Smokers Mistakenly Believe Vitamins Protect Them From Cancer

FRIDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers who take a multivitamin pill may think they can smoke more because the supplement protects them from the harmful affects of cigarettes, according to a new study.

Researchers found that some people who smoke mistakenly believe the vitamins will reduce their risk of cancer, allowing them to light up more often. The study noted that such trading of a virtuous behavior for a subsequent indulgence, known as the "licensing effect," could undermine smokers' urge to kick the addiction.

"Smokers who take dietary supplements can fool themselves into thinking they are protected against cancer and other diseases. Reminding health-conscious smokers that multivitamins don't prevent cancer may help them control their smoking or even encourage them to stop," said the study's lead author, Wen-Bin Chiou in a journal news release.

The study, published online Aug. 2 in the journal Addiction, involved two experiments. In the first experiment, a group of 74 daily smokers were given a placebo (dummy) pill, but half were told they were taking a vitamin C pill. After taking the pills, the smokers were allowed to smoke freely as they took an unrelated hour-long survey.

Researchers found the smokers who thought they had taken vitamins smoked nearly twice as many cigarettes than those who knew they took the placebo. They also reported having greater feelings of invincibility.

In the second study, 80 smokers were also given a placebo, with half being told they were taking a multivitamin. Afterwards, they were allowed to smoke while they took a survey, which contained questions about their attitudes towards multivitamins.

Not only did those who took multivitamins smoke more, but those who reported believing in the health benefits of vitamins had a greater surge in their feelings of invincibility and smoked still more than those who were less optimistic about the vitamins' effects.

The study's authors concluded health-conscious smokers who take vitamins may wrongly feel less vulnerable to the harmful effects of cigarettes. As a result, the researchers added, they may smoke more, increasing their overall health risks.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on how to quit smoking.

SOURCE: Wiley-Blackwell, news release, Aug. 2, 2011

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Cancer Patients May Be at Greater Risk for Sun Damage

TUESDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- During the summer, cancer patients are at greater risk for sun damage and need to be extra vigilant about sun safety, researchers say.

"Cancer patients may be more at risk for sun damage because of their treatment," said Dr. Elizabeth Kvale, director of outpatient supportive care and survivorship in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, in a university news release.

"Skin that has been treated with radiation therapy may lose some of its natural protective capacity because of the changes that occur with treatment," she said. "Radiation-exposed skin should be completely protected from sun exposure."

In order to protect their skin from the sun's harmful rays, the UAB experts recommend that cancer patients follow some basic sun-protection guidelines during hot weather, including:

Apply sunscreenWear protective clothing Cover surgical scars (they may darken if exposed to the sun) Wear a hat (this is especially important for patients who have lost their hair)

Skin cancer patients should pay particular attention to the areas of skin being treated, advised the American Society of Clinical Oncologists. Dark, tightly woven fabrics are best for guarding against sun exposure, the group noted.

The UAB experts added that children who have been diagnosed with cancer are among those at greatest risk. "Pediatric cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers should be especially attentive to sun safety," said Kvale, who is also an associate scientist in the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Kvale explained that children who experience sunburn have a significantly elevated risk of developing serious skin cancer in the long-term.

The sun's harmful UV rays are not the only reason cancer patients have to exercise caution during the summer. Cancer patients are also more susceptible to heat exhaustion or dehydration since vomiting, diarrhea and nausea are side-effects of cancer treatment. As a result, UAB experts warn that cancer patients should also take the following steps:

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the dayChew on ice chips Avoid beverages with alcohol or caffeineEat fruits and vegetables with high fluid content

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more tips on sun safety.

SOURCE: University of Alabama at Birmingham, news release, July 28, 2011.

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Scientists May Have Found Missing Link to Common Brain Cancer

THURSDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- A map of the genetic mutations associated with the second most common form of brain cancer appears to reveal the biological cause of the tumors, researchers report.

