this trip to New York City.

"If you open up my suitcase, you'll see a lot of pink dresses, nude-colored shoes and a lot of pink handbags, too."

- Actress Elizabeth Hurley

Hurley, 47, was at the Empire State Building on Monday wearing a plunge V-neck, gathered-waist Issa jersey dress to flip the switch to turn the lights pink. She did it two years ago with Evelyn Lauder, who died last November.
Lauder co-founded the Pink Ribbon Campaign 20 years ago, and since then, more than 122 million free pink ribbons have been handed out at department-store cosmetic counters as a reminder about breast health and the research being done for a cure, Hurley says.
"We were a great double act. This is bittersweet. ... She was a wonderful person, and I hope a little bit rubbed off on me."
Without Lauder, Hurley finds herself busier this month, with planned stops in Toronto, London and Paris, among others. The campaign reaches 70 countries.
"If you open up my suitcase, you'll see a lot of pink dresses, nude-colored shoes and a lot of pink handbags, too," she says.
The campaign has found much success raising money for research: $35 million so far, Hurley says, though, it's with each mammogram made by a woman who might otherwise have forgotten or resisted to make that call for her appointment that she feels a greater sense of accomplishment.
William Lauder, Evelyn's son and executive chairman of the cosmetics company, says he gets a little thrill — and a giant burst of pride — every time an NFL football player puts on a pair of hot pink gloves or uses a pink towel to support the breast cancer campaign.
He remembers his mother establishing the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 1993 and making it her life's work.
It now seems hard to imagine an October not washed in pink, Hurley and William Lauder agree.
There's also a perk in all the pink lip gloss that goes along with the campaign, adds Hurley. There's one this year named for her called Pink Innocence.
"I love it when I get the new gloss, and when I see other people wearing it."
An interactive exhibition looking back at the 20 years of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign is open to the public Tuesday and Wednesday outside the GM Building on Fifth Avenue.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/02/elizabeth-hurley-dresses-in-pink-every-october/#ixzz28CECTWFr

Natural remedies to combat diarrhea

The human intestinal tract is a marvelous creation, in which our food is digested, water is absorbed, and waste is collected and eliminated. When our digestive system works well, we feel good. But when it works poorly, we can feel really lousy.
A common digestive problem is diarrhea, which can be caused by bacteria, excessive intake of oily and greasy foods, stress, inadequate friendly bacteria in the intestines, poor diet, excess alcohol, and many different types of pharmaceutical drugs. Diarrhea is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and often quite embarrassing.
Many Americans experience diarrhea due to the drugs they take. According to the National Institutes of Health, drugs that typically cause diarrhea include antibiotics, all laxatives, magnesium-based antacids, chemotherapy drugs, heartburn and stomach ulcer drugs (Tagamet, Zantac, Axid), and the common pain-reliving agents ibuprofen and naproxen. According to the FDA, the heartburn drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (Dexilant, Nexium, Prilosec, Zegerid, Protonix) can cause severe enough diarrhea and gastric distress to eventually require surgical removal of part of the colon in some cases. If you are taking any of these and are experiencing diarrhea, speak with a holistic physician who can help you to get off these drugs and recommend something safer.
If you suffer from regular or chronic diarrhea, then the first thing to do is revisit what you are eating. Inadequate dietary fiber, high intake of fatty and fried foods, and insufficient intake of highly nutritious foods – such as whole grains and leafy green vegetables – can weaken your digestion and tend you toward diarrhea. Going to the bathroom too much, loose stools and watery elimination can occur. So first off, change your diet. Easy-to-digest grains like oatmeal and millet can help to re-stabilize digestion and elimination. Steamed leafy green vegetables can supply the minerals your bowels need for healthier function. Reducing or eliminating greasy and fried foods can also make your digestive tracts less slippery.
Probiotics, which are friendly bacteria necessary for proper digestion and elimination, can help to reduce or completely eradicate diarrhea. Live, active yogurts and live, probiotic supplements can help to colonize your digestive tract with bacteria that enhance digestion, improve overall intestinal health, form healthier stools, and control elimination. Take them regularly until you are back in balance. I recommend the Pearls IC probiotic by Enzymatic Therapy.
When you are experiencing diarrhea, charcoal capsules can help to stop the problem, and give you relief. Charcoal absorbs toxins and helps to slow down elimination. It’s safe and non-toxic, while working relatively quickly. Look for the the Activated Charcoal capsules from Nature’s Way.
Fresh ginger root tea, which is useful for a very broad range of health problems, can also help to reduce the discomfort of diarrhea. Tazo Teas makes a good organic ginger root tea. Eating green bananas can help as well, slowing down elimination. White rice – eaten plain – can slow down excessive elimination, and is filling.
Regular or chronic diarrhea means that something is wrong. If you are taking medications, find out if any of them can cause diarrhea. If you are eating greasy foods and little fresh produce, then a diet change is in order.  Better food and a few natural remedies can help you to enjoy better digestion – and get you away from the bathroom – so you can enjoy life.
Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/02/natural-relief-for-diarrhea/#ixzz28CDStjeb

