Femoai - Health & Wellness

A new type of targeted medicine has shown "remarkable" benefits for patients with advanced forms of the most common type of breast cancer in a major phase III clinical trial, says the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).

The drug -- capivasertib -- combined with hormone therapy doubled the time it took for cancer to progress. The findings, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, establish capivasertib as a potential new treatment for people with oestrogen receptor (ER) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) negative breast cancer, which is the most common type of breast cancer accounting for about 70% of all new breast cancer cases.

"Capivasertib is a potential first-in-class drug that blocks activity of the cancer-driving protein molecule AKT," according to ICR. The drug was discovered by AstraZeneca following a programme of drug discovery research at The Institute of Cancer Research, London in collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals.

“This is a landmark moment for the treatment of advanced forms of the most common type of breast cancer. It’s incredibly exciting to see a drug that was discovered following research conducted at the ICR now show remarkable benefits for patients in a phase III trial. Capivasertib could offer a completely new treatment option for these patients," said prof. Kristian Helin, chief executive, ICR.

"Capivasertib is going to be a drug for women who have got secondary breast cancer, this is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is no longer curable but it is very treatable and what we need is effective drugs that can continue to work for longer and are well-tolerated. Capivasertib doubled how long treatment can work for. This has been one of the most effective drugs we have seen in clinical trials in my career," said Prof. Nick Turner, professor of molecular oncology, ICR, London, and Consultant, The Royal Marsden, in a Youtube Video posted by ICR.

Sources: The Institute of Cancer Research; The Telegraph

Read more: https://bit.ly/3YiZXBN

Watch video: https://bit.ly/3UVe51f

There is a misconception amongst doctors and patients that endometriosis is caused by retrograde menstruation, but that isn’t necessarily true, says Dr. Abhishek Mangeshikar, endometriosis excisional specialist at the

The Mumbai-based expert says that as many as 90% of women undergo retrograde menstruation, but not 90% of women have endometriosis. According to a theory propagated by American gynaecologist John Sampson in the early twentieth century — during menstruation, pieces of the endometrium or the lining of the uterus, flow into the abdominal cavity through the fallopian tubes, adhere to the peritoneal lining and develop into endometriotic lesions.

Endometriosis is a painful condition wherein tissue resembling the endometrium, or the lining of the womb, starts to grow in other places in the body. It usually occurs in the lower abdomen or pelvis, but it can appear anywhere in the body.

We spoke Dr. Mangeshikar about the causes of endometriosis, the presentation of pain, as well as the relationship between pain and the stage of disease. Edited excerpts:

TELL US ABOUT THE CAUSES OF ENDOMETRIOSIS?

The cause of endometriosis is a difficult question to answer because nobody really knows. In med school, it is taught that it is retrograde menstruation, or your period flowing backwards.

However, almost 90% of women undergo retrograde menstruation but not 90% of women have endometriosis. What is usually taught in medical school does not explain the different sites that endometriosis occurs in. You can find endometrial tissue on the diaphragm, on the lungs. So, how does it reach there? Endometrial tissue has even been demonstrated in the fingernails or in the gums. So, obviously retrograde menstruation does not account for all of those presentations, although they are rare.

Read more: https://femoai.com/what-causes-endometriosis/

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

A new study has linked antioxidant flavonols, found in several fruits, vegetables, tea and wine, to a slower rate of memory decline. Flavonols are a type of flavonoid, a group of phytochemicals found in plant pigments, known for their beneficial effects on health.

“It’s exciting that our study shows making specific diet choices may lead to a slower rate of cognitive decline,” said study author Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Something as simple as eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more tea is an easy way for people to take an active role in maintaining their brain health.”

For the study, published in the American Academy of Neurology's (AAN) medical journal Neurology, researchers analysed data from 961 people with an average age of 81 without dementia. The participants filled out a questionnaire on how often they ate certain foods and completed annual cognitive and memory tests, according to AAN.

Study participants, who were divided into five groups based on their intake of flavonols, had an average dietary intake of total flavonols of about 10 mg/day, with the lowest group consuming 5 mg a day and the highest group at an average of 15 mg per day (equivalent to about one cup of dark leafy greens).

To determine rates of cognitive decline, researchers used an overall global cognition score summarizing 19 cognitive tests, AAN said in a statement. The average score ranged from 0.5 for participants with no thinking problems to 0.2 for people with mild cognitive impairment to -0.5 for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Overall, the study found that the cognitive score of people who had the highest intake of flavonols declined at a rate of 0.4 units/decade slower compared to those who had the lowest intake (adjusted for factors like age, s*x, and smoking that could affect the rate of memory decline). Researchers believe this is possibly due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of flavonols.

A new study from the National Institutes of Health has found that women who used chemical hair straightening products were at higher risk for uterine cancer.

For the study, researchers analysed data from 33,497 women in the U.S. between the ages of 35-74, who were followed for almost 11 years. The study says 378 uterine cancer cases were diagnosed during this time. Researchers found that women who used hair straightening products frequently (more than four times) were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who did not use the products. Researchers, however, did not find any associations with uterine cancer for other hair products that the women reported using, like hair dyes, bleach, highlights, or perms.

“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” said Alexandra White, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group and lead author on the new study. “This doubling rate is concerning. However, it is important to put this information into context - uterine cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer.” It accounts for about 3% of all new cancer cases but is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system.

About 60% of the participants who reported using straighteners in the study were Black women. "The study did not find that the relationship between straightener use and uterine cancer incidence was different by race, the adverse health effects may be greater for Black women due to higher prevalence of use," researchers said.

“Because Black women use hair straightening or relaxer products more frequently and tend to initiate use at earlier ages than other races and ethnicities, these findings may be even more relevant for them,” said Che-Jung Chang, Ph.D., an author on the new study and a research fellow in the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch.

The study did not collect information on brands or ingredients but researchers note that several chemicals found in straighteners (such as parabens, bisphenol A, metals, and formaldehyde) could be contributing to the increased uterine cancer risk that was observed.

Source: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Seasonal fruits and vegetables have all the nutrients our body needs in that particular season. Nutritionist Akanksha Mishra recommends these winter vegetables to keep us healthy in the biting cold.

Icons courtesy:

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

People, who enter a depressive state after experiencing trauma, usually have acute symptoms of depression, but there are others with a chronic condition or dysthymia that they may have learnt to live with. The second kind makes it difficult for people to experience pleasure or joy in life and can be harder to identify and treat, says Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr. Gaurav Kulkarni.

According to WHO, depression impacts more than 264 million people globally. “Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. Especially when long-lasting and with moderate or severe intensity, depression may become a serious health condition. It can cause the affected person to suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school and in the family,” says the organisation.

In this part of Femoai's series of interviews on depression, Dr. Kulkarni talks about dysthymia, causes of depression, and more. Edited excerpts:

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO LIVE WITH DEPRESSION? ARE THERE DIFFERENT STAGES OR LEVELS OF DEPRESSION THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE DIFFERENTLY?

There is a single clinical terminology of depression but there are different levels that can be differently classified. If someone has acute depression, which can be a reaction to a catastrophic event, their depressive symptoms are different compared to somebody who has been going through a constant nagging difficulty in their life, possibly for years. Chronic depression can result from financial difficulty, domestic abuse, or substance use, something which has been there for years and a person has learnt to live with it. At the mood level, they are constantly unhappy or sad. When we diagnose someone with depression, we try to identify whether they have acute symptoms or has their condition been chronic.

In cases of people with acute symptoms, they have usually entered a depressive state after some kind of trauma in their life. We see almost all of the depressive symptoms in them. They feel absolutely miserable and they are not able to live their life the way they should.

Read more: https://femoai.com/psychiatrist-talks-about-causes-of-depression-and-what-is-it-like-to-live-with-it/

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India is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world. The quality of air in some of the biggest cities in the country is rarely ever at permissible limits, and poses a serious threat to people’s health and well being.

There are many pollutants that are major factors in disease in humans. Among them, Particulate Matter (PM), particles of variable but very small diameter, pe*****te the respiratory system via inhalation, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reproductive and central nervous system dysfunctions, and cancer,” says a report.

We spoke to ENT specialist Dr. (Major) Rajesh Bhardwaj (consultant with Practo) about the impact of air pollution on our health and what precautions can we take to keep ourselves safe.

Read more: https://femoai.com/air-pollution-how-it-affects-our-health/

Birds may have a much larger role to play in human life than we imagine. New research has found that seeing or hearing birds is linked to an improvement in mental wellbeing that can last up to eight hours. Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London say the improvement was seen in both healthy people as well as those diagnosed with depression – the most common mental illness worldwide.

Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study used an app -- Urban Mind -- to collect people’s real-time reports of mental wellbeing alongside their reports of seeing or hearing birdsong. "We have for the first time showed the direct link between seeing or hearing birds and positive mood. We hope this evidence can demonstrate the importance of protecting and providing environments to encourage birds, not only for biodiversity but for our mental health," said Ryan Hammoud, research assistant at King's IoPPN and lead author of the study.

