Cancer children more apt to survive if parents did
Children whose parents beat certain types of cancer have a better chance of doing the same if they get the disease themselves, according to a Swedish study suggesting that survival traits are passed on.
The research, published in the November issue of Lancet Oncology, said good survival—defined as living for at least 10 years past the cancer diagnosis—extended to breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers.
Protein may be key to gestational diabetes
A protein in the pancreas of mice may offer insight into the mechanism behind gestational diabetes, a condition that affects about 4 percent of all pregnant women, researchers said on Thursday.
Researchers at Stanford University found the protein menin acts as a natural brake in the pancreas, controlling the production of cells needed to make insulin, which helps the body convert sugar into energy.
Allergies may protect against brain cancer
A history of allergies may reduce the risk of a particular type of brain tumor called glioma, investigators report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Little is known about what causes glioma, note Dr. Eleni Linos, of Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. “Atopic (allergic) diseases are on the rise in western populations, with increasing interest in their long-term health consequences,” they point out. “An inverse association between (allergy) and the risk of glioma has been observed.”
Parents less distressed than non-parents: survey
Parents may complain that their kids “drive them crazy,” but results of a survey suggest that the opposite might actually be true.
The survey of more than 33,400 U.S. adults identified lower levels of anxiety, depression, or other measures of psychological distress among parents than among non-parenting adults of the same age.
