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Showing posts from October, 2009

Cervical Cancer Screening

Related MedlinePlus Page: Cervical Cancer

NIH-Funded Researchers Transform Embryonic Stem Cells Into Human Germ Cells

Advance Provides Potential Tool to Find Causes of Unexplained Infertility, Birth Defects Researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health have discovered how to transform human embryonic stem cells into germ cells, the embryonic cells that ultimately give rise to sperm and eggs. The advance will allow researchers to observe human germ cells — previously inaccessible — in laboratory dishes. "This achievement opens a new window into what was only recently a hidden stage of human development," said Susan B. Shurin, M.D., acting director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the NIH Institute that provided funding for the study. "Laboratory observation of human germ cells has the potential to yield important clues to the origins of unexplained infertility and to the genesis of many birth defects and chromosomal disorders." The results were published online in Nature on Oct. 28. The study was conduc

Migraine With Aura Can Double Stroke Risk

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Young women who smoke and use birth control pills are most susceptible, researchers say HealthDay Tuesday, October 27, 2009 HealthDay news imageTUESDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Women who get migraine headaches with aura should stop smoking and using birth control pills because they may increase their risk of stroke, researchers say. For people who suffer migraine headaches with aura -- visual disturbances before or during the migraine -- the risk for ischemic stroke is doubled, they found. Being female, under 45, smoking and using oral contraceptives that contain estrogen added to the risk. Ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel. The connection between migraine and stroke was already suspected. What was unknown was the extent of risk and who is most at risk, the researchers said. Migraine headaches affect up to 20 percent of the population. Women are up to four times more likely than men to get migraines, and as many as one third also experience an aura before or

Female veterans have fewer pain complaints than men

Reuters Health Tuesday, October 27, 2009 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Female veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are less likely to complain of painful physical conditions than their male counterparts are. The findings, from a study of more than 91,000 U.S. veterans, run counter to what is seen in the general population -- where women typically show higher rates of chronic pain conditions, including migraines, fibromyalgia and persistent abdominal pain. Among veterans in the study, 43 percent reported some type of physical pain over one year. And of those who had their pain evaluated at least three times, 20 percent had symptoms lasting at least several months. Men, it turned out, were more likely to report either problem: 44 percent said they had pain at some point over the year, compared with 38 percent of women. Of those assessed for persistent pain, 21 percent of men had lingering symptoms, versus 18 percent of women. When women did have pain, however, they were somewhat more

Access to U.S. Burn Centers Varies by Region

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Northeasterners have best proximity, southerners the worst, study finds HealthDay By Robert Preidt Tuesday , October 27, 2009 TUESDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 80 percent of Americans live within two hours by ground or helicopter transport of a verified burn center, but there are significant regional variations in access to these centers, a new study finds. A verified burn center is one in which the quality of care has been assessed and confirmed by the American Burn Association. More than a half-million burn injuries and about 4,000 burn-related deaths occur each year in the United States, according to the association. The study found that there were 128 self-reported burn centers in the United States in 2008, including 51 verified burn centers. The centers were served by 782 helipads and 804 helicopters. About 25 percent of the U.S. population lived within one hour by ground transport of a verified burn center, the study found. It also reported that

More Swine Flu Vaccine Coming Soon

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22 million doses out now, and shortage should ease over coming weeks, CDC says HealthDay Tuesday , October 27, 2009 TUESDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- The H1N1 swine flu is spreading throughout the United States and vaccine remains in short supply, but federal health officials said Tuesday that more than 22 million doses are now available, with more expected in coming weeks. "This is a challenging time," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a press conference Tuesday. "We wish we had more vaccine available." Frieden noted that they had anticipated having significantly more vaccine available by now, but "we are beginning to see significant increases in vaccine production, vaccine distribution and we do think it will get easier to find vaccine in the weeks that come," he said. As of today, there are a total of 22.4 million doses available, an increase of 8 million doses

Treating Hypertension

HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Blood Pressure Medicines , High Blood Pressure

Brisk Walk Can Help Leave Common Cold Behind

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A stuffy head is no reason to avoid mild exercise, expert says HealthDay By Randy Dotinga Sunday , October 25, 2009 SUNDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) -- To keep colds at bay during the chilliest months of the year, exercise just might be the key. David Nieman, a representative of the American College of Sports Medicine, says that studies have shown that people who exercise at least 45 minutes four or more days a week take 25 to 50 percent less time off from work because of illness. "This reduction in illness far exceeds anything a drug or pill can offer," Nieman said in a news release from the sports medicine group. "All it takes is a pair of walking shoes to help prevent becoming one of the thousands predicted to suffer from the common cold this winter." But what if you're already under the weather? Should you try to get some exercise? Nieman suggests: If a cold is only in your head and has not reached your chest, feel free to exe

Is Smoking Tougher on Women?