For the study, researchers analysed data from 1,292 participants across the world who completed more than 25,000 assessments on the Urban Mind app, developed by King’s College London, landscape architects J&L Gibbons and arts foundation Nomad Projects.

“Our study provides an evidence base for creating and supporting biodiverse spaces that harbour birdlife, since this is strongly linked with our mental health. In addition, the findings support the implementation of measures to increase opportunities for people to come across birdlife, particularly for those living with mental health conditions such as depression," said Andrea Mechelli, professor of early intervention in Mental Health at the IoPPN.

Source: King’s College London

Depression is a serious medical illness characterised by a constant feeling of sadness, a lack of interest, difficulty in expressing and experiencing positivity, and a sustained low mood, says Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr. Gaurav Kulkarni. For the condition to be medically termed as depression, a person has to show symptoms for two weeks or more.

We spoke to Dr. Kulkarni about what depression is, its symptoms, what happens to our brain when we are depressed, and whether men and women experience symptoms differently.

Read more: https://femoai.com/what-is-depression/

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Science has finally confirmed that walking 10,000 steps is actually good for health. Studies, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology, based on data collected from 78,500 adults aged 40 to 79 years with wearable trackers, found that achieving about 9,800 steps everyday can cut the risk of dementia by 50%, as well as lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and death. Walking at a faster pace showed benefits above and beyond the number of steps achieved, researchers say.

“The take-home message here is that for protective health benefits people could not only ideally aim for 10,000 steps a day but also aim to walk faster,” said co-lead author Dr Matthew Ahmadi, research fellow at the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health. For people who are less active, walking 3,800 steps a day can cut the risk of dementia by 25%, researchers said.

“Step count is easily understood and widely used by the public to track activity levels thanks to the growing popularity of fitness trackers and apps, but rarely do people think about the pace of their steps,” said senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health.

Source: The University of Sydney

Read more: https://bit.ly/3seIxHy

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual period, and their reproductive years. When a woman hasn’t had a period for a year, it is menopause. In the years leading up to menopause, the production of the female hormone – estrogen – drops, causing symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, lack of s*xual desire, vaginal dryness, and irregular periods.

Menopause can also impact a woman’s mental health, and lead to depression, stress, and anxiety. Some women also see a reappearance of mental health problems during menopause.

Here are some of the things associated with menopause, all women should know about:

PERIMENOPAUSE

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. There is no definite age that perimenopause starts; for some women it could be in their forties, but some could start seeing the signs in their mid-thirties as well. It is during perimenopause that women start experiencing symptoms like irregular periods, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and hot flashes. Sleep disturbances, mood swings, and anxiety are common during perimenopause as well.

On an average, perimenopause lasts upto 3-4 years, but for some women it can go on for a decade.

HOT FLASHES

A hot flush essentially means an episode of intense warmth over the face, neck or chest, which may be accompanied by sweating. It could last about a minute or two, or for as long as an hour. In a study conducted in the U.S., women (undergoing menopause) reported having hot flushes daily, with some experiencing them as many as 10 times in a day.

Experts say that hot flushes are the most common symptom of menopause and are widely reported by women. Former first lady Michelle Obama recently spoke about having a hot flash on Marine One, the presidential helicopter.

“…it was like somebody put a furnace in my core, and turned it on high, and then everything started melting,” she said in an episode of her eponymous Spotify podcast — The Michelle Obama podcast.

Read more: https://femoai.com/six-important-things-women-should-know-about-menopause/

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Microplastics were detected in human breast milk for the first time and researchers say it is of great concern as these harmful materials have a potential to impact the health of infants.

For the study, researchers analysed breast milk samples from 34 healthy mothers in Rome, Italy, and found microplastics in 75% of them.

"The evidence of microplastics in human breast milk, coupled with the previous discovery of these microparticles in the human placenta, represents a great concern, since it impacts the extremely vulnerable population of infants," the study said.

According to the study, recently published in the journal Polymers, global production of plastics has reached more than 350 million tons per year as a result of the massive demand for this material.

“It will be crucial to assess ways to reduce exposure to these contaminants during pregnancy and lactation. But it must be stressed that the advantages of breastfeeding are much greater than the disadvantages caused by the presence of polluting microplastics. Studies like ours must not reduce breastfeeding of children, but instead raise public awareness to pressure politicians to promote laws that reduce pollution," Dr Valentina Notarstefano, at the Università Politecnica delle Marche, in Ancona, Italy, told The Guardian.

