The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it has approved a cardiac defibrillator for use in the home. According to the manufacturer, more than 70% of sudden cardiac arrests occur in the home, and fewer than 5% survive. A shock from the defibrillator within the first few minutes after cardiac arrest can help saves lives, though some experts worry that family members will focus more on using the
defibrillator than calling 911 for emergency help.

Increasing the frequency of chemotherapy treatments may have a positive effect for breast cancer patients, according to a study presented at a recent breast cancer conference. The researchers found that administering chemotherapy every two weeks instead of the standard interval of every three weeks, increased breast cancer survival rates and decreased negative side effects from treatment. The concept behind the "dose dense" chemotherapy treatment may apply to other types of cancer as well.

Inhaling a hormonal regimen may help prevent breast cancer in women at high risk for the disease, according to a study presented at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference this past December. In the study, women were given a hormonal nasal spray, which halted the production of estrogen in their ovaries and decrease breast density, making breast cancer easier to spot on mammogram films. Although the study results are preliminary, the researchers believe that the nasal spray treatment could help reduce the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women who have a genetic predisposition to these diseases.

Mammograms may help identify women at risk for heart disease in addition to screening for breast cancer, according to a recent study. Researcher said that calcium deposits in breast arteries, seen on routine mammogram films, can indicate a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to serious heart problems including heart attack. This is one of a number of recent studies to show that mammography-while not advocated as a heart disease detection tool on its own-can help physicians identify women who need more thorough heart screenings.

While the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased in the United States as a whole, Hispanic women over 30 years of age are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease compared to non-Hispanic women. In addition, the rate of cervical cancer remains relatively high among non-Hispanic women over 50 years of age. This information comes from a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which analyzed data for Hispanic and non-Hispanic women between 1992 to 1999. The researchers say that increased use of Pap smears to screen for cervical cancer can lead to fewer cases.