Cancer studies often downplay chemo side effects: study

A patient receives chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer at the Antoine-Lacassagne Cancer Center in Nice(Reuters) – Doctors relying on studies published in top journals for guidance on treating women with breast cancer may not be getting the most accurate information, with the side effects of various treatments downplayed, according to a North American study. "Investigators want to go overboard to make their studies look positive," said Ian Tannock, senior author of the study that appeared in the Annals of Oncology. …

Menthol smokers have more strokes: study

(Reuters) – Among smokers, people who prefer mentholated cigarettes tend to have more strokes than non-menthol smokers – and this seems to be especially true for women and non-African Americans, according to a North American study. The author of the study said that while no cigarettes are good for the health, the findings – published in the Archives of Internal Medicine – suggest people should especially stay away from mentholated varieties. …