DES

Some (possible) good news and bad news concerning breast cancer: On the positive tip is an interesting, albeit vague, article in the US News & World Report about a paper published in a recent edition of Nature Medicine concerning a possible vaccine for breast cancer.

According to the article: “The study authors gave vaccinations to mice that were genetically engineered to be susceptible to cancer. The mice that were vaccinated with an anti-cancer antigen didn't develop tumors, but all the others did.”

Further studies have yet to be done on this potential vaccine, which would be targeted at women over the age of 40, but researchers are optimistic about the implications, citing the antigen’s effectiveness on the mice.

Less encouraging news, unfortunately, comes in the form of an article in the current issue of Hormones and Cancer (via foodconsumer.org) that claims “… fetuses exposed to chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the womb may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer in their adulthood …”

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