Author: areifschneider

Ask women what they think is the biggest threat to their health, and most will answer “breast cancer.”  And even though lung cancer and heart disease kill more women each year, their concern is well placed.    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the US — about 230,000 American women are […]

We continue the theme of progress in understanding the causes and potential for prevention of cancer. This understanding has advanced substantially over the 30 years since Doll and Peto published their landmark report. Today I return to obesity, hormones, and breast cancer.   Doll and Peto noted that obesity was related to increased risk of […]

Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of cancer (see summary of Surgeon General’s Report). While smoking causes cancer at many organ sites, including lung, larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder and kidney, cervix, stomach, and acute leukemia, the evidence review in 2004 by the Surgeon General indicated that the evidence was suggestive of […]

In a predominantly premenopausal population, Eliassen and colleagues evaluated plasma vitamin D levels (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and risk of invasive breast cancer (see article).    During up to 10 years of follow-up after blood samples were collected some 613 cases of breast cancer were confirmed in this cohort. In a detailed analysis that accounted for breast […]

I was on the Preventive Services Task Force website yesterday to read some new screening recommendations, and I came across a couple neat little widgets that personalize the Task Force’s prevention-related guidelines.  One is intended for the public and provides very nice, straightforward recommendations based on a person’s gender and age.  The other is intended for […]

When the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) began in 1993, hormone therapy (HT) was prescribed for a variety of reasons that ranged from the management of menopausal symptoms to the prevention of chronic disease. The WHI was a randomized controlled trail aimed at documenting the risks and benefits of several different approaches to prevention, including estrogen […]

As is clear from a number of our recent posts, there’s some long-brewing controversy in academic and public health circles about the potential benefits and risks of raising the recommended daily amounts of vitamin D.  One main camp believes that there is pretty solid evidence that daily vitamin D intakes of 1000 – 2000 IU […]

Despite all its good press of late, vitamin D’s health benefits have been challenged recently, most notably in an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report at the tail end of 2010 and in a Perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine yesterday (link).  That the two papers have similar conclusions – vitamin D has bone health […]

In a detailed review of evidence from 20 studies one of us, Kathleen Wolin, reports that higher levels of physical activity protect against colon cancer (see study) and now the precursor lesions, colon polyps (see study) . The evidence is consistent across study design, approaches to assessment of physical activity, and the populations studied.  Key […]

The potential for folate to protect against colon cancer remains a question debated in the scientific literature. In part this is fed by short term studies of supplementation and the potential for an adverse effect in this setting where folate may promote the final development of colon cancer. 1 However, across a larger number of […]

In this short update we draw attention to the strength of evidence that colon cancer is largely preventable with what we already know. While we have provided more extensive summaries of the overall evidence in the past 1, and have reported in detail on specific lifestyle habits and colon cancer 2,3, our goal here is […]

Attention is drawn to the environmental causes of cancer again this week with a perspective written in the New England Journal of Medicine that calls for expanding the resources of the NIH for investigating environmental causes of cancer.     At a time when budgets are being threatened, and in particular prevention efforts “which have […]

This month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology a report from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer screening trial (PLCO) highlights priorities for cancer prevention 1. In a detailed analysis that addresses the potential for PSA screening to reduce mortality from prostate cancer in this randomized trial, the authors report that more than 9,500 […]

Recent articles call for speeding the translation from discovery and documentation of the human genome and application to clinical medicine and public health. In addition in the New England Journal of Medicine, Moses and Martin 1 identify gaps and opportunities for biomedical research. They note the need for greater collaboration and new models of collaboration […]

A new report released by Statistics Canada yesterday shows that the level of physical activity in the Canadian population is far lower than previously estimated (see report).   While Canada has used self-report to monitor the level of activity in the adult population and seen high levels of reported physical activity – in the new […]

More data have come to light reinforcing messages we have summarized in previous posts on lifestyle changes for cancer survivors. Following more than 4,400 women with breast cancer and assessing dietary intake after diagnosis, Beasley and colleagues report that higher saturated and trans fat intake are both associated with higher total morality 1. 135 women […]

Several new studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology provide strong evidence for poor outcomes among women with breast cancer who are obese. In the largest study to date, Ewertz and colleagues followed 18,967 women who were treated for early stage breast cancer between 1977 and 2006. Evaluating recurrence and mortality, the investigators observed […]

In our previous posts we have written about the role of postmenopausal hormones as a cause of breast cancer, the value of weight loss and increasing physical activity for prevention and improved quality of life. Here we list 8 major opportunities to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. When in life they apply can […]

In our previous posts we have written about the role of postmenopausal hormones as a cause of breast cancer, the value of weight loss and increasing physical activity for prevention and improved quality of life. Here we list 8 major opportunities to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. When in life they apply can […]

Dissemination and implementation of research findings into practice is necessary to achieve a return on investment in our research enterprise and to apply research findings to improve outcomes in the broader community. In a thoughtful review of the application of discovery to prevention of cancer, Bowen and colleagues note, “Our previous 30 years have taught […]

The new report released today by the Institute of Medicine on recommended vitamin D intake is a bit like getting that shirt you wanted for your birthday, but it turned out to be the wrong color and the wrong size (report).  It’s sort of what you wanted but not really.   While the new report […]

There is lots of talk in the news right now about scanning – mostly about the kind in airports and whether it is too great an invasion of privacy. But medical scanning has also been making headlines – specifically, whether we do too much of it unnecessarily, as CT and X-ray scans expose the body […]

