Feature Channels: Women's Health

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A study led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center showed a significant overall survival benefit with ribociclib plus endocrine therapy for postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer. The results were published today in The New England Journal of Medicine and were first reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2021.

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Don't miss these articles in our Staff Picks channel

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Tulane scientists will use the five-year grant to better understand why the brain-protecting benefits of estrogen may not apply to all women, especially those with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.

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Despite using antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), many pregnant women had lingering depression and anxiety symptoms throughout their pregnancy and postpartum, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

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Women who were younger at the time of their first menstrual period (menarche) are more likely to report chronic pain in adulthood, reports a study in PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

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There are no ifs, ands or “butts” about it: March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and a timely reminder to get screened for one of the deadliest—and most preventable—cancers.

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The incidence of cervical cancer is starting to rise in low-income U.S. counties and has plateaued in high-income counties in recent years, after years of decreases, according to a new study led by investigators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) and published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum.

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Women with long or irregular periods are known to have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but researchers found these women may also be at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

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Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute are developing breast cancer models using tumors donated by patients to narrow the number of drugs that might be effective in each tumor based on the unique characteristics and behavior in these models of cancer.

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Analyzing breast-cancer tumors with artificial intelligence has the potential to improve healthcare efficiency and outcomes, but doctors should proceed cautiously, according to a new editorial in JAMA Health Forum co-written by Dr. Joann G. Elmore, a researcher at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered new genes in CD4+ "helper" T cell subset that are linked to risk of autoimmune diseases. As they work to shed light on the exact functions of these CD4+ T cell subsets, the researchers have uncovered major differences between donors based on genetics and how the cells may function in men and women.

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Psychological factors, especially related to body image, may affect the risk of complications after breast reconstruction surgery, reports a study in the March issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

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Women with migraine may have a higher risk of pregnancy complications like preterm delivery, gestational high blood pressure and preeclampsia, according to a preliminary study released today, February 24, 2022, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 74th Annual Meeting being held in person in Seattle, April 2 to 7, 2022 and virtually, April 24 to 26, 2022. Researchers also found that women with migraine with aura may have a somewhat higher risk of preeclampsia than women with migraine without aura. Auras are sensations that come before the headache, often visual disturbances such as flashing lights. Preeclampsia involves high blood pressure with additional symptoms, such as protein in the urine, during pregnancy, which can threaten the life of the mother and baby.

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A group of Michigan hospitals share data to better understand how COVID-19 risks affect diverse pregnant individuals, exploring both possible racial disparities and how COVID-19 may impact birth outcomes.

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Investigators in Female Pelvic Medicine at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Department of Urology have completed two studies and are conducting a third aimed at improving the standard of care for common urologic disorders in women.

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Obesity may negatively affect kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes, particularly in women, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

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Penn State College of Medicine researchers found that women who stopped breastfeeding because they believed they had inadequate milk supply are more likely to have a specific mutation in a gene found in mammary tissue.

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A new collection of scientific articles shines a light on the differences between men and women when it comes to heart health. Experts from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai led the project, which resulted in an anthology of 14 scientific articles that review the past decade of research on women’s cardiovascular health.

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On Saturday, March 5, 2022, from 8 am to noon, Loyola Medicine is hosting a free heart-health screening event for women. he screenings will take place at the Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine on the Loyola University Medical Center campus, located at 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood, Illinois. Interested women are invited to call 855-703-0283 to register for the event. Registration is required and the number of appointments is limited. Women of all ages are invited to register; participants do not need to qualify to sign up.

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Annual MRI screenings starting at ages 30 to 35 may reduce breast-cancer mortality by more than 50% among women who carry certain genetic changes in three genes (ATM, CHEK2, PALB2), according to a newly published comparative modeling analysis. The findings will be published Feb. 17 in JAMA Oncology.

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The pandemic upended much about traditional medical care delivery, and obstetrics is no exception.

