Testing It Up

The fight against branding on cigarette packaging gets the support of 28-year-old mum from Aston Fields, who lost her father to lung cancer.

Jo Spalding has joined “The Answer Is Plain” campaign of Research UK. Spalding herself used to be a smoker, but gave up the habit four years ago, after losing her father.

Spalding’s father Alan had died at the age of 55 due to lymphoma. He had been a lifelong smoker, and after he passed away, it was determined that the tumor he suffered from was a secondary cancer; the primary cancer was in his lungs.

Mrs. Spalding shared: “He only lived for four weeks after diagnosis, rapidly deteriorating and needing care from his wife, which was extremely difficult as he was an incredibly private man. He passed away after a two day stay in hospital as he needed permanent oxygen.”

The Answer is Plain is gathering signatures for a petition asking that cigarettes be sold in plain packaging. A consultation as to whether all tobacco ought to be placed in packs of uniform size, shape, and design, with large health warnings placed in front and at the back.

Spalding shared further: “I’ve seen how driven by branding all children are in the clothes and shoes they want to wear. And I’ve experienced it first-hand with cigarette packaging. When I see cigarettes and my old familiar brand’s packaging, I do often think about buying them and how it might feel to have one.”

On May 14, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon is expected to set the legal minimum price of alcohol at 50p per unit.

The means that the cheapest bottle of wine will cost £4.69, while a four-pack of lager will set consumers back at least £3.52. According to Health spokeswoman Jackie Bellie, “At a time when public finances are being squeezed, it makes no sense to hand over £100million to supermarket shareholders… We need to invest in alcohol education and treatment.”

A Sheffield University study found that this would cut consumption by 5.7 per cent, affecting alcoholics the most and saving lives — estimated 60 in the first year and 318 every year within a decade.

Those who oppose the alcohol pricing insist that this move will affect responsible adults more, instead of focusing on problem drinkers.

Aileen Keyes of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said: “The announcement of the minimum unit price will make clear just how far hard pressed Scottish consumers’ budgets will be stretched by minimum unit pricing. The policy will punish the majority of responsible consumers whilst doing nothing to tackle the root causes of alcohol misuse.”

A study published in the journal BMC Gastroenterology indicated that drugs prescribed to fight high cholesterol may also help reduce one’s risk for bowel cancer by half.

The study, conducted at a Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, found that statins could reduce a person’s risk for developing bowel cancer by an average of 57 percent. For those who took higher doses of the drug, as well as those who had taken them for at least five years, the risk of developing bowel cancer was pegged at 80 percent.

The study looked into statin use in more than 100 patients with bowel cancer, as well as 132 healthy adults.

The researchers said: “Statins may have a protective effect against the development of colorectal cancer. Our case-control study shows that statin use was associated with a lower incidence of colorectal cancer and this effect was associated with a significant dose and duration response.”

This recent study was published in the wake of a UK trial that looked into whether a compound found in a curry spice could help improve treatment in patients suffering from advanced stage of bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK. Unfortunately, bowel cancer awareness in the country is low.

A study published recently by the European Environment Agency (EEA) found a link between common household chemicals and certain health conditions, including cancer and reduced fertility.

The study revealed a “strong evidence of harm” that may be brought by items that contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including cosmetics and medicines. The agency issued a warning against their use, but did not call for an outright ban against them.

Five classes of chemicals, the EEA said, merit further study. Among them are phthalates, which are often found in pesticides bisphenol A and other PCBs, which are used to make plastics parabens that are being found at an increasing rate in sunscreen and chemicals used in contraceptive pills.

The report indicated that the chemicals, which disrupt the hormone system, “may be a contributing factor behind the significant increases in cancers, diabetes and obesity, falling fertility and an increased number of neurological development problems in both humans and animals.”

The EEA pointed out that in recent decades, a significant increase in such health conditions and disorders as breast and prostate cancer, male infertility, and diabetes, has been observed. It was pointed out that many scientists believe that this observed increase may be associated with “rising levels of exposure to mixtures of some chemicals in widespread use.”

EEA Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade shared: “Scientific research gathered over the last few decades shows us that endocrine disruption is a real problem, with serious effects on wildlife, and possibly people… It would be prudent to take a precautionary approach to many of these chemicals until their effects are more fully understood.”

A charity providing drug and alcohol services in Plymouth is up for a major national award.

The Harbour Drug and Alcohol Services has been shortlisted for The Charity Awards, beating hundreds of other charities. The Charity Awards is the most prestigious excellence recognition scheme, and Harbour has been shortlisted in the social care and welfare category, along with two other charities.

The charity is being recognized for “a leadership and change programme which sets Harbour on its way to becoming a model of excellence within the charity sector for the provision of specialist drug and alcohol treatment,” a spokesman shared.

Harbour has more than tripled the number of people it has helped in the past six years; quadrupled the number of non-opiate and crack users it helped; contributed to a significant reduction in such crimes as burglaries in Plymouth; and achieved an 80 percent success rate for its home detox service, among others.

Jeremy Prichard, chief executive of Harbour, shared: “Drug and alcohol services can be seen as the Cinderella of the charity world – there’s a lot pain and hard work and very little glory, but our staff are quietly getting on with their jobs, helping hundreds of people every year to beat their addictions and rehabilitate themselves within society. The work they do is quite simply life-changing, and I’m delighted that their efforts have been recognised in this way.”

Harbour is among 32 charities shortlisted for the awards, which is the highest profile event in the charity calendar. The winners will be announced on June 14.

A study to be conducted by scientists from the Experimental Cancer Medicine Center (ECMC) at the University of Leicester will try to determine whether an extract of the curry spice turmeric may be used to help patients with advanced bowel cancer fight the disease.