They created the map by sequencing protein-coding genes in seven samples of tissue from oligodendroglioma tumors, and concentrated on recurring mutations in two genes (CIC and FUBP1) not previously associated with those types of tumors.

The genes appear to be the missing link in the "two-hit" theory of cancer development, the scientists said. That is, each cell in the body has two copies of 23 chromosomes, representing thousands of genes that produce protein. If one copy is missing, the other copy can make up for the lack of protein. But if the second copy fails, it can become cancerous.

For years, scientists have known that the "first hit" in oligodendrogliomas appears in the regions of chromosomes 1 and 19, which fuse together and cause the loss of many genes.

In this study, scientists found mutations in the CIC and FUBP1 genes on chromosomes 1 and 19, which suggests they are the "second hit" needed to cause cancer.

More mutations in the genes -- which regulate cell-signaling processes -- were found in an additional 27 tumor samples. Of all the tumor samples analyzed in the study, two-thirds had CIC and FUBP1 mutations, said the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists.

"Whenever we find genes mutated in a majority of tumors, it is likely that the pathway regulated by that gene is critical for the development and biology of the tumor," Nickolas Papadopoulos, an associate professor of oncology, said in a center news release.

The study appears Aug. 4 in the journal Science.

About 20 percent of brain cancers are oligodendrogliomas, which tend to affect people aged 30 to 45 and most often form on the frontal lobe in cells that coat neurons. Treatment involves surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Median survival is 10 years.

More information

The National Brain Tumor Society has more about oligodendroglioma tumors.

SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, news release, Aug. 4, 2011

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Breast Cancer Drug Raises Risk of Heart Problems in Older Women: Study

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The breast cancer drug Herceptin increases the risk of heart problems in elderly patients, especially those with a history of heart disease and/or diabetes, a new study says.

Researchers analyzed the medical records of 45 women, ages 70 to 92, who were treated with Herceptin (trastuzumab) since 2005 and found that 12 (26.7 percent) of them developed heart problems caused by the drug.

That rate is slightly higher than what was noted in earlier clinical trials of younger, healthier women.

In this new study, 33 percent of the women with a history of heart disease developed either asymptomatic or symptomatic heart problems as a result of taking Herceptin, compared with 9.1 percent of women without a history of heart disease.

The researchers also found that about 33 percent of women with diabetes developed heart problems, compared with 6 percent of diabetes-free women.

When the women with heart problems stopped taking Herceptin, all but one recovered fully and five were able to re-start treatment with the drug.

The study appears in the journal Annals of Oncology.

"This is the first study specifically to assess trastuzumab-related cardiac toxicity and the cardiovascular factors that are associated with an increased risk in a selected population of elderly breast cancer patients," study author Dr. Cesar Serrano, who conducted the research while working as a clinical fellow at the Department of Medical Oncology Breast Cancer Centre at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain, said in a journal news release.

"Trastuzumab is generally well-tolerated and, although there are some concerns about it causing heart problems, until now few risk factors have been identified among patients in clinical trials, most of whom are usually younger than 70 years and have good general health. Our study has demonstrated a significantly increased incidence of cardiac events among patients aged 70 and over with cardiovascular risk factors such as a history of cardiac disease and diabetes," said Serrano, who is now a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Serrano said the findings suggest that elderly women with one or more heart risk factors who are being treated with trastuzumab should be referred to a cardiologist. He also recommended closer monitoring of such patients for possible heart problems.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about breast cancer treatment.

SOURCE: Annals of Oncology, news release, Aug. 9, 2011

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Counseling May Help Women at Risk for Breast Cancer Gene

FRIDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Although women whose mothers had breast cancer may worry about developing cancer themselves, many do not fully understand when and why they should be screened or their options to reduce their risk for the disease, a new study suggests.

"Young, high-risk women have little knowledge about the probabilities and options for managing the cancers for which their risks are remarkably increased. Further, many report intense anxiety related to their potential cancer development," principal investigator Andrea Farkas Patenaude, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said in an institute news release.