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Next generation mRNA vaccines. A new PSMA-targeted approach for prostate cancer. A novel treatment for reducing LDL cholesterol. These are some of the innovations that will optimize and change healthcare in the coming year, according to an expert panel of clinicians and researchers. Cleveland Clinic has announced the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2022. The list of breakthrough technologies was selected by a committee of Cleveland Clinic subject matter experts, led by D. Geoffrey Vince, Ph.D., executive director of Innovations and chair of Biomedical Engineering at Cleveland Clinic.

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A new study led by researchers at Yale Cancer Center and the University of Maryland shows ixabepilone plus bevacizumab (IXA+BEV) is a well-tolerated, effective combination for treatment of platinum/taxane-resistant ovarian cancer compared to ixabepilone (IXA) alone.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health has awarded Penn State College of Medicine $3.9 million through May 2025 to study the impact COVID-19 has on pregnancy.

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In a new study published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers examined whether sleep disordered breathing (primarily obstructive sleep apnea) during pregnancy and in the years after delivery is associated with an increased risk for hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome consists of a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

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UCI-led study investigates effects of air pollution exposure on ovarian function Results from the study support possible links between air pollution exposure and additional adverse health outcomes in women, from cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s to osteoporosis. A recent study led by UCI researchers found that a type of air pollution known as fine particulate matter, or PM2.

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A study is the first to examine the impact of per-meal protein prescription and nutrition education with and without diet coaching to improve protein intake among middle-aged women. Since protein is the building block of muscles, researchers also investigated the impact of the changes in protein intake on muscle health.

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New research from Sanford Burnham Prebys has revealed significant molecular differences between the breast cells of white and Black women that help explain why Black women experience higher breast cancer mortality. The findings, published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, suggest that changing current diagnostic and treatment strategies could help address the disparity.

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A culturally underprivileged childhood increases a person’s risk of being less physically active in adulthood. This risk is greater for women than for men, according to new research published in the journal Psychological Science.

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Pregnant individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are about 40% more likely to develop serious complications or die during pregnancy than those who aren’t infected with the virus, according to a nationwide study led by a University of Utah Health obstetrician.

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A study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported that the MEK inhibitor trametinib reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 52% compared to standard-of-care therapies for the treatment of low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The findings were published today in The Lancet.

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No single gene causes uterine cancer, the fourth most common cancer among women, which is on the rise in the U.S.

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Unless you live to ski, take polar bear plunges or are like Bill Murray in the movie version of “Groundhog Day,” forever trapped in a blizzard like a bug in amber, Punxsutawney Phil’s most recent forecast might have been unwelcome. For those with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the change of seasons is serious business.

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A new study by researchers at Yale Cancer Center shows using current standard human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) assays as a diagnostic test may result in a mis-assignment of patients for treatment for breast cancer with a promising new drug.

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Cleveland Clinic and Maria Shriver, founder of The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM), announced a ground-breaking partnership today aimed at further addressing and reducing women’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease: The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic (WAM at Cleveland Clinic).

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A new study by researchers at Yale Cancer Center shows inhibition of the CECR2 gene prevents triple-negative breast cancer from advancing or metastasizing. The discovery is an early step in finding new therapeutics for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most difficult disease sub-types to treat.

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Data from a UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science study point to as much as a 27% increase in heart disease risk in postmenopausal women who experience both high levels of social isolation and loneliness.

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A blood test could help doctors predict which pregnant women are likely to develop a life-threatening condition called pre-eclampsia, a study co-authored by a Michigan State University researcher found.

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New research from the University of South Australia has found a connection between aggressive breast cancer cells and the dual CXCR4-CCR7 cell surface protein complexes. The research shows a direct relation between the number of these associations and the severity of the disease.

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February is American Heart Month ― a time to call attention to heart health issues such as heart disease and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year, according to the American Heart Association. While progress has been made to reduce cardiovascular disease for every age and gender over the past two decades, but the progress has been slower in improving risk factors and death rates in women under 50.

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A study published Online First in Anesthesiology, the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), finds “stomach emptying” is substantially slower during labor – but somewhat faster in women who receive an epidural for pain control.