Certain Cancer Treatments May Heighten Danger From COVID-19

People with cancer are at increased risk for severe COVID-19. Now, a preliminary study suggests that certain cancer therapies may heighten those odds even further.

Researchers found that of 3,600 U.S. cancer patients who contracted COVID-19, the highest risk of death was among those who'd received cancer treatment within the past three...

Sleep Builds the Brain in the Early Years, Then Maintains It

For the very young, sleep builds and strengthens the brain, but it quickly switches to maintenance and repair before a child turns 3, new research shows.

Before about the age of 2½, the brain grows rapidly. And during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep a baby's brain builds and strengthens synapses, which connect neurons to each other...

Baby's Heart Rate Reflects Mom's Mental Health

Babies of mothers with anxiety or depression can have significantly higher heart rates than normal, a new study finds.

And this might put them at risk for long-term problems, researchers say.

Mother-infant interaction plays a crucial role in children's healthy development, but moms with depression, anxiety or postnatal depres...

Minorities Hit Hardest When COVID Strikes Nursing Homes

Minority residents of U.S. nursing homes and assisted living communities have been especially hard hit in the coronavirus pandemic, two University of Rochester studies show.

The first found that nursing homes with higher percentages of racial and ethnic minority residents reported two to four times more new COVID-19 cases and deaths co...

Avoid the 'Twindemic:' Get Your Flu Shot Now

The best time to get your flu shot is now if you want to protect yourself against a potential "twindemic" infection of influenza and COVID-19, experts say.

"Early September, at the very least early October, is the best time to get your flu shot. That really allows your body to build up the appropriate immune response in time for the pe...

Search and Rescue Dogs Fared Well After Working at 9/11 Sites

Search and rescue dogs used during the 9/11 attacks lived as long as dogs not at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon, a new study finds.

"I was at Ground Zero and I would hear people make comments like, 'Did you hear that half of the dogs that responded to the bombing in Oklahoma City died of X, Y, or Z?' Or they'...

Once-a-Week Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes Shows Promise in Early Trial

Type 2 diabetes can be tough to control without medication. But for some people, the thought of daily shots makes them delay or avoid starting insulin therapy.

Now, new research offers some hope for those insulin avoiders -- a once-a-week insulin injection may someday replace daily shots.

A phase 2 trial compared the new wee...

AHA News: Cluster of Risky Conditions That Can Lead To Heart Disease Is Rising in Hispanic Adults

A cluster of conditions called metabolic syndrome that could lead to heart disease and stroke is becoming more common among Hispanic adults, and experts say there needs to be more research and more work in prevention.

Overall, metabolic syndrome affects about 1 in 3 adults in the United States and puts them at higher risk of heart diseas...

Having Flu and COVID Doubles Death Risk in Hospitalized Patients

TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2020 (Healthday News) -- While health officials worry about a potential "twindemic" of COVID-19 and the flu this winter, a new study finds that hospital patients who were infected with both viruses were more than twice as likely to die as those infected only with the new coronavirus.

British government scientists con...

Homemade Masks Do a Great Job Blocking COVID-19

Don't fret about whether that fabric mask you made on your sewing machine protects against the spread of COVID-19 as well as the face masks sold in stores, new research reassures.

Taher Saif, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, examined the effectiveness of common househo...

Is an Early Form of Breast Cancer More Dangerous Than Thought?

Women diagnosed with an early, highly treatable form of breast cancer still face a higher-than-normal risk of eventually dying from the disease, a large new study finds.

The study looked at women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), where cancer cells form in the lining of the milk ducts but have not yet invaded the breast tissue. Som...

Effects of Gun Laws Cross State Borders, New Study Suggests

Strong gun laws may be negated by more permissive laws in neighboring states, a new study reports.

It found that weaker gun laws appear to increase gun deaths in adjoining states. The finding could support policymakers looking to strengthen gun laws in their state, according to authors of the study published online Sept. 14 in the A...