The daughters of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have a 50 percent chance of having this mutation themselves, which will increase their risk of breast cancer by 85 percent and raise their risk of ovarian cancer by up to 60 percent. The researchers pointed out that these women will be unable to make informed health decisions until they know about these risks as well as the genetic testing, other types of screening and risk-reducing surgery available to them.

In conducting the study, the investigators questioned the 18- to 24-year-old daughters of mothers who are BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers, about their attitudes, health behaviors, life plans and how much they knew about hereditary breast or ovarian cancer genetics.

The researchers found that the women surveyed worried a lot about hereditary breast or ovarian cancer. In fact, 40 percent of the daughters revealed they worried a great deal or to an extreme about hereditary cancer.

The study also revealed that the women were not well-informed about the genetics of breast or ovarian cancers, compared to those who had genetic counseling. The participants also did not fully understand their cancer screening and risk-reduction options, including when they should begin this screening process.

"These data support the need and can provide the foundation for the development of targeted educational materials to reduce that anxiety and ultimately improve participation in effective screening and risk-reducing interventions that can improve survival and quality of life for these young women," Farkas Patenaude said.

The findings were slated for presentation on Thursday in Orlando at the Era of Hope conference hosted by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. Because this study was presented at a meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute provides more information on how to assess breast cancer risk.

SOURCE: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, news release, Aug. 4, 2011

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Elderly Lung Cancer Patients Can Gain From Two-Drug Chemo: Study

MONDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Countering conventional wisdom, researchers in France say that elderly lung cancer patients can gain significant benefit from an aggressive, double-barreled chemotherapy that's often used in younger patients.

The finding raises questions about standard public health recommendations, such as those issued the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2004, which advised physicians not to expose elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to the undesirable side effects of combination chemotherapy.

Instead, older patients have typically been offered less harsh -- but also less effective -- chemotherapies containing a single agent. That's because, until now, it's been assumed that the benefits to elderly patients of dual-chemo ("doublet") regimens simply weren't worth their onerous side effects and risks.

But, "our study demonstrates clearly that [the doublet] scheme is feasible in elderly patients," study author Dr. Elisabeth Quoix, from the department of chest diseases at Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg at the University of Strasbourg. She noted that survival rates among elderly patients, even among those over the age of 80, appeared comparable to those of younger patients on the dual-drug regimen.

The findings are reported online Aug. 9 in The Lancet.

As life expectancy increases, so does the risk for lung cancer, the leading cancer killer worldwide. As a result, studies show that lung cancer rates have been ramping up among the elderly, with patients in the developed world now averaging between 63 and 70 years of age at diagnosis.

According to Quoix, that means that "elderly patients represent around 50 percent of all patients with lung cancer." She also believes that "there has been for quite a long time such a nihilism toward this disease, especially for elderly patients, that unfortunately most of these patients are under-treated."

In fact, prior research indicates that, in recent years, as little as one-quarter of NSCLC patients over the age of 66 have gotten the same first-line standard of care as younger patients.

To learn more, between 2006 and 2009 Quoix' team recruited just over 450 NSCLC patients between the ages of 70 and 89. All of these patients were undergoing treatment at one of 61 different medical centers across France.

Half were placed on a dual-chemotherapy regimen involving the agents carboplatin and paclitaxel, which together comprise what doctors call "platinum-based doublet chemotherapy." The other half were placed on a single drug ("monotherapy") regimen involving either vinorelbine or gemcitabine.

Dual-regimens were spread across four weeks, while the single regimens were spaced over three weeks.

The researchers found that toxic side effects were indeed more common among those exposed to two chemotherapy agents at once. Yet over the course of 2.5 years of follow-up (on average), the team also found that survival rates were much higher among the dual-chemo group.

For example, elderly patients who were placed on the two-drug therapy survived more than 10 months on average, compared with just over 6 months for those getting the single therapy group.

