Hormone News and Research

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A hormone is a chemical released by one or more cells that affects cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is essentially a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.

TFF3 protein plays a more sinister role in breast cancer metastasis

The trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) protein protects and maintains the integrity of the epithelial surface in the normal breast. New research has found that while TFF3 protein expression is higher in well-differentiated low grade tumors and therefore associated with features of a good prognosis, it has a more sinister role in breast cancer invasion and metastasis.

16 Feb 2012

Combination of therapeutic cancer vaccines and chemotherapy shows promise

Therapeutic cancer vaccines, which stimulate the body's immune system to target and destroy cancer cells, are being used in combination with conventional chemotherapy with growing success, as described in several illuminating articles in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

16 Feb 2012

Researchers identify potent regulator of sensitivity to insulin

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a potent regulator of sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. The new findings may help scientists find better treatments for type 2 diabetes, obesity and other health problems caused by the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar.

16 Feb 2012

Tetrahydrobiopterin plays a key role in arterial health of women

Researchers studying why arteries stiffen in postmenopausal women have found a specific chemical cofactor that dramatically improves vascular function.

15 Feb 2012

Top four reasons why many dieters fail to lose weight

It's been more than one month since the new year and swimsuit season is lurking on the horizon - how are those weight-loss resolutions working out? "Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance," says Jessica Bartfield,MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at Loyola University Health System's Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.

15 Feb 2012

New group of compounds may protect brain cells from inflammation

Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have identified a new group of compounds that may protect brain cells from inflammation linked to seizures and neurodegenerative diseases.

15 Feb 2012

Healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart

Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Julie Damp, M.D.

14 Feb 2012

Oxygen deprivation disrupts insulin and glucose regulation in rat pups

Premature infants' immature lungs and frequent dips in blood pressure make them especially vulnerable to a condition called hypoxia in which their tissues don't receive enough oxygen, sometimes leading to permanent brain damage. New animal research suggests that a common practice in caring for these babies might in fact exacerbate this condition, increasing the chances for long-term neurological deficits.

14 Feb 2012

Two novel devices can predict women at risk of premature birth

Scientists and doctors from the University of Sheffield are developing two novel devices that could lead to the improved prediction of premature births.

14 Feb 2012

Transgender man falls pregnant and becomes a natural mother

A transgender man in his 30’s was able to carry a child after taking female hormones to reverse the effects of his female-to-male sex change treatment. The man from the West Midlands, UK is in a long-term relationship. It is not clear whether his partner is male or female. Medical ethics experts have called for a full inquiry into the issues surrounding transgender births, saying the interests of the child should not be risked to “fulfill the rights of an adult”.

13 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Contraception as Obama's 'gospel'; The right balance? Freedom at risk?; Examining Medicaid mandate

These guidelines, which increase access to contraceptive services for women while upholding the religious liberty of churches, mosques and synagogues, strike the proper balance between respecting the religious beliefs of all Americans and protecting the health of American women and families. They will reduce health costs, end long-standing gender discrimination in prescription drug coverage and further enable women to lead healthier lives.

13 Feb 2012

Curcumin may block growth of castrate-resistant prostate tumors

Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a study from researchers at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center suggests.

13 Feb 2012

FDA panel votes against Amgen’s Xgeva in prostate cancer

An FDA panel of oncologists has voted against a new use for Amgen's Xgeva in prostate cancer on Wednesday, saying the drug's ability to slow the spread of the disease did not translate into meaningful benefits for patients. Xgeva is already approved to prevent fractures in cancerous bones, and for osteoporosis, in a different formulation called Prolia.

9 Feb 2012

Six times more teenage girls being given contraceptive implants

According to new figures the number of girls aged 15 or younger having contraceptive implants has risen six-fold in only five years. Some 4,900 teenagers below the age of consent were given the devices last year, up from 800 in 2005/6.

9 Feb 2012

Scientists study a botanical formula that kills aggressive prostate cancer tumors

Scientists at Indiana University, Methodist Research Institute study a botanical formula that kills aggressive prostate cancer tumors. Their findings, based on experiments in mice using a human prostate cancer tumor model, appear online in The International Journal of Oncology.

9 Feb 2012

A critical step forward in understanding how insulin secretion is regulated in the body

In a study published last week in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, a team led by Dr. Vincent Poitout of the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) has made an important step forward in understanding how insulin secretion is regulated in the body.

8 Feb 2012

Increasing age associated with higher risk of death from breast cancer

Among postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, increasing age was associated with a higher risk of death from breast cancer, according to a study in the February 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Feb 2012

FGF21 hormone causes significant and rapid bone loss in mice

An endocrine hormone used in clinical trials as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetes drug causes significant and rapid bone loss in mice, raising concerns about its safe use, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have shown.

7 Feb 2012

Asthmatic mothers encouraged to breastfeed without fear as it boosts baby’s lung power: Study

In their study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine they looked at nearly 1,500 children from birth to ages eight to 14. Parents provided information on breastfeeding history when their children were 12 months old, and the children had a series of tests to assess lung function between the ages of 8 and 14.

7 Feb 2012

FDA reviews Amgen’s prostate cancer drug Xgeva

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers say that an Amgen drug slowed the spread of cancer to the bone in men with hard-to-treat prostate cancer, though the drug did not extend life and carried significant side effects.

7 Feb 2012