December 5, 2006 In the latest testing of Acomplia (rimonabant) for
treating diabetes over 50% of previously untreated patients achieved
HbA1c levels below 7%, the target for good glucose control as
recommended by the American Diabetes Association, plus reductions in
body weight of 14.8 lbs. Highly touted as a weight-loss drug, Acomplia
has been approved for weight-loss use in several countries but not the
U.S. There has been speculation that the company, Sanofi-aventis, hopes
proving the added value of diabetes treatment will help win approval of
the Food & Drug Administration.
Read more...
Senior
Citizen Lung Transplant Patients More Likely to Survive
Study finds lung
transplant recipients age 60+ with major survival advantage
December 4, 2006 - Who is too old to receive a lung
transplant? There is no clear answer at this time. Nor was there a clear
answer when the guidelines for lung transplantation were written in 1998.
They were based on the best clinical data then available, explains Dr.
Philip W. Smith, a surgery resident and research fellow at the University of
Virginia Health System.
Read
more...
Tips for Diabetics to Manage the Holidays with Ease
More than 1 in 5 senior citizens with diabetes find
holidays challenging
December 4, 2006 - The holiday season is a joyful time for most senior
citizens but it is also a challenge for the millions that suffer with
diabetes, or even the form of pre-diabetes called "impaired fasting
glucose." A recent study found 22 percent of seniors age 65 and older
have diabetes and nearly 40 percent have IFG. Holiday food, parties,
alcohol and stress can all create serious problems for these older
Americans but an expert in the field has suggestions to help them enjoy
the holidays more.
Read more...
Top 10 Stories of 2006 by Harvard Health Letter
Picks Key Ones for Senior Citizens
Lucentis for macular
degeneration, Zostavax for shingles make list
December 4, 2006 - The editors of the Harvard
Health Letter, and doctors on its editorial board, have chosen the top
10 health stories of 2006. Their number one choice the HPV vaccine to
guard against cervical cancer is a great development but not
necessarily a senior citizen issue. The first clearly important issue
for older Americans on their list is number four - the FDA approval of
Lucentis as a drug to prevent wet macular degeneration, the leading
cause of blindness in seniors. Another key senior issue is number six -
the approval of Zostavax, the first vaccine against shingles.
Read more...
Senior Citizens See Continued Decline in Chronic
Disability Rates
Analysis found average annual rate of the
decline has accelerated
December 1, 2006 - Chronic disability among older
Americans has dropped dramatically, and the rate of decline has
accelerated during the past two decades, according to a new analysis of
data from the National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS). The study,
published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, found that the prevalence of chronic disability among people
65 and older fell from 26.5 percent in 1982 to 19 percent in 2004/2005.
Read more...
Breast Cancer Patients Seeking Second Opinion
Usually Receive Treatment Changes
Multidisciplinary tumor board leads to
different interpretations
November 29, 2006- An estimated 212,920 women
predominately senior citizens - will be diagnosed with breast cancer
this year. Considering a second opinion from a multidisciplinary tumor
board may be a good idea, according to a study at the University of
Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, which found more than half of the
patients seeking the second opinion received a change in their
recommended treatment plan.
Read more...
Statins Reduce Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke in
Seniors Without Heart Disease
But not coronary heart disease or overall risk of
death
November
27, 2006 Statins are now frequently prescribed for senior citizens to
prevent future cardiovascular disease. But, among individuals without
cardiovascular disease, taking statins regularly may reduce the risk of
major heart and cerebrovascular problems (blood vessels that supply the
brain), such as heart attack and stroke, but not coronary heart disease
(disease of the coronary arteries and veins), or overall risk of death,
according to an analysis reported todays issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Octogenarians Not Too Old for Cancer Surgery, Say
Mayo Clinic Researchers
Increased wellness, safer anesthesia make it
possible for older adults to safely and effectively have surgeries, in
this case radical prostatectomy
November 27, 2006 There have been several recent
recommendations in the last year to advance the age for a number of
treatments that had been considered too risky for the elderly. These
have included heart transplants and artificial heats. The Mayo Clinic
Cancer Center has today added surgery, in particular radical prostatectomy,
to the list. This finding, which runs counter to the conventional
practice of generally avoiding surgeries for individuals over 80 years
old solely based on age, is published today in Urology.
Read more...
Veterans at Higher Risk of Heart Disease with
Certain Personality Traits
By Amy Sutton, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service
November 25, 2006 - Doctors have long known that
hostility, depression, anxiety and anger have a negative effect on heart
health. Now, a long-term study finds that the combined presence of these
traits makes it more likely that a veteran will experience coronary
heart disease.
