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New Guidance Says Doctors Should Discuss Vaping as One Option to Help Adults Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health—but it's also one of the hardest habits to break. Many smokers make several attempts before they successfully quit, even when using medications or nicotine replacement products. Now, a panel of tobacco treatment experts is encouraging healthcare providers to expand the conversation about smoking cessation by discussing nicotine e-cigarettes as one possible option for adults who smoke cigarettes. The recommendations, published in JAMA , were developed by the Harm Reduction Work Group of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s Treatment Research Network. Rather than promoting vaping, the group says clinicians should focus on helping patients choose the quit-smoking method that best fits their individual circumstances. A Personalized Approach to Quitting Smoking cessation isn't the same for everyone. What works well for one person may not work for another, which is why the authors recommend mo...
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Beta-Blockers May Slow Melanoma Spread


New research shows that beta-blockers, commonly used blood pressure medicines, may reduce stress, slowing the rate of melanoma tumor growth. The new findings may lead to improved quality of life for those diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

According to researchers from Ohio State University, there is a definite link between stress hormones and diseases such as cancer. The current study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, shows that proteins released by cells exposed to the stress hormone norepinephrine, feeds cancerous tumors, causing the tumors to spread.

The scientists specifically looked for increased levels of three proteins released by cancer cells in response to stress. A process known as angiogenesis produces blood vessels that feed tumors. VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor,is a protein that is primarily responsible for feeding cancerous tumors. Two other proteins, Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8, also play a key role in the growth of cancer cells.

Eric V. Yang, a research scientist at the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research (IBMR) performed the research in conjunction with Ronald Glaser. According to Yang, the melanoma research showed that increased stress from the release of norepinephrine also increased the production of the enzymes that promote cancer growth.

Yang says, “we got a 2,000 percent increase in IL-6”-(interleukin-6)–adding “this tells us is that stress might have a worse effect on melanoma that is in a very aggressive or advanced stage, and that one marker for that might be increased levels of IL-6.”

When the researchers added beta-blockers, they found a significant decrease in production of the enzymes that fuel cancer. The results show that blood pressure medicine was valuable in reducing melanoma angiogenesis.

The study authors concluded that blood pressure medication might slow melanoma growth, adding quality and extended life to those diagnosed with advanced malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of cancer that kills 8000 people annually.

Kathleen Blanchard RN
http://grabsomehealthnews.blogspot.com

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STRESS MAY HASTEN THE GROWTH OF MELANOMA TUMORS BUT COMMON BETA-BLOCKER MEDICATIONS MIGHT SLOW THAT PROGRESS
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