Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Gene ups oral-cancer risk for drinkers who smoke

    People who have a particular variant of a single gene are at a disproportionate risk of oral cancer if they both smoke and drink.

    By Ben Harder
  2. Health & Medicine

    Fetal cells pop up in mom’s thyroid

    A woman's thyroid gland contains male cells, suggesting that cells from her son passed into her when he was a fetus.

    By John Travis
  3. Health & Medicine

    Gene helps alcohol help the heart

    A genetic study indicates that moderate consumption of alcohol helps keep the heart healthy.

    By John Travis
  4. Health & Medicine

    Pill boosts cancer risk in some women

    Women who took oral contraceptives before 1975, and whose mother or sister had breast cancer between 1944 and 1952, have triple the likelihood of getting breast cancer as compared with similar women who didn't take the pill.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Health & Medicine

    Interferon delays multiple sclerosis

    In some people who show early-warning signs of multiple sclerosis, the drug interferon-beta-1a seems to delay or even prevent the disease from becoming full-blown.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Health & Medicine

    Study bolsters head injury, Alzheimer’s link

    Veterans who suffered a moderate or severe concussion during World War II face a heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease when they reach old age.

    By Nathan Seppa
  7. Health & Medicine

    When It’s No Longer Baby Fat

    Increasingly, children are plump by the time they enter school, and they get fatter as they grow.

    By Janet Raloff
  8. Health & Medicine

    Categorizing Cancers: Gene activity predicts leukemia outcome

    By dividing acute myeloid leukemia into subtypes on the basis of which genes are abnormally active in a given patient, doctors may be able to predict outcomes and make better treatment decisions.

    By Ben Harder
  9. Health & Medicine

    Slimmer Ticks, Less Disease: Tick-semen protein is potential vaccine

    An antitick vaccine using a protein that causes female ticks to engorge on blood may control tick populations, a new study suggests.

    By Edna Francisco
  10. Health & Medicine

    Drug for preemies linked to problems

    A steroidal drug used to combat lung inflammation in premature infants appears to have long-term negative effects.

    By Nathan Seppa
  11. Health & Medicine

    A drug to stop diabetes’ onset?

    Individuals susceptible to developing type 1 diabetes may find hope in a vaccinelike drug that is showing promise in mouse studies.

    By Alexandra Goho
  12. Health & Medicine

    Stronger Proof That Trans Fats Are Bad

    New evidence confirms that eating lots of trans fats can lead to heart problems.

    By Edna Francisco