Read more...
Gene Linked to Aggressive 'Wet' Age-Related Macular
Degeneration
Patients with HTRA1 SNP 10 times more
likely to have wet AMD
November 22, 2006 - A gene variant that increases
the risk of developing the aggressive "wet" form of age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in people over
age 50, is reported in two recent articles in Science by researchers at
Yale School of Medicine.
Read more...
Lung Cancer Alliance Launches Early Detection Web
Site to Educate Those at Highest Risk
Launches on heels of
major study showing importance of CT screening
November 22, 2006 Riding the crest of interest
created by the recent study indicating the high value of low-dose CT
screening in the early detection of lung cancer, the Lung Cancer
Alliance has launched a new Website aimed at educating people on the
deadliest cancer and this new hope for early detection.
Read more...
Herceptin
May Reduce Breast Cancer by 50 Percent in New Use for Post-Surgery
Patients
FDA gives go-ahead
after a priority review of trial results
November 17, 2006 The Food and Drug
Administration, after a priority review, approved the expanded use of
Herceptin, a drug made by Genentech Inc., for treatment in combination
with other cancer drugs for HER2 positive breast cancer following a
lumpectomy or mastectomy. It is estimated this new treatment option can
reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 50 percent or more for
these patients predominately senior citizens.
Read more...
Senior Citizens in a Lot of Pain but Living Longer,
Says New Government Report
Life expectancy at birth reached record 77.9 years
in 2004, up from 77.5 in 2003
November 15, 2006 One out of five senior citizens
age 65 and older report experiencing pain in the last month and for
three out of five of these the pain lasted a year or more, according to
a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
National Center for Health Statistics. And, seniors will get to endure
it a lot longer, as life expectancy continues to climb.
Read more...
Colorectal Cancer Patients' Immune Systems Fight
Back After Treatment with New Vaccine
Antibody cloned from unusual survivor of this form
of cancer
November 15, 2006 British researchers have
developed a vaccine that stimulates the immune system in colorectal
cancer patients to fight the cancerous cells, according to a report in
today's issue of Clinical Cancer Research. In this study, the vaccine
was administered before and after surgery to remove the cancerous tumors
and results in stimulating the immune cell production in 70 percent of
cases. Colorectal cancer (cancer of colon or rectum) is the second
leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women and is most common among
senior citizens.
Read
more...
Prostate Cancer Studies Find Benefit to Radiation,
No Harm in Testosterone Replacement in Older Men
November 14, 2006 With 230,000 men, primarily
senior citizens, diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, it is not
surprising that in the current issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association focusing on men's health, there are two articles on
treatment of this cancer. One reports on a study finding radiation
therapy after surgery reduces the risk of recurrence, but does not
lengthen survival. The other finds testosterone replacement therapy,
used frequently in senior citizens, appears to have little effect on the
prostate gland, contrary to reports that it may be harmful.
Read more...
Older Men May Need Two Drugs to Improve Symptoms of
Overactive Bladder
80% receiving tolterodine ER plus tamsulosin
reported benefit
November 14, 2006 - An estimated 10 million men 40
years or older have symptoms of an overactive bladder and some do not
respond to common medications. New research has found that using two
medications together improves the symptoms for overactive bladder and
lower urinary tract problems.
Read more...
Heart Attack Patients Have Better Chance with Faster
Door-to-Balloon Times
Researchers find
best ERs have specific plans
to achieve goal
November
14, 2006 The time it takes to get a heart attack patient from the door
of the emergency room until the blood flow is restored to the heart by
opening the blockage with angioplasty is critical, and researchers say
they now know specific strategies to hasten this life-saving span of
time from "door to balloon." The report yesterday in the New England
Journal of Medicine coincides with a new campaign to improve
door-to-balloon times that is named, "DSB."
Read more...
Diabetes Medication Increased Good Cholesterol, May
Slow Artery Wall Thickening
Drug pioglitazone may
have potential to protect against major cardiovascular events
November 13, 2006 - A medication given to diabetics
to improve their bodys sensitivity to insulin also appears to slow the
thickening of their artery walls, according to a study of older people
with Type 2 diabetes that was posted online today by the Journal of the American
Medical Association. The drug also increased good cholesterol and has
scientists wondering if it can help prevent cardiovascular events.
Read more...
Prostate Cancer Cells Killed by Protein Made by the
Cancer
Senior citizens with cancer or enlarged prostate
may be helped by discovery
November 10, 2006 Prostate cancer is high on the
radar for most older men, since it strikes about 680,000 in the world
every year and more than 220,000 die. Encouraging news, however, was
reported today that scientists have found a way of using a protein made
by prostate cancer to target and kill the cancer cells themselves.
