breast cancer research-related stories
Gwyneth Paltrow and Key to the Cure
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is lending her famous name and face to a good cause -- breast cancer research. The star is joining with Saks Fifth Avenue's and the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Key to the Cure. Key to the Cure raises money for research and brings awareness to the issue of women and breast cancer. Paltrow will appear in the ad campaign in a t-shirt designed by Karl Lagerfield, which will debut at Saks Fifth Avenue on October 1st. The shirt retails for $40 and nearly all of that will go to Key for the Cure. During the week of October 16-19, customers who shop at Saks or saks.com will see 2% of their purchase go to the organization as well.
So if you find yourself in need of a new t-shirt, or just need some new back-to-school clothes of your own, when you buy from Saks in October, you'll also be lending a helping hand to breast cancer research. Win-win!
Four new breast cancer genes discovered
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products
In what's being called an "outstanding discovery" researchers recently found four new genes that play a role in the development of breast cancer. But while some genes, like BrCA1 and BrCA2, significantly increase the risk of a women developing the disease, these four genes don't appear to do so and won't affect screening guidelines at this time.
What seems to be more exciting about this study lies not in the discovery, but in the method used. Comparing searching the genome to fishing, researchers said that rather that using "...a rod and line, we have trawled the pool." The method may eventually lead to breakthroughs in the discovery of genes in other diseases like diabetes.
Though genes are one part of the equation, experts are quick to point out that the answer to breast cancer is complex. Diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors all figure in and no one is quite sure to what extent. Whether these four new genes will lead to better screening and more options for women down the road will remain to be seen.
What seems to be more exciting about this study lies not in the discovery, but in the method used. Comparing searching the genome to fishing, researchers said that rather that using "...a rod and line, we have trawled the pool." The method may eventually lead to breakthroughs in the discovery of genes in other diseases like diabetes.
Though genes are one part of the equation, experts are quick to point out that the answer to breast cancer is complex. Diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors all figure in and no one is quite sure to what extent. Whether these four new genes will lead to better screening and more options for women down the road will remain to be seen.
Sheryl Crow lobbies for breast cancer legislation
Womens Health, Celebrities and Entertainment, Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
On Wednesday, rock star Sheryl Crow stirred up Capitol Hill as she appeared to lobby for breast cancer research legislation.
The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, first introduced in 2000, authorizes $40 million a year to be spent on studying the link between breast cancer and environmental influences. The bill was roadblocked last year when Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) put a hold on the legislation. His criticism of the bill is that the bill would take control from researchers and give it to politicians, and that the National Institute of Health already has $100 million per year to spend on breast cancer research.
Obviously Sheryl Crow and other politicians disagree, citing examples such as New York, where there are higher incidences of breast cancer in certain zip codes than others and the fact that native Alaskan women have higher incidences of the disease than other ethnic groups. Whether the rocker's star power had any influence or not, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed the bill would pass this year.
The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, first introduced in 2000, authorizes $40 million a year to be spent on studying the link between breast cancer and environmental influences. The bill was roadblocked last year when Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) put a hold on the legislation. His criticism of the bill is that the bill would take control from researchers and give it to politicians, and that the National Institute of Health already has $100 million per year to spend on breast cancer research.
Obviously Sheryl Crow and other politicians disagree, citing examples such as New York, where there are higher incidences of breast cancer in certain zip codes than others and the fact that native Alaskan women have higher incidences of the disease than other ethnic groups. Whether the rocker's star power had any influence or not, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed the bill would pass this year.
