New Vaccine May Slow Down Progression of Breast Cancer
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have stamped a new breast cancer vaccine as safe for patients with metastatic breast cancer in a small clinical trial. The preliminary evidence published in Clinical Cancer Research demonstrates that the vaccine prepares the patient’s immune system to attack tumor cells and slow down the progression of breast cancer. The vaccine focuses on a protein found almost exclusively in cancerous breast tissue at abnormally high levels. How the protein works in healthy tissue is not yet clear.
3-D Mammography May Significantly Increase Breast Cancer Detection Rates in Dense Breasts
A major new study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America demonstrates that 3-D mammography may significantly increase cancer detection rates in women with dense breasts. Doctors label breasts as dense when there is a lot of fibrous or dense tissue without the presence of lots of fatty tissue. Research shows that dense breasts are more likely to develop cancer. This is further complicated by the fact that breast cancer is challenging to detect in dense breasts via conventional mammograms.
Taking Aspirin Daily May Not Prevent Heart Attacks in Older Adults
The Washington Post recently published a story focused on research from the Journal of the American Medical Association on the use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks in people ages 60 and over. There is plenty of research confirming that aspirin can prevent a second heart attack or stroke. However there is very little research to support the use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes at all. While the study shows no benefit to taking aspirin daily, doctors are concerned about the high risk for catastrophic bleeding in the brain. Researchers recommend patients discuss the benefits and risks of taking aspirin daily with their physician.
New Research Shows Efficacy of Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet has long been praised for promoting health and wellness. The diet is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil while focusing less on meat and dairy products. Researchers have recently published in the British Medical Journal that the diet is associated with longer telomeres, the protective structures at the end of chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are associated with age-related chronic diseases and shorter life expectancy.
