Virtual Medical Centre Medical News

Repeat brain surgery extends life

New research showing repeat surgery can improve survival and quality of life for brain cancer patients is expected to spark wide debate following its presentation on 19 November at a national cancer c

Energy gap useful tool for weight loss maintenance

Americans continue to get heavier. Most weight control methods short of bariatric surgery are generally considered ineffective in preventing obesity or reducing weight. The term energy gap was coined

Depression a problem for medical students

Medical students are more likely to experience depression than the general population and perceive there is a stigma attached to mental illness, a new study shows.

Bondi 'crime scene' puts tanning in the frame

Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach became a massive 'crime scene' Sunday 15 November in a new Cancer Council campaign that graphically depicts the dangers of tanning.

Natural not always good for you, warn cancer doctors

Cancer patients who seek the perceived natural benefits of alternative therapies may be at risk of serious adverse effects, according to two new studies.

Smoking in pregnancy linked to brain changes and teenage drug experimentation

Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to experiment with drugs in their teens, the findings of a new study suggest.

Consumer products unfairly labelled as cancer causing

Australians are being subjected to unjustified speculation about consumer products causing cancer because the reporting process favours 'worst case' headlines, according to a new study.

Folic acid supplements linked to asthma

A University of Adelaide study may have shed light on the rise in childhood asthma in developed countries like Australia in recent decades.

Teen girls with PID more likely to tell and seek treatment for partners after watching video

A study at Johns Hopkins Children's Center found that girls diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) who watched a short educational video were three times more likely to discuss their conditi

Mood improves on low-fat, but not low-carb, diet plan

After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters' mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a report in the 9 November issue of

"Difficult-to-treat asthma" may be due to difficult-to-treat patients
Difficult-to-treat asthma often may have more to do with patients who do not take their medication as instructed than ineffective medication, according to researchers in Northern Ireland.

Brain cancer patients' behavioural problems take heavy toll
One in five people with brain cancer show physical aggression and one in four exhibit verbal aggression, according to research presented at a major cancer conference.

Exercise is good medicine for lymphoma patients
A healthy dose of exercise is good medicine, even for lymphoma patients receiving chemotherapy, University of Alberta researchers have found.

Nicotine patch plus lozenge appears best for smoking cessation
In a comparison of five different smoking cessation medications, a nicotine patch plus a nicotine lozenge appears most effective at helping smokers quit, according to a report in the November issue of

Teen girls' weight and sexual behaviour linked
A University of Pittsburgh study sheds new light on the relationship between race, body weight and sexual behaviour among adolescent girls. The results suggest that a girl's ethnicity and her actual w