A discovery made in Chicago could eventually save millions of breast cancer patients, NBC5 Healthwatch reporter Nesita Kwan reported on Thursday. Herceptin, which has been used since the late 90s to treat breast cancers that have spread elsewhere in the body, It is the first breast cancer drug to target cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
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A study has found that Tamoxifen as a breast cancer prevention drug has little impact on overall mortality rates for most ” high risk ” women. For women with the minimum 1.67 percent 5-year breast cancer risk who are eligible to take Tamoxifen, there were no mortality rate benefits to taking Tamoxifen.
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So-called “DES daughters,” born to mothers who used the anti-miscarriage drug diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy, are at a substantially greater risk of developing breast cancer compared to women who were not exposed to the drug in utero.
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Exercise is not only good for the body but also helps fight the effects of aging on the brain, says a new study. According to a report presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association in New Orleans, exercise has both short and long-term beneficial effects on the brain.
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Natural changes with age
Regardless of how long you live, time takes a toll on the organs and systems in your body. How and when this occurs is unique to you. Some typical changes to expect as you age include:
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New research is providing insight into how stress can shrink your brain cells and prematurely age your immune system. Essentially, the researchers say, stress can addle your mind and make you older. But there’s good news too: Exercise can make a huge difference. And, in the case of the brain at least, time might heal the wounds caused by stress.
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Listening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21 per cent and depression by up to 25 per cent, according to a paper in the latest UK-based Journal of Advanced Nursing. It can also make people feel more in control of their pain and less disabled by their condition.
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New research on how men and women view their bodies shows that women who accept their looks are more likely to eat healthy, but men feeling pressure to have a lean, muscular image may engage in unhealthy eating and exercise behavior.
Presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, in New Orleans, an Ohio State University study found that men with low opinions of their bodies engaged in dangerous behaviors, such as eating disorders, steroid use, and an unhealthy preoccupation with weightlifting. Companion research presented at the meeting found that women who accept their bodies are more likely to eat healthy.
The male study included 285 college students who were asked a series of questions to determine how much pressure they felt to be muscular and lean from family, friends, romantic partners and the media. The more pressure the men perceived, the more they felt they had to live up to the muscular ideals.
“They start to believe that the only attractive male body is a muscular one. And when they internalize that belief, they judge themselves on that ideal and probably come up short, because it is not a realistic portrayal of men,” study author Tracy Tylka, assistant professor of psychology at Ohio State, said in a prepared statement.
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Until recently, antidepressants—especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—were considered fairly safe for pregnant women. But late last year, citing evidence from several sources, the FDA warned that infants of women who took the SSRI paroxetine (Paxil) during the first trimester had an increased risk of birth defects and might develop transient withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, studies of other SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants indicate they are relatively safe, reports the March issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.
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Preeclampsia, also known as toxemia, is a complex disorder that affects about 5 percent of pregnant women most of whom are having their first baby. This condition is defined by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine and it can be serious for mother and baby. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia.
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