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Research suggests they're more susceptible to dangers of tobacco HealthDay Sunday , October 25, 2009 SUNDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Women may be more vulnerable than men to the carcinogens and other noxious substances in cigarette smoke, a growing body of research suggests. In one study of nearly 700 people with lung cancer, Swiss experts found that women tended to be younger when they received the diagnosis, even though they smoked less than the men who developed lung cancer. In another study, researchers from Harvard University and the University of Bergen in Norway evaluated more than 950 men and women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), known to be linked to smoking. The result: The women with COPD were younger when they got the diagnosis and had smoked less than the men with the respiratory ailment. "Maybe women are more susceptible to the lung-damaging effects of smoking," said Dr. Inga-Cecilie Soerheim, a visiting researc

Obama Declares Swine Flu a National Emergency

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Action allows hospitals to better handle large numbers of patients as outbreak spreads HealthDay Sunday , October 25, 2009 SUNDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) -- President Barack Obama has declared the H1N1 swine flu a national emergency. His proclamation, signed Friday night and released by the White House Saturday, will allow hospitals and doctors' offices to get legal waivers of federal rules so they can handle large numbers of sick people as the outbreak spreads. "The H1N1 is moving rapidly, as expected. By the time regions or health-care systems recognize they are becoming overburdened, they need to implement disaster plans quickly," White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said Saturday, according to the Washington Post . The waivers, which will be issued by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, still require individual requests by the hospitals, Cherlin noted. The goal, according to the Associated Press , is to remove bureaucr

Benefits of Chocolate

Benefits of Chocolate HealthDay October 23, 2009 Related MedlinePlus Pages: Heart Diseases--Prevention , Nutrition , Vascular Diseases

Pregnancy and Weight

Pregnancy and Weight HealthDay October 22, 2009

Hip/Heart Connection

Hip/Heart Connection HealthDay October 21, 2009 Related MedlinePlus Pages: Coronary Artery Disease , Fractures , Heart Diseases , Heart Failure , Hip Injuries and Disorders

Car seats, out of cars, injured 43,000 U.S. kids

Reuters Health Monday, October 19, 2009 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Parents and caregivers who place car seats on beds, kitchen counters and other places outside the car injured 43,000 U.S. children over five years, researchers reported on Monday. More than 3,400 of the children were injured badly enough to require hospitalization, the researchers told a meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Many families learn the importance of strapping an infant car seat into a vehicle, but they do not learn about the dangers of using infant car seats as carriers or placing them on countertops or beds," Dr. Shital Parikh of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center told the meeting. Most of the children were injured on the head, but they also broke leg and arm bones, he said. "When parents or caregivers place the infant car seat on top of a table or elevated surface, the infant can wiggle and end up toppling off out of the seat onto the floor, which can lead to severe inj

Centralized Review Process Markedly Expedites Approval of Cancer Clinical Trials

A Central Institutional Review Board (CIRB) for cancer clinical trials that was created by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, in 2001 helps trials start more quickly (just over a month faster, on average) and thus expedite the time from concept to completion of crucial investigational research according to a new finding. This study of the CIRB was performed by scientists at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) and Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, Calif., with assistance from NCI and appears online October 19, 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Over the past 40 years, more than 1,700 institutions in the United States have enrolled up to 20,000 patients annually in phase III clinical trials coordinated by NCI and have used separate IRBs to monitor research involving patients. Federal regulations require that most NIH-funded clinical trials be monitored by an IRB. To determine whether a new treatm

