CDC Report: Smoking Rate Steady for Two-Years Running (American Cancer Society)
The number of adult smokers in the United States hasremainedconstantsince 2004, according to a report published this week by the US Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
RESOURCES:
GreatAmerican Smokeout Challenge
Guideto Quitting Smoking
Quiz:What's the Best Way For You to Quit?
Based on the CDC's numbers, 20.8% of US adults smoked in 2006,compared to the 20.9% who were smoking in 2004 and 2005, data thatsuggests a marked slowdown from the steady declines seen in previousyears.
Who's Smoking?
The CDC analyzed data from the 2006 National Health InterviewSurvey (NHIS), a questionnaire that evaluated the smoking habits of24,275 adults 18 and older. Of the group, 20.8% currently smoked, andamong those individuals, 44.2% had made an effort to stop smoking inthe last 12 months.
Slightly more men (23.9%) than women (18.0%) still light up.Only 10.4% of Asians surveyed still smoked, followed by Hispanics(15.2%), non-Hispanic whites (21.9%), non-Hispanic blacks (23%), andAmerican Indians/Alaskan Natives (32.4%). And overall, the likelihoodthat a person might smoke decreased as education level increased.
Numbers were especially high among those who had already beendiagnosed with smoking-related chronic diseases (36.9%), includingcertain cancers. That indicates a need for more aggressive cessationmessages directed at this population, the researchers say, especiallygiven data that shows that continued smoking has harmful effects ontreatment and survival.
Behind the Numbers
There are likely several reasons for the standstill in smokingrates. The authors of the study point to the 20.3% decrease in fundingfor comprehensive state-sponsored smoking cessation and preventionprograms from 2002 to 2006. On top of that, many states havere-allocated funds previously devoted to tobacco control, says ThomasJ. Glynn, Ph.D., director of the American Cancer Society's CancerScience and Trends and International Tobacco programs.
Also to blame: tobacco companies have offset the burden ofcigarette price increases by offering coupons, two-for-one deals, andother incentives to smokers, retailers, and wholesalers. Approximately81% of tobacco-industry marketing efforts were related to discountingstrategies, according to the report.
Call to Action
In order to get the numbers down, tobacco control advocatesneed to turn the heat up, Glynn says. The American Cancer Society iscalling for tighter regulations on cigarettes, from increasingworkplace laws and cigarette tax increases to granting the Food andDrug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products.
"Tobacco use rates could even begin to rise rather thanstagnate if strong, effective action is not taken now," says Glynn.
Citation: "Tobacco Use Among Adults --United States, 2006." Published in the Nov. 9, 2007 Morbidityand Mortality Weekly Report (Vol. 56, No. 44:1157-1161). First author: VJ Rock, MPH, US Centers for Disease Controland Prevention.
Showing posts with label Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Center. Show all posts
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Graveyard shift work linked to cancer
Graveyard shift work linked to cancer
A taxi driver with his 'For Hire' light on waits for a traffic light at night in central London, Monday, Nov. 26, 2007. Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will classify shift work as a 'probable' carcinogen. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori)LONDON - Like UV rays and diesel exhaust fumes, working the graveyard shift will soon be listed as a "probable" cause of cancer. It is a surprising step validating a concept once considered wacky. And it is based on research that finds higher rates of breast and prostate cancer among women and men whose work day starts after dark.
Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will add overnight shift work as a probable carcinogen. The American Cancer Society says it will likely follow. Up to now, the U.S. organization has considered the work-cancer link to be "uncertain, controversial or unproven."
The higher cancer rates don't prove working overnight can cause cancer. There may be other factors common among graveyard shift workers that raise their risk for cancer.
However, scientists suspect that overnight work is dangerous because it disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night.
If the graveyard shift theory eventually proves correct, millions of people worldwide could be affected. Experts estimate that nearly 20 percent of the working population in developed countries work night shifts.
Among the first to spot the night shift-cancer connection was Richard Stevens, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. In 1987, Stevens published a paper suggesting a link between light at night and breast cancer.
Back then, he was trying to figure out why breast cancer incidence suddenly shot up starting in the 1930s in industrialized societies, where nighttime work was considered a hallmark of progress. Most scientists were bewildered by his proposal.
But in recent years, several studies have found that women working at night over many years were indeed more prone to breast cancer. Also, animals that have their light-dark schedules switched develop more cancerous tumors and die earlier.