Read more...
Senior Citizens' Risk of Dying from Heart Failure
Predicted by Seven-Point System
Patients with two to three factors were likely to
live at least a year
November 10, 2006 - A simple points system may soon
help guide treatment of elderly (senior citizen) heart failure patients.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
found that by counting how many of seven easy-to-obtain health factors a
patient has, physicians can estimate the patient's risk of dying.
Read more...
Manmade Protein Shows Promise for Treating Cancer,
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Blinding blood vessel growth in
cornea reduced 50%
in test
November 9, 2006 - Potentially blinding blood
vessel growth in the cornea resulting from eye injury or even surgery
can be reduced by more than 50 percent with a new manmade protein,
researchers say. And, they think it has the potential to help patients
in many situations where blood vessel formation is detrimental,
including age-related macular degeneration and cancer.
Read more...
Vaccination with Embryonic Stem Cells Prevents Lung
Cancer in Mice
Announced day after Democrats win pledging more
stem cell research
November 8, 2006 On the day after Democrats had
big election gains in the Congress, partially on a pledge to fund stem
cell research, it was announced that researchers have vaccinated mice
with embryonic stem cells and prevented lung cancer, the biggest cancer
killer. They say this suggests it could be possible to develop embryonic
stem cell vaccines that prevent cancers in humans, such as hereditary
breast and colon cancer and lung cancer caused by smoking or other
environmental factors.
Read more...
Death Risk Jumps for Heart Failure Patients with Low
Systolic Blood Pressure
Heart failure most common hospital discharge
diagnosis for seniors
November 7, 2006 Patients admitted to hospitals
with heart failure and low systolic blood pressure are more likely to
have problems, including a significantly higher risk of death, despite
medical treatment, says a study to be published tomorrow in the Journal
of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Hardening of the Arteries Caused by a Communications
Failure
Old arteries not getting message to relax as
they did when young
November 6, 2006 A diagnosis feared by senior
citizens "hardening of the arteries" may be caused by a lack of
communications, says new research. The old blood vessels still have the
ability to relax, much as they did when they were younger, but they are
not getting the message. It is this age-related loss of elasticity that
often is a prelude to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Read more...
Red Wine Element Reverses Pathways of Obesity
That Cause Age-Related Diseases
Resveratrol
previously found to extend lifespan of other organisms may help against
heart disease, diabetes
November 2, 2006 The headlines on a new study
focused on the discovery that resveratrol, found in red wine, when given
to obese mice significantly increased their lifespan. Too often obesity
is associated with physical appearance, but this test did not make the
thinner - it helped them live longer. These
researchers emphasize that the drug reversed gene expression
patterns associated with diabetes, heart disease and other diseases
related to obesity. Resveratrol has previously been shown to extend the
life of several other organisms.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Who Attend Religious Services May
Prolong Lung Health
Pulmonary function ages at half the rate of
those who don't attend
By Randy Dotinga, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service
November 1, 2006 - A new study suggests that churchgoing has more
benefits than spiritual growth and camaraderie it may boost lung
health too. Researchers found that seniors who regularly attended
religious services suffered from lower levels of pulmonary decline.
Read more...
Researchers Urge New Approach to Prostate Cancer
Screening with Early PSA Base
Even a slight change
in PSA may indicate a potential for cancer
November 1, 2006 Even a slight change in PSA
(prostate-specific antigen) may indicate a potential for cancer, say
researchers, who recommend that men as young as 40 establish a baseline
PSA. The researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
say that how fast the amount of PSA in a mans blood increases, or PSA
velocity (PSAV), is an accurate gauge of tumor aggression and danger,
even when PSA levels are so low as to not warrant a biopsy.
Read more...
Students' Research Could Lead to Replacing Bone Lost
to Osteoporosis
Advancing the search
for simple, cost effective, and minimally invasive methods of healing
bones
October
31, 2006 - Rapid and guided healing of bones has moved a step closer
with research by two Australian biomedical engineering students who have
found new ways to deliver bone growth enhancers directly to broken or
weakened bones. Replacing bone lost by senior citizens to osteoporosis
is one of their goals.
Read more...
New Radiation Therapy May Reduce Breast Cancer
Treatment by Weeks
Proton beam therapy was successful with
four days of treatment
October 31, 2006 National Breast Cancer Awareness
Month ends with good news. A new accelerated approach to radiation
therapy - proton beam therapy has successfully reduced the traditional
time of treatment from six weeks or more to less than a week for women
with early-stage breast cancer, according to a new study released today
in the International Journal for Radiation Oncology-Biology-Physics, the
official journal of ASTRO.
