Cases of advanced breast cancer among young women continues to increase steadily, according to research from Seattle Children’s Hospital. The study, based on meta-analysis of data from the National Cancer Institute, found that the number of advanced cases of metastatic breast cancer in women ages 25 to 39 rose by about two percent every year between 1976 and 2009. Two percent doesn’t seem like a lot, but it translates to about 1.4 additional cases per 100,000 people over a period of 34 years.

This is the first study to detect a rise in advanced breast cancer cases among young women in the U.S. While the findings need to be confirmed by more research, they are troubling because young women with advanced breast cancer—cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as bones and the brain–are considerably less likely to survive than older women. Also, young women generally are not advised to be screened for breast cancer unless they have a family history.

Sourced from: Live Science, Advanced Breast Cancer Increasing in Young Women

Natural childbirth may give infants an extra boost of protection against common allergies. A study conducted by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital found that children delivered via c-section are up to five times more likely to develop allergies by age two than babies delivered naturally.

Scientists believe that the increased risk of allergies is linked to a lack of exposure to bacteria. During natural childbirth, the infant is briefly exposed to bacteria present in the birth canal. That seems to significantly strengthen the baby’s immune system. Without the exposure, the child is more likely to develop allergies to common household allergens, such as dust and pet hair.

The research confirms other studies that have linked c-section deliveries to an increased risk of childhood health problems, such as food allergies and diarrhea.

[Sourced from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256915.php, C-Section Babies 5 Times More Likely To Develop Allergies](Medical News Today)

The bacteria found naturally in the gut, or ‘normal flora’, could have a significant impact on blood pressure. The key to this link is the discovery by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University and Yale University that the same odor-receptors found on cells in the nose are also present in blood vessels throughout the body.

Gut bacteria generate specific molecules in response to changes in the stomach. These molecules are then detected by the odor-sensing receptors in blood vessels within the stomach. So, when these molecular changes happen in the gut, the receptors respond to the change by elevating or lowering the body’s blood pressure.

This discovery could provide key insights into the effects of antibiotics, probiotics and diet changes on blood pressure.

Sourced from: Medical News Today, Gut Bacteria Help Regulate Blood Pressure