Breast-cancer treatment differs along racial lines

Asian-American and Pacific-Island women are treated differently when it comes to breast cancer.

A Northwestern University study shows that Korean, Hawaiian, Indian and Pakistani women, particularly those born abroad, were less likely to receive breast-conserving surgery than white women for early- stage cancer.

Researchers looked at data for more than 66,000 women, 10,360 of whom were Asian-American or Pacific Islanders. About 30 percent of the latter group were foreign-born, about 40 percent were U.S.-born, and 27 percent had unknown birthplaces.

The foreign-born women were more often diagnosed with late- stage cancer, but they were much more likely to have their breasts removed even when diagnosed in the earliest stage.

Researchers speculated that the results might reflect language barriers and the possibility that foreign-born Asian-American women may be less likely to choose breast- conserving surgery. Some, especially immigrants, may prefer to have a mastectomy because it doesn't require additional radiation therapy, which would be disruptive to their lives.

The study appeared in the online Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Parents' skills may ease kids' conduct disorders

Kids with behavior problems need parents with skills.

A University of Washington study shows that training adults to be more effective parents is the best way to treat young children with serious conduct disorders.

The study, published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, looked at 402 boys and 112 girls ages 3 to 8. Other findings:

• Kids whose parents were less harsh and less critical at the beginning of the project tended to respond better to the interventions.

• Children who also had symptoms of depression or anxiety responded more positively to treatment.

• Impulsive children with behavior problems and attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder responded best to interventions when teacher training was added to parent training.

• Children with younger mothers showed more improvement than those with older mothers who may have more children and less patience to deal with disruptive behaviors.

It's estimated that about 5 percent of U.S. children suffer from these kinds of behaviors.

Tiny tubes studied to improve bone care

Nano-technology might help build better bones.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, say carbon nanotubes, 100,000 times smaller than a human hair but very strong, are perfect for supporting regenerating bone.

Chemistry professor Robert Haddon says the study might lead to improved osteoporosis treatment, stronger and more flexible artificial bone and new types of bone grafts.

"The single-walled carbon nanotubes are extremely strong materials," Haddon says. "And since bone is a composite mixture of organic and inorganic material, the nanotubes make an excellent replacement for the organic part."

The study appeared in the journal Chemistry of Materials.

Teens search for beauty at the drugstore

Many teens are unhappy with their looks, and they're turning to drugstore shelves for help.

A nationwide survey of more than 10,000 teens found that about 30 percent of both boys and girls said they think frequently about wanting more toned or defined muscles. Those teens were much more likely to use dietary supplements every week.

The study found that 12 percent of boys and 8 percent of girls used products such as protein powders and shakes, creatine, amino acids, growth hormone and steroids in the last year. And nearly 5 percent of boys and 2 percent of girls used them every week.

Researcher Alison Field, an epidemiologist at Children's Hospital Boston, says that while protein powders are probably safe, steroids can cause testicular atrophy, impotence, liver and kidney damage and increased risk of heart disease. The study appeared in the August issue of Pediatrics.

Silent treatment can take a toll

The silent treatment can be bad for human health.

Purdue University psychologist Kipling Williams says ostracism is more powerful than ever because people have fewer support systems to fall back on.

Even a short period of ostracism - being put in a "timeout," for example - activates the part of the brain that detects pain, Williams says. That can affect perceptions, physiological conditions, attitude and behavior and can ultimately lead to aggression.

He says ostracism such as the "silent treatment" or the "cold shoulder" are often used because they're both effective and easy to get away with.

"It's hard to punish someone for not making eye contact or ignoring another person. If the person is confronted by asking, 'Why are you not talking to me?' the person can easily deny the accusation," Williams says.

The people who are ostracizing often feel a strong sense of belonging with each other, as well as feeling empowered, he says. Australian researchers have found that those who are ostracized tend to respond aggressively when they lack control of the situation. Their research is scheduled to appear in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology in the fall.

10-a-day tips

Here are some tips for reaching the goal of eating 10 servings of fruits and veggies a day, as recommended by Michael Murray and Joseph Pizzorno in The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.

• Keep fruits and vegetables where you can see them: Put a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter or your desk at work. Have cut-up veggies in the front of the fridge.

• Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy steaming.

• Add produce to meals by having them in soups, salads or raw.

• Increase vegetable portions.

• Add greens to stir-fries and veggies to soups, casseroles and sauces. Use vegetable-based sauces like marinara, and grate in carrots or zucchini.

• Choose fresh fruit for dessert. Layer it with low-fat yogurt for a parfait, or put it on top of sorbet.

• Use the fruits and veggies that go bad quickly first, such as peaches and asparagus. Save hardier ones like apples and squash for later.

• When eating out, go for the salad bar (but go easy on the dressing). At fast-food places, choose salads.

• Freeze bananas, blueberries and grapes for satisfying warm-weather snacks. Keep frozen peaches and strawberries on hand for smoothies.

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