Health & Medicine
An Early Warning of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer often gives no hint of its presence until it's incurable. Yet recent research shows that many women do have early warning signs, and last week a coalition of cancer organizations agreed on what those are: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urgent or frequent urination. "It's not just about having the symptoms occasionally," says Barbara Goff, director of gynecologic oncology at the University of Washington in Seattle, who conducted three of the studies that led to the consensus. "They should be new, occur almost daily, and persist for two to three weeks." Women with the symptoms should have a rectal-vaginal exam to check the size of the ovaries, a transvaginal ultrasound to look for growths, and a blood test to measure ca-125 (a protein that sometimes is elevated with ovarian cancer). If there seems to be a possibility of cancer, a biopsy of the ovary may be warranted. — Deborah Kotz
A Link Between Head and Heart
Treating the common risk factors of heart disease—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes—might also slow the progression of Alzheimer's. Last week, French researchers reported that of 891 patients followed for four years, those who were treated for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol did better on thinking and memory tests than people who weren't. A second study, in the journal Neuron, suggests that avoiding brain injury may have a protective benefit. Researchers found that the death of brain cells caused by stroke or head trauma triggers the production of amyloid-beta protein, which forms the brain-tangling plaques of Alzheimer's. The risk of stroke can be reduced by treating high blood pressure. Wearing helmets when bicycling, skiing, or doing other high-speed sports substantially reduces the risk of head injury. Worldwide, 26 million people have Alzheimer's, a number expected to quadruple by 2050. — Nancy Shute
Update on the Weight-Loss Front
Diet pills took center stage last week, as one arrived in stores and another's prospects dimmed. Alli, the first Food and Drug Administration-approved over-the-counter offering, is a half-strength version of the prescription diet drug Xenical, to be taken before every meal containing fat. It works by reducing the amount of fat absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract. In clinical trials, those who used Alli along with diet and exercise lost 50 percent more weight on average than those who used diet and exercise alone. Side effects include excessive flatulence and difficult-to-control, oily bowel movements, and experts caution that it won't work without the contribution of diet and exercise. Meanwhile, an FDA advisory committee recommended against the approval of rimonabant, a highly anticipated prescription drug that has been linked to increased risk of depression and suicide. The agency will make a decision in July. — Adam Voiland
This story appears in the June 25, 2007 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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