Read more...
Age Related Macular Degeneration Risk Drops 70
Percent with Regular Exercise
October 31, 2006 - Regular exercise can cut the
likelihood of developing the degenerative eye disease, age related
macular degeneration, by 70%, according to research published ahead of
print in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. AMD is the leading cause
of blindness in senior citizens.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Among Those Most Likely to Suffer
Low Health Literacy
Society for Womens Health Research offers tips to
improve care
October 30, 2006 - Medical information can be
confusing, especially for senior citizens, whose vision and hearing may
be in decline. But most people can recall having difficulty deciphering
health information at one time or another. Whether you have stopped
taking a prescription too soon because you didnt understand the
instructions or whether poor vision prevents you from accurately reading
the label on the bottle, low health literacy can get in the way of good
health care.
Read more...
Osteoarthritis Patients Treated with Acupuncture
Show Significant Improvement
Magazine editorial encourages wider use for chronic
pain conditions
October
30, 2006 A large study of over 3500 osteoarthritis patients has found
that those with chronic pain of the knee or the hip, who were treated
with acupuncture in addition to routine care, showed significant
improvements in symptoms and quality of life compared with patients who
received routine care alone. And, the benefits continued after
treatment. The report in Arthritis & Rheumatism also has an editorial
that says this evidence proves acupuncture should get extensive use in
various chronic pain conditions.
Read more...
Shingles Vaccinations Recommended for All 60 and
Over
CDC committee says action needed to
prevent painful disease
October 26, 2006 An advisory committee on
immunization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
recommended everyone age 60 and older be vaccinated for shingles with
the recently FDA approved Zostavax vaccine. This extremely painful viral
disease inflicts many senior citizens with blisters and nerve pain caused by the
re-activated chicken pox virus.
Read more...
CT Screening May Save Millions from Deadly Lung
Cancer
Study finds 85% detection
that can increase
10-year survival by 92%
October 25, 2006 There is new hope for senior
citizens and others at highest risk for the deadliest cancer. Lung
cancer can be detected at its very earliest stage in 85 percent of
patients using annual low-dose CT screening, and when followed by prompt
surgical removal, the 10-year survival rate is 92 percent. These
results, to be reported tomorrow in the New England Journal of Medicine,
would dramatically decrease the number of deaths from lung cancer -- the
number one cause of cancer deaths among both men and women in the U.S.
Read more...
Senior Citizens May Find Botox Not Only Helps
Wrinkles but Knee Pain, too
Mayo Clinic recruiting for trial to test effects on
knee arthritis
October 25, 2006 Botox, the stuff we usually
think of as being used to smooth out wrinkles, may have a new use for
senior citizens. Painful knee arthritis is a common ailment for millions
of older people but researchers at the Mayo Clinic think that Botox may
just offer some relief. They are recruiting now for a clinical trial.
Read more...
Programs to Reduce Heart Disease Risk Factors Having Little Impact
Clearest benefit is using
drugs to lower blood pressure, cholesterol
By Valerie
DeBenedette, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service
October
24, 2006 - Coronary heart disease is a leading killer in the United States
and there has been a big push to get people to lower their risk. But a new
review casts doubt on whether large-scale interventions to reduce multiple
cardiac risk factors really work. These efforts include programs to reduce
cholesterol levels and blood pressure, treat diabetes and encourage people
to stop smoking and start exercising.
Read more...
Even Healthy Older Men Lower Heart Attack Risk with
Moderate Drinking
Will drinking be added to the recommendations for
healthy lifestyle?
October 23, 2006 Finding that moderate alcohol
consumption lowers heart attack risk is not news, but a new study focuses
on older men with healthy lifestyle habits, meaning they were already at
lower risk than others. The goal was to see if drinking alcohol
lowered the risk in health men. It did. Those who drank about two
drinks a day, had the lowest risk for heart attack and those who did not
drink at all had the highest.
Read more...
Colorectal Cancer Rapidly Declines With Increased
Testing, Better Tests
Colon and rectal cancer most common among senior
citizens
October 23, 2006 Medical science and technology
appear to be winning the war against colorectal cancer, which is the
second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women. And, the
inclusion of colon cancer testing in Medicare's preventive care has
undoubtedly helped, too. New research says the increased number of
people being screened early and the advancement in screening technology
is driving down the number of cancers of the colon or rectum, which are
both classified as colorectal cancer. (Read what every senior should
know about this cancer below news report.)
