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Research we're watching

Screening symptom-free adults for pancreatic cancer doesn't appear to reduce deaths from the disease, according to a new analysis by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The group advises against recommending screening in this group.

Pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, but the prognosis for people who get it is often poor, because it is frequently found at an advanced stage. This has made it the third most common cause of deaths from cancer in the United States. It was hoped that screening for the disease would enable doctors to spot cases earlier, when they might be easier to treat. However, the USPSTF reviewed findings on pancreatic cancer screening in people without symptoms and determined that there is no evidence that screening in this group 鈥� or treating cases of pancreatic cancer found on screening tests 鈥� reduces deaths from the disease. The task force concluded that the benefits of screening do not outweigh the potential harms.

Research we're watching

Could a traumatic experience raise the risk of ovarian cancer? Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Moffitt Cancer Center found that women who remembered experiencing six or more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had double the risk of later developing ovarian cancer, compared with women who had not reported PTSD symptoms. They were also more likely to develop a more aggressive form of the cancer. The researchers looked at data from more than 50,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II. Early in the study, women were asked to identify their most stressful life experience and any PTSD symptoms they had experienced following that event. Researchers then looked to see which of the women went on to develop ovarian cancer. The study, published Sept. 5 in Cancer Research, found higher cancer risk persisted even if a woman's PTSD symptoms had occurred decades in the past. Past animal research suggests that stress hormones may spur tumor growth.

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For years, the conventional wisdom about dairy is that we should be eating less of it, and when we do have any it should be low-fat or fat-free. But more recent research suggests that some full-fat dairy in our diets could in fact be beneficial, though the type of dairy still matters.

Whole grains contain fiber and nutrients that can help your health.

It's a low-carb world, and many people are pushing grains off their plate in an effort to control their waistline. But they may be doing their body a disservice. Whole grains have some unique properties that make them a valuable addition to the diet. Not only do they contain a host of nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins, copper, zinc, and magnesium, but studies have linked diets rich in whole grains to a lower risk of colon cancer, which is a growing health threat for many younger Americans.

"The main benefit of whole cereal grains, such as wheat, oats, and barley, is in the fiber," says Teresa Fung, adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Cereal fiber is different from vegetable fiber or bean fiber."

Learn to spot an actinic keratosis before it becomes cancerous.

About 58 million people have at least one actinic keratosis (AK), a precancerous skin growth caused by too much sun exposure.

Yet most people don't see the potential danger in these lesions because they are small, with few if any annoying symptoms, and can go away almost as fast as they appear.

In the journals

Need another reason to monitor your intake of ultra-processed foods? Cutting down on your amounts could help you live longer.

In an observational study published online Feb. 11, 2019, by JAMA Internal Medicine, almost 45,000 adults ages 45 and older completed several dietary assessments over a two-year period. On average, ultra-processed foods made up about 15% of their daily diet as measured in grams.

Ask the doctors

Q. I have endometriosis, and I recently heard that it might increase my risk of certain cancers. Is this true?

A. Researchers have linked endometriosis, an often painful condition that causes endometrial-like tissue to grow outside the uterus, to a higher risk of two types of ovarian cancer 鈥� endometrioid and clear-cell subtypes. That said, even though your risk of these cancers may be higher than that of the average woman who doesn't have endometriosis, your chances of developing one of these cancers is still very small 鈥� less than 1%.