Delay occurs looking for the poor financial condition in young breast cancer patient care.

Delay seeking care is to get time to detect only a few found the researchers sought to determine the critical reason young women young women breast abnormalities and diagnostic breast cancer long delay may occur, financial resources and women are common. Published early results of the research done at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and cancer at the American Cancer Society peer review journal online.

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Young mum 'child death risk' link

29 September 2013 Last updated at 19:07 ET

The number of children dying in the UK is decreasing

Children born to mothers under 30 are more likely to die than those born to older mums, a report on child deaths in the UK suggests.

While overall child mortality fell by 50% in the past 20 years, young maternal age was found to be a risk factor for death in early childhood.

Support should be extended to mothers of all ages, not just first-time teenage mums, the report said.

The research was led by the Institute of Child Health at UCL.

It looked at why children die in the UK using death registration data from January 1980 to December 2010.

It focused on child injuries, birthweight and maternal age to assess the risk factors for child deaths.

The research found that in England, Scotland and Wales, the difference in mortality between children of mothers under 30 and those born to mothers aged 30 to 34 accounted for 11% of all deaths up to nine years old.

This is equivalent to an average of 397 deaths in the UK each year, the report said.

Deaths in children born to mothers under 20 accounted for just 3.8% of all child deaths up to nine years old.

The study compared children with similar birthweight in each age category.

'Alcohol use, smoking and deprivation'

It reported that the biggest difference in deaths was in infants aged from one month to one year.

Among this age group, 22% of deaths in the UK were due to "unexplained causes", the report said, "which are strongly associated with maternal alcohol use, smoking and deprivation".

The report added that the current policy, which focuses support on teenage first-time mothers, was not wide-ranging enough because mothers aged under 30 account for 52% of all births in the UK.

Ruth Gilbert, lead researcher and professor of clinical epidemiology at UCL Institute of Child Health, said the findings were important.

"Young maternal age at birth is becoming a marker of social disadvantage as women who have been through higher education and those with career prospects are more likely to postpone pregnancy until their 30s.

"Universal policies are needed to address the disparities."

Jill Rutter, head of policy and research at the Family and Childcare Trust, said the government needed to do more.

"Disadvantage and maternal age are factors often associated with child deaths. The government has recognised the vulnerability of the children of teenage mothers and given these families extra help with parenting.

"In England the Family Nurse Partnership is an intensive, structured, home-visiting programme, which is offered to first-time parents under the age of 20.

"A specially trained nurse visits regularly from early pregnancy until the child is two years old. This project has excellent results, but is not available to older mothers.

"We would like the Family Nurse Partnership to be extended to take older mothers who need help."

Toll from injuries

The study, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, had other key findings.

First, injuries continue to be the biggest cause of death in childhood, but they are declining,

Between 1980 and 2010, injuries accounted for 31% of deaths in one to four-year-olds and 48% of deaths in those aged 15 to 18.

England had consistently lower rates of deaths from injury than the other UK countries, particularly among older boys.

But there was no decline in deaths due to intentional injury or self-harm over 30 years, the report found.

Dr Hilary Cass, president of the royal college, said this was worrying.

"Injuries remain the biggest cause of child deaths but are declining, so we need to continue to build upon public policy interventions such as traffic calming.

"The lack of decline in intentional injuries calls for a concerted focus on reducing violence and self-harm in older children."

Disabilities and serious diseases

The study also found that up to 70% of children who die in the UK have chronic conditions such as cancer, cystic fibrosis or epilepsy.

This was not necessarily the cause of their death but likely to be an underlying factor in it.

Prof Gilbert said that although the overall number of children dying is falling, the picture was complicated by the increasing number of children now surviving with disabilities and serious diseases, and this meant that proactive care was vital.

"For some children with serious chronic conditions who are expected to die, this means high-quality end-of-life care for the child and to support their families.

"For others, their death may have been premature or completely preventable. Most children with chronic conditions are managed at home by parents with support from primary and community care services as well as hospitals. We need to focus on the quality of long-term care at home for these children as well as in hospital."

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HPV linked to growing number of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer

Sep. 24, 2013 — The human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame for the alarming increase of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer, according to researchers from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

The study reveals an overall 60 percent increase from 1973 and 2009 in cancers of the base of tongue, tonsils, soft palate and pharynx in people younger than age 45.