Hospital apologises to mother for allowing a 15-year-old schoolgirl to assist in Caesarean section birth of her baby

Shocking: Hospital officials have apologised to a mother after admitting that they allowed a 15-year-old schoolgirl to assist in the Caesarean section birth of her baby. This is a file picture

Hospital officials have apologised to a mother after admitting that they allowed a 15-year-old schoolgirl to assist in the Caesarean section birth of her baby.

The mother only found out that the teenager had wielded a scalpel in the operation at Malmö University Hospital, Sweden, when she read about it in a local newspaper.

However, the parents did not believe the teenager could have been assisting with the birth of their baby because nobody from the hospital had told them.

The truth only emerged later the same day when the surgeon called the family to admit that she'd allowed the schoolgirl - a relative of the medic - to take part in the procedure last May.

Officials also admitted that the youngster had assisted in a second birth and had shadowed the surgeon during a number of operations.

On the day of the delivery, the couple were introduced to the surgeon and her assistant - who turned out to be the 15-year-old.

The mother told the Sydsvenskan newspaper: 'I thought it was a medical student practicing patient contact, something that you do early on in your medical training. This is a university hospital so one must be prepared to meet students.'

 

More...

• Nurse who accused surgeon of botching her hip operation stuck 'derogatory' posters up about him in their hospital with the headline 'A.R.S.E'

At first the hospital dismissed complaints, saying they would never release details of the procedures.

But now they've apologised to the family for their 'shoddy' treatment.

The National Board of Health in Sweden criticised the clinic for breaching regulations that ban anyone aged under 18 from assisting in an operating theatre.

The baby's father told local media: 'We're satisfied now but the main thing is that mother and baby are both healthy.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2211661/Hospital-apologises-mother-allowing-15-year-old-schoolgirl-assist-Caesarean-section-birth-baby.html#ixzz28CBUTe3Z 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Smoked salmon recalled after salmonella outbreak hits hundreds in the U.S. and Holland

Smoked salmon tainted with salmonella bacteria has left hundreds in the Netherlands and the U.S ill and sparked a major recall, health authorities said today. 

The salmon has been traced to Dutch company Foppen, which sells fish to many major Dutch supermarkets and to stores around the world, including the United States. 

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment said in a statement that around 200 people - and likely more - in the Netherlands and more than 100 people in the United States have been left sick. 

Worrying: Smoked salmon tainted with salmonella bacteria has left hundreds of people in the Netherlands and the U.S ill and sparked a major recall, health authorities said today

Foppen also estimated the number of infections was higher. 

Company spokesman Bart de Vries said that since the company set up a public information phone line two days ago, some 1,400 people had called and around 350 of the callers 'reported symptoms consistent with a salmonella infection'.

 

More...

• Is an iPad Mini set to put out Amazon's Fire? Apple 'unveiling smaller tablet on October 17 to upstage super-Kindle'

Those infected by the salmonella bacteria can suffer symptoms including fever, vomiting and diarrhea. 

De Vries said that in the United States the company sells only to wholesaler Costco and that Costco would deal with any U.S. recall.

Source: The salmon has been traced to Dutch company Foppen, which sells fish to many major Dutch supermarkets and to stores around the world

A spokesman for Foppen said that in the United States the company sells only to wholesaler Costco and that Costco would deal with any U.S. recall

It is not clear how much contaminated fish had been sold in America.

Roel Vincken of the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, which carried out tests confirming the salmonella outbreak, said he had no information on a U.S. recall. 

De Vries said the company did not believe contaminated fish had been sold to any other countries. 

Foppen, which processes fish in the Netherlands and at a factory in Greece, is investigating the cause of the outbreak. 

'The investigation into the cause is under way and has been narrowed down to one production line at one factory (in Greece),' De Vries told The Associated Press. 'We can't yet say what the cause of the infection was.' 

Foppen has halted all production of smoked salmon until the investigation is completed, he added.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2211809/Smoked-salmon-recalled-salmonella-outbreak-hits-hundreds-U-S-Holland.html#ixzz28CAaVidN 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook