By now, most of us know that exposure to secondhand—and thirdhand smoke (smoke residue on clothing, furniture, carpets, and other household items)—can cause a number of health problems. According to the FDA, secondhand smoke and smoking residue also pose a danger to pets.

Dogs and cats—like young children—spend a considerable amount of time on or near the floor, where smoke residue often accumulates. Not only do pets breathe in secondhand smoke in the home, they also ingest thirdhand smoke that has settled onto their fur when grooming themselves. Studies show that other pets—including guinea pigs, birds, and even fish—are affected by secondhand smoke.

According to the FDA, cats living in a home with smoking have an increased risk for lymphoma—a type of immune system cancer. In dogs, the cancer risk from secondhand smoke is related in part to nose length—those with longer noses are more likely to develop cancer of the nasal cavity and sinuses and those with shorter snouts are at increased risk for lung cancer.

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Sourced from: U.S. News & World Report

Although deaths from cervical cancer in the U.S. have decreased by more than 50 percent over the past 40 years—largely due to screening procedures like the Pap test and preventive measures like HPV vaccination—new research shows that the risk of dying from cervical cancer may have been underestimated. According to the American Cancer Society, about 12,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017 and 4,210 women will die from the disease.

Data for this new study, which examined cervical cancer mortality rates from 2000 to 2012, excluded women who had undergone a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, including the cervix) and were no longer at risk for cervical cancer. Study results show that the cervical cancer mortality rate was actually 47 percent higher in white women and 77 percent higher in black women than previously estimated.

During the study period, death rates from cervical cancer declined by 0.8 percent annually in white women and 3.6 percent annually in black women. According to researchers, cervical cancer screening generally is not recommended for women over the age of 65 and cervical cancer death rates are higher in this age group.

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Sourced from: MNT

According to scientists in the UK, acrylamide—a chemical that is present in many types of food and is a natural by-product of cooking, when starchy foods like bread and potatoes are roasted, fried, or grilled for too long or at high temperatures—may increase cancer risk.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends cooking foods carefully to avoid browning. The agency also reports that foods like potatoes and other starchy vegetables should not be kept in the refrigerator because storing them at low temperatures increases their sugar content and may lead to higher production of acrylamide during cooking. Highest levels of the chemical are found in breakfast cereals, bread, biscuits, crackers, baked goods, and coffee—as well as in tobacco smoke.

Although there is no conclusive evidence that acrylamide causes cancer in humans, research has shown a link in animals. High levels of exposure also may cause damage to the neurological and reproductive systems. Some scientists remain skeptical about the potential risk.

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Sourced from: BBC