Larger Skirt Sizes May Increase Breast Cancer Risk by 33%
Studies from the UK Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening show that going up a skirt size over a 10-year time period between your mid 20’s and mid 60’s may result in a 33% greater risk of developing breast cancer after menopause. Close to 93,000 women over age 50 participated in the cohort between the years 2005 and 2010. During that time, 1090 women developed breast cancer. While there is not enough information to say that excess fat in the midriff area causes cancer, it is enough for researchers to question whether it is more metabolically active than fat in other areas of the body.
New Medical Device May Reduce Number of Unnecessary Breast Cancer Surgeries
Doctors from Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences findings from the testing of a new device that may reduce the number of surgeries needed after breast cancer surgery. Close to 40% of breast cancer patients require additional operations because surgeons failed to remove all the cancerous tissue during the first operation. The tool known as DESI (or Desorption ElectroSpray Ionization mass spectrometry imaging) mass spectrometry imaging, works by turning molecules into electrically charged versions of themselves so they can be identified by their mass. After doctors analyze the mass, the contents of the tissue sample can be identified. The tool then sprays a small amount of charged solvent onto the surface of the tissue revealing the presence of cancer cells.
U.S. National Institutes of Health Awards $10 Million to Increase Sex and Gender Diversity in Medical Research
The New York Times reported that the U.S. National Institutes of Health has recently announced an investment of $10 million in scientific trials to encourage researchers to consider gender in preclinical and clinical studies. Women are often not well represented in clinical trials of new drugs and medical devices, hampering key medical research relevant to sex and gender. The NIH says that their investment should serve as a catalyst for greater diversity in medical research findings.
