In the News

» Cancer deaths to hit 17 million by the year 2030 double the current number according to Peter Boyle, director for the International Agency for research on Cancer. The doubling is due to aging of the world population, and an increased rate of alcohol abuse and smoking in developing countries.

» Researchers from the Hospital of Prato, Italy examined the medical records of everyone seen at their center with isolated arthritis in one knee over a 6-year period. In 1.7% of these patients (that's 5 out of 296) the arthritis appeared to be the first sign of lung cancer. All five were middle aged men with a long history of heavy cigarette smoking. In all 5 the cancer was early stage and was able to be completely surgically removed and the patients were in good health 41 months later. The arthritis totally disappeared in all 5 cases after lung cancer surgery confirming that the two were linked. It may be wise to have a chest x-ray if you are a heavy smoker who develops arthritis in one knee; online ahead of print in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

» In people who develop the wintertime blues it was found that they have a drop in the neurotransmitter serotonin in the winter. Treatment with antidepressant medication or a change of seasons restored serotonin to previous levels. The form of depression that occurs in some individuals that is caused by winter is SAD (seasonal affective disorder); online ahead of print in Neuropsychopharmacology.