Genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer – should all women be tested?
Yesterday in the UK, a team from Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University in London reported that it may be more cost effective and help prevent cancer in women if we screen the entire population...
Could IUDs really reduce risk of cervical cancer?
By Dr Claire Senner A study out this week has suggested that women who use intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) could reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer by 30%. The report published...
A new non-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis is on the way!
By Dr Claire Senner An American company Dotlab appears to be on the verge of releasing a revolutionary new diagnostic test for endometriosis. The test developed by the San Francisco based company uses...
Measuring menstrual blood to test for female diseases – what do you think?
A USA company, Lifestory Health, are testing the idea that menstrual blood could be used for the diagnosis of some female only diseases rather than testing a blood or urine sample. USA entrepreneur,...
Can acupuncture help women’s health issues?
Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine which uses needles inserted in key points with the aim of treating various conditions. It is based on the belief that energy or Qi flows through...
Recruitment begins for world’s first ovarian cancer vaccine trial
Patients are now being recruited for the world’s first personalised genomics-driven ovarian cancer vaccine clinical trial. The goal is to prevent an often deadly relapse of the disease in women...
Menstrual cycle recreated on a chip
Researchers have created a replica of the female reproductive tract using a 3D model that mimics the natural menstrual cycle. The researchers built the model with cells of each of the five organs...
Menopausal hot flushes
Vasomotor symptoms of the menopause are called hot flashes in the USA and hot flushes in the UK. They are often exhibited in the perimenopausal period and are experienced by 75% of women. Hot flushes...
One in five breast cancer patients could benefit from existing treatment
Breast cancer globally accounts for nearly 1.7 million cancer cases. Between 1-5% of breast cancer cases are due to inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. A new study suggests that a greater...
Early periods may increase risk of gestational diabetes
Girls who have their first period before age 11 are 50% more likely to develop gestational diabetes than those who experienced their first period at age 13, according to a University of Queensland...
Drug may protect ovaries and fertility from damage by chemotherapies
A drug already used to slow tumor growth may also prevent infertility caused by chemotherapies, according to a study in mice published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Led by...
Screening high-risk women may reduce risk of advanced ovarian cancer diagnosis
The results of the UK Familial Ovarian Cancer Screening Study, which is led by the UCL, show that screening women at high risk of ovarian cancer every four months may reduce the risk of them being...
Women with endometriosis-caused infertility benefit equally well from IVF as other women
A new study shows that infertile women with endometriosis, who have IVF treatment, are equally likely to conceive and have a successful pregnancy as those undergoing fertility treatments for other...
Breast cancer diagnosis does not impact response to ovarian stimulation, according to study
Researchers aimed at finding out if a breast cancer diagnosis impacts ovarian function in the setting of fertility preservation. This cohort analysis included 589 patients undergoing ovarian...
Starting periods at 11 or younger increases risk of early or premature menopause
Women who had their first menstrual period when they were aged 11 or younger have an increased risk of an early or premature menopause and if they remain childless the risk is increased even more,...
Do you ‘Plank’?
Let start of by saying that I’m not a fitness professional -HAH! That was the understatement of the month – so I can only go by what works for me and quite a few others. The Plank has been...
Do you have good friends?
As we go through life, we can sometimes lose touch with great friends. We may move home, move job, or dedicate time to our spouse and family. Friendships are a key part of life. Our social life...
Changing the colour of our skin
By Sam Poselay Pigmentocracy is the development of a social hierarchy based on skin tone and is very much prevalent across large parts of the world, particularly Latin America, the Caribbean and large...
