Stand Up To Cancer

By now you've probably read the news that an Archives of Internal Medicine study indicates that radiation from CT scans could result in 14,500 cancer deaths for every year the technology is used. It's new information to consider in a familiar debate - do the risks of screening with advanced technology outweigh the benefits? One important aspect to consider: newer CT scanners are better equipped to perform low-dose imaging and include preprogrammed settings designed to further reduce radiation dose.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-sci-ct-scans15-2009dec15,0,3370000.story

New research out of Columbia University indicates that disparities in cancer survival rates for minorities increase as cancers become more treatable. In other words, disparities are almost nonexistent in cancers such as pancreatic and lung cancer; instead, they're seen in cancers with more extensive early detection and treatment options. "We must pay close attention to how the benefits of our medical advances are distributed in the population, and implement specific strategies that can reduce cancer disparities," said the paper's senior author.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091217133734.htm

A new study in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine indicates that there may be a way to identify malignant breast tumors without biopsying them. Around 5.6 million biopsies are performed annually in the US on benign lesions; the unpleasant procedures cause patients substantial stress, and also add cost to an overburdened health system. Now a new imaging agent can be used as a biomarker during PET scanning to evaluate tumors - at least in mice. "If this ability of 64Cu-TP3805 holds up in humans, then in the future, PET scans with 64Cu-TP3805 will significantly contribute to the management of breast cancer," said the study's lead author.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091217150842.htm

Finally, new research indicates that folic acid may be linked to cancer development. The synthetic form of vitamin B9 is used to fortify foods in the US to prevent birth defects and is taken by expectant mothers in pill form. But a new JAMA study shows that those taking folic acid may have a 21% higher chance of developing cancer - and a 38% higher chance of dying from it. The study involved 6,837 people with heart disease with an average age of 62. One quick caveat: all study participants who took folic acid also took B12 supplements, and the study didn't determine whether the two shared equally in the added risk.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/health/6772092.html

That's all for this week. The Weekly Links will take a break next week for the holiday, but we'll be back in the new year with more news you can use!

--Cat