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National Cancer Institute grants $9.1M award to BUSM

The Black Women's Health Study (BWHS) of the Sloan Epidemiology Center at Boston University School of Medicine's (BUSM) has received a five-year continuation of grant funding award from the National Cancer Institute. The $9.1M award will cover years 16-20 of the largest follow-up study of the health of African-American women.

30 Sep 2009

Women making poor shoe choices suffer with hindfoot pain

A recently published study determined that women who make poor shoe choices early in life suffer with foot pain in later years. Research shows that men do not experience the same foot pain as women, due to type of shoes they wear. Details of this study appear in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

30 Sep 2009

Younger women with metastatic colorectal cancer live longer than younger men

Younger women with metastatic colorectal cancer lived longer than younger men. However, this survival advantage disappeared with age, suggesting a benefit from estrogen or other hormones, according to results of a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

30 Sep 2009

AP examines low- cost lobbying effort for birthing centers

The Associated Press/The Boston Globe reports on Karen Fennell, a lobbyist who lacks the typical "fat expense account and clients paying six-figure fees," but has still managed to secure "some coveted federal money" for her clients: birthing centers. "How she did it is a case study in how Washington's influence game can work, even for those without bottomless checkbooks. She cultivated key allies in Congress, crafted an argument that aligns with the prevailing political winds, and represents a constituency no lawmaker could shun: mothers-to-be."

30 Sep 2009

One third of women avoid routine mammogram tests

On the eve of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cancer Research UK today sends out a warning that if thousands of women continue to ignore invitations to breast screening they could be putting their lives at risk.

30 Sep 2009

Women feeling more positive about their genitals find it easier to orgasm

An Indiana University study published in the September issue of the International Journal of Sexual Health found that women who feel more positively about women's genitals find it easier to orgasm and are more likely to engage in sexual health promoting behaviors, such as having regular gynecological exams or performing vulvar self-examinations.

29 Sep 2009

Health care reform: Detailing women's stake in the debate

The Times reports: "Women need more health care than men because of the combined demands of pregnancy and family planning. ... Partly as a result, young women typically must pay more than young men for individual health insurance, unless they live in one of 10 states where 'gender rating' is illegal.

29 Sep 2009

Estrogen withdrawal may play a significant role in joint pain during breast cancer treatment

Aromatase inhibitors, the same drugs that have buoyed long-term survival rates among breast cancer patients, also carry side effects including joint pain so severe that many patients discontinue these lifesaving medicines. New University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine research, however, has uncovered patterns that may help clinicians identify and help women at risk of these symptoms sooner in order to increase their chances of sticking with their treatment regimen.

29 Sep 2009

Researchers recommend hormone therapy prior to mammogram screenings

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) are recommending that menopausal women on hormone therapy (HT) continue their treatment prior to having their annual mammogram screenings. These recommendations appear as an editorial in the current on-line issue of Journal of the North American Menopause Society.

29 Sep 2009

Congressional reception raises awareness about breast cancer in young adult women

Testing for breast cancer risk was the subject of remarks by two featured speakers at a recent congressional reception on Capitol Hill. The event generated momentum to pass the EARLY Act and raise awareness about breast cancer in young adult women.

29 Sep 2009

Merck, Qiagen pledge cervical cancer tools at CGI, meeting highlights effects of gender inequality

Drugmaker Merck & Co. announced Wednesday at the Clinton Global Initiative's (CGI) annual meeting in New York that it will "donate more than $500 million of its Gardasil cervical cancer vaccine" with the goal of improving women's health in developing countries, Bloomberg reports.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 28 Sep 2009

Study links diabetes to atrial fibrillation in women

Diabetes increases by 26 percent the likelihood that women will develop atrial fibrillation (AF), a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm that can lead to stroke, heart failure, and chronic fatigue. These are the findings of a new Kaiser Permanente study, published in the October issue of Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association.

28 Sep 2009

Initial clinical results for Mpathy Medical's Omnisure sling released

Mpathy Medical, a rapidly growing medical device company which has developed and brought to market a range of less invasive surgical solutions used to restore pelvic health to women, released the initial clinical results for its newest product, Omnisure™, a novel full length sling for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) at the American Urogynecologic Society’s (AUGS) Annual Meeting.

26 Sep 2009

NIH calls for identifying better methods to predict the risk of developing breast cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common non-invasive lesion of the breast, presents unique challenges for patients and providers largely because the natural course of the untreated disease is not well understood. Because most women diagnosed with DCIS are treated, it is difficult to determine the comparative benefits of different treatment strategies versus active surveillance, meaning systematic followup.

25 Sep 2009

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to raise public awareness about breast cancer

A sea of pink t-shirts will stretch from Athens to Bologna to Frankfurt to Zurich to Antwerp today in an effort to raise public awareness about breast cancer. In five cities across Europe, breast cancer survivors, their families, friends, supporters and advocates will join forces in a show of strength, courage and solidarity.

25 Sep 2009

The Adiana permanent contraception system supported by UK's NICE

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in its updated guidance for hysteroscopic sterilization, supports the use of Hologic's Adiana((R)) permanent contraception system.

25 Sep 2009

Study reveals that kidney transplants do not affect pregnancy

Women who have had a kidney transplant and have good kidney function can get pregnant and give birth without jeopardizing their health or the health of their transplant. Having children does not affect patients' kidney function or their life-span compared with transplanted women who do not have children, according to a matching cohort study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

25 Sep 2009

HPV screening and vaccination programmes could eradicate cervical cancer

Cervical cancer could be eradicated within the next 50 years if countries implement national screening programmes based on detection of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes the disease, together with vaccination programmes against the virus, according to a cervical cancer screening expert.

24 Sep 2009

Merck, QIAGEN to collaborate to increase access to HPV vaccination and HPV DNA testing in developing countries

Merck & Co., Inc. and QIAGEN N.V. today announced their intent to collaborate on a new program to increase access to HPV vaccination and HPV DNA testing in some of the most resource-poor areas of the world.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 24 Sep 2009

Web-based education system improves awareness on cord blood preservation options

Despite significant efforts by government agencies, consumer advocacy groups and industry to educate expecting parents about the medical significance of cord blood stem cells and the options for preserving them, three out of every four pregnant women still consider themselves only "minimally informed." However, data presented at an international meeting on stem cell science and policy found that a proprietary, web-based education system developed by Cord Blood Registry could be an effective and efficient method for improving awareness about all cord blood preservation options.

24 Sep 2009