Health Headlines - April 27

Breast Cancer Drug Shows Lifesaving Promise

The news that two trials of the breast cancer drug Herceptin were halted early due to promising results was hailed by experts as a major advance in the treatment of a particularly aggressive form of the disease.

Ultrasound Spots Bowel Complication in Newborns

Using a form of ultrasound called color Doppler sonography to measure blood flow to the intestines of newborns can help radiologists spot a serious complication of a bowel disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Access to Mammography On the Decline

Access to mammography may become a problem for American women if staffing shortages at screening centers continue, according to a new study.

New Technique Helps Treat Tumors

The use of short pulses of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) shows promise as a way to enhance gene therapy treatment of cancer without destroying healthy tissue, says a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Genetic Defect Calls for Colon Cancer Screening

Researchers have found a way to ease the burden of screening for people considered to be at high risk of colorectal cancer and other malignancies because of a suspected genetic defect.

A Pinch of Spice Helps Keep Drivers Alert

Here's something for all you drivers that may be even better than that new car smell.

Combo Artery Surgery Needs More Study

Combining carotid artery and coronary artery surgeries may increase the risk of stroke, according to new Canadian research.

Consumer Ads Can Alter Prescribing Patterns

Direct-to-consumer advertising appears to be affecting prescribing practices, according to new research that shows doctors are influenced by patient requests for antidepressant medications.

Exercise May Slow Alzheimer's

Exercise may prevent damaging changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's, thereby lowering the risk of developing the disease, a new study involving mice suggests.

Variety of Exercise May Ward Off Dementia

Older people who stay active in a wide variety of ways seem to have a better chance of warding off dementia, according to research that found it's the diversity, not intensity, of the exercise that counts.

Arizona Surrogate Mother Gives Birth to Quintuplets

An Arizona woman who agreed to be a surrogate mother for a couple unable to have children gave birth to five baby boys on Tuesday at a Phoenix hospital, officials said.

U.S. Ponders Loosening NIH Ethics Rules

Strict new ethics rules imposed on National Institutes of Health staff to prevent lucrative deals with drug companies may be loosened if warranted, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said on Tuesday.

Panel Urges New Rules for Stem-Cell Research

Research using stem cells from human embryos is going ahead with or without federal support and must be regulated, a panel of experts said on Tuesday.

Exercise as Good as Surgery for Shoulder Injury

Surgery is not superior to graded exercise training for treatment of rotator cuff injury, according to results of a comparative trial conducted in Denmark.

Food Fact:
The perfect food?

Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Find the right activity.

Answers to three questions will tell you if your exercise program is right for you.

FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?

The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.