Radiation from the CT scans performed in 2007 will cause 29,000 cancers and kill nearly 15,000 Americans, researchers said on Monday. About 70 million CT scans were done on Americans in 2007, up from 3 million in 1980. CT scans give doctors a view inside the body, often eliminating the need for exploratory surgery.

is an herb used since ancient times to treat liver ailments. This new trial performed at Columbia University Medical Center in New York shows it may help reduce the liver damage caused by some cancer drugs. In the study that included 50 children undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), researchers found that appeared to reduce treatment-related liver inflammation.

Researchers from the University of Michigan report that curcumin found in turmeric, and piperine found in black peppers, decreased the risk of breast cancer formation by stopping the growth of the stem cells that spawn the tumours while having no effect on normal healthy cells. The researchers used doses equivalent to 20 times to potency of what could be consumed through the diet however, such potencies are possible from dietary supplements, said the researchers. If we can limit the number of stem cells, we can limit the number of cells with potential to form tumours, explained lead author Madhuri Kakarala.

Selenium-based antioxidant supplements may prevent the development of new colon polyps in people with a history of polyp formation, says a new study that included 411 people. All the participants had already undergone surgery to remove one or more colorectal adenomas. Participants received either placebo or a antioxidant-rich supplement containing selenomethionene, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Women who took a commonly used class of osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates had significantly fewer invasive breast cancers than women not using the bone-strengthening pills, according to a new analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The analysis from a segment of the more than 150,000 generally healthy post-menopausal women in the WHI study found that those taking Merck & Co's Fosamax, or other bisphosphonates, had 32 % fewer cases of invasive breast cancer than women who did not use the osteoporosis medicines, researchers found. The study was headed by Dr.