The researchers will specifically study whether tablets that contain curcumin, an extract of turmeric, may be safely added to the standard treatment for bowel cancer.

Cancer Research UK, which funds the Center along with the National Institute for Health Research, said that the results of earlier studies have shown that curcumin can enhance the ability of chemotherapy to kill cancer cells, albeit in the laboratory setting.

Chief investigator William Steward, director of the ECMC, shared: “Once bowel cancer has spread it is very difficult to treat, partly because the side effects of chemotherapy can limit how long patients can have treatment… The prospect that curcumin might increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy is exciting because it could mean giving lower doses, so patients have fewer side effects and can keep having treatment for longer.”

The study will have as participants around 40 patients suffering from bowel cancer that has spread to the liver at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General Hospital. Three quarters of the participants will be given curcumin tablets for seven days, followed by Folfox, a combination of three chemotherapy drugs that is currently standard treatment for patients with advanced bowel cancer. The rest of the participants will only receive Folfox.

Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the world, and is the second most common cause of cancer death in Britain.

An effort to raise awareness regarding lung cancer has drawn the support of several celebrities, who have a personal experience with the disease.

Celebrities including Ricky Gervais, Alex Ferguson, Jenny Frost, Duncan Bannatyne and Mark Lawrenson are among those who have joined the “Be Clear on Cancer” drive, a campaign trying to raise awareness of lung cancer.

What these celebrities have in common is losing a loved one to lung cancer, a disease that kills more people in England than any other type of cancer. Ricky Gervais and Jenny Frost, for instance, both lost their mothers to the disease.

Early disease detection is key to managing lung cancer. According to the Department of Health, early diagnosis can save as many as 1,300 lives a year. “It is vital that cancer patients get treated quickly so they have the best chance of surviving. We have made early diagnosis central to our Cancer Outcomes Strategy,” Professor Sir Mike Richards, national cancer director for England, shared. “Earlier diagnosis of Lung Cancer combined with the best treatments could help save an additional 1,300 lives a year.”

Health minister Paul Burstow shared: “Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in this country but worryingly many people don’t know the signs and symptoms that could save their lives. The earlier lung cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of survival. The message from this campaign is simple; if you have a persistent cough for three weeks or more, visit your GP.”

A new study indicates that more young people in North England have problems related to alcohol. It showed that twice as many young people living in North-east England are being treated for alcohol problems, when compared against the rest of the country. This information is based on figures from Balance, a health campaign group.

The study showed that 118 out of every 100,000 young people under the age of 18, who lived in the North-east, were treated for issues related to alcohol consumption. This statistic is twice the national average; the national average is that 59 young people out of every 100,000 are receiving treatment for alcohol problems.

Balance also said that more than 600 of the 9,450 people who received treatment in the North-east region in the period 2010-11 were under the age of 18.

Following the North-east in terms of cases of treatment of alcohol-related issues is the North-west region, with the second-highest rate at 99 out of 100,000 people in treatment under the age of 18. The North-west is then followed by the East Midlands, with a rate of 62 per 100,000.

Colin Shevills, director of Balance, was quoted as saying: “Our region is drinking too much from an early age driven by alcohol which is too affordable, too available and too heavily promoted. Although the Government’s alcohol strategy aims to turn the tide against binge drinking, it is weak on a clear strategy around the marketing and promotion of alcohol.”

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Edinburgh determined that men with low testosterone levels may be more at risk of developing diabetes.

The researchers found a link between low levels of testosterone and a resistance to insulin, which controls blood sugar levels.

Testosterone is found throughout the body, and low levels are linked with obesity, which is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Kerry McInnes, of the endocrinology unit of the University of Edinburgh, shared: “We know that men with low testosterone levels are more likely to become obese and as a result, develop diabetes. This study shows that low testosterone is a risk factor for diabetes no matter how much a person weighs. As men age their testosterone levels lower. This, along with increasing obesity, will increase the incidence of diabetes.”

The study, the researchers shared, is the first to how directly how low testosterone levels in fat tissue can be “instrumental” to the onset of diabetes. Their findings, the researchers said, may explain why older men have a greater risk of developing diabetes, as testosterone levels decline in men as they age.

The study, which was funded by Diabetes UK, showed that mice with impaired testosterone function in fat tissue were more likely to be insulin-resistant. It also showed that mice without androgen receptors in fat tissue where testosterone can attach were more likely to exhibit insulin resistance, when compared to other mice; they also became fatter, and develop full insulin resistance when fed a high-fat diet.

A study conducted by Diabetes UK warned that many people suffering from diabetes in the UK are unable to keep their blood pressure within a reasonable level, which can prove to be detrimental to their health.

Researchers analyzed data from the NHS and was able to determine that around half of patients diagnosed with diabetes are unable to control their blood pressure. This finding should trigger alarm bells in the medical industry.

Diabetes UK chief executive Barbara Young shared that the results are “extremely worrying.” She also said further that “people with diabetes need to be aware that high blood pressure can have a hugely damaging effect on their health.”

People suffering from diabetes are urged to keep their blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg at all times. This rate is slightly lower than the target set for the rest of the population, who are encouraged to keep their blood pressure between 120/80 and 140/85 mmHg.

A spokesman for the Department of Health explained health professionals can ensure that a person’s blood pressure is kept at a safe and healthy level by making sure that they go through the health checks recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The spokesman also said: “Diabetic patients who have high blood pressure should also get advice and treatment to help them manage the condition that fits with their lifestyle.”

Ms. Young went on to say that there is a need to take immediate action, as the country is “in danger of high blood pressure becoming the norm in people with the condition.”