Among Caucasians, there was a 113 percent increase, while among African-Americans the rate of these cancers declined by 52 percent during that period of time.

But compared to Caucasians and other races, the five-year survival rate remains worse for African Americans.

“The growing incidence in oropharyngeal cancer has been largely attributed to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, which led to an increased transmission of high-risk HPV,” says study lead author Farzan Siddiqui, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Head & Neck Radiation Therapy Program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital.

“We were interested in looking at people born during that time period and incidence of oropharyngeal cancer. Not only were we surprised to find a substantial increase in young adults with cancer of the tonsils and base of tongue, but also a wide deviation among Caucasians and African Americans with this cancer.”

The study – which examined the trends in cancers of the base of tongue, tonsils, soft palate and pharynx among people 45 years-old and younger – was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Atlanta.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 36,000 people in the U.S. will get oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in 2013; an estimated 6,850 people will die of these cancers. Oropharyngeal cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women, and about equally common in African Americans and Caucasians.

Recent medical research has shown that HPV exposure and infection increases the risk of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer independently of tobacco and alcohol use, two other important risk factors for the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer has been growing in recent years due to increasing rates of HPV infection. This has been largely attributed to changes in sexual practices. Studies have shown, however, patients with HPV related head and neck cancer do have a better prognosis and survival.

For the Henry Ford study, Dr. Siddiqui and his colleagues used the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) database to gather information about adults younger than age 45 who had been diagnosed with invasive squamous cell oropharyngeal cancer between1973 and 2009.

Since SEER does not record HPV information, the researchers used tumor grade as a surrogate indicator of HPV infection.

Among the study group of more than 1,600 patients, 90 percent were ages 36-44 and the majority (73 percent) was Caucasian.

During the 36-year period, the majority of patients (50-65 percent) underwent surgical resection for their tumors. Patients who had both surgery and radiation therapy had the highest five-year survival rate.

“These patients have a favorable prognosis and are likely to live longer while dealing with treatment related side-effects that may impact their quality of life,” notes Dr. Siddiqui.

The five-year survival for the study group was 54 percent. There was no difference in survival based on gender. African Americans, however, had significantly poor survival compared to other races.

“The predominance of oropharyngeal cancer in this age group suggests either non-sexual modes of HPV transfer at a younger age or a shortened latency period between infection and development of cancer,” says Dr. Siddiqui.

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Limited brain Mets with 50 more young adult cancer patients alone, has improved the survival of Stereotactic radiation therapy.

According to the study published in the 55 annual general meeting of the society for radiation oncology (ASTRO)-American whole brain irradiation (Stereotactic ）, adult brain cancer patients 50 years following when dealing with Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and found that there is improvement in survival rates cannot be used. Young patients (50 years old) was found despite the omission of new brain metastasis localization development of big risk with or without. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Southern California （ USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center home ） from the authors of the study are included.

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Young women with breast cancer overestimate the benefit of having second breast removed

Sep. 16, 2013 — Young women with breast cancer often overestimate the odds that cancer will occur in their other, healthy breast, and decide to have the healthy breast surgically removed, a survey conducted by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators indicates. The survey also shows that many patients opt for the procedure -- known as a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, or CPM -- despite knowing it will be unlikely to improve their chance of survival.

The study, published in the Sept. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, shows a certain disconnect between what many patients know on an abstract, intellectual level -- that CPM has little impact on survival rates for most women -- and the choices they make after receiving the anxiety-inducing diagnosis of breast cancer, the authors say.

"An increasing percentage of women treated for early-stage breast cancer are choosing to have CPM," says the study's lead author, Shoshana Rosenberg, ScD, MPH, of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber. "The trend is particularly notable among younger women."

The survey results, explains Rosenberg, suggest that many patients are going into this decision with an unrealistic sense of the benefits of CPM, and of the risks. "Improving the communication of those risks and benefits -- together with better management of anxiety surrounding diagnosis -- and providing patients with the support they need to make decisions based on solid evidence -- are worthwhile steps," says Rosenberg.

In the survey, researchers canvassed 123 women age 40 or younger who had undergone a bilateral mastectomy -- the removal of both breasts -- despite having cancer in only one breast. Respondents answered questions about their reasons for having the procedure, their knowledge of its risks and benefits, and their satisfaction with the outcome.

Almost all the women said they opted for CPM out of a desire to improve their chances of survival and prevent the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. At the same time, however, most understood that removing both breasts does not extend survival for women who are free of an inherited genetic predisposition to breast cancer.