Childhood ADHD Linked to Criminal Behavior in Adults

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More study needed to see if medical treatment cuts rates of illegal activities, researchers say HealthDay By Robert Preidt Monday, October 19, 2009 MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely than other children to engage in criminal activity when they grow older, a U.S. study has found. The study included more than 10,000 adolescents who were later surveyed in adulthood. It found that youngsters with ADHD were twice as likely to commit theft later in life and were 50 percent more likely to sell drugs. The findings, believed to be the first evidence of a link between ADHD and criminal activity, were published online Sept. 30 in the Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics. "While much research has shown links between ADHD and short-term educational outcomes, this research suggests significant longer-term consequences in other domains, such as criminal activities," study lead author Jason M. Fletcher,

Easy Way to Prevent Post-Op Nausea?

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Administering dextrose right after surgery quells upset stomach, researchers say HealthDay By Randy Dotinga Monday, October 19, 2009 MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that patients need not fear post-operative nausea and vomiting as much if they take dextrose, a form of glucose. "As one of the most common post-operative complications, [vomiting and nausea] remains one of the main causes of decreased patient satisfaction following surgery," said Dr. Susan Dabu-Bondoc of Yale School of Medicine, one of the authors of a new study, in a statement. "Along with discomfort, the adverse effects can be extensive and may include aspiration, wound suture opening, prolonged hospital stays, unanticipated admission after outpatient surgery and delayed return of a patient's ability to function in daily activities." The researchers, who were to release their findings Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in New Orleans

Hangovers May Be Tougher for Migraine Sufferers

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Rat study helps pinpoint cause of increased headache pain HealthDay By Robert Preidt Monday, October 19, 2009 MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- As if migraine sufferers didn't already have enough pain, new research has found that they may also be more prone to hangover headaches. U.S. researchers studied the effects of alcohol on a group of rats that experience recurrent migraines as well as a group of control rats that don't get the headaches. The study authors found that the rats with migraines experienced more pain four to six hours after ingesting alcohol than the control rats. "Our results suggest that dehydration or impurities in alcohol are not responsible for hangover headache," Michael Oshinsky, an assistant professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and a member of the Jefferson Headache Center team, said in a university news release. "Since these rats were sufficiently hydrated and the alcohol they received co

FDA Approves Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Fluarix for Pediatric Use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved use of the seasonal influenza vaccine Fluarix for children ages 3 years to 17 years. Previously, this vaccine, which contains inactivated (killed) influenza A and B viruses, had been approved for use in adults, ages 18 years and older. The safety and effectiveness of Fluarix for use in children ages 3 years and older is documented by a U.S. study comparing 2,115 children who received Fluarix with 1,210 children who received Fluzone, a different influenza vaccine already licensed by the FDA for use in children ages 6 months and older. Study results showed that children 3 years and older vaccinated with Fluarix and Fluzone produced similar amounts of antibodies in the blood at levels considered likely to be protective against seasonal influenza. Fluarix is a seasonal influenza vaccine not intended to protect against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. "This approval of an additional seasonal influenza vaccine for children provides hel

Health Tip: Putting Baby to Bed

Suggestions for a safe night's rest HealthDay By Diana Kohnle Monday, October 19, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Newborn babies shouldn't be expected to sleep through the night. Their bodies are so tiny that they should be awakened if they haven't eaten for at least five hours, the Nemours Foundation says. But there are things that new parents can do to help ensure a safe night's rest for their little one. The foundation offers these suggestions: • Put baby to sleep on his or her back to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). • Don't let baby sleep with plush bedding, blankets or pillows. • Remove stuffed animals from baby's crib when it's bedtime. • Each night, alternate which side of his or her head your baby sleeps on, to prevent development of a "flat spot" on a favored side of the head. HealthDay

Health Tip: The Importance of Folic Acid

It can help prevent birth defects HealthDay By Diana Kohnle Monday, October 19, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Folic acid is particularly important for pregnant women , and should be taken, if possible, beginning at least three months before they become pregnant. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this B vitamin can reduce the risk of major birth defects affecting the spine and brain by as much as 70 percent. Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. It can be contained within a multivitamin, or as a separate supplement. Women also can get folic acid in fortified breakfast cereal. Just make sure the cereal has 100 percent of the recommended daily amount. HealthDay