Read more...
Eating Fish Reduces Coronary Death Risk by Stunning
36 Percent
Review in JAMA of past studies says death rate
reduced 17%
October 18, 2006 Researchers who reviewed all the
previous studies on the health impact of eating fish have concluded that
avoiding modest fish consumption due to confusion regarding risks and
benefits could result in thousands of excess coronary heart disease
deaths annually. They found it reduces risk of coronary death by a
stunning 36 percent and the rate of death by 17 percent.
Read more...
FDA Anoints Januvia as New Super Star in Fighting
Type 2 Diabetes
Merck drug is first
approved in a new class called DPP-4 inhibitors
October 18, 2006 The world probably looks much
different this morning to millions of senior citizens battling type 2
diabetes. A whole new way of fighting the debilitating disease was
introduced yesterday with the Food and Drug Administration's approval of
Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate). It is the first approved of a new class
of drugs known as DPP-4 inhibitors that enhances the body's ability to
lower elevated blood sugar. Not far behind in the approval process is a
similar drug named Galvus. Experts say the commercial potential is
"gigantic."
Read more...
Acomplia (Rimonabant) Miracle Weight-Loss Drug may
not be Magic Bullet but It Works
Not approved by FDA
but long-awaited drug being sold in Europe
October
18, 2006 Hailed as the weight-loss "miracle pill," Acomplia, still
known in the U.S. by its generic name "rimonabant," while it awaits FDA
approval, has been available to Europeans for months. This has provided
a better look at what it can really accomplish. Many senior citizens are particularly interested because of
claims that it reduces abdominal fat, a key marker for cardiovascular
disease, and other health benefits, such as increased "good" cholesterol
and lower blood pressure.
Read more...
Senior Citizens on Medicare Substantially Lower
Death Risk by Choosing 5-Star Hospitals
HealthGrades 2007 hospital-quality study looked a
40.6 million Medicare records
October 16, 2006 Senior citizens can lower their
death risk during a hospitalization by 69 percent by getting their
treatment at a top-rated hospital ("5 star") rather than a 1-star rated
hospital. This conclusion was released today as part of the largest
annual study of hospital quality in America by HealthGrades. This
"quality chasm" between the best and poorest-performing hospitals has
grown by approximately 5 percent since last year's study, even as
overall mortality rates have improved by nearly 8 percent.
Read more...
National Eye Institute Says Massive Study will
Evaluate Antioxidants, Fish Oil Effect on AMD
100 study centers seek 4,000 people age 50 and 85
- with AMD in both eyes, or advanced AMD in one eye
October 12, 2006 Five years ago today a study was
released showing that high-dose antioxidant vitamins and minerals
(vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper), taken by mouth,
reduced the risk of progression to advanced Age-related Macular
Degeneration by 25 percent, and the risk of moderate vision loss by 19
percent. Today, the National Institutes of Health announced a new
nationwide study to see if a modified combination of vitamins, minerals,
and fish oil can further slow the progression of AMD, the leading cause
of vision loss in the U.S. for people over age 60.
Read more...
Older Men Need to Be Aware of Danger from Deadly
Male Breast Cancer
Death rate higher that testicular and prostate
cancer combined
October
12, 2006 This is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month and most are
familiar with the pink ribbon worn to trigger cancer awareness. Adding a
small blue ribbon to the symbol may be a good idea, because it may help
save the lives of men with breast cancer nearly 500 men in the U.S.
will die from it this year. It is most common in older men between the
ages of 60 and 70; and many of those who die may have been saved with
earlier detection.
Read more...
Lucentis Therapy for Wet Age-Related Macular
Degeneration Shows Significant Vision Gain
'Lucentis is most
significant advance in treating AMD in history'
October 10, 2006 -More than one-third of patients
treated with Lucentis for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
showed "unprecedented improvements" in vision, according to findings
published in the New England Journal of Medicine. AMD is a major cause
of central visual loss and is the leading cause of blindness in senior
citizens.
Read more...
Vision Loss Can Be Prevented in People with Diabetes
Eye exam, free to many seniors, can reduce
vision loss up to 94%
October 10, 2006 - The millions of Americans
afflicted with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes face many potential complications,
including: heart and kidney disease; nerve damage and stroke; foot and
skin problems; and gastrointestinal disorders and hypoglycemia. In
addition, perhaps the most feared, is permanent blindness, which affects
about 24,000 new people per year.
Read more...
