Flexitarians have decreased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and reduced risk of cancer
For a number of years, I talked about becoming a vegetarian. I could see the health and environmental benefits, but completely removing meat seemed a bit extreme for my tastes. I recently discovered flexitarianism, a vegetarian diet where one eats meat occasionally. I limit my intake of meat and seafood, but I can still enjoy…
A mystery solved, a paradigm shifted
Researchers working in a U of A laboratory have uncovered two previously unknown ways that metabolism triggers cancer cell growth, uncovering potential new pathways for diagnosis and treatment. Both papers come out of the laboratory shared by Evangelos Michelakis, professor and associate chair of research in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and Canada Research Chair in Applied Molecular and…
Recent review highlights need to gain a broader scientific view of cancer to better prevent and treat it
While cancer is a genetic disease, the genetic component is just one piece of the puzzle – and researchers need to consider environmental and metabolic factors as well, according to a research review by a leading expert at the University of Alberta. Nearly all the theories about the causes of cancer that have emerged over the…
Evidence suggests laser-based fusion energy could actually be a viable
A beam of protons painlessly penetrates human tissue until it terminates inside a cancer tumour, where each particle deposits a micro-explosion of radiation energy. The beam is precisely calibrated, targeting only the tumour and leaving surrounding tissue unharmed. Called “proton therapy,” this revolutionary medical treatment is just one application of a relatively new technology using…
New American Cancer Society guide for survivors highlights exercise, nutrition as key long-term factors
Engaging in regular physical activity and following a healthy diet could help cancer survivors increase their likelihood of long-term survival and reduce the odds of their cancer coming back, according to the American Cancer Society’s newly released guidelines for cancer survivors. “From a cancer patient perspective, these are the things you can do for yourself, to help…
Discovery provides insight into improving vaccines, understanding cancer
Researchers have uncovered new information about a cellular mechanism in the immune system that provides a critical step toward a better understanding of how antibodies evolve and improve in the human body. The antibodies our immune system produces need fine-tuning to reach maximum effectiveness. When a vaccine or pathogen is first introduced into our bodies,…
International Women’s Day encourages everyone to ‘Break the Bias’ in health care and research
If you are a woman – or love one – here are some facts that may surprise you: Almost three-quarters of the 750,000 Canadians who have Alzheimer’s are women. Women are 20 per cent more likely than men to develop lung cancer if they smoke the same number of cigarettes. Heart attacks are not recognized…
Algorithm scans pathology, radiology reports for information to aid researchers in improving outcomes
Every time you enter a phrase or a sentence into Google search, algorithms kick in using a technique called natural language processing to understand what you really want to know and then find you an answer. Now University of Alberta researchers will use a similar approach to develop a computer program that can “read” doctors’…
Fewer surgery complications and shorter hospital stays
Women with obesity and endometrial cancer who lose weight in advance of surgery have fewer complications and shorter hospital stays, according to preliminary study results so promising that they are already changing the standard of care. Sophia Pin, an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alberta and physician at the…
Fish, meat, dairy help people maintain muscle and tolerate treatments: experts
If you’re being treated for cancer, don’t leave meat, fish and dairy off your plate, University of Alberta experts advise. Though avoiding animal-based proteins like red meat may seem healthier, relying on plant-based protein alone isn’t a good plan while fighting cancer, said Carla Prado, a nutrition expert in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and…