Hospital Workers May Trigger Dangerous Outbreaks

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Study finds employees who see many patients daily may be key players in spreading germs HealthDay Monday, October 19, 2009 MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital workers who see many patients may play a disproportionate role in spreading dangerous hospital-acquired infections, a new study finds. These so-called peripatetic workers, such as radiologists or physical therapists, visit many patients in the course of a day, said Laura Temime, a researcher at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers in Paris, and lead author of a study published online Oct. 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Although to my knowledge, an increased super-spreading potential of 'peripatetic' health care workers has never really been formalized as a major hypothesis, there have been several reports of nosocomial outbreaks that have been traced back to such 'peripatetic' health-care workers," Temime said. Her study adds to the evidence, she said. The

FDA Approves New Indication for Gardasil to Prevent Genital Warts in Men and Boys

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved use of the vaccine Gardasil for the prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 in boys and men, ages 9 through 26. Each year, about 2 out of every 1,000 men in the United States are newly diagnosed with genital warts. Gardasil currently is approved for use in girls and women ages 9 through 26 for the prevention of cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18; precancerous lesions caused by types 6, 11, 16, and 18; and genital warts caused by types 6 and 11. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and most genital warts are caused by HPV infection. “This vaccine is the first preventive therapy against genital warts in boys and men ages 9 through 26, and, as a result, fewer men will need to undergo treatment for genital warts,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., acting director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and

Tylenol May Weaken Effectiveness of Kids' Vaccines

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Giving analgesic to prevent fever at shot time could be counterproductive, researchers say HealthDay Friday, October 16, 2009 HealthDay news imageTHURSDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Fever after a vaccination is a normal and essential part of building an immune response, and giving children acetaminophen -- best known in the U.S. as Tylenol -- after a shot could dampen that response, a new study finds. With some vaccines, transient fever means that a child's immune system is processing the immunization, providing them with the best protection, explained Dr. Robert T. Chen, a blood safety specialist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Therefore, "unless your doctor specifically recommends it, do not administer fever-reducing medicines at the same time as vaccination to prevent your child from developing a fever," said Chen, who wrote an editorial accompanying a report in the Oct. 17 issue of The Lancet. "It is still okay to use antipyretics [aceta

FDA Warns Consumers About Buying H1N1 Vaccines On Internet

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said consumers should use "extreme care" when purchasing products online that purport to treat swine flu amid concerns they may be contaminated and not contain actual vaccines. The FDA, in a press release, said it purchased and analyzed several products sold online that claimed to be Tamiflu, a flu vaccine made by Roche Holding AG (RHHBY). One product bought online came postmarked from India and consisted of unlabeled white pills that contained talc and a painkiller, but none of the ingredients in Tamiflu. The agency said products in high demand are "vulnerable to counterfeiting and diversion because buyers may be desperate to stock the product, and criminals capitalize on the situation." The agency urged consumers to only purchase products to treat the swine flu, formally called the H1N1 influenza virus, from licensed pharmacies in the U.S. The H1N1 virus is now widespread in 37 states and ab

Eye Problems Increasing in Preemies

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As more pre-term infants survive, doctors see more babies with retinopathy of prematurity HealthDay By Robert Preidt Tuesday, October 13, 2009 TUESDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Increased survival of extremely pre-term infants has led to a greater number of babies with vision problems caused by abnormal development of blood vessels in the retina, a new study finds. Swedish researchers looked at data on 506 extremely pre-term infants (born before 27 weeks of gestation) who survived until their first eye examination and found that 368 (72.7 percent) had retinopathy of prematurity -- 37.9 percent with mild cases and 34.8 percent with severe cases. Only 99 (19.6 percent) of the infants were treated for the condition. Gestational age was a more significant risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity than birth weight. "The incidence was reduced from 100 percent in the five infants born at 22 weeks' gestation to 56 percent in those born at 26 completed weeks. In addition, the risk

Common Antioxidant Might Slow Parkinson's

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But too much urate can also cause trouble, so more study is needed, experts say HealthDay Tuesday, October 13, 2009 TUESDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A new look at some old data adds convincing evidence that high body fluid levels of the antioxidant urate slow the progressive nerve damage of Parkinson's disease. However, the researchers also warned of the potential danger of putting that information to immediate use. "The study doesn't prove that urate is slowing down the disease, and we need clinical trials to see if progression is based on levels of urate," explained study senior author Dr. Michael A. Schwarzschild, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases. He and his colleagues reported the finding online Oct. 12 in the Archives of Neurology. A clinical trial assessing the impact of urate on Parkinson's is beginning, funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. It is recru

