Statins Guard Against Prostate Cancer (HealthDay)

By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter by Steven Reinberghealthday Reporter – 1 hr 57 mins ago SUNDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) --Several new studies suggest statins help prevent prostate cancer and reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction. "At this point in time, there seems to be mounting evidence that there may be a future role for statins in prostate cancer treatment or prostate cancer prevention," said Dr. Lionel L. Banez, from the Division of Urologic Surgery and Duke Prostate Center at Duke University Medical Center and lead author of one study. "There will definitely be more men taking statins for cardiovascular reasons, and this is a great opportunity for us to see how many of these men develop prostate cancer and whether these prostate cancers are aggressive." All the reports were to be presented Sunday at the American Urological Association's annual meeting, in Chicago. One study found that men who were taking statins before undergoing surgical removal of their prostate had a lower risk of having the cancer return. "The use of statins at the time of surgery was associated with a 30 percent reduction in the risk of recurrence of prostate cancer," said lead researcher Dr. Robert J. Hamilton, a urology resident at the University of Toronto Medical Center in Ontario, Canada. Hamilton thinks that the anti-inflammatory properties of statins may explain the finding. However, it might also be the ability of these drugs to lower cholesterol that has an effect on cancer cells, he said. Although these results are promising, Hamilton is cautious about recommending that men should take statins to reduce the risk of recurrent prostate cancer. "At this point, we cannot with confidence say that that's true," he stressed. There are also several unanswered questions, including the optimal dose, the length of time one needs to be taking statins to achieve a benefit, and whether starting statin therapy after surgery would have the same effect. "Although the results of these studies are exciting, they need to be confirmed," he said. Another study focused on inflammation inside prostate cancer tumors. "We looked at the association between statin use and prostate tumor inflammation," Banez said. "We found that men who were using statins prior to surgery had a significantly lower risk for inflammation within their prostate tumor," Banez said. In fact, men taking statins had a 72 percent reduction in the risk for inflammation of the prostate tumor. The researchers also found that obesity appears to be associated with increased inflammation and more aggressive prostate cancer. In a third report, researchers led by Dr. Stacy Loeb, from Johns Hopkins University, found statins may help in reducing the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. "Our results suggest that the use of statins may be associated with more favorable pathological features at radical prostatectomy," the researchers said in a statement. In a fourth report, researchers led by Dr. Rodney H. Breau from the Mayo Clinic found that statins were associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Among 75 men taking statins who had biopsies, 30 tested positive for prostate cancer, the researchers found. "In recent years, it has been suggested that statin medications may prevent development of cancer. However, until now, there has been limited evidence to support this theory," Breau said in a statement. "Our research provides evidence that statin use is associated with a threefold reduced risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer." There may come a time when people will be taking statins to treat or prevent prostate cancer, Hamilton noted. "If these studies keep rolling in suggesting that there is something there with prostate cancer, then the use of statins could go up," he said. In a fifth study, Mayo Clinic researchers found that statins and/or with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) resulted in fewer lower urinary tract symptoms related to an enlarged prostate. The researchers found that statin users were 63 percent less likely to develop lower urinary tract problems and 57 percent less likely to develop an enlarged prostate. "Statins have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, and previous research suggests inflammation may be associated with benign prostate disease," lead researcher Dr. Jennifer L. St. Sauver said in a statement. "This study suggests that men's urinary health could be improved by taking statin medications." In another report from Mayo Clinic researchers, older men taking statins over an extended period had a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED). Statins were associated with a decreased risk of ED among men older than 60. Moreover, men who took statins for a longer time were less likely to develop ED. For example, men taking statins for nine years or more were 64 percent less likely to develop ED. Men who took statins for less than three years had about the same risk of developing ED as men who did not take statins, the researchers found. "Protection of vascular health remains an important concomitant of preserving erectile health. Our data suggest that longer use of statins may result in the lowest risk of erectile dysfunction," study author Dr. Ajay Nehra said in a statement. More information For more on prostate cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
[Via]

READ MORE - Statins Guard Against Prostate Cancer (HealthDay)

Woody Allen says American Apparel is harassing him (AP)