Osteoporosis Risk Increases for Older Women Drinking
Cola
All the facts aren't in, say experts, but women may
want to hold off on cola
October 6, 2006 They are not sure why, but a
study of older women found cola consumption was associated with lower
bone mineral density and increased risk for osteoporosis. An expert at
the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging suggests women
concerned about osteoporosis may want to steer away from drinking cola
until more study is conducted.
Read more...
Wal-Mart Speeds Up to Make $4 Generic Drugs
Available to all Florida Tomorrow
Accelerating spread of program and adding more
drugs to list
October 5, 2006 Wal-Mart today says it is
rolling out its $4-for-30-day supply generic prescription program
through out the state of Florida on Friday - nearly four months earlier
than the first announced rolled out statewide in January 2007. The
company is also expanding its list of available generic drugs and hopes
to speed up the spread of the program nationwide.
Read more...
Most Popular Diet Websites Not Always the Best, Says
Consumer Reports
Millions of senior citizens and others rely on
these sites in fighting obesity
October 4, 2006 Being popular with readers does
not necessarily equate with quality, according to an analysis by
Consumer Reports of the 20
diet information Websites most visited online. More
than a quarter of the Webs 20 top diet information sites lack basic
information about information sources, the degree to which advertising
may or may not influence content on their site, and credentials or
potential biases of their authors.
Read more...
Cancer Drug Gleevec Stops Rheumatoid Arthritis and
Its Progression in Mice
Not ready for use in
people but seems to work in human
cells
September 28, 2006 The potent cancer drug Gleevec
almost completely prevented the development of the rheumatoid
arthritis-like disease in mice and, also, also halted the progression of
established disease, significantly reducing the amount of inflammation
and bone destruction around the joints. The researchers from Stanford
University School of Medicine also tested Gleevec on the cells of human
rheumatoid arthritis patients and found that it reduced the processes
associated with inflammation and abnormal growth in the joints, but
cautioned against doctors using Gleevec for treating the disease until
clinical trials are completed.
Read more...
Prostate Cancer Appears Cured in 89 Percent of Men
Treated with IMRT
After eight years
they are alive and show no signs of cancer
September 27, 2006 - The vast majority of prostate
cancer victims 89 percent - treated with high-dose, intensity
modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) are alive and show no evidence of the
cancer eight years after the treatment. This is the encouraging report
on the largest study ever of men with prostate cancer treated by IMRT.
The 561 patients, primarily senior citizens with an average age of 68,
were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Read
more...
Arthritis Pain Relief Drugs Pose Heart Attack Risks,
Confirms Scientific Review
Danger in COX-2 inhibitors,
NSAIDs maybe not aspirin, naproxen
September 27, 2006 The evidence is becoming
crystal clear for millions of senior citizens that the scientific
evidence confirms that COX-2 inhibitors and most NSAIDs can increase risks for
heart problems. A report that reviewed 360 published studies says these
drugs commonly used to treat osteoarthritis non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors (a newer
generation of NSAIDs) present similar, increased risks of heart
attacks while offering about the same level of pain relief. Exceptions
are naproxen and, maybe, aspirin.
Read more...
Gene Transfer of Mutant Form of Good Cholesterol
Cuts Vascular Plaque and Inflammation
Gene therapy products
not yet approved by FDA for humans
September 27, 2006 Researchers report that have
transferred a gene into mice that produces a mutant form of good
cholesterol and does a better job of reducing plaque and inflammation
than therapy using the "normal" HDL gene. This is one of the intriguing
experiments with gene therapy, although no gene therapy product has ever
been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (Read more about
Gene Therapy below news report.)
Read more...
Breast Cancer Survivor May Develop a Vaccine for the
Disease
Dr.
Yvonne Paterson's vaccine Lovaxin B now in pre-clinical testing
September 26, 2006 A vaccine for breast cancer
may be developed through the leadership of a breast cancer survivor.
Yvonne Paterson, Ph.D., the scientific founder of Advaxis, Inc., as well
as a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, and
her team, are working on a suite of new vaccines to treat women with
different types of cancers, including breast cancer.
Read more...
Mammography Recall of 9.8 Percent with Cancer Rate
of 4.8 Percent Sets Benchmarks for Radiologists
Audit exams of 1.1 million older U.S. women funded by
National Cancer Institute
September 26, 2006 A study of 1.1 million older
women who had a mammography exam between 1996 and 2002 has found 9.8
percent of the patients were recalled and ultimately 4.8% were found to
have breast cancer. This audit funded by the National Cancer Institute
says screening results surpass U.S. recommendations and establishes a
benchmark for radiologists. It also provides information helpful to
older women in better understanding results from their breast exams.
