Mayo Clinic Women's Health Source - Tip of the Month - August

Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Only Five to 10 Percent of Cancers Are Inherited

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - If cancer seems rampant in your family, you could be at higher risk for an inherited cancer. But, it's important to put that risk in perspective, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

An estimated one million new cases of cancer are diagnosed every year. Yet only five to 10 percent of those cases are considered hereditary. And having a hereditary predisposition doesn't mean you'll get cancer. Often you can minimize your risk by making healthy choices about diet, exercise and tobacco use.

A detailed family medical history can help your doctor determine if you are at risk for inherited cancers. Indicators can include:

• Cancer that develops 10 to 20 years earlier than a random cancer.
• Cancer that strikes bilaterally, such as in both breasts or at two different locations in one organ.
• Two or more members of one generation who have the same type of cancer.
• Particular tumor site combinations seen within one family, especially breast and ovary, or colon and uterus.

Tips to Battle Tummy Bulge

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Just can't seem to maintain a flat tummy, even though you are not overweight? According to the August issue of the Mayo Clinic Women's HealhSource, you could just have a genetic tendency to accumulate fat in that area. Or if you have lost some height over the years, bulges can become more prominent. Whatever the cause, you can help flatten your stomach.

• Get regular, general exercise. Burning calories reduces overall body fat. (Just doing sit-ups won't flatten the bulge.)
• Target lower and deeper abdominal muscles. Exercises that target these muscle groups can help. An example is a pelvic tilt. Lie on your back on the floor with knees bent. Flatten your back against the floor by tightening your abdomen and bending your pelvis up. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Work up to 10 to 20 repetitions.
• Stand tall. A slouched position makes your tummy more prominent.
• Beware of bloating. Some foods — beans, cabbage and bran, for example — can cause bloating and accentuate your bulge.

Beta Blockers Help Women with Heart Failure, Too

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Researchers have known for years that beta blockers — medications that control high blood pressure and help the heart beat more efficiently — can help men with heart failure. But they weren't sure if women also benefited.

A recent study shows that women with heart failure do benefit from beta blockers, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood adequately through the body.

Researchers collected data from 900 women who participated in the three largest studies done on beta blockers. The results, published in the journal Circulation, showed an overall 21 percent reduction in death and hospitalization for women taking beta blockers compared with women taking placebos. Hospitalizations due to a worsening of the women's heart failure dropped by 42 percent.

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic. To subscribe, please call 1-800-291-1128.

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