A New Way to Predict How Breast Cancer Will Progress
Researchers may have pinned down a way to predict whether ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a self-contained, noninvasive breast cancer, will later spread. They tracked 1,162 women over eight years and found that those with three key biomarkers had a 20 percent risk of developing invasive cancer, while women without markers p16, COX-2, and Ki67, had a risk of only 4 percent, The New York Times reports. DCIS is detected by breast exam or mammography. Women whose cancer was discovered via breast exam appeared likeliest to develop the invasive kind, the researchers found. Susan Love, a clinical professor of surgery from the University of California, Los Angeles, said the findings may help avoid exposing women to unnecessary treatment, the Times reports. The results are published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. [Read more: A Study Offers Clues on Therapy for Cancer.]
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Top 10 U.S. Cities for Ozone Pollution
About 167.3 million Americans encounter unhealthy levels of ozone, the most widespread outdoor pollutant, says the American Lung Association's State of the Air 2010 report. Inhaling ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, chest pain, throat irritation, congestion, and can make people more susceptible to respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For those with bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma, ozone is particularly troublesome, since it can limit lung function and cause inflammation in the lining of the lungs, U.S. News's January Payne writes. Repetitive exposure to ozone over time can even permanently scar lung tissue, says the EPA.
Still, ozone can be tough to avoid. It's the byproduct of pollutants released by cars, chemical plants, industrial boilers, refineries, and other sources. Ozone exists naturally in the upper atmosphere of the Earth, but when emitted at ground level, it's considered a harmful outdoor pollutant. Ozone pollution is more common during warmer months because more sun is present, which helps create ground-level ozone. The American Lung Association's State of the Air 2010 lists 10 cities that are the country's most polluted by ozone. [Read more: Top 10 U.S. Cities for Ozone Pollution.]
- Slide Show: 6 Steps You Can Take to Protect Against Air Pollution
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Experts Say No Way to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Plenty of studies have pointed to means of preventing Alzheimer's, including fish oil supplementation and exercise, but a panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health, said there's no strong evidence that anything can stave off the disease, Reuters reports.
In September U.S. News contributor Sarah Baldauf wrote about the latest research associated with Alzheimer's disease prevention. Ginkgo biloba, for example, in the lab has been shown to diminish the fatty plaques that wipe out nerve cells in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, but was shown not to prevent Alzheimer's in healthy older subjects in a major trial in 2008. [Read more: Alzheimer's Disease Is Sharply Rising, But You Can Lower Your Odds.]
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