In the News

Reported June 13 in Neurology, an Alzheimer’s disease risk study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center measures significantly reduced risk associated with healthy lifestyles, including non-smoking, leisure-time exercise, low-to-moderate alcohol consumption, adequate sleep, and healthy diet. Read more.

A ban on the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on track to implement may have unintended consequences, according to a study by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center published April 21 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Read more.

Liver cancer, primarily hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the third most common contributor to cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early-stage HCC has a better prognosis than advanced-stage HCC and can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, including robotic-assisted and laparoscopic options. However, few studies have examined the presumably unique and discrepant short-term and long-term outcomes of robotic-assisted and laparoscopic surgeries. Read more.

In the clinical care of people living with HIV, various types of blood cells are routinely counted to assess the immune system, among them CD4+ cells, or T helper cells, and CD8+ cells, or cytotoxic T cells. These types of white blood cells work together to clear infections and prevent and kill cancer cells. While a normal CD4/CD8 ratio is about 2:1, it’s typically lower in people with HIV. Read more.

Polyphenols — antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, teas and spices — have promising anti-cancer properties. 

New research from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center provides insight into how genetic variants convey breast cancer susceptibility by altering the transcription factor proteins that convert DNA strands into RNA.

Uterine fibroids — muscular tumors that grow in the uterus — are inconsistently linked with preterm birth. Katherine Hartmann, MD, PhD, and colleagues sought to determine the association between fibroids and preterm birth by using ultrasounds early in pregnancy. 

Researchers from Vanderbilt’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension have identified an under-studied characteristic that may have a protective effect on end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) risk among vulnerable populations.

A study by Vanderbilt researchers that analyzed both smoking history and genetic risk variants for lung cancer supports modifying current guidelines to include additional smokers for lung cancer screening.