In this article: 9 indispensable ways to combat cancer Also: Diabetes and mothers New osteoporosis test

USA WEEKEND and Prevention

The latest cancer breakthroughs

USA WEEKEND's expert health columnist teams up with "Prevention" to deliver the good news, including revolutionary discoveries that could help save you and your loved ones.

For this up-to-the-minute health report, we enlisted the help of "Prevention." With nearly 11 million readers, it is the go-to source for news about healthy living, covering medicine, fitness, nutrition and beauty. Pick up the November issue for more breakthroughs; visit prevention.com/cancer for additional info.

By Dr. Tedd Mitchell

A diagnosis of cancer today is nowhere near as bleak as it was in our parents' generation. Just look at the business-as-usual attitude of "Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts, who was diagnosed with -- and underwent surgery for -- breast cancer several months ago. Her positive attitude is a testament to the life-saving advances in cancer treatment for women.

Research has led to significant progress in surgical, radiation and chemotherapy techniques that have made treatment more effective. Seed-implant radiation, for instance, is emerging as a more targeted therapy with fewer cosmetic changes than whole-breast radiation. What's more, sophisticated diagnostic tools allow doctors to find cancers at earlier stages. Yet despite these considerable improvements, many more must be made to combat cancer successfully.

Today, cancer is second only to heart disease as a leading cause of death in women. This year, nearly 680,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer, and 270,000 will die from it. Although some types of cancer (such as lung and colon) affect men and women fairly equally, other types (including breast and thyroid) strike women far more often or are exclusive to women (ovarian, cervical). There isn't much of a difference in cancer survival rates between men and women overall. There is, however, a disparity in the number of deaths from cancer based on race. Caucasians continue to fare better than African-Americans. The silver lining: Trends in five-year survival rates have improved for women of all races (see the "5-Year Cancer Survivor Rates on the Rise" chart on page 8).

Making further gains will require multifaceted approaches. One productive avenue of research: the role of genetics in cancer. For example, women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (from Eastern Europe) are more likely to have inherited genetic mutations that can increase their risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Although the presence of this mutation does not necessarily lead to cancer, monitoring women who carry the mutation is worthwhile, especially if any of their close relatives have had cancer.

But that's not all. In this latest installment of our health series, you'll read about genetic insights and other exciting advances in the study of cancer that will benefit the women in our lives today, plus their daughters and granddaughters. We think this information reinforces the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, which is critical in effective screening and counseling about reducing your risk. With your doctor, you can develop strategies to improve your long-term odds against cancer, so don't waste another minute. Read on:

For the first time, statistics show a sustained drop in the number of women dying from cancer.

NEXT IN OUR SERIES
In the Nov. 16-18 issue, we look at children's health, with an exclusive round-table discussion led by Dr. Tedd on how getting kids outdoors can improve their mental and physical development.

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Exclusive from Prevention

9 indispensable ways to combat cancer

How to prevent, detect, treat and beat the disease -- from the editors of America's premier guide for healthier living.

Protect against cervical cancer with a vaccine
When Gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccine that protects against some types of cervical cancer, was approved last year for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26, researchers said it could reduce the incidence of the disease by half in the next 35 years. Gardasil and Cervarix -- a similar vaccine, up for FDA approval -- also may be a lifesaver for older women. Merck(the maker of Gardasil) and GlaxoSmithKline (Cervarix) are conducting clinical trials and plan to seek approval for women up to the age of 45 and 55, respectively.

Harness the power of vitamin D
Medical journals have had many recent studies indicating that vitamin D fights cancer. A study by Creighton University School of Medicine found that getting plenty of vitamin D could cut the risk of any cancer by 60% or more. Yet many people don't get enough. To spark your body's production of vitamin D, get some sun without wearing sunscreen. "A small amount of exposure is reasonable," says Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic at Boston Medical Center. He recommends no more than five to 15 minutes of exposure two to three times a week (depending on latitude, season, time of day and your skin's pigmentation). Supplements also do the trick: People in the Creighton study took 1,100 IUs (international units) of vitamin D -- along with 1,400 to 1,500 mg of calcium -- each day.

Safely opt out of chemo
Because chemotherapy is lifesaving yet debilitating, it should be used only when really needed. Now a tool called Oncotype DX can test breast cancer tumor genes and predict which women will benefit from chemo in addition to hormone therapy. Researchers testing the tool at Loyola University Health System found that 23% of women who previously would have been recommended to undergo chemo could do without it.

Get the last word on hormone therapy
When it was reported a few years ago that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might raise the risk of breast cancer, many women ditched their pills. Since then, breast cancer deaths have plummeted. Researchers initially expressed caution about the connection, but new stats from Kaiser Permanente Northwest provide more evidence that it's solid. Breast cancer rates soared in the 1980s and '90s and peaked in 2001 -- paralleling the growth in HRT use -- then dropped as much as 18% from 2003 through 2006, after doctors stopped writing so many hormone prescriptions.

Uncover new DNA clues
Scientists recently discovered four new genes that, if damaged, increase breast cancer susceptibility (one variant ups risk by as much as 64%). Once tests become available, women with the high-risk genes could get screened more frequently and be aggressive about maintaining a healthy weight and otherwise improving their odds. Researchers predict the discovery will lead to the development of better, more effective tests.

Try new radiation techniques
Many women who could get a tissue-sparing lumpectomy for breast cancer choose mastectomy instead, partly to avoid the inconvenience of radiation, which typically is given five days a week for five weeks. A new study suggests that three weeks of therapy can do as good a job, with fewer side effects. Other doctors are treating women for just five days, temporarily inserting radioactive pellets, or "seeds," at the tumor site.

ID ovarian cancer symptoms
Ovarian cancer usually isn't detected until after it has spread, which is why it's often so deadly. This past summer, the American Cancer Society and other leading medical associations alerted doctors to a set of complaints that should trigger a prompt investigation: pelvic pain, prolonged bloating, urinary problems, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly. Most women with these symptoms won't have cancer, but they should get a checkup, which may include a transvaginal ultrasound and a blood test for CA-125, a protein that can signal the presence of cancer.

Choose an easier lung cancer surgery
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of women. A new, less-invasive form of surgery could make treatment considerably easier. Called video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgery, it requires only a tiny incision between the ribs. Traditional surgery entails cracking ribs, cutting major muscles, not to mention hospital stays of a week or longer. After VATS, patients can go home in about three days.

Target your breast cancer treatment
It's rare for a drug to revolutionize treatment overnight, but that's what happened with Herceptin. The therapy, which uses an antibody to seek out and destroy HER2- positive cancer, was first used to treat women with an advanced stage of this kind of breast cancer. But the FDA recently approved Herceptin's use for all women with HER2-positive cancer because studies show it can reduce recurrence rates by a whopping 50%.

This article, "9 Indispensable Ways to Combat Cancer," was written by Beth Howard.

For this up-to-the-minute health report, we enlisted the help of "Prevention." With nearly 11 million readers, it is the go-to source for news about healthy living, covering medicine, fitness, nutrition and beauty. Pick up the November issue for more breakthroughs; visit prevention.com/cancer for additional info.

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Cover and cover story photo illustrations by C.J. Burton for USA WEEKEND