Health Library

Scientists Discover More Genetic Clues to Testicular Cancer SUNDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Twelve new genetic regions associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer have been identified by researchers in two studies. One study identified four regions and the other identified eight regions, bringing to 17 the total number of genetic regions associated with testicular cancer. The studies were published online May 12 in the journal Nature Genetics . Testicular cancer is the most common type of ...

Size of Frontal Lobes May Not Matter for Brain Power: Study MONDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Although the brain's frontal lobes are believed to be critical for high-level thinking, they are not the sole source of human intelligence, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Reading and Durham University in the United Kingdom found other regions of the brain, such as the cerebellum, played an unexpected but essential role in the expansion of the human brain. These areas of the brain ...

Sugary Sodas, Fruit Punches May Raise Kidney Stone Risk: Study WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking large amounts of sugary sodas and fruit drinks might raise your odds for painful kidney stones, a new study finds. Although drinking extra fluids usually helps prevent stones from forming, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston warn that beverages may come with varying risks or benefits. Coffee, tea and orange juice, for example, are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone ...

Scientists Use Cloning Technique to Produce Human Stem Cells WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists report they've used a cloning technique to reprogram an ordinary human skin cell to become an embryonic stem cell. In turn, the new stem cell has the potential to transform into any type of cell in the body. Besides marking a breakthrough in stem cell technology, which has the potential to one day cure a myriad of illnesses, the achievement has some concerned that scientists are moving a step cl...

Simponi Approved for Ulcerative Colitis WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Simponi (golimumab) injection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis. The drug is designed to block tumor necrosis factor, which has a key role in causing abnormal inflammation and immune system responses, the FDA said Wednesday in a news release. The drug has already been approved to treat psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing sp...

Some Types of Skin Cancer Linked to Lower Chances of Alzheimer's WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- There's some good news for people who have had certain kinds of skin cancer: A new study suggests that their odds of developing Alzheimer's disease may be significantly lower than it is for others. People who had non-melanoma skin cancer were nearly 80 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people who did not. The association was not found with other types of dementia. To understand th...

Study Links Coffee to Lower Risk for Rare Liver Disease SATURDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Just a few extra cups of coffee each month might help prevent the development of an autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a new study suggests. Investigators from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that drinking coffee was associated with a reduced risk of developing the disease, which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure and biliary cancer. This association...

Swallowing Magnets Can Be Fatal for Children SATURDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Children who swallow high-powered magnets often need surgery and other invasive procedures to remove the objects, according to a new study. The researchers, from the Louisiana State University Health Center in New Orleans, found that more than 79 percent of children who swallowed very strong "neodymium magnets" required either surgery or an endoscopic procedure, in which a tube containing a camera is inserted into the dige...

Same-Sex Relationships Pose Abuse Risks, Too FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Though many teens find it difficult to talk about dating violence or abuse, the shroud of secrecy may be even harder to get through for same-sex couples. New York resident Sheila Rodriguez, 26, was just 13 years old when she started dating another girl in her school. She said it was about a year before the relationship took a decidedly nasty turn. "At first, it was all verbal abuse -- putting each other down and name calling...

Study Claims Marijuana Tied to Lower Bladder Cancer Risk FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- New research says smoking pot may be less likely to cause bladder cancer than smoking cigarettes. The finding is potentially valuable, the study authors said, given the ongoing debate over legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. But one urologist not involved with the study was skeptical of the finding, and noted that nonsmokers weren't among the men included in the study. For the study, the researchers compar...