/oss/taxonomy/term/391/all en /oss/article/did-you-know/mcf-7-breast-cancer-cell-line <p>A breast cancer cell line known as MCF-7 is used by researchers around the world.  The name comes from the Michigan Cancer Foundation where the cell line was first established in 1973 after isolating the cells from Sister Catherine Frances, a Catholic nun.  Aside from use in breast cancer research, the cell line has also proven to be valuable in testing for estrogenic activity.  Cells can be exposed to various chemicals and their rate of multiplication assessed.</p> Fri, 02 Jun 2017 16:38:27 +0000 OSS 2531 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-history/breast-cancer <p>The first scientific observation about breast cancer was made in 1896 when it was noted that the disease sometimes regressed if the ovaries were removed.  Eventually this connection was understood in terms of estrogen, the female hormone produced by the ovaries.  Some types of breast cancer cells are stimulated to divide by estrogen and therefore blocking this effect constitutes a form of treatment.  Many anti-estrogen drugs have been tried with various degrees of effectiveness.  Tamoxifen is perhaps the best known of these medications.</p> Tue, 30 May 2017 16:52:59 +0000 OSS 2496 at /oss /oss/article/health-news-you-asked/dont-blame-water-bottle <p>I've repeatedly been asked about the circulating email that claims Sheryl Crow blames her breast cancer on chemicals leaching out of water bottles and warns women to never keep bottled water in the car in summer. Well, first of all, Sheryl didn't actually say that her breast cancer was caused by having left water bottles in a car. And what if she had? Is Sheryl an icon of science? Hardly. Unfortunately the singer was diagnosed with breast cancer, and when such a calamity occurs, people commonly look for possible causes of their affliction.</p> Tue, 25 Jun 2013 02:27:10 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1965 at /oss /oss/article/cancer-controversial-science-drugs-health-news/aspirin-and-breast-cancer <p>An article that poses the alluring question “Cancer Treatment in Your Medicine Cabinet?” by Michelle Holmes and Wendy Chen, both Harvard physicians, has been getting a lot of traction. That’s understandable because of their premise that the common drug aspirin may be effective in reducing the death rate from breast cancer. Several observational studies, including one of their own, document that women who take aspirin for various reasons are about 50% less likely to die of breast cancer. Observational studies are notoriously difficult to interpret because other factors may be involved.</p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:26:06 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2153 at /oss /oss/article/health-quackery-you-asked/what-melatonin <p>Melatonin is certainly an interesting substance. It began to pique the curiosity of researchers in the 1950s when they discovered that production of this hormone by the pineal gland in the brain declined with age. In spite of the fact that a wealth of information has been gathered about melatonin since that time, no consensus about its potential use as a dietary supplement has emerged. <span>There is certainly no shortage of claims made on behalf of this compound.</span></p> Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:17:18 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1766 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/no-dairy-breast-cancer-prevention-program <p>Dr. Jane Plant has caused quite a stir with her book, “The No-Dairy Breast Cancer Prevention Program” in which she proposes a causal link between the consumption of dairy products and breast cancer. Plant is an eminent scientist, but her expertise is in geochemistry and nutritional knowledge is suspect. I am astounded by how an "eminent scientist" can make an argument based on one case history, which happens to be her own. </p> Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:52:29 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1600 at /oss /oss/article/food-health/apples-and-breast-cancer <p>There is widespread consensus that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer. Evidence comes both from cohort studies and case control studies. In a cohort study a population is followed and lifestyle factors are documented, generally relying on questionnaires. Subjects who eventually come down with a disease are then compared with those who have remained healthy. In a case- control study, patients who have been diagnosed with a disease are compared with a control group matched in terms of age and socioeconomic factors.</p> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:22:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1666 at /oss /oss/article/food-health/blueberries-and-breast-cancer <p>Blueberries may reduce the growth of breast cancer! So screamed newspaper headlines. A bit of an overstatement. The study referred to was carried out on female nude mice. These are mice specially bred for laboratory research that derive from a strain with a genetic mutation that causes them to have an under-active thymus gland resulting in an impaired immune system. Outwardly they lack body hair, hence the nickname “nude”. Suffice it to say that these nude mice are not a perfect model for predicting biological effects even in other mice, never mind in humans.</p> Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:53:01 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1682 at /oss