Some research also suggests that men working at night may have a higher rate of prostate cancer.
Because these studies mostly focused on nurses and airline crews, bigger studies in different populations are needed to confirm or disprove the findings.
There are still plenty of skeptics. And to put the risk in perspective, the "probable carcinogen" tag means that the link between overnight work and cancer is merely plausible.
Among the long list of agents that are listed as "known" carcinogens are alcoholic beverages and birth control pills. Such lists say nothing about exposure amount or length of time or how likely they are to cause cancer. The American Cancer Society Web site notes that carcinogens do not cause cancer at all times.
Still, many doubters of the night shift link may be won over by the IARC's analysis to be published in the December issue of the journal Lancet Oncology.
"The indications are positive," said Vincent Cogliano, who heads up the agency's carcinogen classifications unit. "There was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize that there's an increase in cancer, but we can't rule out the possibility of other factors."
Scientists believe having lower melatonin levels can raise the risk of developing cancer. Light shuts down melatonin production, so people working in artificial light at night may have lower melatonin levels.
Melatonin can be taken as a supplement, but experts don't recommend it long-term, since that could ruin the body's ability to produce it naturally.
Sleep deprivation may be another factor in cancer risk. People who work at night are not usually able to completely reverse their day and night cycles.
"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, who is not connected with the IARC analysis.Not getting enough sleep makes your immune system vulnerable to attack, and less able to fight off potentially cancerous cells.Confusing your body's natural rhythm can also lead to a breakdown of other essential tasks. "Timing is very important," Rea said. Certain processes like cell division and DNA repair happen at regular times.Even worse than working an overnight shift is flipping between daytime and overnight work."The problem is re-setting your body's clock," said Aaron Blair, of the United States' National Cancer Institute, who chaired IARC's recent meeting on shift work. "If you worked at night and stayed on it, that would be less disruptive than constantly changing shifts."Anyone whose light and dark schedule is often disrupted — including frequent long-haul travelers or insomniacs — could theoretically face the same increased cancer risk, Stevens said.He advises workers to sleep in a darkened room once they get off work. "The balance between light and dark is very important for your body. Just get a dark night's sleep."Meanwhile, scientists are trying to come up with ways to reduce night workers' cancer risk. And some companies are experimenting with different lighting, seeking a type that doesn't affect melatonin production.So far, the color that seems to have the least effect on melatonin is one that few people would enjoy working under: red.___American Cancer Society's list of known and probable carcinogens from IARC and National Toxicology Program: http://tinyurl.com/2kl5abInternational Agency for Research on Cancer: http://www.iarc.fr/
A taxi driver with his 'For Hire' light on waits for a traffic light at night in central London, Monday, Nov. 26, 2007. Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will classify shift work as a 'probable' carcinogen. (AP Photo/Akira Suemori)LONDON - Like UV rays and diesel exhaust fumes, working the graveyard shift will soon be listed as a "probable" cause of cancer. It is a surprising step validating a concept once considered wacky. And it is based on research that finds higher rates of breast and prostate cancer among women and men whose work day starts after dark.
Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will add overnight shift work as a probable carcinogen. The American Cancer Society says it will likely follow. Up to now, the U.S. organization has considered the work-cancer link to be "uncertain, controversial or unproven."
The higher cancer rates don't prove working overnight can cause cancer. There may be other factors common among graveyard shift workers that raise their risk for cancer.
However, scientists suspect that overnight work is dangerous because it disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night.
If the graveyard shift theory eventually proves correct, millions of people worldwide could be affected. Experts estimate that nearly 20 percent of the working population in developed countries work night shifts.
Among the first to spot the night shift-cancer connection was Richard Stevens, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. In 1987, Stevens published a paper suggesting a link between light at night and breast cancer.
Back then, he was trying to figure out why breast cancer incidence suddenly shot up starting in the 1930s in industrialized societies, where nighttime work was considered a hallmark of progress. Most scientists were bewildered by his proposal.
But in recent years, several studies have found that women working at night over many years were indeed more prone to breast cancer. Also, animals that have their light-dark schedules switched develop more cancerous tumors and die earlier.
Some research also suggests that men working at night may have a higher rate of prostate cancer.
Because these studies mostly focused on nurses and airline crews, bigger studies in different populations are needed to confirm or disprove the findings.
There are still plenty of skeptics. And to put the risk in perspective, the "probable carcinogen" tag means that the link between overnight work and cancer is merely plausible.
Among the long list of agents that are listed as "known" carcinogens are alcoholic beverages and birth control pills. Such lists say nothing about exposure amount or length of time or how likely they are to cause cancer. The American Cancer Society Web site notes that carcinogens do not cause cancer at all times.
Still, many doubters of the night shift link may be won over by the IARC's analysis to be published in the December issue of the journal Lancet Oncology.
"The indications are positive," said Vincent Cogliano, who heads up the agency's carcinogen classifications unit. "There was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize that there's an increase in cancer, but we can't rule out the possibility of other factors."
Scientists believe having lower melatonin levels can raise the risk of developing cancer. Light shuts down melatonin production, so people working in artificial light at night may have lower melatonin levels.
Melatonin can be taken as a supplement, but experts don't recommend it long-term, since that could ruin the body's ability to produce it naturally.
Sleep deprivation may be another factor in cancer risk. People who work at night are not usually able to completely reverse their day and night cycles.
"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, who is not connected with the IARC analysis.Not getting enough sleep makes your immune system vulnerable to attack, and less able to fight off potentially cancerous cells.Confusing your body's natural rhythm can also lead to a breakdown of other essential tasks. "Timing is very important," Rea said. Certain processes like cell division and DNA repair happen at regular times.Even worse than working an overnight shift is flipping between daytime and overnight work."The problem is re-setting your body's clock," said Aaron Blair, of the United States' National Cancer Institute, who chaired IARC's recent meeting on shift work. "If you worked at night and stayed on it, that would be less disruptive than constantly changing shifts."Anyone whose light and dark schedule is often disrupted — including frequent long-haul travelers or insomniacs — could theoretically face the same increased cancer risk, Stevens said.He advises workers to sleep in a darkened room once they get off work. "The balance between light and dark is very important for your body. Just get a dark night's sleep."Meanwhile, scientists are trying to come up with ways to reduce night workers' cancer risk. And some companies are experimenting with different lighting, seeking a type that doesn't affect melatonin production.So far, the color that seems to have the least effect on melatonin is one that few people would enjoy working under: red.___American Cancer Society's list of known and probable carcinogens from IARC and National Toxicology Program: http://tinyurl.com/2kl5abInternational Agency for Research on Cancer: http://www.iarc.fr/
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Glaxo cancer drug Tykerb shows more brain benefits
A scientist works in GlaxoSmithKline's plant in Singapore December 16, 2005. The European Medicines Agency has recommended conditional approval of GlaxoSmithKline Plc's new breast cancer pill Tykerb, Europe's biggest drugmaker said on Friday. (Luis Enrique Ascui/Reuters)LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc announced furtherclinical trial results on Sunday underlining the ability of adrug combination including its product Tykerb to fight breastcancer that has spread to the brain.
An extension to an earlier Phase II study involving 49patients showed 20 percent of those receiving a mix of Tykerband Roche's Xeloda experienced at least a 50 percent volumereduction in measurable brain metastases.
The finding is significant because up to a third of womenwith HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer may develop brainmetastases, which occur when cancer spreads from its originalsite.
The results were presented at the San Antonio Breast CancerSymposium in San Antonio, Texas.
Tykerb, a once-daily pill, was approved by U.S. regulatorsin March and won a conditional green light from the EuropeanMedicines Agency on Friday.
It is recommended as a treatment, in combination withXeloda, for patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancerwhose tumors over-express protein HER2.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by Will Waterman)
An extension to an earlier Phase II study involving 49patients showed 20 percent of those receiving a mix of Tykerband Roche's Xeloda experienced at least a 50 percent volumereduction in measurable brain metastases.
The finding is significant because up to a third of womenwith HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer may develop brainmetastases, which occur when cancer spreads from its originalsite.
The results were presented at the San Antonio Breast CancerSymposium in San Antonio, Texas.
Tykerb, a once-daily pill, was approved by U.S. regulatorsin March and won a conditional green light from the EuropeanMedicines Agency on Friday.
