A new report finds that Americans without adequate health insurance are less likely to receive appropriate health care services. Specifically, uninsured Americans are less likely to get screened for cancer, more likely to be diagnosed with an advanced stage of the disease, and less likely to survive that diagnosis compared to those who have private health insurance. The researchers say their report reveals the need to address insurance barriers so that all Americans can benefit from advances in cancer prevention and treatment.

Results from the largest study of its kind show that using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for over three years could increase the risk of a certain type of breast cancer called lobular carcinoma. Earlier research had shown that more than five years of HRT use could increase breast cancer risk. The results of the new study suggest that the risk may occur earlier.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today and is the most common cancer among women, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers. About 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer annually worldwide about 465,000 will die from the disease. However, breast cancer death rates have been dropping steadily since 1990 because of earlier detection and better treatments. This article provides updated statistics on how many women are diagnosed and treated for breast cancer; incidence by age, race, and country; staging and survival rates; and how many women get regular mammograms.

February is Heart Disease Awareness Month and a good time to learn about the risks of heart disease. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious, chronic condition in which there is a deficiency in the heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood. CHF usually occurs from a weakening of the heart over a long period of time. This may be due to a number of conditions, including: coronary artery disease, history of heart attack, high blood pressure, or diabetes. This article provides detailed information on how to prevent, diagnose, and treated CHF.