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• Alarms over radiation from thyroid cancer patients

  October 20, 2010 8:24 AM

  Congressional investigators say cancer patients sent home after treatment with radioactive iodine have contaminated hotel rooms and set off alarms on public transportation. Patients have come into close contact with vulnerable people, including pregnant women and children, and the household trash from their homes has triggered radiation detectors at... more »

• Symptoms common in all cancer patients

  October 12, 2010 8:44 AM

  New research finds most cancer patients have multiple physical symptoms throughout all stages of the disease. The study of over 400 patients identified 22 physical symptoms associated with all types of cancer including fatigue, pain, weakness, loss of appetite, constipation, insomnia and nausea. Researchers say these symptoms impact... more »

• First ever human study on stem cell treatment underway

  October 12, 2010 8:18 AM

  Geron Corp. has begun testing an embryonic stem-cell treatment on a patient with spinal cord injuries, marking the first time such a drug has been used on a human. The company says it has enrolled the first patient in the early stage study, which will look at the safety... more »

• High fructose corn syrup name change: Corn sugar

  September 14, 2010 11:50 AM

  The makers of high fructose corn syrup want to sweeten up its image with a new name: corn sugar. The bid to rename the sweetener by the Corn Refiners Association comes as Americans' concerns about health and obesity have sent consumption of high fructose corn syrup, used in soft... more »

• FDA may pull diet pill over heart attack risk

  September 13, 2010 10:04 AM

  Federal health scientists are considering pulling Abbott Laboratories' diet pill Meridia off the market, based on data that it increases heart attack and stroke. The Food and Drug Administration has posted its safety review of Meridia online, ahead of a meeting where outside experts will weigh in on the... more »

• DASH diet dramatically lowers heart attack risk

  September 1, 2010 10:30 AM

  The DASH eating plan known to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol has also been found to reduce the risk of a heart attack. The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, veggies and lean meats, while reducing saturated fats, red meat and sugar. Researchers at Johns Hopkins found patients on... more »

• Fructose linked to cancer cell growth

  August 5, 2010 11:51 AM

  A popular sweetener has been linked to faster cancer cell growth. Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that fructose caused pancreatic cancer cells to divide and grow more quickly. The findings of their study are reported in the journal Cancer Research. Americans' consumption of high fructose... more »

• Crushing obesity rates reported in 9 states

  August 4, 2010 11:21 AM

  Americans are more overweight than ever and may die sooner because of it according to the new report from the Centers for Disease Control. From 2007 to 2009 the number of states with more than a third of their population considered obese tripled from three states to nine. ... more »

• Tests to determine if age of blood matters

  July 27, 2010 8:46 AM

  There's growing concern that blood transfusion patients who receive older blood may not do as well as patients who receive fresher blood. Hospitals throughout the country are taking part in a study in hopes of discovering whether the age of blood does make a difference. The multi-million-dollar research on... more »

• Smog linked to heart cell death

  July 26, 2010 9:55 AM

  A new study finds smog may cause cell death in the heart. Air pollution has been linked to cardiovascular disease -- but it's hard to narrow down which chemicals are responsible. This study looked at ozone -- a gas that protects the earth from the sun's radiation and... more »

• Doctors' group wants to reverse surge in C-sections

  July 22, 2010 8:34 AM

  There's a new call for natural childbirth for women who've had a C-section. Hoping to reverse hospital trends they call "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" in childbirth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says it's time to step back. They're rewriting guidelines for women who've had... more »

• Microneedles may make getting flu shots easier

  July 19, 2010 8:15 AM

  Researchers developing a new method of vaccine delivery are hoping that one day, people will get their annual flu shots in the mail. Researchers say the new method of vaccine delivery involves a patch with microneedles. They're so small they can't even be felt. Attached to a patch like... more »

• "Fat" virus could lead to diabetes treatment

  July 9, 2010 9:35 AM

  Researchers are studying a virus that may be responsible for turning cells into fat. Scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana hope the metabolic properties of the virus might be used to treat type one and type two diabetes without insulin. "People tend to think... more »

• Colon cancer screenings up

  July 6, 2010 12:33 PM

  Health officials say more older Americans are getting tested for colon cancer, with nearly two out of three getting recommended screenings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday comes from a 2008 national telephone survey. It's the most recent government data on how many people get... more »

• Safety warnings for weight loss drugs Alli and Xenical

  May 27, 2010 11:48 AM

  The FDA is updating the label of a popular weight loss drug after receiving reports of liver damage. There have been 13 cases of severe liver injury linked to the weight loss drug Alli, and the prescription version of the drug called Xenical. Three patients needed liver transplants... more »

