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Estrogen-alone hormone therapy had no effect on coronary heart disease risk

A large, multi-center heart disease prevention study, part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), found that estrogen-alone hormone therapy had no effect on coronary heart disease risk but increased the risk of stroke for postmenopausal women.

13 Apr 2004

NZ Research helps difficult pregnancies

Before the 1960's knowledge of the intrauterine environment was like a black box, limiting clinical understanding, and monitoring of the fetus during pregnancy. Little was known about the fetus until after birth happened. Now that has changed dramatically, and there have been revolutionary advances, particularly in the last 20 years enabling clinicians to diagnose and treat problems which develop in the womb.

13 Apr 2004

Unmarried women do not feel comfortable at doctors

Regardless of sexual orientation, unmarried women ages 40 to 75 voiced reluctance to undergo routine cancer screening tests, feeling out of place or misunderstood in health care settings, according to the first wave of information from a five-year Brown University Cancer Screening Project for Women.

12 Apr 2004

US Study Suggests New Approach to Breast Cancer Needed

Women with early-stage breast cancer face three late breast cancer consequences: disease recurrence within the conserved breast, development of a contralateral breast cancer, and manifestation of distant metastases. Although local therapy with surgery and radiotherapy is used to minimize the first possibility, adjuvant systemic therapy may theoretically reduce the likelihood of all three events.

11 Apr 2004

Cervical cancer screening in Northern Ireland falls short

Only 72 per cent of women within the target age group in the Province had a cervical smear test in the five-year period up to 31 March 2003 – contrasting with higher figures for England, Scotland and Wales. NHS targets for cervical screening call for a minimum of 80 per cent of Northern Ireland women aged between 20 and 65 to be screened every five years.

8 Apr 2004

Women with a history of pre-eclampsia are at increased risk of cancer

Women with a history of pre-eclampsia are at increased risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the stomach, breast, ovary, lung and larynx, according to a Columbia University study recently published by the British Medical Journal. Researchers studied 37,000 women in western Jerusalem, Israel, who delivered babies in three large hospitals between 1964 and 1976.

7 Apr 2004

Australian research shows that ginger prevents nausea or morning sickness when pregnant

In a new push to test the validity of complementary medicines, a randomised controlled trial of ginger as a treatment for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy has found that a dose of 1.05 gm of ginger a day does help to calm nausea and vomiting.

5 Apr 2004

Women treated with radiation therapy to cure Wilms tumor can have healthy babies if entire pelvis was not irradiated

Women who were treated with radiation therapy to cure Wilms tumor as a child can go on to have healthy babies so long as their entire pelvis was not irradiated, according to a new study in the April 2004 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology-Biology-Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

5 Apr 2004

Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who test positive for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are twice as likely as non-carriers to opt for a double mastectomy

Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who test positive for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are twice as likely as non-carriers to opt for a double mastectomy to reduce the risk of cancer in the opposite breast, according to the first large-scale study evaluating the impact of genetic counseling and testing on breast cancer treatment decisions.

5 Apr 2004

WHO says more pregnant women getting antenatal care

The number of pregnant women in developing countries receiving antenatal care during pregnancy has increased significantly since 1990, signalling that an untapped opportunity exists to reach poor women with a whole package of life-saving health services, according to a joint report issued today by UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

30 Mar 2004

No increased risk of breast cancer from miscarriage or abortion

An international collaboration led by Oxford University concluded in last week's issue of The Lancet that there is no increased risk of breast cancer for women who have had a pregnancy ending in miscarriage or abortion.

30 Mar 2004

Enzyme called COX-2 may promote the development of ovarian tumors

Fox Chase Cancer Center scientists have identified how an enzyme called COX-2 may promote the development of ovarian tumors, adding further insight into the mechanism of COX-2 inhibitors and the prevention of this highly lethal disease. The data was presented today at the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Fla.

29 Mar 2004

Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System Lessens Decrease Hysterectomy Rates in Finland

In the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) or hysterectomy improves equally health related quality of life, but the costs after 5 years are significantly lower in women whose treatment was started with IUS.

23 Mar 2004

New computer program accurately estimates chance of developing breast cancer

CANCER Research UK scientists have devised a user-friendly computer program, called the IBIS risk evaluator, which can give the most accurate estimate yet of a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

22 Mar 2004

Decreased collagen may make women more susceptible to pelvic organ prolapse

Decreased collagen levels might make some women more susceptible to pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence, according to a new study by physicians at Temple University School of Medicine and Temple University Hospital. The study, “Collagen content of nonsupport tissue in pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence,” appears in a recent issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

22 Mar 2004

Fruits and vegetables promote stronger bones in girls

Although calcium usually gets top billing when it comes to bone health, fruits and vegetables may also promote stronger bones in girls, new study findings suggest.

22 Mar 2004

Improvements needed in breast cancer treatment

Treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a group of abnormal cells confined to the breast ducts, varies widely in the United States. Treatment ranges from potential over-treatment with aggressive surgical therapy to possible under-treatment by not providing radiation.

22 Mar 2004