In the Journal of the National Cancer Institute a new study shows promise for reducing risk for beats cancer through another osteoporosis drug (Lacroix, Powles et al. 2010). Risk of breast cancer is reduced but the small number of women in the trial does not rule out side effects similar to tamoxifen.    The potential […]

When the International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed evidence on obesity and cancer in 2002 they concluded that only breast, colon, endometrial, esophagus, and kidney cancers were caused by obesity (International Agency for Research on Cancer 2002). Other cancers had only probable evidence for an association. Since 2002 numerous additional reports have been added […]

As the prevalence of overweight and obesity continues to climb, the challenges of quantifying the impact of this epidemic to inform public policies and health services becomes more pressing. The consequences of obesity on population health are far–reaching—as demonstrated in extensive analyses of health and economic consequences. For example, Calle and colleagues reported data from […]

Much scientific and public health interest focuses on the potential for vitamin D to reduce risk of cancer and mortality from cancer (see typical media coverage weighing up the evidence). A number of new reports shed light on the potential for vitamin D to reduce risk of specific cancers and evaluate the trade off of […]

In an earlier post on CNiC, we summarized a few studies relating Metformin use to lower risk of cancer (previous post). We have also summarized the enormous range of evidence that overweight and obesity increase risk of cancer (review paper (pdf)). Now a systemic review of the published literature in the journal Cancer Prevention Research […]

Last week new data were released adding to the evidence on the harmful effects of hormone therapy on breast cancer incidence and mortality (story). This timely report released in October when so much media attention focuses on breast cancer detection, treatment and prevention, brings further evidence to show how hormones cause breast cancer. Here I […]

New evidence has emerged that adds further insight into the risks and benefits of aspirin for prevention of colorectal cancer. Aspirin has been extensively studied in observational epidemiologic settings that address duration of use, dose, and magnitude of risk reduction. The observational evidence is consistent with evidence from randomized primary prevention trials, which have shown […]

Breast cancer prevention means taking action now. We talked about awareness earlier this week and have discussed drug strategies to reduce risk of breast cancer in high risk or postmenopausal women. But for every woman there are things to do now to lower risk. be active – increase your level of physical activity maintain a […]

The LA Times has a provocative new article out that seems to rail against breast cancer awareness month. What are the criticisms? – Since the breast cancer awareness campaign started, age-adjusted rates have remained largely flat. – Talking about “breast cancer” ignores all of the research done to date that shows there are many different […]

A new survey conducted by the National Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University has found that well over half of sexually active teens in the United States regularly use condoms when they have intercourse, a percentage much higher than that for sexually active adults.  The survey, reported in today’s New York Times (link) and set to appear in […]

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported yesterday (see full report) that 1 in 5 hospitalizations in 2008 involved a person with diabetes. This amounted to 7.7 million hospital stays at a cost of $83 billion in just the hospital costs. Diabetics had hospital stays that were longer, on average, and more likely to […]

Recent media reports highlight how a lack of state policy on cigarette taxes can drive a state to have high cancer rates. Missouri is a fine US example which now has the lowest tax on cigarettes in the nation (17 cents per pack).   State level policy impacting cancer is not limited to just cigarettes and increased […]

It’s a common theme here at Cancer News in Context – the important role our social and physical surroundings play in our health choices (previous posts).  The current issue of CDC’s journal, Preventing Chronic Disease, is devoted almost solely to one aspect of this: creating incentives for individuals or communities to make positive health choices.  Because […]

We have covered numerous aspect of the obesity epidemic over the past 3 months. The report last week on rising obesity in America continues to point to the growing burden now and into the future that our lifestyle and social structures are  facilitating. Time (see article) covered a new research study showing weight gain during […]

Yesterday in the New York Times, Jane Brody reminded us of the importance of cancer prevention when focusing on tobacco, the leading cause of cancer in the US and the world. This preventable cause of cancer continues to be marketed, but how do we quantify the prevention efforts that range from international agreements to counter […]

While awareness continues to grow that screening for breast cancer, like other screening tests, aims to detect cancer earlier, when it is more successfully treated, it is clear that screening tests are not perfect and those who test positive require additional follow-up to confirm the diagnosis and chose an appropriate therapy. Equally important, but less […]

Dr. Charles recently posted over at KevinMD on the top 10 cost effective preventive medicine services.1) Aspirin2) Childhood Immunization3) Smoking cessation4) Moderating alcohol intake5) Colorectal cancer screening6) Hypertension screening7) Flu immunization8) Vision screening9) Cervical cancer screening10) Cholesterol screening The exciting thing here is some of these cost effective strategies also relate to cancer and many […]

A British media story today points to later age at first birth as a major cause of increasing breast cancer rates in the UK (see story). This is not news, though increasing knowledge about causes of breast cancer is useful. We have known for decades that the later a women ahs her first birth the […]

In the June issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, University of Minnesota researcher DeAnn Lazovich and colleagues published a study further confirming the dangers of indoor tanning, finding significant increases in the risk of melanoma linked to regular tanning bed use (link).  She summarizes her findings and take-home messages in this nice […]

  “…the prevalence of smoking in the United States hovers at 20%, more than 8 million people are sick or disabled as a result of tobacco use, and smoking kills 450,000 Americans annually.”   In a new Perspective on the New England Journal of Medicine’s site (link), Stephen Schroeder, MD and Kenneth Warner, PhD  make the strong […]

KevinMD has had some great guest posts recently including one by Kenneth Lin (http://commonsensemd.blogspot.com/) on the need (or not) for cancer awareness. Dr. Lin references the recent Facebook campaign that had women posting their bra color to raise breast cancer awareness – which had me wondering whether anyone is really not “aware” of breast cancer […]