What's more, nearly 45 percent of doublet patients survived to the one-year mark post-treatment, compared with about 25 percent of those in the single-chemo group.

The authors concluded that -- harsher toxic side-effects notwithstanding -- double-chemo treatment appears to afford elderly lung cancer appreciable and worthwhile benefits. They therefore called for a reconsideration of current protocols for lung cancer treatment among the elderly.

However, in an editorial, Dr. Karen L Reckamp, from the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif., said that there have been too few clinical trials involving older men and women with lung cancer. That means that the "optimum chemotherapy regimen remains unknown" for elderly lung cancer patients, she wrote.

"Clinical trials that examine therapy for lung cancer usually include a minority of patients over 70, so that results do not provide guidance on the best treatment for this group," Reckamp explained.

But she agreed that the new French study "moves the field forward" by highlighting the apparent "dramatic improvement in survival" among elderly afforded dual-chemo treatment.

"This strongly supports doublet chemotherapy in carefully selected older individuals with NSCLC," Reckamp said. However, "the results must be balanced by a look at the increased toxicities and deaths in the combination arm. We are still in need of addition studies that evaluate older individuals with NSCLC and perform an assessment so that we might predict those who may have greater benefit or who might be at greater risk for toxicity."

More information

For more on non-small cell lung cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Elisabeth Quoix, M.D., department of chest diseases, Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, University of Strasbourg, France; Karen L Reckamp, M.D., City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, Calif; Aug. 9, 2011, Lancet, online

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Stomach Cancer Tumors Have Genetic Differences: Researchers

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Stomach cancer tumors have genetic differences, which determine how they respond to treatment, researchers have found.

In identifying two distinct versions of the disease, scientists found that a certain regimen of chemotherapy is more effective on one tumor type, while another drug works best on the other. The study authors said their findings would help doctors more effectively treat gastric cancer patients.

"Our study is the first to show that a proposed molecular classification of gastric cancer can identify genomic subtypes that respond differently to therapies, which is crucial in efforts to customize treatments for patients," study senior author Dr. Patrick Tan, associate professor in the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program at the Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Graduate Medical School, said in a university news release.

A microscopic pathology test developed in the 1960s, known as the Lauren classification, is a general description (either intestinal or diffuse) of how well the tumor cells clump together. The Singapore-based team at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, however, was able to distinguish gastric cancer tumors where the Lauren test could not.

"There is a general assumption in the field that intestinal and diffuse gastric cancers [as classified by Lauren] represent two very different versions of gastric cancer, and now genomic data confirms this by demonstrating that the two genomic subtypes have very different molecular patterns," said Tan.

In profiling 37 stomach cancer cell lines, the researchers found two distinct patterns. Moreover, in accurately defining these tumor subtypes, they were also able to observe differences in how well each responded to chemotherapy.

"The exact mechanistic reasons for this difference are currently unclear, and this is an area that we are actively working on," noted Tan, adding that the researchers are working to find more specific vulnerabilities to drugs.

The researchers said they plan further research in which gastric cancer tumors will be genetically profiled to determine the most effective treatment.

The study findings were published in the Aug. 1 edition of Gastroenterology.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about stomach cancer.

SOURCE: Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, news release, Aug. 1, 2011

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Urine Test Might Help Predict Prostate Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A new urine test might help doctors detect prostate cancer and better evaluate a patient's treatment options, researchers say.

"This is a tool that men and their physician can use to help them decide whether it's appropriate to get a biopsy now or delay that decision," said lead researcher Dr. Scott Tomlins, a pathology resident at the University of Michigan Health System.

The test looks for two genetic markers associated with prostate cancer. The first, called TMPRSS2:ERG, is caused by two genes changing places and fusing together; it is thought to cause prostate cancer. Since the gene fusion is only seen in about half of cancer patients, the test also looks for another marker, called PCA3.

"We are exploiting some new bio-markers to try to refine the PSA [prostate-specific antigen] test," Tomlins said.

