HIGH VOLUME MAMMOGRAM READERS ARE BEST
Accurate diagnoses of mammograms are directly related to the number interpreted by a physician, according to University of California at San Francisco researchers. The study, published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, was done to understand factors that affect quality in mammography. Sixty radiologists, some who read less than 100 mammograms a month and some who read more than 300 mammograms a month were asked to interpret mammograms. Sensitivity, or the ability to detect cancer, was higher among the high-volume readers than medium- and low-volume readers, according to the researchers. Overall, high-volume readers were shown to have better accuracy, found more cancers and more often were correct in identifying non-malignant abnormalities. Low-volume U.S. readers identified fewer abnormalities than any of the high-volume readers. The report states that there are economic, medical and humanitarian reasons to improve quality and efficiency by re-engineering the organization of U.S. mammography screening programs. Having high-volume, experienced readers involved with mammography screening as the primary reader, or as double reader for smaller localities, could increase the quality of care while simultaneously decreasing the cost, the study says.
PREGNANT MINORITY WOMEN MORE DEPRESSED
More than half of pregnant black and Hispanic women may be depressed, a study by Fordham University researchers states. The study suggests that stressful life events and poverty may contribute to the relatively high rates of depression among minority women who are pregnant. Previous studies, which have shown that depression in pregnancy is related to stress and social support factors, have been conducted primarily in educated white women, according to the researchers. "This study focuses on depression during pregnancy among two groups of minority women in urban poverty, blacks and Hispanics," says lead researcher Luis H. Zayas, who works for the Center for Hispanic Mental Health Research at Fordham University. The study, published in Women's Health Issues, included interviews with 148 pregnant women, 43 percent of them black and 57 percent Hispanic, mainly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Researchers found that 51 percent of the women met their criteria for depression, which were adjusted to take into account some symptoms of depression that are common in pregnancy, such as fatigue and changes in sleep patterns. Zayas says depression not only affects the pregnant woman, but also her ability to care for a newborn.
RACE AND ETHNICITY INFLUENCE CANCER TREATMENT
A review of past cancer treatment and survival studies suggests that race and ethnicity may be associated with the receipt of cancer treatment, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In some cases, treatment differences were associated with more recurrences, shorter disease-free survival, and higher mortality rates, say Vickie L. Shavers, and Martin L. Brown, researchers at the National Cancer Institute. "When compared with whites, Hispanics have a higher incidence of cervical cancer, Asians have twice the rate of stomach cancer, and African Americans have a higher incidence of prostate, lung, colon, oral, cervical, and stomach cancer," says Shavers. Increased access to cancer screening services and earlier detection may improve cancer outcomes among minorities, but the researchers still found differences in cancer survival between minorities and whites. "This observation suggests that factors other than the stage of diagnosis contribute to the disparate cancer mortality observed among racial/ethnic minority populations," the authors say. For instance, white patients often received more aggressive therapy for lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers. In contrast, whites received less aggressive breast-conserving therapy, researchers found.
EXTENDED CAB PICKUPS A GREATER RICK FOR CHILDREN
Researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have found that children who ride inside compact extended cab pickup trucks are at a greater risk of injury than children riding in other vehicles. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research is the first ever to measure the risk to children inside compact extended cab pickup trucks, according to Flaura Koplin Winston, a doctor, and lead author of the Partners for Child Passenger Safety. "We found that children riding in the rear seat of compact extended cab pickup trucks were nearly five times more likely to suffer injury during a crash compared to children riding in the rear seat of other vehicles, says Winston. "Our findings indicate that compact extended cab pickup trucks are not optimal vehicles for transporting children and we encourage families to avoid transporting children in them." The rear seat of an extended cab pickup truck presents unique hazards, including a small rear occupant compartment, side-facing jump seats, and the limitation of a lap-only safety belt, the researchers say.
(EDITOR: For more information, about MAMMOGRAMS, call (415) 885-7277; about WOMEN, call (212) 636-7175; about CANCER, call (301) 841-1285; about PICKUPS, call (215) 590-1417.)
