The Eighth Annual eHealthcare Leadership Awards presented Imaginis.com with a Distinction Award for the Web site's outstanding disease-focused content at a recent conference that attracted leaders in medicine, research, and healthcare information. Imaginis was honored as a Best Health/Healthcare Content Web site, a category that drew an unusually high number of entries. Winners were honored at a special presentation in Las Vegas on November 4, 2007 during the Eleventh Annual Healthcare Internet Conference. The competition is sponsored by Strategic Healthcare Communications, and this year attracted more than 1,100 entries from a wide variety of healthcare organizations.

Recent research suggests that analyzing individual characteristics of breast cancer tumors can provide a more effective treatment while avoiding unnecessary therapies with often serious side effects. For example, a study presented at a large breast cancer conference in December discussed results of a genetic test called Oncotype DX, which can help predict the likelihood of a breast cancer recurrence, and in doing so, provide information as to whether chemotherapy would be helpful in women whose breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The test works by analyzing genes in a breast cancer tumor and rating the chances that the breast cancer will return.

Does diet or exercise influence a person’s risk of dying from cancer? It is a question that researchers have been struggling with for years. The scientific data are mixed. While maintaining a low-fat diet and exercising regularly have been shown to provide several health benefits, including decreasing the risk of heart disease, whether a certain diet or hitting the gym can reduce the risk of dying. Now, two new studies add fuel to the fire. Both studies suggest that people who follow Mediterranean diets or exercise regularly may be less likely to die from cancer compared to sedentary people or those who follow other diets.

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that primarily affects post-menopausal women. It is estimated that one in two women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture. Osteoporosis is a threat to 28 million Americans and is currently one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated disorders in medicine. The osteoporosis section of the Imaginis.com website provides in-depth information on risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options for this serious condition.