Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Wed, Apr 15 1992 Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 05:42:41 EDT Message-ID: 04-15 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update April 15, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network PROSTATE CANCER HEREDITARY; A new study suggests prostate cancer may be at least partially hereditary. Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at increased risk of getting it themselves and should be screened for the cancer early, says a study led by Patrick C. Walsh of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The study is in Wednesday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (For more, see special Prostate package below.) THREONATE HELPS ABSORPTION: Medicines are better absorbed into the body when combined with a synthetic salt called threonate, says Dr. Anthony Verlangieri of the University of Mississippi Pharmacy School. New studies show threonate boosts absorption of aspirin and anti-arthritis medicine by 50% to 200%. Further studies are under way to gain Food and Drug Administration approval. It is patented by Oxycal Laboratories. CAPTROPRIL SAVES LIVES: Captropril, a common blood pressure medicine, substantially reduces the risk of death in heart attack victims and could save up to 15,000 lives a year, according to a study released Tuesday at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Dallas. The drug can help prevent post-attack swelling, decreasing the risk of heart failure by 36% and new heart attacks by 24%, researchers said. FEW LEARN TO GIVE ABORTIONS: Most gynecologists-in-training can get through residency without learning to perform an abortion, says a new study. Just 12% of 268 programs surveyed in fall 1991 require residents to learn abortions. Most programs offer abortion training as an option, says Dr. Trent MacKay of the University of California. He discussed his findings at a National Abortion Federation meeting Tuesday. CHILD POVERTY RATE UP: The poverty rate for children in young families has doubled since 1973, hitting 40% in 1990, and their median family income dropped 32% in the same period, the Children's Defense Fund said Tuesday. The child advocacy group called for better health care, more funding for child care and early development and a refundable tax credit for children. MORE TESTING MAY NOT BE NEEDED: Women whose Pap smears show a slight abnormality in cervical cells may not need to undergo extensive testing immediately to detect cervical cancer, as is often recommended, a new Cambridge University study shows. When these woman have a second Pap smear within a year, more than half will have returned to normal. Follow-up for abnormal Pap smears cost $200 to $400. DRUG FIRMS TO REMIND CUSTOMERS: Drug companies plan to give reminders to people to take their prescription medicine, betting the extra effort is the best way to keep patients healthy - and boost sales in the process. This month G.D. Searle & Co. will begin a series of 16 phone calls to each patient with high blood pressure being treated with Calan SR, its brand of verapamil. CALIF. BLUE SHIELD OKS THERAPY: Blue Shield of California has approved coverage of new radiation therapies for the treatment of small brain tumors. At a recent Medical Policy Committee meeting, the Plan agreed to consider payment for stereotactic radiosurgery, the precise targeting of high-dose radiation by gamma knife, proton beam or high-energy accelerator for intracranial tumors up to three centimeters. CLEAN AIR WEEK COMING: Clean Air Week is set for the first week in May. During the week, the American Lung Association will be holding one- and two-pay fund-raising bike rides throughout the country to benefit local clean air programs. For more information, call 800-842-2453. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON PROSTATE: RISK IS FOUR TIMES GREATER: A study led by Patrick C. Walsh of Johns Hopkins University suggests prostate cancer is partially hereditary. They analyzed the family histories of 691 men who have had their prostate glands removed. They estimate that for men in a family with more than one affected relative, the risk of cancer is about 50% - four times that of men with no affected relatives. SCREENING SHOULD BEGIN AT 40: The inherited cancer accounts for about 9% of this year's 132,000 total prostate cases, Walsh concludes. It can be inherited from the father's or mother's family. Walsh says screening for prostrate cancer should begin at the age of 40, particularly if several relatives have had prostate cancer or one relative developed it by age 55. FINDING GENE IS NEXT STEP: Walsh and his research team's next step is to try to find out what genes cause prostate cancer. Not only could that potentially lead to better treatment techniques, it could also offer understanding of its progression and how to detect it in the early stages. (End of package.) Health Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM