A new study finds that overall life expectancy in the United States increased over the past several decades but not for all citizens. While men now live to an average age of 74 and women to nearly 80, researchers found that 4% of the male population and 19% of the female population experienced either a decline or leveling off in mortality beginning in the 1980s. They point to disparities in healthcare and behavioral factors, such as smoking and obesity, as factors that may have contributed to these declines.

Many women diagnosed with breast cancer undergo radiation as part of their treatment. The benefit of radiation therapy in helping to stop cancer cells from growing and dividing usually outweighs the risk for most breast cancer patients. However, because the treatment involves the administration of radiation, radiologists want to ensure that that the dosage is correct and targeted to maximize the effect on cancerous tissue while minimizing the effect on healthy tissue. The dose verification system (DVS), which is manufactured by Sicel Technologies, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for radiation treatment of breast and prostate cancer in 2006.

Lymphedema is the chronic swelling or feeling of tightness in the arm or hand due to an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the soft tissue of the arm. The condition occurs when lymph vessels, which normally carry excess fluid out of the limbs and back into central circulation, have had their flow interrupted. Between 15% and 20% of breast cancer patients who undergo axillary (underarm) lymph node removal develop lymphedema. According to the American Cancer Society, of the two million breast cancer survivors in the United States, approximately 400,000 must cope with lymphedema on a daily basis. This article discusses how lymphedema can be treated.

Osteoporosis, a bone thinning disease, affects roughly 25 million American women. Though osteoporosis most often affects post-menopausal women, women (and men) of all ages should take preventive measures to help maintain strong, healthy bones. This article offers five tips for preventing osteoporosis in women.