Those who drink one or two cups of tea daily may have a lower risk of developing two types of skin cancer by 20 to 30 percent. In a study conducted on nearly 2,200 adults, researchers found that tea drinkers had a lower risk of developing squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer.

The findings were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Tea drinking did not show any effect on the worst skin cancer, melanoma. Still, the findings support the theory that tea antioxidants may limit the damage UV radiation inflicts on the skin, according to the study authors, led by Dr. Judy R. Rees of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

The researchers do warn that it is not okay to bake in the sun and then have a cup of tea afterwards.

The study did not mention what specific types of teas might be more beneficial than others.

Hormonal therapy for prostate cancer can cause many side effects, one being bone loss. The goal of the hormonal therapy is to reduce the levels of the male hormones, called androgens, in the body. The main androgen is testosterone. Androgens can stimulate prostate cells to grow and lowering the levels often makes prostate cancer cells shrink or grow more slowly.

The Annals of Internal Medicine published an article that says Fosamax (alendronate) can prevent and even reverse bone loss associated with hormonal treatment for prostate cancer.

A trial was conducted that showed after one year bone density had increased among patients treated with Fosamax but had decreased among patients who received a placebo.

If you are receiving hormonal treatment for prostate cancer ask your doctor about a bisphosphonate, like Fosamax to control bone loss.

New research has stated that eating a bowl of watercress, a salad leaf, can significantly reduce DNA damage to blood cells.

The report was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and it involved 30 men and 30 women, half of whom were smokers. They ate a small bag of prepared salad for eight weeks, in addition to their regular diet.

The results of the blood tests on the participants showed a 22.9 percent reduction in DNA damage to white blood cells. Damage to DNA is considered by experts to be an important trigger in the development of cancer.

The benefits of watercress were especially notable among smokers.

The research concluded "The results support the theory that consumption of watercress can be linked to a reduced risk of cancer via decreased damage to DNA and possible modulation of antioxidant status by increasing carotenoid concentrations."

So, I think next time instead of skipping over the watercress for the arugula I will grab both!

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the first country in the Middle East to acquire the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil.

Comparisons of cervical cancer statistics for the years 1998 through 2005 show incidences of the disease tripling during this span of time. So acquisition of the vaccine is a true blessing for the women of this country.

"We are proud to have placed the UAE on the map with leading countries such as the US, Australia and EU by approving Gardasil, the first breakthrough vaccine that prevents the cancer," said Dr Wisam Haddadin, Franchise Manager, Gulf Region, Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Gardasil, distributed by Merck, Sharp, & Dohme, is now available in more than 33 countries for the prevention of cervical cancer, most commonly caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). About 2.3 million women are currently diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide. About 800 women die of the disease every day.

A study that appears in the December issue of Science reports that a chemical compound called mifepristone present in the abortion pill may prevent breast tumors from developing. The compound has been found to prevent the growth of breast tumors caused by the mutant gene responsible for breast and ovarian cancers.

Mifepristone showed to prohibit progesterone, a hormone involved with the female reproductive cycle. Women who are diagnosed with BRCA 1 mutation often have their breasts or ovaries removed to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Eva Lee, lead author of the study and professor of developmental cell biology and biological chemistry, says "We found that progesterone plays a role in the development of breast cancer by encouraging the proliferation of mammary cells that carry a breast cancer gene. Mifepristone can block that response. We're excited about this discovery and hope it leads to new options for women with a high risk for developing breast cancer".

BRCA 1 is widely studied by cancer geneticists because a mutated version of this gene significantly raises the possibility of breast or ovarian cancers. By age 70, more than 50 percent of women with the mutated gene with develop breast or ovarian cancer. The researchers studied mice with the BRCA 1 mutation. The mice that were treated with mifepristone, an anti-progesterone compound did not develop breast cancer by the time they reached one year of age. All of the untreated mice developed tumors by eight months of age.

The researchers found that progesterone encourages the development of cancer when the mutated BRCA 1 gene is present because it speeds up the division of cancer cells. Mifepristone was found to block a binding process that is necessary for progesterone to cause the cell division. The researchers feel that anti-progesterone therapy could provide women with an increased risk for breast cancer with more treatment options in the future.

Bubbling from the earth in Balmoral, Scotland is a mineral water that appears to slow the growth of cancerous cells -- so say scientists who tested the mineral water against tap water. In laboratory testing, the mineral water slowed colon cancer cells 62 percent better than tap water; slowed liver cancer by 35 percent, and slowed cervical cancer by 21 percent better than tap water.

Deeside Mineral Water first came to be known as offering health benefit in 1760, when a local woman is reported to have been cured of Scrofula by drinking and bathing in the Balmoral waters. Back then, the waters were thought of as an agent in miraculous effect. Lord Byron, Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria are said to have been attracted to the area for this reason.

A Deeside Mineral Water spokesman is adamant in insisting that they do not believe that the bottled water holds out any promise of a miracle cure -- only that it might be considered a complementary therapy in conjunction with conventional medical treatments. We are certainly glad they made that clear.

From our understanding of the online literature published by the Deeside Mineral Water company, the bottled water needs to be consumed on a daily basis for a number of weeks to show benefit, and one would have to continue drinking the bottled water to maintain health benefits the mineral water is reported to offer. For more information, visit the Deeside Mineral Water website.

It is official. The first cervical cancer vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, FDA. Merck's Gardasil cervical cancer vaccine is the first of several cancer vaccines expected to win approval this year. Gardasil, which targets human papillomavirus, HPV, will be given in three doses over six months. HPV is known to be responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases.

The cervical cancer vaccine is not without its warnings though. In an earlier post, cervical cancer vaccine protects and promotes cancer, we noted a caution that research has shown the vaccine can actually raise the risk of cervical cancer if the woman is already infected with HPV at the time she receives the cervical cancer vaccine. So, it is not for every woman.

We also noted in an earlier post, cancer vaccine facing Christian Right opposition, there is strong objection to the cervical cancer vaccine based on religious convictions regarding sex and teenage girls. According to experts, girls in their early teens are the most likely to benefit from the cervical cancer vaccine. 

Several facts about mouth and upper digestive tract cancers have led researchers to develop a specially-designed chewing gum that might eliminate the cause of these cancers. The facts are these: 80 percent of mouth and throat cancers are linked to smoking and drinking; smoking and drinking raises the level of acetaldehyde; acetaldehyde is linked to a greater risk of mouth and upper digestive tract cancers; and amino acid l-cysteine can bind effectively to acetaldehyde to block it from causing harm. From these facts, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital researchers created l-cysteine-containing and acetaldehyde-eliminating tablets. The first commercial product based on this patented method is l-cysteine containing chewing gum.

"We know that with this chewing gum it is possible to eliminate acetaldehyde totally from the saliva during smoking. We do hope that this will in the future turn out to be a novel method for the prevention of alcohol and tobacco smoking associated oral cancers," states Mikko Salaspuro, professor at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital.