Archive for June 22nd, 2006
By: JAMA
Pre-menopausal African American women have a higher prevalence of basal-like breast tumors than post-menopausal African American and
non-African American women, which could contribute to their poorer prognosis, according to a study in the June 7 issue of JAMA.
Breast cancer is composed of an increasing number of recognized biological subtypes. The prognostic importance of this is complicated by many factors, including the observation that differences in clinical outcomes often correlate with race, according to background information in the article. Although breast cancer is less common among African American women, among those who develop it the prognosis is worse. The age-adjusted death rate in the United States from breast cancer in white women is 28.3 deaths per 100,000 compared with 36.4 deaths per 100,000 in African American women. This disparity is particularly pronounced among women younger than 50 years, in whom the death rate is 77 percent higher among African American women compared with white women. Biological differences among breast cancers may reflect genetic influences, differences in lifestyle, or nutritional or environmental exposures.
Lisa A. Carey, M.D., of the University of North Carolina-Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, N.C., and colleagues conducted a study of environmental and molecular determinants of breast cancer risk to identify breast tumor subtypes and determine associations between tumor subtypes and race, menopausal status, tumor characteristics, and survival. The Carolina Breast Cancer Study, a population-based study, included 496 incident cases of invasive breast cancer.
The researchers found that one of the more aggressive subtypes, the basal-like breast cancer subtype, was more prevalent among pre-menopausal African American women (39 percent) compared with post-menopausal African American women (14 percent) and non–African American women (16 percent) of any age, whereas the luminal A subtype was less prevalent (36 percent vs. 59 percent-54 percent, respectively). The HER2+/ER- subtype did not vary with race or menopausal status (6 percent-9 percent). In this cohort of patients diagnosed between 1993-96, breast cancer–specific survival differed by subtype, with shortest survival among HER2+/ER- and basal-like subtypes. The basal-like subtype is sensitive to chemotherapy, however unlike the other subtypes there are currently no targeted treatment options for this subtype.
“The high prevalence of basal-like tumors in younger African American women could contribute to their higher breast cancer mortality. Additional studies of long-term survival among patients with specific breast cancer subtypes are needed. Clinical trials aimed at identifying therapeutic approaches to the management of basal-like breast cancer are also needed, especially for young African American women,” the authors conclude. (JAMA. 2006;295:2492-2502)
June 22nd, 2006
By: UPMC
Might we be able to turn our immune system against another kind of foe besides infections and viruses?
How about fat? Researchers from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) at the Pasteur Institute and the University of Lille, France, have evidence suggesting the possibility.
The cytokine interleukin-7 (IL-7), an element of the immune system that is critical for maintaining the proper store of immune cells, also prevents obesity-prone mice from getting fat, the researchers report at the 6th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN 2006) in Pittsburgh June 19 – 22 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
The researchers used a common mouse model for obesity that involves inducing lesions in the hypothalamus - a part of the brain that regulates appetite - using a common food additive, monosodium glutamate (MSG). As expected, these mice packed on extra ounces - up to 28 percent of their normal body weight. Another set of mice was injected with a single infusion of IL-7 after being given MSG. Interestingly, these mice neither developed lesions nor did they gain weight. According to doctoral student Laurence Macia and co-authors, the results indicate for the first time that IL-7 interacts with the hypothalamus, and moreover, this interaction is related to the brain’s regulation of appetite. Perhaps the immune and neuroendocrine systems are more closely linked than previously thought, they conclude.
June 22nd, 2006
Five key tips that are vital for skin care and will drstically improve the condition of your skin.
Everyone has an ideal or some piece of advice when it comes to a routine that will most benefit the skin. These range from traditional
cleansing methods to do-it-yourself skin masks. Granted, there are many avenues we take in caring for our skin. The combination of diet, lifestyle, and cleansing play a vital role in improving the condition of the skin.
Cleanse Skin:
Wash your face daily, this includes the throat and neck area. A cleanser will eliminate dirt, oil, and make-up and exfoliate the skin. Be sure to rinse the cleanser thoroughly. Residue can block pores and cause breakouts. Avoid cleansers that irritate your skin (itching, burning, etc.); these cause more damage.
Drink Plenty of Fluids:
Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water daily is essential to maintaining the skin’s elasticity. Limit the intake of sodas and other caffeine drinks. Obsessive caffeine drinking results in dehydration and may lead to other health problems.
Clean Make-up Tools:
Cosmetic brushes and sponges should be cleaned regularly to avoid the spreading of germs and bacteria that lead to breakouts. Brushes and sponges should be soaked at least once a week in warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and lay out to dry. After extensive use replace make-up tools.
Avoid Pore-Clogging Products:
Breakouts can be the result of the type of make-up that we use. Avoiding oily products that clog pores will improve complextion. There are skin products such as moisturizers and sunscreen that contain noncomedogenic formulas that reduce the risk of acne. Foundation and moisturizers help in preventing harmful impurities from being absorbed into the skin.
Avoid Stress:
Stress contributes to breakouts, especially in adults. Stress reduction is important and time should be set aside to relieve anxiety. One may try relaxation techniques such as quiet time and meditation. Execise programs can rejuvenate the skin and leave you feeling fresh.
June 22nd, 2006
Facial treatments that can be made in your kitchen, from facial moisturizers to herb baths.
We all have those days that the car won’t start, the computer crashes, the elevator is out of service and we’re forced to take six flights of stairs,
and then we get home and it’s our turn to make dinner. Days like these we all want to get away. We don’t want to bother cleaning up the dishes or putting food back in the fridge, and the worst part is it will probably start all over again tomorrow.
But, I promise, if you stay in the kitchen just a few more minutes and whip up some of these homemade spa treatments you will be very glad you did.
Years ago our grandmothers went through the same thing and mine had a whole list of concoctions that helped “take her away” long before Calgon.
When your skin feels tired and old and you want a quick refresher, you can blend a ripe peach with heavy cream. This moisturizer is very stimulating and can be massaged into your face, or any other area of the body, once a day. Keep any extra mixture under refrigeration.
Many know the benefits of mayonnaise on hair but did you know you can massage it into your skin as a cream? The best thing to do is make your own by blending eggs, vegetable oil and vinegar. Beat together 1 egg, 1 cup of vegetable oil and 2T vinegar. You can use prepurchased mayo as long as it has no salt. After you shampoo, mayonnaise can be used as a conditioner. Massage into hair and scalp, leave on for 1/2 hour and rinse thoroughly with vinegar and warm water.
There are facial treatments you don’t need to spend any time blending and mixing, however. Many fruits and vegetables are nourishing to the skin on their own. We’ve all seen slices of cucumbers applied to the eyes to refresh and relieve puffiness but they also make great cleansers when sliced and rubbed over your face. The same holds true for slices of fresh tomatoes.
Do you want a unique refresher for a hot day? There are many variations on this recipe, but one that I know feels great is to put a mint sprig with 3 ice cubes in a blender and chop finely. Pour into a wash cloth, wrap it up and apply to skin.
How about that relaxing bath we all love? There are many ways to make an herbal bath. You can boil the herbs down, strain them and put the water in with your bath water. Or you can do as Grandma did and tie dried herbs in a wash cloth or muslin bag and hang them from the bath faucet while tub is filling. Another “bath bag” you can make involves combining one part corn meal to one part dried herbs. You can use oatmeal as well as cornmeal. Oatmeal is softening and soothing. Cornmeal works as an exfoliant. Below is a list of herbs to choose depending upon what mood you’re looking for in a bath.
Stimulating: bay, lemon balm, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, yarrow.
Relaxing: chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, comfrey, thyme, vanilla.
Soothing: aloe vera, calendula, rose, sage, yarrow, honey, oatmeal.
So the next time you’re in your kitchen and you feel like getting away, or you simply want to unwind after a rough day, open your cupboards and check your fridge and you just might find all the necessary ingredients for a night at your in-home spa.
June 22nd, 2006
By: JAMA
In a small study from a referral center for dermatology, most patients receiving prolonged oral corticosteroids for chronic skin diseases were not
receiving therapies to prevent osteoporosis that may be caused by the drug, according to an article in the January issue of the Archives of
Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Oral glucocorticoids, or corticosteriods, are prescribed for a variety of chronic skin diseases, as well as other conditions, according to background information in the article. “Independent of the reason for their use, all patients receiving long-term glucocorticoid treatment have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis,” a decrease in bone mass that can lead to fractures, the authors report. Research has demonstrated that medications known as bisphosphonates can boost bone mineral density (BMD) and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have guidelines recommending their use alongside specific doses of glucocorticoids, though no such guidelines exist for dermatologists, the authors write.
Rosemarie H. Liu, M.D., Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, and colleagues reviewed 35 patients with chronic skin diseases referred to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania after October 1995. Each was taking glucocorticoids for at least one month before they were referred. The researchers obtained information about the participants’ prescriptions during their clinic visits, by reviewing medical records and sometimes by telephone.
Twenty-eight (80 percent) of the patients were not taking bisphosphonates at the time they were referred. “The low rate of bisphosphonate use prior to referral and prolonged time interval until initiation of prophylaxis are disappointing because bisphosphonates are agreed to be the most efficacious agents known to prevent glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP),” the authors report. “This may be due to variations in knowledge about GIOP among different physician specialties.”
“Unless there is a specific contraindication, bisphosphonates should be prescribed concomitantly with the initiation of corticosteroid therapy in diseases for which long-term glucocorticoid use is anticipated as part of the standard of care,” they conclude.
(Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:37-41)
June 22nd, 2006