In The News This Week … Sep. 25–Oct. 1, 2005: Cancer x 2, Paxil, & Bioterror

Multiple Myeloma

A study published in the September 2005 issue of Epidemiology has found more evidence to show that obesity increases women's risk of developing multiple myeloma. The findings were based on 37,083 postmenopausal women, who were followed for 16 years, beginning in 1986.

Lung Cancer

According to research published in the September 28, 2005 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, a diet that is rich in fruits and veggies containing phyotestrogens can provide protection against lung cancer. Phytoestrogens are found in foods such as soy, chickpeas, rye grains, linseed, carrots, spinach, broccoli, beans, sprouts, and more.

For another item on veggies and cancer, see our item from November 6, 2004.

Paxil

On September 27, 2005, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the antidepressant Paxil may be linked more often to birth defects than other similar drugs. Based on preliminary analysis of their new study (which looked at the records of infants born to 3,581 pregnant women who took Paxil or other antidepressants during their first trimester), infants born to mothers on Paxil were more likely to be born with abnormalities than those whose mothers were on other antidepressants. Overall, 4% of infants in the study had some kind of malformation. (The typical rate of birth defects is 3%.)

Bioterror

Research published in the September 26, 2005 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine found that physician diagnosis and management of diseases caused by bioterrorism agents is poor. Indeed, based on 631 participants from 30 internal medicine residency programs in 16 states, the authors wrote, "…physicians are undertrained in the diagnosis and management of infection caused by 4 pathogens identified as likely to be used in a potential bioterrorism attack. The ability of physicians to distinguish smallpox, anthrax, botulism, and plague from other, more common, disorders was poor, as was their ability to manage illness due to bioterrorism agents once a diagnosis had been made." The good news is that the study authors noted improved results in a posttest, conducted after study participants completed an online training module.

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