Stand Up To Cancer

This week brings some bad news when it comes to dietary supplements and cancer prevention. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is suing Bayer over the company's claims that its One A Day vitamins for men decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. TV and radio ads claim that selenium, an ingredient in the vitamins, is preventative of the disease, but according to the Center, this claim is not backed up by sufficient scientific evidence. Sorry, guys.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hcxToIuY_kAPO4UwYhlNA9bnRhtAD98T5D2G0

This article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that the South trails the rest of the country in childhood cancer rates. The highest rate was in the Northeast, where 179 cases per million children were reported; in the south, cancer only affects 166 children out of a million. The reasons for the geographical differences remain unclear, however; theories include exposure to nuclear plant emissions and radon gas, which are higher in densely populated areas that experience cold weather.
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/06/02/kidcancer.html

More bad news on hormone replacement therapy: a new study indicates that the increased risk cancer persists for two years after women stop taking estrogen and progesterone to ease the symptoms of menopause. "The findings underscore the now-standard recommendation that women who take hormones to relieve hot flashes and other effects of menopause should use the lowest possible dose for the shortest time," the article notes.
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/03/05/hormones0305.html

It's summer, and news on skin cancer is everywhere - appropriate given some of our tendencies to sunbathe a little too much during the hottest months of the year. A new study from the American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons indicates that melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease, is on the rise among people ages 20 to 29. Combine that with a recent poll indicating that 31% of Americans never use sunscreen and you've got a pretty clear cause-and-effect scenario.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitness/story/B8341FE702A630B2862575D8007446B5?OpenDocument

I have a special place in my heart for food-related health news, so here's a quick piece noting that cooking carrots whole boosts their anti-cancer properties.
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/health/090618_medical_headlines_with_dr_sapna_parikh

And here's one more to polish off this week's round of links: a new study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that meat, eggs and dairy products are not, I repeat not, consistently linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. So go ahead, enjoy that Denver omelet - for now, at least, its ingredients have been exonerated!
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/704525

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more!

--Cat