Category: Uncategorized

by Hank Dart In my many years of writing about and promoting healthy behaviors, I’m happy to say that I’ve at least tried to put into practice just about everything I’ve espoused. Of course, like many people, my success at doing so can be uneven. Some behaviors I do pretty well with – like exercise, […]

by Dr. Lindsay Kuroki Parents grow up wanting their kids to be healthy and happy. And taking control of your child’s health may be easier than you think with evolving research. We know that with healthy eating, encouraging exercise, staying safe in the sun, and getting scheduled vaccinations your child is on the right path […]

As we’ve written about before on Cancer News in Context, good evidence points to the important role that behaviors in youth and young adulthood can have on cancer risk later in life. Health habits started in youth not only have a longer time to impact risk, but they can also have unique and important interactions with the […]

Two years ago during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we posted over nine days excerpts from our, then, new book TOGETHER:  Every Woman’s Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer. Each of the nine days focussed on a single practical step that could help lower the risk of the disease.  With each of the steps still relevant and […]

In a little under a month in New York state, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) will be banned wherever standard tobacco cigarettes are prohibited. The move adds to a growing list of states restricting e-cig use because of concerns about their impact on health and safety. Although e-cigs are often marketed as safer alternatives to standard cigarettes […]

Ever wonder how you’re state stacks up compared to others when it comes to important health risk factors? If so, a tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (below) can help you do just that. And while it can be fun to click through and explore the data from different states and for […]

By Hank Dart Differences in life expectancy in the United States can vary greatly depending on the county in which you live.  That’s the finding of a new analysis out of the University of Washington and published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Using data from the Human Mortality Database, National Center for Health Statistics, and […]

A new analysis published last week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that physical inactivity results in a significant economic burden the world over. Though the authors found that studies looking at the economic impact of inactivity lacked consistent methodology – which, therefore, limited specific conclusions – sedentary lifestyles were found to account […]

A great interview this week with Belma Andrić, MD, MPH on the 80% by 2018 blog highlights successful approaches that can boost colon cancer screening rates at community clinics with underserved populations. During her tenure as Medical Director with C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics in Florida, colon screening rates increased from 21 percent in 2013 […]

by Graham Colditz The debate regarding luck, prevention, and cancer risk is in the media again today (see Science, NPR, Forbes, and many others). The authors of this new paper — a follow-up of their original published two years ago and which caused such stir — make a clear effort too classify cancer risk as […]

by Hank Dart Even in the middle of the roiling media cycle we’re in, diet has still managed to break through and make headlines the past couple weeks. Probably the biggest recent story was the release of a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found that around 40 – 50 percent […]

For a topic that always gets a lot of news coverage, health and healthcare has been in the media even more than usual since the 2016 election. While it’s unclear exactly where the current debates on Obamacare and the American Health Care Act will lead, a Sounding Board article in today’s New England Journal of […]

Suggests focus on inequality should be similar to that on lifestyle risk factors by Hank DartA large, new study has found that income inequality contributes to premature death on a level similar to important lifestyle factors like smoking, physical inactivity, and diabetes. The study, appearing in The Lancet, combined findings from 48 cohort studies in […]

Only two doses now needed for most youth, instead of three By Katy Henke HPV, or human papillomavirus, is an increasingly popular health topic these days. Not only are there news stories about HPV and the HPV vaccine just about every week, but there’s a push across nearly all levels of healthcare — from federal […]

It’s not news that parents can sometimes have blinders on when it comes to their kids. It’s only natural that we look for all the positives in our children and downplay any possible negatives. And this is just what seems to be happening with parents and the loaded issue of their child’s weight.  Parents of […]

by Katy Henke With Labor Day weekend bringing summer vacation to a close, parents are putting the finishing touches on preparation for the impending school year. In addition to school supplies and new clothing, parents should also be vaccinating their children prior to school starting. Vaccinations help prevent possible future infections and diseases. Prevention through […]

Cancer News in Context’s Dr. Graham Colditz speaks with ecancertv at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 50th Anniversary Scientific Conference 2016 about the social and legislative surroundings of modern strategies in cancer prevention.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reported today in the journal, JAMA, that there is not enough evidence to recommend that adults get screened for skin cancer. Though some professional medical organizations recommend physician-performed visual checks for skin cancer — and many physicians carry them out — the USPSTF found no solid evidence that […]

Photos from Friday’s very successful 2nd Rural Cancer Disparities Retreat at Washington University School of Medicine in collaboration with Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The P20 leadership team: from left: Sonya Izadi, WUSM project coordinator; Dr. Wiley Jenkins, SIU; Dr. Graham Colditz, WUSM; Dr. David Steward, SIU; Dr. Aimee James, WUSM; and Amanda Fogleman Dr. Graham […]

Cancer News in Context is excited to publish four posts this week on high-risk breast and ovarian cancer.  These posts will provide insight for women (and their families) from Washington University School of Medicine physicians on unique aspects of high-risk disease — from genetic testing and treatment to prevention and risk management.   July 11 […]

Cancer News in Context is excited to publish four posts this week on high-risk breast and ovarian cancer.  These posts will provide insight for women (and their families) from Washington University School of Medicine physicians on unique aspects of high-risk disease — from genetic testing and treatment to prevention and risk management.   July 11 […]

by Katy Henke For such an important issue, rural cancer disparities don’t often get their due attention. Yet, it is understood by researchers and rural community members alike that geographic location has an important affect on population health and preventative health interventions. For individuals living in rural, isolated areas, a lack of access to healthcare […]

Cancer News in Context is excited to publish four posts this week on high-risk breast and ovarian cancer.  These posts will provide insight for women (and their families) from Washington University School of Medicine physicians on unique aspects of high-risk disease — from genetic testing and treatment to prevention and risk management.   July 11 […]

Cancer News in Context is excited to publish four posts this week on high-risk breast and ovarian cancer.  These posts will provide insight for women (and their families) from Washington University School of Medicine physicians on unique aspects of high-risk disease — from genetic testing and treatment to prevention and risk management.   July 11 […]

A new study shows just how tough it can be for low-income smokers in the United States to get adequate, affordable health insurance coverage. In an analysis looking at the plans offered in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, in a state that did not expand Medicaid coverage, Washington University School of Medicine researchers found that […]

By Sydney Philpott Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most sexually active women and men will have an HPV infection at some point in their lives. While HPV infections usually go away on their own, certain types persist and then serve as the primary […]