Caring4Cancer

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Five years of cancer care for America's elderly cost Medicare $21.1 billion, a figure that will swell as the baby boomer generation ages, U.S. government researchers said on Tuesday.

Women who undergo testing for genetic breast cancer are more likely to share the results with other female family members, including children and their siblings, if they are aware of their relative’s opinion of genetic testing. These findings were recently published in the Journal of Family Psychology.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who are carriers of BRCA1/2 gene mutations that put them high risk for cancer may opt to undergo mastectomy and ovary removal as a cancer prevention strategy. Now, a small study suggests it's possible to combine the two procedures into a single operation, without undue complications.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that fallopian tube cells rather than ovarian surface cells are the probable site of origin of most cases of ovarian serous carcinoma, the most common type of ovarian cancer.

A large study conducted in Austria reveals that large weight gains or losses may influence an individual’s risk for developing certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. Complete details of the study were published in the Annals of Oncology.

This year the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance will hold their eleventh annual conference, titled “Creating Currents of Change,” on Tuesday, July 8 through Thursday, July 10 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients who are being treated for advanced colorectal, ovarian or testicular cancer are living longer than they have in the past, a research team from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, reports in the May 15th issue of the journal Cancer, published online today.

Differences between the prescribed dose of radiation in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and the dose that’s actually delivered may make comparison studies in gynecological cancers difficult to interpret. These findings were reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obese women, particularly white obese women, are less likely than their thinner peers to be screened for breast and cervical cancers, researchers reported Monday.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For each year that a woman takes an oral contraceptive, her risk of ovarian cancer is reduced by about 5 percent on average, report investigators from the University of Hawaii.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Women from families who openly talk about their family history of breast cancer are more knowledgeable about genetic counseling and testing, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. That may make them more likely to get tested, they said.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women whose mothers were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the womb appear to be at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, researchers report in the journal Epidemiology.

Hospitals that specialize in care for ovarian cancer are associated with significantly improved survival for women with early ovarian cancer. These results were recently reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The administration of the blood cell growth factor Neulasta® (pegfilgrastim) on the first day of chemotherapy among women with gynecologic cancers may be as effective as and more convenient than second-day administration. These results were recently reported at the 2008 annual Society of Gynecologic Oncologists meeting.

The use of statins at the time of surgery among women with ovarian cancer improved progression-free and overall survival among patients with ovarian cancer. These results were recently presented at the 2008 annual Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study suggests that women who eat diets rich in meat and dairy may have a decreased risk of breast cancer, while those who bulk up on fiber, fruits and vegetables show a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

A biomarker test that is still in clinical trials appears to be highly accurate in detecting ovarian cancer. These results were recently published in the journal Clinical Care Research.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers have developed what they believe is the first blood test that accurately detects ovarian cancer at an early stage.

Among women undergoing induction (first-line treatment) chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, two specific measures of the protein CA-125 (CA-125 half-life and CA-125 nadir) provide information about prognosis. These results were published in the Annals of Oncology.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's new government could pay for four cancer drugs instead of overriding their international patents, Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap said on Wednesday, fearing possible trade sanctions against his country.

The expertise of the technician performing a gynecologic ultrasound not only affects the accuracy of the test results but also initial management of patients with suspected ovarian cancer. These results were recently published in The Lancet Oncology.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cutting down on caffeine could help people with the most common form of diabetes better control their blood sugar levels, researchers said on Monday.

According to an article recently published in the Lancet, oral contraceptives reduce the long-term risk of ovarian cancer and have prevented approximately 100,000 deaths from ovarian cancer.

LONDON (Reuters) - Birth control pills can protect women against ovarian cancer for 30 years or longer after they stop taking them and have so far prevented 100,000 ovarian cancer deaths worldwide, British researchers said on Thursday.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who undergo removal of one or both ovaries prior to menopause appear to be at increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease or similar conditions, investigators report.

According to an article recently published in the journal Cancer, increased caffeine intake lowered the risk of developing ovarian cancer, while alcohol intake had no impact on risk. Smoking increased the risk of mucinous ovarian cancers (a subtype of ovarian cancer).

LONDON (Reuters) - Caffeine appears to lower a woman's chances of developing ovarian cancer, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday, while smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol do not.

According to an article recently published in Gynecologic Oncology, patients under 55 years of age with Stages IC–II ovarian cancer were more likely to receive chemotherapy if they received treatment from a gynecologic oncologist.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a study published in the International Journal of Cancer suggest that most factors that may cause inflammation of the ovaries are not associated with a statistically significant increased risk of ovarian cancer.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Annual screening with a technique called transvaginal ultrasound, coupled with a blood test for CA125, a protein that can be elevated in the setting of ovarian cancer, does not reliably detect ovarian cancer early, at a more curable stage, according to a new study.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A gene known to give many Jewish women a high risk of cancer also puts many U.S. Hispanic women at high risk, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Tea drinking, in general, does not appear to decrease the risk for ovarian cancer, according to combined data from nine studies.

According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, surgical removal of as much cancer as possible in patients with advanced ovarian cancer improves survival.

According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the targeted agent Avastin® (bevacizumab) appears to be effective and well tolerated for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although the use of oral contraceptive pills has been shown to reduce a woman's risk of ovarian cancer, the protective effect disappears roughly 20 years after a woman has stopped using these drugs.

According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a low-fat diet does not appear to reduce the overall risk of developing cancer among women. However, a long-term low-fat diet does appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Long-term adherence to a low-fat diet may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, according to the results of the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification trial, which involved nearly 50,000 postmenopausal women.

According to an article recently published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, the targeted agent Avastin® (bevacizumab) plus chemotherapy may provide anticancer activity in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand, which has overridden international patents on three drugs in the past year, plans to issue four more licences for copycat versions of cancer medicines, Health Ministry officials said on Monday.

According to the results of a study published in the journal Neurology, premenopausal women who have one or both ovaries removed face an increased risk of cognitive problems or dementia later in life. Use of hormone replacement therapy until the age of natural menopause appeared to reduce this risk.

Kosan Biosciences Incorporated reported results from an early-phase clinical trial indicating their targeted agent alvespimycin may provide clinical benefit to patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast or ovarian cancers who have received extensive prior therapies.

LONDON (Reuters) - Taking oral contraceptives do not increase a woman's risk of cancer and could even reduce the risk of developing this serious disease, a major British medical study showed on Wednesday.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Thousands of cases of breast and colon cancers might be averted each year if people in colder climates raised their vitamin D levels, researchers estimate in a new report.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men may be able to halve their risk of aggressive prostate cancer by adding large amounts of broccoli and cauliflower to their menu. However, the overall risk of prostate cancer was not changed.

LONDON (Reuters) - Cancer survival is improving in Europe, but Britain and Denmark are lagging, with lower rates than countries that spend the same amount on health care, according to two new studies published on Tuesday.

According to an article recently published in Clinical Cancer Research, intraperitoneal infusion (administration of medication directly into the abdomen) with the investigative agent Removab® (catumaxomab) helps reduce malignant ascites due to ovarian cancer.

WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - A therapeutic vaccine designed for breast cancer appears to be safe in women with advanced disease and shows signs of actually slowing down tumor growth, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - A new presidential report on cancer takes on not only tobacco companies but the food industry while calling on the federal government to "cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods" and switch to policies that encourage Americans to eat vegetables and exercise.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The percentage of U.S. mothers who breast-feed their babies has reached the highest level on record amid mounting evidence that it provides many health benefits to the child, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

According to results recently published in Gynecologic Oncology, women who are 65 years of age or older with advanced ovarian cancer should receive the same treatment as their younger counterparts.