PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 4-Dec-2014 Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press @CellPressNews Blood cancers are more common in men than in women, but it has not been clear why this is the case. A study published by Cell Press December 4th in Cell Stem Cell provides an explanation, revealing that female sex hormones called estrogens regulate the survival, proliferation, and self-renewal of stem cells that give rise to blood cancers. Moreover, findings in mice with blood neoplasms--the excessive production of certain blood cells--suggest that a drug called tamoxifen, which targets estrogen receptors and is approved for the treatment of breast cancer, may also be a valuable strategy for blocking the development of blood neoplasms in humans. "Our study demonstrates that targeting estrogen signaling with a clinically approved drug, at doses with an acceptable toxicity profile in humans, provides a novel potential therapeutic strategy for a set of neoplasms currently without a definitive cure," said senior study author Simn Mndez-Ferrer of the National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) in Madrid, Spain. Myeloproliferative neoplasms cause large numbers of abnormal white blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream, potentially causing life-threatening symptoms. These diseases can lead to cancer and arise … Continue reading →

By Lacie Glover NerdWallet Only a short time ago, autism was one of our great medical mysteries. Today, its one of the better-funded disease research areas with great benefit: Autisms causes and treatments are more understood than ever before. We know that a complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But this year, researchers learned more about the entire spectrum of disorders, from the time those people affected are in the womb through their adulthood. Environmental factors Two studies this year confirmed that environmental factors play a part in the development of ASD. The first was conducted by University of Chicago Medical Center researchers, who analyzed 100 million medical records. They compared rates of autism and intellectual disability with genital malformations in newborn males, since malformations are an indicator of exposure to toxins in the womb. READ MORE: The Impact of Sexually Transmitted Infections The UCMC researchers found that for every 1 percent increase in malformations, there was a 283 percent increase in autism prevalence. There was also a 94 percent increase in intellectual disability. The more recent study, conducted through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and published this October, compared autism rates to air pollutant … Continue reading →

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is launching a new campaign to teach Canadians, young and old, how to quickly recognize the signs of someone having a stroke. The campaign, called FAST, asks the public to learn the acronym, which organizers say could help save someones life: Simplified, the messaging that people will see and will hopefully help people remember more about stroke, said Ian Joiner, of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The non-profit foundation said they are launching the multimedia, multilingual campaign in order to reach as much of the Canadian population as possible. Its also aimed at younger people, as strokes among 20-40 year olds is on the rise. At 38, Patrice Lindsay is a stroke survivor. It happened, she said, when she was rocking her two-year-old to sleep. My husband came running up the stairs and I kept trying to say, stroke, stroke. Lindsay said had all the typical symptoms: I had the facial droop, I wasnt able to properly speak, said Lindsay, who is a nurse who studied emergency response and strokes. When she lifted her left arm with her right hand, it would fall to her side if she released it. Knowing the signs, Lindsay was … Continue reading →