Read more...
Diabetes Linked to Increased Cancer Risk
Risk for men 27% higher and 21% higher for women in
Japan
September 25, 2006 - Adults with diabetes, which
includes 20 percent of America's senior citizens, may have
a higher risk of cancer overall and in several specific organs,
including the liver, pancreas and kidney, according to results of a
large study in Japan published in the September 25 issue of Archives of
Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Fixing Drug Safety System Requires Major Changes at
FDA, Says Institute of Medicine
'It is a widely held misperception that FDA
approval of a new drug denotes a guarantee of safety and certainty about
its risk-benefit profile.'
September 25, 2006 Senior citizens should be
among the Americans paying close attention to a report released Friday
by the Institute of Medicine that says the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration lacks the ability to adequately protect Americans from
dangerous prescription drugs after they reach the market. Older people
are by far the most likely to suffer from dangerous drugs. The report
suggests remedies, including a symbol on labels showing the contents are
a "New Drug."
Read more...
High Blood Pressure is Latest Major Topic on NIH's
Senior Citizen Health Site
'The Silent Killer' is the 29th health topic
added to NIHSeniorHealth
September
20, 2006- Information prepared specifically for senior citizens about
high blood pressure has been added to the National Institutes of
Health's special Website NIHSeniorHealth.com. High blood pressure is a
major health risk for older Americans. If it isnt treated, it can lead
to stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and other serious health
problems.
Read
more...
War Against Diabetes Gets Major Support from New
Alliance of Walgreens and Harvard's Joslin Center
About 23 million senior citizens have
diabetes or pre-diabetes
September 19, 2006 - Walgreens, the nation's
largest drugstore chain, and Joslin Diabetes Center, a global leader in
diabetes research, care and education, have formed a sweeping alliance
to improve health outcomes for Americans with diabetes. More than one
out of five senior citizens has diabetes and almost 40 percent of
seniors have pre-diabetes. In rough numbers, this is about 23 million
people age 65 and older with the disease or in danger of developing it.
The Joslin expertise communicated through the broad Walgreen network is
certain to reach many of these older Americans.
Read more...
Sleep Evaluation Should be Routine Medical Care Says Editorial
Good sleep should be considered an essential
component of a healthy lifestyle, as much as exercise and nutrition
September
18, 2006 - Sleep is an integral part of health, and assessment of sleep
habits should be a standard part of medical care, according to an editorial
in the September 18 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, which is devoted
to studies of sleep and health. The magazine is one of the Journal of the
American Medical Association/Archives journals.
Read more...
Care of Older Americans with Incontinence Costs
Billions Annually
Author offers keys to combating this
not-talked-about issue
September 18, 2006 - Here's the popular belief held
by many older people suffering with the embarrassing issues of
overactive bladder and incontinence: This isn't a problem that's
appropriate to talk about -- you just deal with it -- because it's what
happens when you get old.
Read more...
Drug Reduces Type 2 Diabetes Risk 62 Percent for
Those at Highest Risk
41 million Americans at high risk with
'pre-diabetes' condition
September 18, 2006 - Giving people at high-risk of
developing type 2 diabetes the drug rosiglitazone (Avandia), along with
recommended lifestyle changes, can reduce the risk of developing the
disease for those at the highest risk by more than 60 percent, according
to the largest diabetes-prevention trial to date.
A study last May found that 22 percent of senior citizens age 65 and
older have diabetes and nearly 40 percent suffer with a form of
pre-diabetes called impaired fasting glucose.
Read more...
Older Men and Women Now Eligible for Heart
Transplants Under New Guidelines
Older patients have qood survival rates,
less rejection problems
September 15, 2006 - Elderly men and women with
heart failure and men with treated prostate cancer are among those who
have been historically denied heart transplantation. Now, under new
guidelines co-authored by a Hopkins cardiologist and issued today by the
International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, they can and
should be considered. Research has shown many people, even into their
70s, have good survival rates and, surprisingly, appear to have less
rejection of the transplanted heart.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Seven Times More Likely to
Experience Dangerous Drug Errors
Risk More Drug Errors the More Doctors that Treat
Them
September 14, 2006 - While conventional wisdom
dictates that more doctors are better for your health, a new analysis
released yesterday finds that the more doctors a senior citizen sees,
the greater their risk for dangerous drug errors. Another alarming
finding is that patients over age 65 are the victims of drug errors
seven times more often than younger patients. The average senior faces
an average of 13 potential errors.
Read more...