The PSA test can indicate prostate cancer, but it is unreliable, often producing false positives and false negatives, Tomlins said. "You can have low PSA and have cancer, or high PSA and not have cancer," he said.

The two genetic markers may be more reliable indicators of prostate cancer, he said. One of them, TMPRSS2:ERG, is only seen in cancer, he added.

Together, they can be used "to stratify men into saying, 'You have a high chance of having cancer, and you should get a biopsy now, or if you are in a lower risk group you have a much lower risk of cancer and perhaps you could delay the biopsy,'" Tomlins said.

However, Tomlins cautioned that the test is not perfect. "It's hard to recommend that someone not get a biopsy, because there is always a chance you are going to miss a cancer that doesn't have either of these two markers," he said.

For the study, published in the Aug. 3 issue of Science Translational Medicine, Tomlins' team studied urine samples from 1,312 men who had high PSA levels and had had a prostate biopsy or surgery to remove the prostate.

The researchers specifically looked for the two markers and used them to slot the men into high-, intermediate- or low-risk groups for prostate cancer. They then compared their results with the results from biopsies, which are done with a needle in a physician's office for detection of any cancer cells.

Based on the biopsies, cancer was found in 21 percent of the men in the low-risk group, in 43 percent of the intermediate-risk group and in 69 percent of the high-risk group.

The researchers said the findings of the urine tests correlated with tumor size and the cancer's aggressiveness. In the low-risk group, only 7 percent had aggressive cancer, compared with 40 percent of the men classified as high-risk, they found.

One limitation of the study is that most patients were Caucasian, so further studies are needed to see whether the findings extend to all men, the researchers noted.

Although not yet available to the public, the test soon will be offered at the University of Michigan, Tomlins said.

The test is licensed to Gen-Probe, a San Diego maker of genetically based diagnostic tests. Mike Watt, a company spokesman, said the test is still in the early stages of development and has not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval. The company has no firm idea of the test's cost should it be approved, Watt added.

Study funding was supported in part by Gen Probe, and the University of Michigan and Brigham and Womens Hospital have obtained a patent on the detection of ETS gene fusion in prostate cancer, in which four co-authors are listed as co-inventors.

A prostate cancer expert, Dr. Anthony D'Amico, chief of radiation oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said the test is "a step forward, but we still have a ways to go."

"On average the risk is higher in people with both markers and lowest in people who have neither, but that's on average," D'Amico said.

If a patient has indications of an aggressive prostate cancer, the test can add more to that diagnosis, D'Amico said. But for men who potentially have cancer, a low-risk determination based on this test shouldn't preclude biopsy, he said.

"It adds fuel to the fire when you suspect something bad, but I don't think it takes you out of the woods when these markers are not present," D'Amico said.

More information

For more information on prostate cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Scott Tomlins, M.D., Ph.D., pathology resident, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor; Anthony D'Amico, M.D., Ph.D., chief, radiation oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Mike Watt, spokesman, Gen-Probe, San Diego, Calif.; Aug. 3, 2011, Science Translational Medicine

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Study of Bone Cancer in Dogs May Improve Treatment in Kids

MONDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of a gene pattern that distinguishes highly aggressive bone cancer in dogs from a less aggressive form may help improve treatment of bone cancer in children, according to researchers.

Other than humans, dogs are the only species that develops bone cancer spontaneously with any frequency. Dogs are more likely than humans to develop bone cancer, but human and dog forms of bone cancer are very similar, explained study team leader Dr. Jaime Modiano, a comparative medicine expert at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

The newly discovered gene pattern in dogs is an exact match with humans and may assist in treatment planning for children with bone cancer, according to the report in the September issue of the journal Bone.

"Our findings pave the way to develop laboratory tests that can predict the behavior of this tumor in dogs and children at the time of diagnosis," Modiano said in a university news release. "This allows us to tailor individualized therapy to meet the patient's needs. Patients with less aggressive disease could be treated conservatively, reducing the side effects and the risks associated with treatment, while patients with more aggressive disease could be treated with more intense therapy."

