Stand Up To Cancer

It's hard to believe October's already here - and so is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So it seems fitting to kick off this week's round of links with the news that US breast cancer deaths continue to decline, according to the ACS. A recent report from the organization shows that breast cancer deaths have declined around 2% a year since 1990. But the news isn't all good. An estimated 192,000 women will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and around 40,000 will die from it; only lung cancer causes more cancer deaths in women.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/01/breast_cancer_deaths_falling/

In further breast cancer news, a recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study links a "prudent" diet with lower breast cancer risk. According to a study of more than 50,000 African-American women, a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies and fish resulted in a decreased risk of developing the disease - though there was no evidence that healthier eating lowered the risk among overweight and post-menopausal women. The researchers note that past studies have also indicated that a healthy diet can lower breast cancer risk in normal-weight women, but not, unfortunately, those who are overweight.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WireStory?id=8724910&page=2

By now you've probably heard the news that President Obama recently announced $5 billion in new research grants. The funds come from the economic stimulus package and are designed to promote cutting-edge scientific research on several diseases, including cancer. (Sounds familiar!) The president noted that the 12,000 or so grants will lead to new jobs "conducting research, manufacturing and supplying medical equipment, and building and modernizing laboratories and research facilities."
http://www.examiner.com/x-8543-SF-Health-News-Examiner~y2009m10d1-Obamas-five-billion-dollar-cancer-research-push

Fresh research out of Duke University, published in the journal Urology, indicates that men who exercise at moderate levels experience a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer. Among 190 men who underwent biopsies to detect possible prostate cancer, those who exercised "moderately," which the researchers characterize as equivalent to three hours or more of brisk walking each week, were two-thirds less likely to have the disease. And among the men who did have cancer, those who did as little as an hour of walking a week were less likely to have aggressive, faster-growing tumors.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=8704391

Finally, this article from the Baltimore Sun looks at a topic we don't hear much about: intimacy and cancer, which the piece calls the "2,000-pound elephant in the bedroom." The piece relates a few tips from the ACS on maintaining physical intimacy during cancer treatment, which can cause tough-to-cope-with changes to the body. No big surprises here: the ACS reminds couples to keep the lines of communication open, to research the impact treatment may have on sexuality, and above all else, to stay positive.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/family/sns-health-breast-cancer-intimacy,0,2855352.story

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

--Cat