Dr. Healy is both a thoughtful, seasoned doctor and a health columnist for US News and World Report.  She was the prime motivator for the outstanding Womens' Health Initiative study, a project that continues to bear fruit to this day.

A new study shows that the vast majority of high-risk women are not taking tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer, even though tamoxifen is very effective for just this problem.

Hormone replacement is a difficult and emotional subject, and researchers have made it more complex with findings that women who took hormone replacement were about 1/3 less likely to develop colon cancer.

This was a large observational study, meaning they weren't specifically looking to find such an association. Still, I always look at the magnitude of benefit and the statistics. As a friend once said, I like to see the p-value.

What's good for the heart is good for the prostate crows researcher Dr. Jeffrey Karnes. He's talking about the effect statins have on preventing prostate cancer. Nice concept. He and the urologic oncology fellow Dr. Rodney Breau conducted a study of almost 2 500 patients and found that the non-statin users were three times more likely to develop prostate cancer. These Mayo guys may not have been in the room (as I was) at the 2005 ASCO where my former mentor Dr. Ruby Kochhar presented a study showing a 51% risk reduction of breast cancer with statin use.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical typically used in making plastic stronger. It is also utilized in sealing food cans baby bottles water bottles some food containers CDs and dental sealants and prevents liquid leaking out of bottles. It actually persuades a group of proteins that defend cancer cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy. BPA falls under the “some concern” categories. BPA has been in the news recently because of its probable health vulnerability.

Scientists at the San Antonio Breast Cancer conference in Texas reported last week that a bone strengthening drug might also fight breast cancer. This news had been previously reported but ongoing research confirms efficacy in this setting. The previous reports had indicated a very slight survival advantage in women with breast cancer treated with bone strengthening bisphosphonates after surgery. The effects of the drugs given prior to breast surgery were unknown.

Researchers have long reported that at least half of American adults are suffering from the deficiency of Vitamin D and speculation has indicated that this deficiency can lead to illnesses from osteoporosis to cancer of the colon and breast. Recently new research has asked whether Vitamin D can avert breast cancer. Earlier studies carried out between the years 1986 and 2000 have highlighted that Vitamin D could protect against cancer.

Caffeine is the most frequently consumed drug today in the world. It is found in coffee tea chocolate and some other medications as well. There has been an opinion that consumption of coffee in large amounts may increase the risk of developing breast cancer. In the United States breast cancer is diagnosed in nearly 200 000 women yearly. With such a high instance researchers are evaluating ways in which to lessen the risk of developing breast cancer and ways in which individuals can alter their lifestyle choices to reduce their risks.

Breast cancer pill better than tamoxifen in randomized trial