Low levels of omega-3 can cause preterm birth

Health authorities already recommend that pregnant women eat fish, but avoid those high in mercury, including swordfish, tuna and shark. The findings indicated that pregnant women who had low plasma levels of long chain n-3 fatty acids -- found in fish oil -- in their first and second trimesters were at a significantly higher risk of preterm birth as compared with women who had higher levels of these fatty acids, said lead author Sjurdur F. Olsen from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal death and is associated with cognitive deficiencies and cardiometabolic problems later in life among survivors.

Read more: The Harvard Gazette

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Herceptin cures breast cancer in half the time

Professor Helena Earl, who led the Cambridge researchers, said: “We are confident that this will mark the first steps towards a reduction in treatment duration for many women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Women with aggressive breast cancer can be effectively cured in half the time compared to current treatment, minimising harmful side effects, researchers have said.compared to current treatment, minimising harmful side effects, researchers have said. Read more: The Telegraph

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Inflammatory breast cancer or IBC, often goes undetected, even by mammogram

Because symptoms differ from typical breast cancer, it is harder to diagnose, according to the American Cancer Society. IBC, affects about 4,000 Americans a year and, compared to other more common breast cancers, strikes at younger ages, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Its symptoms are unique: an inverted nipple; or skin can be red and hot to the touch, or have ridges or appear pitted like orange peel because of the build up of fluid in the breast. Often there is no lump, so the cancer can be missed by a mammogram. A doctor may suspect a infection like mastitis and waste precious time prescribing antibiotics as the cancer spreads. Read more on: Today Health

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