Poor Education May Lead to Poor Health

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Navigating a complex health system takes a more literate consumer, experts say HealthDay Saturday, October 10, 2009 SATURDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Adults with a poor education are also likely to have poor health, a growing body of evidence suggests. Study after study has confirmed the link, and now experts are zeroing in on the reasons for it and what can be done. "Persons with a higher education tend to have better jobs, and better income, better benefits," said David R. Williams, a professor of public health at the Harvard School of Public Health and staff director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Commission to Build a Healthier America. Those benefits, he said, go beyond health benefits to include such other factors as having the leeway to take a day off or part of a day to see a doctor. People with higher levels of education "tend to have more resources to cope with stress and life, to live in better neighborhoods," Williams said. They have st

Want Leaner Kids? Parents May Need to Toe the Line

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Health experts say much can be done to keep weight in check HealthDay Sunday, October 11, 2009 SUNDAY, Oct. 11 ( HealthDay News ) -- It's a trend that has health experts worried: Young kids are becoming increasingly oversized -- leading, they fear, to overweight teens and, ultimately, overweight adults with health problems. But parents could be poised to do something about this. After all, some experts contend, parents are part of the problem. "Parents might be contributing to the overweight epidemic," said Dr. Elsie Taveras, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Harvard Medical School, who has researched the issue. They do so unwittingly, of course, Taveras said. And the point is not to make parents feel guilty about contributing to their children's weight problems, she said, but to get the word out because the trend is headed in the wrong direction. Today in the United States, infants up to 6 months old are 59 percent more likely to

Statement from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, on World Sight Day, Oct. 8, 2009

On World Sight Day 2009, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, joins with groups around the globe to recognize vision as a public health priority. We at the NEI reaffirm our commitment to preventing and treating blinding eye conditions through scientific research and educational programs. World Sight Day this year is dedicated to raising awareness of women and eye health. Worldwide, 314 million people are visually impaired, of whom 45 million are blind. Nearly two-thirds of people affected by vision loss are female. Gender disparities in vision loss in the United States are partly related to the fact that women live longer than men, and are thus more susceptible to age-related eye diseases. In addition, females are at a higher risk for dry eye syndrome as well as several autoimmune diseases that affect the eyes, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Women around the world also may be at a greater risk for blinding eye conditi

Stem Cell Research Offers Hope for Colon Cancer Vaccine

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Mouse study suggests it may be possible to generate an immune response to cancer HealthDay By Robert Preidt Thursday, October 8, 2009 WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Human stem cells may provide a means of creating a vaccine against colon cancer and other types of cancers, say American and Chinese scientists. "Cancer and stem cells share many molecular and biological features. By immunizing the host with stem cells, we are able to 'fool' the immune system to believe that cancer cells are present and thus to initiate a tumor-combating immune program," Dr. Zihai Li, of the University of Connecticut Stem Cell Institute, said in a news release. The research by Li and colleagues is the first to make the connection between human stem cells and colon cancer vaccination. It has long been believed that immunizing people with embryonic materials may trigger an anti-tumor response by the immune system, but this theory has never advanced beyond animal research. The finding

HIV Patients More Prone to 7 Kinds of Cancer

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Study found early treatment of infection could slow start of malignancies HealthDay By Robert Preidt Thursday, October 8, 2009 WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The weakened immune systems of people with HIV puts them at increased risk for at least seven types of cancer, but early diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection could help delay the onset of some of these cancers, a new study suggests. French researchers examined the incidence of three AIDS-defining cancers (Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and cervical cancer) and four non-AIDS-defining cancers (Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung cancer, liver cancer and anal cancer) in 52,278 HIV-infected people. The study authors also analyzed the association between immunodeficiency, viral load, antiretroviral treatment and the onset of the seven cancers. Overall, immunodeficiency increased the risk of all the cancers, and CD4 cell count was the most predictive risk factor for all the cancers except anal cancer. The cancer ri