It is recommended as a treatment, in combination withXeloda, for patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancerwhose tumors over-express protein HER2.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by Will Waterman)
Astra wins EU orphan drug status for cancer drug
LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Plc's experimental cancerdrug AZD2281 has been given orphan drug status by the EuropeanMedicines Agency for treating women with ovarian cancer,Britain's second biggest drugmaker said on Tuesday.
The drug, which AstraZeneca acquired when it bought KuDOSPharmaceuticals last year, is being developed primarily forbreast cancer. But it has also shown strong evidence of tumorresponse in patients with hereditary ovarian cancer.
Orphan drug designation is given for drugs that treat rarelife-threatening or very serious conditions affecting not morethan five in 10,000 persons in Europe.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Paul Bolding)
The drug, which AstraZeneca acquired when it bought KuDOSPharmaceuticals last year, is being developed primarily forbreast cancer. But it has also shown strong evidence of tumorresponse in patients with hereditary ovarian cancer.
Orphan drug designation is given for drugs that treat rarelife-threatening or very serious conditions affecting not morethan five in 10,000 persons in Europe.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Paul Bolding)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Brain Center May Link Addiction, Mental Illness
FRIDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Developmental problemsinvolving a walnut-shaped part of the brain called the amygdala -- linkedto fear, anxiety and other emotions -- may explain why mental illness andaddiction often appear together, researchers say.
Many kinds of addiction -- such as those for alcohol, drugs andnicotine -- occur in people with various kinds of mental illness,including depression, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders, according tobackground information in an American Psychological Association newsrelease about the Indiana University study.
Two to five of every 10 anxious or depressed people, and four to eightof every 10 people with schizophrenia, biopolar disorder or antisocialpersonality, also have some form of addiction, according toepidemiological data.
In this study, published in the December issue of BehavioralNeuroscience, the researchers compared the behavior of adult ratswhose amygdalas were surgically damaged in infancy and adult rats withintact amygdalas.
Rats with the damaged amygdalas showed less fear and caution thannormal and were significantly more sensitive to cocaine after just oneexposure to the drug. Rats with damaged amygdalas that received repeatedcocaine injections developed "even stronger expressions of the enduringchanges in behavior -- suggesting an overall hypersensitivity to theaddictive process," the researchers noted.
Since both groups of rats were raised in the same controlledconditions, the damaged amygdala was the likely cause of the impaired fearbehavior, as well as the heightened drug response, in the one group ofrats, the study authors concluded.
In humans, disease and interactions between genetic and environmentalfactors can alter amygdala function or change the way it's connected tothe rest of the brain during childhood and adolescence.
"Early emotional trauma, paired with a certain genetic background, mayalter the early development of neural networks intrinsic to the amygdala,resulting in a cascade of brain effects and functional changes thatpresent in adulthood as a dual-diagnosis disorder," lead author Dr. AndrewChambers explained in a prepared
Many kinds of addiction -- such as those for alcohol, drugs andnicotine -- occur in people with various kinds of mental illness,including depression, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders, according tobackground information in an American Psychological Association newsrelease about the Indiana University study.
Two to five of every 10 anxious or depressed people, and four to eightof every 10 people with schizophrenia, biopolar disorder or antisocialpersonality, also have some form of addiction, according toepidemiological data.
In this study, published in the December issue of BehavioralNeuroscience, the researchers compared the behavior of adult ratswhose amygdalas were surgically damaged in infancy and adult rats withintact amygdalas.
Rats with the damaged amygdalas showed less fear and caution thannormal and were significantly more sensitive to cocaine after just oneexposure to the drug. Rats with damaged amygdalas that received repeatedcocaine injections developed "even stronger expressions of the enduringchanges in behavior -- suggesting an overall hypersensitivity to theaddictive process," the researchers noted.
Since both groups of rats were raised in the same controlledconditions, the damaged amygdala was the likely cause of the impaired fearbehavior, as well as the heightened drug response, in the one group ofrats, the study authors concluded.
In humans, disease and interactions between genetic and environmentalfactors can alter amygdala function or change the way it's connected tothe rest of the brain during childhood and adolescence.
"Early emotional trauma, paired with a certain genetic background, mayalter the early development of neural networks intrinsic to the amygdala,resulting in a cascade of brain effects and functional changes thatpresent in adulthood as a dual-diagnosis disorder," lead author Dr. AndrewChambers explained in a prepared
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