To explain this apparent contradiction, the authors write, "Most women acknowledge that CPM does not improve survival, but anxiety and fear of recurrence probably influence them during the decision-making process."

The survey also indicated that women who don't inherit an increased genetic risk of breast cancer tend to overestimate the chance that cancer will develop in both breasts. They estimated that 10 out of 100 women with cancer in one breast would develop cancer in the other breast within five years. The actual risk of that happening is approximately 2 to 4 percent.

By contrast, respondents who did have an inherited predisposition to breast cancer -- as a result of a mutation in the genes BRCA1 or BRCA2, for example -- more accurately perceived their risk for cancer in both breasts.

Even as they overestimated the benefits of CPM, many of the participants underestimated the severity of some of its side effects. Many respondents said the effect of CPM on their appearance was worse than they had expected. A substantial proportion of the respondents -- 42 percent -- reported that their sense of sexuality after CPM was worse than expected, although other studies have not found sexual problems to be prevalent.

"Our findings underscore how important it is that doctors effectively communicate the risks and benefits of CPM to women," Rosenberg says. "We need to be sure that women are making informed decisions, supported decisions, based on an accurate understanding of the pros and cons of the procedure, and in a setting where anxiety and concerns can be addressed."

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Irregular periods in young women can be cause for concern

Sep. 10, 2013 — While irregular periods are common among teenage girls, an underlying hormonal disorder may be to blame if this problem persists.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that is characterized by an excess of androgens or male hormones in the body. The imbalance of hormones interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries, which can prevent ovulation and menstruation.

Menstruation begins on average at age 12, and a normal menstrual cycle is approximately 28 days. Dr. Kavic reports that girls should have a regular menstrual cycle within approximately two years after they get their first period or by age 17 at the latest.

"PCOS can be overlooked because irregular periods are normal in teens," said Suzanne Kavic, MD, division director, Reproductive Endocrinology, Loyola University Health System (LUHS). "However, if erratic menstrual cycles persist later into the teen years, girls should see a specialist to determine if something else might be causing this issue."

Other symptoms associated with PCOS can include weight gain, hair growth on the body and face, thinning of the hair on the head, acne and infertility. Women with PCOS are at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and endometrial cancer. People with PCOS also tend to become resistant to insulin, which can lead to diabetes.

"Symptoms associated with this syndrome can be concerning to young girls particularly during the teen years, which is already a stressful time," Dr. Kavic said. "The good news is we can identify PCOS at an early age and begin managing symptoms to alleviate some of the anxiety for these girls."

Treatments for PCOS can include a combination of exercise, diet modifications and medication. Weight loss helps to regulate male hormones and blood sugar levels, which can restore ovulation and menstruation. Birth control pills also may be prescribed to control the menstrual cycle while other hormone therapies can decrease androgen levels and curb symptoms.

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Research discovers the young woman on the value of screening mammograms.

New analysis was found to occur in young women not receive mammograms at regular intervals of the number of deaths from breast cancer. 609 Was at 29 percent among women between the breast cancer mortality rate, women of undisclosed 71 percent in mammography was shown in. Boston (Dana Farber Cancer Institute component) of the study, led by scientists at Harvard Medical School cancer published earlier at the American Cancer Society peer review journal online.

Learn to read the full text of the press release.

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Among the research institutions in NCI funding, all over the United States that current cancer specifies 68 as a Center. Based at research universities, these facilities are cancer's origin and development of intense laboratory research wide range, the scientists from NCI support many home. Cancer Center program is also focused on cross-cutting research, population Sciences, and clinical research please. Center for research results are often at the forefront of cancer research.

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Young Men Less Likely to Survive Melanoma Than Women: Study

WEDNESDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- White male teens and young adults are more likely to die of melanoma skin cancer than their female counterparts, a new study finds.

Researchers looked at data from more than 26,000 white patients, aged 15 to 39, in the United States who were diagnosed with melanoma between 1989 and 2009 and followed for an average of seven and a half years.

During the follow-up, there were nearly 1,600 melanoma-related deaths. Although males made up about 40 percent of the melanoma patients, they accounted for more than 63 percent of the deaths, according to the study, which was published June 26 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.

After adjusting for various factors, the investigators concluded that males were 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than females.