• FDA approves swine flu test for permanent use

  May 24, 2010 3:39 PM

  The Food and Drug Administration says it has approved the first diagnostic test for 2009 swine flu under its traditional approval system. The FDA previously cleared several tests on a limited basis for use during the declared public health emergency related to swine flu. The new Simplexa Influenza... more »

• Radiation exposure varies by age, sex

  May 19, 2010 9:22 AM

  New research suggests radiation from CT scans pose a larger health threat for younger patients and women. A study from the Medical University of South Carolina aimed to estimate the risk of radiation according to a patient's age and sex. Using 51 patients undergoing routine abdominal and pelvic CT... more »

• Sweet trick to help babies getting shots

  May 13, 2010 1:09 PM

  Mary Poppins was right--a spoonful of sugar does help the medicine go down. A new study has found that giving babies a small amount of glucose or sucrose before a shot helps calm them more quickly afterward. They cried less often and for a shorter period of time. ... more »

• $2.5 billion recovered for Medicare trust fund

  May 13, 2010 8:17 AM

  The government says it recovered $2.5 billion in over-payments for the Medicare trust fund last year as the Obama administration focused attention on fraud enforcement efforts in the health care industry. In a report, the Justice Department and the Health and Human Services Department say their cooperative efforts are... more »

• First lady releases child obesity recommendations

  May 11, 2010 10:23 AM

  A government panel says women could help reduce childhood obesity by maintaining a healthy weight when they become pregnant and by breast-feeding their babies. The suggestions are among 70 recommendations in the panel's report, released Tuesday by first lady Michelle Obama. One in 3 American children is overweight... more »

• Easing bone marrow transplants to widen their use

  May 11, 2010 8:14 AM

  Scientists are seeking a new approach in the use of bone marrow transplants as the procedure undergoes a quiet revolution. No longer just for cancer, research is under way to ease the risks so they can target more people with diseases from sickle cell to deadly metabolic disorders. ... more »

• US cancer costs nearly doubled in 20 years

  May 10, 2010 8:44 AM

  A surprising new study finds that the cost of treating cancer in the United States nearly doubled over the past two decades. But expensive cancer drugs may not be the main reason why. The study found that rising costs may have been driven more by the growing number of... more »

• 70 million doses of vaccine going bad

  May 6, 2010 4:16 PM

  Over 70 million doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccine remain unused. Those vaccines will expire soon. According to a spokesman from Health and Human services, the doses of swine flu vaccine are in the hands of states, distributors and manufacturers. Officials at h-h-s are asking providers to hang on... more »

• FDA probes diabetes risk with prostate cancer meds

  May 3, 2010 1:25 PM

  The Food and Drug Administration is looking into data suggesting a group of prostate cancer drugs increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The drugs are used to suppress the hormone testosterone, which fuels the growth of prostate cancer tumors. Occasionally the drugs are used by women to... more »

• What grandma ate while pregnant affects cancer rates

  April 20, 2010 4:23 PM

  Whether grandma splurged on a high fat diet during pregnancy may predict her daughter's -- and granddaughter's -- risk for breast cancer. A study of pregnant rats found those fed a high fat diet had offspring with genetic differences that increased their risk for breast cancer by as much... more »

• Lung scans can lead to high false alarms

  April 19, 2010 5:13 PM

  A new study suggests that checking smokers for cancer with lung scans can lead to a lot of false alarms and unneeded follow-up tests. Government researchers say anyone considering screening with a CT scan or X-rays should take into account the high risk of false alarms. If there's something... more »

• New drug offers hope to prevent spread of cancer

  April 6, 2010 11:46 AM

  A bone-strengthening drug could help prevent breast cancer from spreading to the bone. Doctors say that about a quarter of breast cancers spread to the bone first. The drug Zometa has been shown to reduce the likelihood that tumor cells will infiltrate the bone when given along with chemo.... more »

• Study: Chemical exposure increases cancer risk

  April 2, 2010 10:40 AM

  Women whose jobs expose them to certain chemicals in early adulthood may have an increased risk of breast cancer. Canadian researchers studied the effects of chemicals and pollutants on women who were diagnosed with breast cancer after menopause. Those exposed to synthetic fibers and petroleum products -- fuel-burning byproducts --... more »

• Military to test brain-injury therapy in Colorado

  April 2, 2010 8:43 AM

  The military plans clinical trials next year to see whether breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber might help brain injuries to heal, or at least relieve the headaches, mood swings or other symptoms they cause. About 300 service members with mild to moderate injuries will participate in the... more »