Lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in developed countries. That’s according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer has long been the leading cause of cancer death among men, but because women started smoking in greater numbers later than men, it took longer for cancer cases to spike. SOURCE – Global Cancer Statistics/CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians/MedDay/CBS
Breast cancer
A worldwide study of 100,000 women has discovered two new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The variants are linked to estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, the most common form of the disease. Researchers say screening women for all the known variants could help determine which patients face the highest risk. SOURCE – Human Molecular Genetics/MedDay/CBS
Stroke
A new study shows it is feasible for suspected stroke patients to receive treatment in the ambulance rather than wait until they get to the hospital. When it comes to stroke, every minute counts to prevent death and brain damage. Researchers at UCLA found paramedics were able to treat almost 75 percent of patients within the first hour of their stroke, when there is the greatest amount of brain to save. SOURCE – New England Journal of Medicine/MedDay/CBS