The course and aggressiveness of bone cancer can vary from patient to patient and is difficult to predict. Some patients respond well to conventional treatment and live for decades without recurrence, while others have a poor response and experience a rapid return of bone cancer, the release noted.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about bone cancer.

SOURCE: University of Minnesota, news release, July 28, 2011

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Early Morning Smoking Riskier For Cancer

MONDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers who light up right after they wake up in the morning may be at greater risk for lung, head and neck cancers than those who wait longer before having their first cigarette of the day, a new study finds.

The study was released online Aug. 8 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal Cancer.

"These smokers have higher levels of nicotine and possibly other tobacco toxins in their body, and they may be more addicted than smokers who refrain from smoking for a half hour or more," said Joshua Muscat, of Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, in a journal news release. "It may be a combination of genetic and personal factors that cause a higher dependence to nicotine."

In the study, researchers compared 4,775 lung cancer patients with 2,835 smokers who didn't have cancer. They found that those who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking up were 1.3 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who waited at least an hour before lighting up. Meanwhile, those who smoked within 30 minutes of waking up were 1.79 times more likely to develop lung cancer.

In a separate analysis, the investigators compared 1,055 smokers with head and neck cancer with 795 smokers without the disease. Those who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking up were 1.42 times more likely to develop cancer than those who waited more than 60 minutes to have a cigarette. Smokers who had their first cigarette within a half hour of waking up were 1.59 times more likely to develop head and neck cancer.

The findings suggest the desire to have a cigarette immediately after waking up may increase smokers' risk for cancer, the researchers concluded. As a result, these smokers would benefit from smoking cessation programs that specifically target this early morning behavior and the greater risks involved, they added.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on the health effects of smoking.

SOURCE: Cancer, news release, Aug. 8, 2011

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Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rates May Not Be Linked to Screening Rates

FRIDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Developed countries have seen a drop in breast cancer death rates in recent years, but a new international study suggests this trend is less about rising screening rates and more about the availability of increasingly effective treatments and improving health-care systems.

The finding stems from an analysis of World Health Organization (WHO) breast cancer data collected between 1980 and 2006, in which French, British and Norwegian researchers compared the screening and fatality rates of several Western European countries. The observations were presented online July 29 in the British Medical Journal.

"The contrast between the time differences in implementation of mammography screening and the similarity in reductions in mortality between the country pairs suggest that screening did not play a direct part in the reductions in breast cancer mortality," a team of researchers led by Philippe Autier, research director of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France, said in a journal news release.

To explore to what degree breast cancer screening rates appeared to be related to fatality rates, the authors chose six countries for points of comparison.

Northern Ireland was stacked up against the Republic of Ireland; the Netherlands was compared with Belgium/Flanders; and Sweden was examined alongside Norway.

The team noted that medical services and the prevalence of breast cancer death risk factors were comparable in each pairing. However, in the space of the study, the second country of each of the three groups was 10 to 15 years behind the first country in terms of their implementation of mammography screening protocols.

The results: Breast cancer death rates, which dropped across the board, were more or less similar in each country pairing, despite stark differences in screening histories.

For example, fatalities between 1989 and 2006 had plummeted by 29 percent in Northern Ireland, as compared with 26 percent in the Republic of Ireland.

The Netherlands registered a 25 percent drop, compared with a 20 percent to 25 percent drop in Belgium/Flanders, while the downward trend of 16 percent in Sweden compared with 24 percent in Norway.

In general terms, Autier's team also noted breast cancer death rates were not that different among women who had undergone almost no screening as compared with those who had been screened quite often.

And the biggest death rate drop seen overall was among women between the ages of 40 and 49, whether or not they had undergone screening.

Dr. Lauren Cassell, chief of breast surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital (affiliated with Northshore/LIJ) in New York City, cautioned that it's not clear that the current findings are easily generalizable to other nations.

