"Prostate cancer blood test helps target treatment," BBC News reports. A study found a blood test could detect which men with advanced prostate cancer would benefit from new drug treatment. Researchers analysed blood samples from nearly 50 men taking part in a trial of a new drug (olaparib) for prostate cancer that has spread to
"Just three mutations are needed to make bird flu a potential pandemic strain that could kill millions," is the alarming headline from the Mail Online. However, the chance of all three mutations occurring has been described as "relatively low". Bird flu hit the headlines in 1997 when it was found that a strain of flu virus
"Women who are obese when they conceive are more likely to have a baby with serious birth defects," The Guardian reports. Swedish researchers looked at more than a million health records and found a link between excess body mass index (BMI) and the risk of a child being born with birth defects. The researchers found there
"Dieters who follow a vegetarian eating plan lose nearly twice as much weight," the Daily Mail reports following the results of a new study. Researchers randomly assigned two groups of people with type 2 diabetes to either a vegetarian diet or a standard weight loss diet. They found those on the vegetarian diet lost more
"People over 75 taking daily aspirin after a stroke or heart attack are at higher risk of major – and sometimes fatal – stomach bleeds than previously thought," BBC News reports. Aspirin can help thin the blood, so it is often given to people thought to be at risk of blood clots, which could trigger a heart attack
"Four million people died in 2015 as a result of being too tubby, struck by cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other killer conditions," reports The Sun. This is based on a global study that looked at how the proportion of people who are overweight and obese has changed over time. This was determined by recording body
"Vitamin C and antibiotics could be up to 100 times more effective than drugs at killing cancer cells – without the side effects," reports the Mail Online. The news comes from the results of a study that found a new two-pronged approach using the antibiotic doxycycline followed by vitamin C could kill cancer cells. Doxycycline killed
"NHS should prescribe dogs to keep over-65s fit," the Daily Mail reports. The headline was prompted by the results of a new study with the rather unsurprising finding that older adults who own dogs walk more than those who don’t. The study included around 80 adults with an average age of 70 from three regions
"Sliced white bread is ‘just as healthy as brown’, shock findings reveal," The Sun reports. A small study looking at the effects of eating different types of bread – white versus brown sourdough – found no significant differences. But the researchers also reported responses varied from person to person, depending on their gut bacteria. The study
"Even moderate drinking can damage the brain," The Guardian reports. A new study, involving brain scans and cognitive testing, suggests that moderate drinking, over many years, could damage areas of the brain linked to memory and cognitive function. The results showed that the higher the amount of alcohol consumed a week, the higher the risk
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