Continued public health efforts are needed to raise young men's awareness of the dangers of melanoma, said Dr. Christina Gamba, of the Stanford University Medical Center, and colleagues.

"This alarming difference in the outcome highlights the urgent need for both behavioral interventions to promote early detection strategies in young men and further investigation of the biological basis for the sex disparity in melanoma survival," the study authors concluded.

Melanoma is the third most common type of cancer in American teens and young adults.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about melanoma.

SOURCE: JAMA Dermatology, news release, June 26, 2013

Copyright c 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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6.6 Million Young Adults Joined Parents' Health Plans in 2011: Report

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AppId is over the quota

FRIDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- About 6.6 million young American adults who would likely not have been able to be covered by their parents' health plans before the Affordable Care Act took effect joined such plans in 2011, a new report finds.

The new study from the Commonwealth Fund found that, in total, 13.7 million young American adults, aged 19 to 25, either stayed on or joined their parents' health plans last year.

But not all young adults can join their parents' health plans and many still have gaps in coverage and are burdened with medical bill problems and medical debt, the report found.

Nearly two in five young adults (39 percent) aged 19 to 29 went without health insurance at some time in 2011 and more than one-third (36 percent) had medical bill problems or were paying off medical debt. Of those who were dealing with medical bills or debt, many faced serious financial consequences such as using all of their savings (43 percent), being unable to make student loan or tuition payments (32 percent), delaying education or career plans (31 percent), or being unable to pay for necessities such as food, heat or rent (28 percent), the researchers said.

One-quarter of young adults with medical debt owed $4,000 or more, and 15 percent owed $8,000 or more, the report noted.

"While the Affordable Care Act has already provided a new source of coverage for millions of young adults at risk of being uninsured, more help is needed for those left behind," lead author and Commonwealth Fund Vice President Sara Collins said in a Commonwealth Fund news release.

Young adults in low-income households were most likely to be uninsured, the report said. Seventy percent of young adults with incomes below 133 percent of poverty ($14,484 for a single person) had a gap in coverage in 2011. That's more than three times the rate of those with incomes over 400 percent of poverty ($43,560 for a single person).

The study also found that only 17 percent of young adults aged 19 to 25 in low-income families stayed on or joined their parents' health plans, compared with 69 percent of those in the highest income households. Young adults older than 25 are not eligible.

Young adults who did not have insurance or had a gap in coverage were more likely than those with continuous coverage to skip or delay getting needed health care because of cost -- 60 percent, 56 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

However, Collins noted that "the law's major insurance provisions slated for 2014, including expanded Medicaid and subsidized private plans through state insurance exchanges, will provide nearly all young adults across the income spectrum with affordable and comprehensive health plans."

The findings are based on an online survey of 1,863 respondents, aged 19 to 29, that was conducted in November 2011.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has more about young adults and the Affordable Care Act.

Copyright c 2012?HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Females, Young Athletes Take Longer to Get Over Concussions

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AppId is over the quota

FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Female athletes take longer to recover from concussions, a new study says.

Young athletes also have longer recovery times. The findings show that doctors and athletic trainers need to take gender and age into account when treating patients with concussions, said researchers from Michigan State University.

The researchers studied data from nearly 300 athletes in the United States who suffered concussions, all of whom had completed a baseline test prior to their head injury and took three different post-concussion tests.

Compared to males, females performed worse on post-concussion visual memory tests and reported more concussion symptoms. The researchers also found that high school athletes did worse than college athletes on verbal and visual memory tests. Some of the high school athletes still showed mental impairment up to two weeks after the injury.

"While previous research suggests younger athletes and females may take longer to recover from a concussion, little was known about the interactive effects of age and sex on symptoms, cognitive testing and postural stability," study leader Tracey Covassin, a certified athletic trainer at Michigan State, said in a university news release. "This study confirms that age and sex have an impact on recovery, and future research should focus on developing treatments tailored to those differences."

The study appeared May 8 in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

"We need to raise awareness that female athletes do get concussions," she said. "Too often, when we speak with parents and coaches, they overlook the fact that in comparable sports, females are concussed more than males."

Covassin also said the study points out a potential danger to younger athletes who resume play before they're fully recovered from a concussion.

"Younger athletes appear more at risk for second-impact syndrome, where a second concussion can come with more severe symptoms," she said. "While it is rare, there is a serious risk for brain damage, and the risk is heightened when athletes are coming back before they heal."

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about concussions.

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