"I'm not sure how well this finding would translate in comparison with the U.S.," she noted. "I suspect that we may be more aggressive in our screening protocols, and our health system is very different from the ones they looked at."

"And, in any case, I would certainly say that people should continue getting screened," Cassell stressed. "Because we still do know that catching any cancer at an earlier stage does translate into better outcomes and maybe less treatment. Because even if the end result is the same, and fatal, I certainly would like to have a cancer that could be treated with hormonal treatment and not chemotherapy, if possible."

More information

For more on breast cancer screening guidelines in the United States, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCE: BMJ, July 28, 2011, news release

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Cell Phones Don't Seem to Pose Cancer Risk to Kids: Study

WEDNESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Children who use cell phones don't seem to face an increased risk of brain cancer, compared to children who don't use them, a new study contends.

But, the study authors and other experts cautioned that more research is needed.

With the increase in cell phone use among kids, some worry that radiation from the devices can increase the risk for brain tumors. Children's brains are still developing, and because their heads are smaller radiofrequency electromagnetic fields may penetrate areas deeper in the brain, some researchers say.

"The [study] results are reassuring, given the widespread use of mobile phones by children and adolescents," said lead author Martin Roosli, an assistant professor at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland.

"However," he added, "uncertainties remain regarding long-term use. Thus, further careful monitoring whether brain tumor incidence is increasing in this age group is important."

The findings were published July 27 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

For the study, Roosli's team collected data on 352 children and adolescents aged 7-19 with brain cancer, and compared them to 646 similar children who did not have brain cancer. The children came from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The researchers also interviewed the children and asked them about their cell phone use.

The researchers found that children with brain tumors didn't use cell phone more than those without tumors. Specifically, 75.3 percent of the children with brain tumors said they had used a cell phone more than 20 times before being diagnosed with their tumor. Among those children without cancer, 72.1 percent reported similar cell phone use.

Among children with tumors, 55 percent said they used a cell phone regularly, compared to 51 percent of children without tumors.

Also, there was no increase in the risk for tumors in the area of the brain receiving the most radiation from cell phones, the researchers said.

"However, people who are concerned might consider using cell phones with low radiation emissions or they might consider using an ear piece or using the phone's speaker," Roosli said.

These findings probably won't quell the debate about the potential risk of brain cancer from cell phones.

In May, a panel of experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) said cell phones may cause brain cancer. After reviewing dozens of studies on the subject, the experts classified cell phones as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" and placed them in the same category as the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.

Commenting on the new study, John D. Boice Jr., of the International Epidemiology Institute and co-author of an accompanying editorial in the journal, said that "the occurrence of a brain tumor in a child is a devastating diagnosis. Research into the causes of brain tumor and improved treatment regimens should continue. However, there should not be a concern that using a cell phone has caused brain cancer."

There's been no evidence from population data on brain tumor occurrence over the past 20 years to indicate that rates are increasing among children or adults, which would be expected if cell phone use caused brain tumors, Boice said.

"The recent announcement by the WHO has caused widespread confusion and unnecessary alarm, in large part due to a misunderstanding of the category 'possibly carcinogenic,' which is for agents for which there is 'limited evidence for carcinogenicity,'" he explained.

Elizabeth Ward, national vice president of intramural research at the American Cancer Society, called the new research "a very important study that has a great number of strengths, including a population-based contemporary sample and a high participation rate."

"But, as in most areas of epidemiology where complex risk factors are studied, additional studies are needed to develop conclusive evidence about potential risks of mobile phone use. It is important that additional studies be done in children, adolescents and young adults with early life exposure to mobile phones," she added.

More information

For more on brain cancer, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: Martin Roosli, Ph.D., assistant professor, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; John D. Boice Jr., Sc.D., International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, Md.; Elizabeth Ward, Ph.D., national vice president, intramural research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta; July 27, 2011, Journal of the National Cancer Institute

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