Health News

Health News for 12/07/11

December 07, 2011

Health Tip: Wind Down With Mind-Body Exercises

Exercises that help relax your mind and body may offer a number of physical and emotional benefits. An example is controlled breathing exercises that can help you calm down.

Health Tip: Is Your Relationship Healthy?

A relationship doesn't have to be plagued by physical abuse to be unhealthy. Emotional abuse can take an enormous toll on your physical and emotional health.

New Tests Might Better Predict Breast Cancer's Return

New research points to two gene-based methods of predicting if and when women with certain breast cancers will experience a tumor recurrence.

Hispanic Women More Likely to Die of Breast Cancer

Hispanic women have a 20 percent greater risk of dying from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women, according to a new study.

Chimps Shed Light on How Humans Learned to Share

A group of chimpanzees at a research site frequently share hunting tools and food with each other, something that's widely regarded as a defining characteristic of human behavior.

Medicaid Spending for Depression Rose in Past Decade

While spending for Medicaid patients with depression has increased substantially, there have been only small improvements in care, a new study shows.

Obesity Linked to Worse Outcomes With Early Breast Cancer

Obese women with early stage breast cancer are less likely to survive than other women who are of normal weight, new research suggests.

Many Kids Seen in ER Have High Blood Pressure

More than half of children admitted to the pediatric emergency department at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center in Florida have high blood pressure, a new study says.

Marathons May Damage Part of Heart: Study

Some endurance athletes may suffer damage to the heart's right ventricle, research shows, but the findings do not suggest that this type of exercise is unhealthy, researchers say.

FDA Panels to Weigh Safety of Newer Forms of the 'Pill'

Two U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panels will meet Thursday to discuss whether to recommend new warning labels about increased risk of blood clots with newer forms of oral contraceptives.

Diabetes, Obesity After 60 May Drive Up Breast Cancer Risk

A woman's risk of developing breast cancer appears to rise if she has diabetes or is obese after age 60, a new study indicates.

British Screening Program Finding More Early Stage Colon Cancers

A government colon cancer screening program in England is on target to reduce colon cancer deaths by its goal of 16 percent, according to researchers who conducted an analysis of the first 1 million test results.

Avastin Boosted Survival for Type of Aggressive Breast Cancer: Study

In November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked its approval of the drug Avastin for the treatment of breast cancer. But, a new study suggests that the drug can boost the survival of women with a specific type of aggressive breast tumor when used in conjunction with two other medications.

Targeted Radiation May Not Be Better for Breast Cancer

Women with breast cancer who received radiation through strategically placed "seeds" had double the risk of a mastectomy later on, compared with women who got radiation for their entire breast, new research finds.

Health Highlights: Dec. 7, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Expert Panel Pinpoints Environmental Culprits in Breast Cancer

Women can lower their risk of developing breast cancer by avoiding unnecessary medical radiation, forgoing menopausal hormone therapy and limiting alcohol use, but they don't need to worry about using hair dyes or cellphones, a broad new national report says.

Two New Drug Combos May Fight Advanced Breast Cancers

Breast cancer researchers report they are heartened by the results of two new studies that show combination therapies might improve survival for women with two different types of advanced tumors.

Bone Drugs May Also Battle Breast Cancer, Researchers Say

A drug developed to treat osteoporosis appears to boost survival in women with certain types of breast cancer, according to two new studies.

U.S. Health Secretary Says 'No' to Morning-After Pill for Younger Teens

The emergency contraceptive called Plan B will not be made available without a prescription to young women under the age of 17, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Wednesday.

Vaccine Might One Day Prevent 'Cruise Ship' Stomach Bug

An experimental vaccine may one day help us say "bon voyage" to the dreaded "cruise-ship" tummy bug for good. New research suggests a vaccine to stave off the norovirus that has sickened many cruisers in recent years may be on the horizon.

Some States Make Stopping Smoking Easier Than Others

The best states for smokers trying to kick the habit are Maine and North Dakota, while the least quit-friendly states are Georgia and Louisiana, according to a report released Wednesday.

MS May Take a Different Pathway Than Previously Thought

Multiple sclerosis may begin in the outer layer of the brain and work its way into the deep interior, according to a new study that upends long-held beliefs about the nervous system disease.

Active Surveillance May Benefit Men With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

As more men are screened for and diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer, a new draft report released Wednesday by a U.S. National Institutes of Health panel concluded that research on the safety of "active surveillance" is needed.