Insufficient Sleep Raises Cancer Risk

From Maryland – According to research presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, regular exercise and sufficient sleep can lower the risk for cancer among women. In a study of nearly 6,000 women, researchers found that, while regular exercise can reduce cancer risk, this benefit is lost if women do not get enough sleep. In fact, the women who exercised most regularly but slept less than 7 hours each day had a higher cancer risk than those who got more sleep.

From Atlanta – According to research in the journal Human Reproduction, the risk for birth defects is raised by in vitro fertilization. In a study of over 14,000 babies, researchers found that those who were conceived using in vitro fertilization were twice as likely to be born with a cleft lip, and 4 times as likely to be born with gastrointestinal defects. However, these defects remained quite rare in these babies, and the cause remains unclear.

And finally, back to Maryland – According to a study presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) may mask prostate cancer. In a study of over 1,200 men, researchers found that using aspirin significantly lowered the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a blood protein used to identify prostate cancer. More research is required to confirm whether NSAID use affects the risk of prostate cancer, or just the ability to detect it.