Biopharmaceutical Cancer Genomics

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling that had barred Travelers Insurance Company’s settlement of asbestos-related litigation. As a result, Travelers Insurance will settle asbestos-related litigation for a total of nearly $500 million, and new lawsuits against Travelers resulting from its relationship with former asbestos giant Johns-Manville are barred. Travelers was Johns-Manville’s primary insurer from 1947 - 1976. Johns Manville Corp., once the largest miner and manufacturer of asbestos and asbestos-containing products, filed for bankruptcy in the 1980s; as a result, a trust fund was created for future victims of its asbestos products, to which Travelers Insurance contributed $80 million at the time. Travelers later agreed to settlements in 2003 and 2004 with several groups of plaintiffs, provided future similar lawsuits were barred. The settlement was approved in 2006, but overturned last year by a U.S. Court of Appeals on the ground that the judge who approved the settlement lacked authority to bar new lawsuits. The supreme court reversed in a 7 - 2 vote. Writing for the majority, Justice David Souter said the judge’s orders barred state civil actions against Travelers based on allegations of its own wrongdoing while acting as Johns-Manville’s insurer, due to the finality of the 1986 orders that established the bankruptcy trust fund.

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Some women wonder: Does having HPV mean I will get cancer? Will I still be able to have babies?

What is HPV?

HPV is a common virus. There are about 40 types of HPV that affect the genitals or sex organs of men and women. Some HPV types can cause Genital Warts. Other types can infect a woman’s cervix and lead to cervical cancer over many years. But most of the time, HPV causes no symptoms or health problems and goes away by itself within two years. Experts do not know why HPV goes away in so many, but not all women.

How did I get HPV? Who gave it to me?

HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. Most people never even know they have HPV or that they are passing it to their partner. For this reason, it may not be possible to know who gave you HPV or when you got it. HPV is so common that most people get it soon after they start having sex. In cases when HPV does not go away on its own, it may only be found years later.

Are there other ways I could have gotten HPV?

There are many myths about how people get HPV. You cannot get HPV from being unclean, from toilet seats, or from having an abortion. Also, you are not more likely to get HPV from having rough sex or sex during your period.

How does HPV cause cervical cancer?

HPV can cause normal cells on your cervix to turn abnormal. Most of the time, HPV goes away on its own. When HPV goes away, your cervical cells go back to normal. But if HPV lingers for many years, these abnormal cells can turn into cancer.

Can I prevent cervical cancer?

Yes. You can get screening tests that can find early signs of cervical cancer before you ever get sick. That way, problems can be found and removed before they ever become cancer. The Pap test and HPV test are cervical cancer screening tests.

How is the Pap test different from the HPV test?

Both of these tests help screen for cervical cancer, but they look for different things. The Pap test looks for cell changes on your cervix that could develop into cervical cancer. The HPV test looks for HPV, the virus that can cause these cell changes.

How likely am I to get cancer if I have HPV?

Few women who have HPV get cervical cancer—as long as they follow their doctor’s advice for needed testing or treatment. If you have HPV, your doctor may check up on you more often and do more tests to look for changes on your cervix. That way, your doctor can find and treat any changes early, so you don’t get cervical cancer. Be sure to follow up with your doctor!

Is there a treatment for HPV?

There is no treatment for HPV, but ther are very good herbal remedies which bring you very good relief. There are treatments for the health problems that HPV can cause - like Genital Warts, cervical cell changes, and cervical cancer. Once abnormal cells are treated (removed), you may need to get Pap tests more often to make sure they do not come back.
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Folic acid was treated as wonder vitamins when scientists discovered its benefits in preventing cancers. But recent studies have shown that high intake of folic acid might favor cancers in some people. Experts say that folic acid intake needs a careful watch as some people react to high intake of folic acid.

Connie Motter, co-chair of the National Council on Folic Acid says that it is difficult to determine the correct amount of folic acid require by a person as low consumption of folic acid is not recommended and too much folic acid is probably not good.

Folic acid is an artificial version of folate, a vitamin B9 that exist in green leafy vegetables, legumes and orange juice. It assists in generating and mange new cells in the body. The increasing birth abnormalities in United States, as spina bifida and anencephaly had stimulated to inculcate folic acid, in cereals grains and flours supplied in 1998. Since then, birth abnormalities rate has declined by 20% to 50%.

Folic acid should be taken as everyday supplement to the women who are at pregnancy stages especially during the first few weeks. Since more than 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, doctors suggest getting 800 micrograms of folic acid per day for women of childbearing age. Other benefits of folate include, fight against anemic conditions, congenital heart defects, premature birth and help to maintain nails, skin and hair healthy.

Researchers are of the opinion that higher doses of folic acid to a certain extent replace the action of vitamin B12 thereby preventing dementia developing in old people. Cancer is another scenario. The vitamins aid in the speedy growth of cancer cells in the colon and sustain the prevention of modifying into cancer. Studies relate cancers such as colorectal and precancerous polyps decrease by 40 percent to 60 percent if folic acid is taken excessively.

But folic acid also increases the risk of cancer because it aids the growth of cancerous cells. Research on animals revealed that if cells take turn to become cancer cells, than intake the vitamins will instead make the situation worse.

Researchers have found evidences of colorectal cancer in north America and said the rates have increased in number during the time of inclusion of folic acid in cereal grains. A study published recently had shown clear relation in the increase of colorectal cancer in Chile after the inclusion of folic acid with effect from year 2000. Joel B. Mason, Professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston, commented that it was not easy to relate to their understanding of the studies.

Folic acid is also worked alongside in clinical trials. The biggest trial involved around 500 people with precancerous colon polyps with a recommended dose of 1 milligram of folic acid (more than twice the suggested 400 micrograms dose). After few years, these people under trial reported the polyps developing more than 3 polyps, almost double the normal count.

Another recent report published in March stated that man who consumed folic acid supplements had almost thrice the chances of developing into prostate cancer after a decade.

The Institute of Medicine’s has set 1 milligram as the maximum intake of folic acid by the synthetic and natural sources together. Marian Neuhouser, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, concludes to say that this is the only piece of information that one can take home by not exceeding 1000 micrograms.

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