Here's a link to the complete study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9269371/

Sources: The Guardian; National Library of Medicine

World Arthritis Day 2022

Arthritis starts with discomfort or pain in the joints, followed by stiffness, and gradually the range of motion starts getting restricted, says Dr. Abhishek Kumar Mishra, an orthopaedic and joint replacement surgeon at Apollo Spectra Hospitals.

Read more: https://femoai.com/arthritis-how-is-it-diagnosed-and-is-it-reversible/

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

World Mental Health Day 2022

Stress is the body's response to pressures from different life situations and events. It can make us feel distressed and anxious. However, we all experience stress differently, depending on our physical, social, cultural, and economic circumstances as well as our genetic makeup. While experiencing some amount of stress is common, experiencing a significant amount of stress over a long period of time can cause physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion and burnout; it can also lead to various physical and mental health issues. Some of the signs of stress or burnout are:

1. Difficulty in concentration
2. Feeling irritable and overwhelmed
3. Lack of self confidence
4. Trouble sleeping
5. Inability to enjoy yourself
6. Feeling lonely, nervous or afraid
7. Feeling a sense of dread

Sources:
1. National Health Services (NHS - UK)
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC - U.S.)
3. Public Health England
4. Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine
5. Mental Health Foundation (UK)

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Icons: Icons8

A new study has found that ageing is not only determined by physical factors but also by an individual's mental and social status, to a certain extent. An international collaboration, led by Hong Kong-based Deep Longevity with U.S. and Chinese scientists, measured the effects of being lonely, having restless sleep, or feeling unhappy on the pace of ageing and found it to be significant. Researchers found evidence to suggest that psychological factors, like feeling unhappy or being lonely, accelerated a person's biological age by up to 1.65 years (about 20 months), compared to smoking regularly, which accelerated biological age by 1.25 years (about 15 months).

Researchers developed an ageing clock, which measures a person's biological age (instead of chronological) using clinical blood test results, genetics, or DNA, for the study. The ageing clock was trained and verified with blood and biometric data from about 12,000 Chinese adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset.

Full study: https://www.aging-us.com/article/204264/text

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are some ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer:

1. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.

2. Avoid or limit alcohol.

3. If you are on hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, talk to your doctor about the risks and which is the right one for you.

4. Breastfeed your children if you can

5. If you have a family history of breast cancer, get in touch with your doctor about ways to reduce risk.

6. Self-examination and regular checkups.

Content courtesy:
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Dr. Usha Maheshwari

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Have you ever felt your breasts for lumps or any other irregularities? Have you had a mammogram lately or seen a doctor for a breast examination? If you haven’t, you are not alone, most women don’t. However, it is something that we need to change. Doctors recommend that women should go for a breast examination at least once a year to rule out any symptoms of breast cancer. And if you are above 40, you should get a mammogram.

Breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer amongst women in India. A malignant tumour which starts in the breast cells, it can spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph vessels. The World Health Organisation says breast cancer affects as many as 2.1 million women each year.

WHO says early diagnosis and screening (mammography, clinical breast exam and self-exam) are critical for prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

We spoke to laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Usha Maheshwari about breast cancer. Edited excerpts:

WHAT ARE THE EARLY SYMPTOMS THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF?

The main symptom is a lump in the breast, so if you self examine regularly, you will be able to pick it up. If you feel a lump in your breast, which you did not have before, it is the most important sign.

Ideally speaking, every woman, right from menarche till we are alive, we should all make a habit of checking our breasts at least once a month thoroughly. You will have to learn how to do it from somebody. I generally advise women to go once to a specialist who can guide you on how to do it yourself, and with practice gradually you come to know what your normal breasts should look and feel like.

ARE THERE ANY WAYS TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER? HOW DOES EARLY DETECTION HELP?

Early detection is self-examination and regular checkups. Seeing a doctor once a year, and checking your breasts everyday while bathing can help in early detection. As far as prevention is concerned, lifestyle changes can help avoid it, but there is no other way to prevent it.

Read more: https://femoai.com/how-to-prevent-breast-cancer-self-examination-can-help/

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Today is World Heart Day! Here's a quick reminder on how to take care of your cardiovascular health.

- More physical activity
- Lower blood pressure
- Better sleep
- Healthy diet
- Self-care

Source: American Heart Association; World Heart Federation

Disclaimer: This is meant for general informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.