Stand Up To Cancer

By now you've probably heard that the annual "cancer report card" for the US is in, with the National Cancer Institute reporting a decline in both overall cancer rates and overall mortality rates. According to the report, the decline is probably due to a combination of factors ranging from preventative medicine to lifestyle changes to better efforts at early detection. However, some forms of cancer have shown little or no progress.
http://www.examiner.com/x-28889-DC-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m12d10-National-Cancer-Institute-reports-decline-in-overall-cancer-rate

Disturbing news this week for Angelenos and anyone else who lives in a traffic-snarled part of the world: new research has linked cancer to the air around congested freeways. According to tests performed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA, the brains of lab rats began to change after just three months of exposure to traffic-polluted air, suggesting that ultrafine particles in diesel soot and other combustion biproducts have a carcinogenic effect. "Of all the particulate matter, those coming from diesel appear to be the most worrisome," said the study's lead researcher.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_13955712?source=rss

In cheerier news, new evidence suggests that bisphosphonates, drugs that are used by tens of millions o women to fight osteoporosis, also cut the risk of developing breast cancer. In a study of over 150,000 postmenopausal women, those taking the drugs showed a 32% reduction in their rate of invasive breast cancer versus those who were not. "Bone loss and potential fractures are a known complication of breast cancer therapy. Our feeling is that bisphosphonates may actually prevent disease recurrence through a variety of mechanisms," said the study's author.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/12/10/bone-drugs-may-beat-back-breast-cancer.html

You guys know I always enjoy a bit of food-related news - especially at this time of year! So I was heartened to read that pistachios contain a certain type of vitamin E that can help reduce the risk of developing lung cancers and other malignancies. In a study comparing 18 people who ate 68 grams of pistachios a day for a month with 18 who did not add pistachios to their normal diet, those in the pistachio group showed significantly higher levels of gamma-tocopherol, the beneficial vitamin. "Pistachios are one of those 'good-for-you' nuts, and two ounces per day could be incorporated into dietary strategies designed to reduce the risk of lung cancer without significant changes in body mass index," said a study author.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/12/09/want-to-cut-cancer-risk-try-munching-pistachios.html

Finally, a study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that loneliness in rats can increase cancer incidence. Test rats were separated at birth, with some kept in groups of five and others isolated. Remarkably, those kept alone showed a 135% increase in mammary tumors, a whopping 8,391% increase in tumor size and a 3.3-fold increase in the relative risk of malignancy. They also showed higher levels of corticosterone, a hormone associated with stress.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/12/09/study-lonely-rats-more-apt-to-get-deadly-cancer/

Well, that's all for this week, but check back next Thursday for another research round-up!

--Cat