Senior
Citizens Often Have Peripheral Arterial Disease Without Knowing It
September 18-22 is
Peripheral Arterial Disease Awareness Week
September
14, 2006 - More than 8 million men and women - one in 20 adults, mostly
senior citizens - have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a largely
unrecognized condition which puts them at risk for heart attack and stroke.
The symptoms of PAD, such as fatigue, heaviness, pain and cramping in the
leg muscles when walking that go away with rest, are often mistaken for
signs of aging and ignored. More often, the disease is silent, causing no
noticeable symptoms. A coalition is launching a campaign to make Americans
more aware of this risk and a simple test for detecting the condition.
Read more...
Raloxifene Makes Huge Reduction in Breast Cancer
Risk for Older Women, Especially with Disease in Family
89% reduction with family history of the
disease, 58% without
September 13, 2006 Older women the most likely
to develop breast cancer and in particular those women with a family
history of the disease, found reason for a feeling of relief from the
release of a study showing Raloxifene clearly reduces their risk from
developing invasive breast cancer. Raloxifene, trade name Evista,
is a drug to prevent and treat osteoporosis and has not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration as an
agent to prevent breast cancer.
Read more...
JAMA Releases Early Reports Finding Increased Heart,
Kidney Risks from COX-2 and NSAID Pain Relievers
September
12, 2006 Although two COX-2 inhibitors have already been withdrawn
from the market: rofecoxib (Vioxx) and valdecoxib (Bextra), the evidence
continues to accumulate on the on the potential danger of cardiovascular
risk from a broad range of COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDS. Two new review
studies evaluating the safety of the pain-relieving medications COX-2
inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) find
increased cardiovascular and kidney risks. The studies and an editorial
were posted online today by the Journal of the American Medical
Association JAMA because of the public health implications of the
findings.
Read more...
Risks Skyrocket for Breast and Ovarian Cancers in
Women with Familial Syndrome
Heredity link is focus for Gynecologic
Cancer Awareness Month
| |
New poll finds women think they are at risk of gynecologic
cancer but don't know what to do. See poll below
news report. |
|
September 12, 2006 Women with familial
breast-ovarian cancer syndrome a common inherited condition causing 10
percent of ovarian cancers and up to 10 percent of breast cancers have
up to a 90 percent lifetime risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer. The
threat of the heredity of this syndrome is the focus in September for
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation.
Both breast and ovarian cancer risks increase with age. Most of these
cancers occur in women over the age of 50, with the highest risk in
women over 60, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Read more...
Quest for New Antibiotics to Fight Drug Resistant
Infections Gets Boost
Scientists crystallize an enzyme and see how
antibiotic ring is formed
September 12, 2006 The urgent quest to find new
antibiotics and ways to fight the growing number of drug resistant
infections received a boost from new research indicating success with an
approach that is more efficient--and environmentally friendly--in
developing new antibiotics to kill the infections resistant to multiple
drugs.
Read
more...
Dart-Like Molecule Found as Suspect in Age-Related
Macular Degeneration
Now designing drugs
to mop them up or
prevent their formation
September 7, 2006 - A dart-like molecule that
adheres to proteins in the eye is the key that turns on the uncontrolled
growth of blood vessels, a major contributor to the development of
age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of
blindness among people over 65 in the United States. The finding
released today is by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and
the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
Read more...
Cancer Death Risk Continues to Decline Says New
Report
Study of 1975-2003 finds the rate of new
cancers remains stable
September 7, 2006 - A new report from the nation's
leading cancer organizations finds that Americans' risk of dying from
cancer continues to drop, while the rate of new cancers remains stable.
Certain cancers are increasing - lung cancer rates are up slightly in
women; prostate cancer rates have climbed in men. There is good news,
too, like cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates decreased for
all race/ethnic groups since 1975, and breast cancer stabilized from
2001 through 2003.
Read more...
Wounds Common in Senior Citizens May Get Better
Treatment
NIH to fund wound healing centers seeking better,
faster healing
September 6, 2006 Diabetic ulcers and bedsores,
two common problems for senior citizens, as well as, other wounds like
burns and gunshot wounds, may all get improved treatment resulting from a new initiative of the National Institute of General Medical
Sciences (NIGMS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The institute announced today that it will award $13 million over four
years to create four centers to develop innovative therapies for acute
and chronic wounds.
Read
more...
Distress from Medical Errors Common among Resident
Physicians
One-third report major medical error during study
period
September 6, 2006 - About one-third of surveyed
resident physicians report committing at least one major error during
the study period, often associated with substantial personal distress,
according to a study in the September 6 issue of
JAMA,
a theme issue on medical education.
Read more...
