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Closer to using aspirin for cancer preventionA new report in the journal Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology suggests that we could be inching closer to using aspirin as part of clinical guidelines in cancer prevention. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force encourages an aspirin regimen for some patients to prevent heart problems and strokes. Aspirin has also been shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal polyps. Although taking aspirin daily has some promising benefits, it can also raise the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. The report released this week looked at recent studies of aspirin’s impact on cancer prevention. In March, two studies published in the Lancet and one in Lancet Oncology suggested that aspirin could have protective effects against various types of cancer. Mike Wallace's public battle with depressionSince his death at age 93 Saturday, much has been written about hard-edged ex-"60 Minutes" reporter Mike Wallace's epic verbal battles with world leaders, swindlers and alleged crime bosses. But in 2005, Wallace made news of his own when he acknowledged his longtime war with depression - a fight that nearly caused him to take his own life. "I came perilously close to committing suicide," Wallace wrote in his memoir "Between You and Me." U.S. teen birth rate drops to a record lowThe teenage birth rate in the United States has fallen to a record low in the seven decades since such statistics were last collected. A report released Tuesday by the National Center for Health Statistics showed the teenage birth rate for American teenagers fell 9% from 2009 to 2010. The national level, 34.3 teenage births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15-19, is the lowest since 1946. The rates dropped across all racial and ethnic groups, and nearly all states. Experts suggested that the numbers may mean more teens are delaying sex or using contraception, representing gains for both abstinence-only and contraceptive education programs. Brain tumors linked to dental X-raysA study published this week in the journal Cancer shows that people who have had dental X-rays are more likely to develop a type of brain tumor called meningioma than those who have not. This does not prove that dental X-rays cause tumors. But it supports previous research about the connection. Dental X-rays have also been implicated in thyroid cancer. But there's still significant doubt about the existence of any direct relationship between meningioma and dental X-rays, and dental professionals were quick to call for more research, saying the study was less than perfect. "It’s a cautionary tale ... we do know that radiation can cause tumors, and we have to be judicious with its use," said Dr. Donald O’Rourke, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the study. |
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. ![]() ![]() |
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