Low Vitamin D Tied to Depression in Older Adults

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Low levels of vitamin D and high levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands may increase the risk of depression in older adults, according to a new report.

 Health Tip: Preparing Your Pet for Baby

(HealthDay News) -- Bringing a new baby into your home where your family pet is already settled can be an adjustment for your furry family members.

 Health Tip: Poison Ivy Rash

(HealthDay News) -- Poison ivy is a plant that can cause a red, itchy rash on the skin.

 Vitamin D Use Linked to Lower Mortality in Kidney Patients

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Taking activated vitamin D may cut the risk of death for people with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease by about one quarter, a new study suggests.

 Outcomes Similar for Laparoscopic, Open Colon Cancer Surgeries

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery and open surgery for colon cancer produce similar outcomes, according to researchers who reviewed findings from 12 international studies involving over 3,300 patients.

 Low Levels of Vitamin D Spell Trouble for Breast Cancer Patients

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer who have a vitamin D deficiency at the time of diagnosis are more likely to have a recurrence or to die from their disease, a new study shows.

 Partnerships Effective Communicators of Cancer Advances

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Partnerships between major academic cancer centers and community hospitals are a quick and effective way to spread cancer treatment advances, say researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

 Study Details Look at Immune Cells in Type 1 Diabetes

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- New details about the immune cells thought to be responsible for type 1 diabetes are revealed in a study by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

 Childhood Cancer Survivors Prone to Early Heart Trouble

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Adults who had cancer as children or teens are more likely to experience cardiovascular disease, a new study found.

 Drug Works Well for Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis

THURSDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- The drug ustekinumab has been shown to be a very effective initial and long-term treatment for moderate-to-severe psoriasis in two studies published in this week's issue of The Lancet.

 Islet Cell Transplants Aid Type 1 Diabetics

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Transplanted islet cells help people with type 1 diabetes live insulin-free for at least a year or two, and appear to provide longer-term improved metabolic control even after people have to begin using insulin again, researchers report.

 Blood Test Helps Docs Assess Breast Cancer Treatment

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A simple blood test to check levels of circulating tumor cells can help doctors more accurately assess how well treatments are working in women with metastatic breast cancer, according to a Georgetown University Medical Center study.

 Gene Signature May Predict Recurrence of Lung Cancer

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A panel of 15 genes may help determine which patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer will experience a recurrence and, therefore, benefit the most from chemotherapy, a new study shows.

 New Therapy Kills Human Leukemia Cells in Mice

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) A treatment that uses natural killer (NK) immune system cells from umbilical cord blood effectively destroys human leukemia cells in mice, researchers say.

 Mastectomies on the Increase

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- After years of declining rates, the number of mastectomies performed on women with breast cancer is on the rise again, the Mayo Clinic now reports.

 Health Highlights: May 16, 2008

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

 Clinical Trials Update: May 16, 2008

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of Thomson CenterWatch:

 Not All Colon Cancer Patients Need Chemotherapy: Study

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Colon cancer patients with a specific subset of the disease don't need to receive chemotherapy. In fact, not only does chemotherapy not benefit this group of patients, it may actually harm them, a new study found.

 FDA Panel Considers Toll-Free Number for TV Drug Ads

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Direct-to-consumer drug ads on television should include a toll-free phone number that would allow consumers to report adverse side effects, U.S. health experts suggested Friday.