Health News: High Volume of Aerobic Exercise and Breast Cancer Risk, Robotic Surgery Complication, Probiotic Supplement and Infantile Eczema…

• High Volume of Aerobic Exercise Decreases Adiposity in Postmenopausal Women and Potentially Lowers Risk of Breast Cancer.

A study from Alberta, Canada, published online July 16, 2015 in JAMA  Oncology, showed how high volume of aerobic activities (300 minutes/week) significantly decreased abdominal adipose tissue and waist to hip ratio, as compared to moderate volume of exercise (150 minutes/week).

Postmenopause adipose tissues have been known to potentially increase risk of breast, uterine and colon cancers, in addition to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Vigorous activities, although an optimal dose of activity is not known, reduce adipose tissues and may, therefore, lower risk of hormonal cancers.

• Robotic Surgery Linked to 144 Deaths in U.S.

Cornell University reviewed 14 years of records from the FDA of robotic surgery cases and found 144 deaths, 1,391 injuries, and 8,061 device malfunctions, out of 10,624 adverse events.  

In 2013, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology noted in their statement about robotic surgery that using robotic machines in routine surgical care doesn’t improve patient outcomes.  Dr. James Breeden, president of ACOG, reminded the public that there is no evidence or data showing robotic hysterectomy is as good as or better than other far less expensive minimally invasive alternatives.

As a patient, it would be wise for you to question your surgeon about the use of this costly and time consuming technique in your case.  Seek a second opinion if needed.  Robotic surgery should be limited to complex cases of hysterectomy, such as cancer operations that require extensive surgery.

• Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy and infantile Eczema

A study from the University of Milan, published online July 21 in Allergy, showed a potential reduction in infantile eczema risk in babies born to mothers who took probiotic supplements during pregnancy.  Data were obtained from 17 studies involving 4,755 children, with 2,381 in the probiotic group and 2,374 in the control group.  Children in the probiotic group had a lower incidence of eczema, although there was no difference in asthma, wheezing or rhinoconjunctivitis between the two groups.

Dr. Gianvincenzo Zuccotti, lead researcher in this study, concluded that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy prevents infantile eczema, another good reason for probiotic use in pregnancy.