Daily Round Up

Ovarian Cancer Screening Found Not Effective

Results: According to the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force, women with an average risk of ovarian cancer should not undergo routine screening for the disease. The task force highlights this only applies to women who do not show symptoms of ovarian cancer. It does not include women who have known risks such as BRCA mutations, Lynch syndrome, or a family history of ovarian cancer.

Relevance: The test may do more harm than good. According to Dr. Virginia A. Moyer, the chairwoman of the expert panel, the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force, stated there is no supporting evidence that the current method of screening for ovarian cancer is successful in reducing mortality.

Experimental drug curbs smokers' nicotine cravings

Results: According to Manolo Mugnaini, a researcher at the Aptuit Centre for Drug Discovery and Development in Verona, Italy, the drug GSK598809 was able to reduce nicotine cravings, by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain.

Relevance: Researchers hope to reduce the number of people who smoke by reducing their nicotine cravings. The Centers for Disease and Control reports an estimated 443,000 deaths are due to smoking.

Obamacare may increase death rates in the elderly

As reported by Fox news, to fund Obamacare, the Medicare program experienced more than $700 billion in budget cuts. If hospitals are not adequately funded to treat the older population, adversely quality and quantity of senior care may be negatively impacted.

In a study published in the Internal Medicine, it was discovered that when hospitals are forced to spend less on elderly it can be fatal to the patients. This study analyzed data from 208 California hospitals between 1999 and 2008. It was observed many seniors died at low funded hospitals from conditions such as pneumonia, stroke or heart attack.