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer Larry Neumeister, Associated Press Writer – Wed Apr 15, 7:44 pm ET NEW YORK – Actor-director Woody Allen has fired back against American Apparel's effort to drag his personal life into a civil court case, saying the clothing company is harassing him. Lawyers for the 73-year-old Allen filed new legal papers in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday. The papers say American Apparel isn't playing fair by trying to expose his family life, personal finances and career. They say it's a "scorched earth" approach. Los Angeles-based American Apparel was put on the defensive after Allen sued the company last year for putting his image on its billboards in Hollywood and New York and on a Web site. A trial is scheduled to begin next month. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. NEW YORK (AP) — A clothing company known for its racy ads is fighting a $10 million lawsuit brought by Woody Allen, arguing that it can't have damaged his reputation by using his image because the film director has already ruined it himself. The 73-year-old Allen started the fight against American Apparel Inc. when he sued the company last year for using his image on the company's billboards in Hollywood and New York and on a Web site. Allen, who does not endorse products in the United States, said he had not authorized the displays, which the Los Angeles-based company said were up for only a week. Now the company plans to make Allen's relationships to actress Mia Farrow and her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn the focus of a trial scheduled to begin in federal court in Manhattan on May 18, according to the company's lawyer, Stuart Slotnick. "Woody Allen expects $10 million for use of his image on billboards that were up and down in less than one week. I think Woody Allen overestimates the value of his image," Slotnick said. "Certainly, our belief is that after the various sex scandals that Woody Allen has been associated with, corporate America's desire to have Woody Allen endorse their product is not what he may believe it is." One billboard featured a frame from "Annie Hall," a film that won Allen a best-director Oscar. The image showed Allen dressed as a Hasidic Jew with a long beard and black hat and Yiddish text. The words "American Apparel" also were on the billboard. Allen's lawsuit said the billboard falsely implied that Allen sponsored, endorsed or was associated with American Apparel. Slotnick said it was not a cheap shot to bring up Allen's sex life in a lawsuit over the billboard and Internet ads. "It's certainly relevant in assessing the value of an endorsement," he said, noting that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps lost endorsement power after a photograph surfaced of him using marijuana. Farrow starred in several of Allen's movies during a relationship with the director that ended in 1992, when she discovered he was having an affair with her oldest adopted daughter, then 22. Allen married Soon-Yi Previn in 1997. During a bitter custody fight, Farrow accused Allen of sexually abusing their adopted daughter Dylan, 7. Allen was exonerated of the abuse charges, but Farrow won sole custody of the children. Leslee Dart, a spokeswoman for Allen, said Friday that she does not believe Allen wants to comment on the litigation at this point. American Apparel is known for its provocative ads of scantily dressed young models in tight-fitting and sometimes see-through garments. Allen testified at a December deposition that he considered the company's advertising to be "sleazy" and "infantile." Lawyers for American Apparel have complained that Allen has refused to turn over much of the information they have demanded to prepare for trial. Among their demands were documents concerning any endorsement requests that were withdrawn after the sex scandal with Farrow and Previn became public. The documents defined sex scandal as "your relationship with Soon-Yi Previn including the discovery ... (of) nude pictures you took of Soon-Yi Previn." The lawyers also requested documents concerning Allen's public image and reputation, including his contention during his deposition that he was a "special kind of entity" or a "special taste." Allen's attorneys said the request for documents related to the sex scandal and custody battle were "vexatious, oppressive, harassing" and not relevant. Slotnick said he could not discuss whether there were any settlement talks under way but he hinted that the company may be open to avoiding a trial. "All I can say is that the company has apologized for the use of Mr. Allen's image, however brief. And the company apologized if they offended Mr. Allen's sensibilities," he said.
[Via]

READ MORE - Woody Allen says American Apparel is harassing him (AP)

Health advocates tout new model of female condom (AP)

By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer David Crary, Ap National Writer – 28 mins ago NEW YORK – Advocates of the female condom are promoting a less costly, more user-friendly version that they hope will vastly expand its role in the global fight against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. An early version of the female condom was introduced in 1993, and it remains the only available woman-initiated form of protection against both STDs and unintended pregnancy. Yet despite global promotion by the United Nations and other organizations, its usage is still minuscule, even as women bear an ever-growing share of the AIDS epidemic. Advocates hope the dynamics will change following last month's approval by the Food and Drug Administration of the FC2, a new version of the female condom produced by the Chicago-based Female Health Co. About 35 million female condoms were distributed worldwide last year, but that compares to more than 10 billion male condoms, which are far cheaper and, at least initially, easier to use. However, in some nations with high HIV rates, many men refuse to wear condoms, putting women at risk. Though it looks similar to its predecessor — a soft, transparent sheath with flexible inner and outer rings — the FC2 is made from synthetic rubber rather than polyurethane, making it cheaper to produce. Mary Ann Leeper, former president of Female Health Co. and now its strategic adviser, said the FC2 also is less noisy during use. Complaints about squeaky noises were among the factors that slowed acceptance of the original version. The cost of the FC2 is one-third less than its predecessor, and may go lower, enabling health organizations to distribute many millions more than at present. For now, the price is about 60 cents compared to less than 4 cents for mass-distributed male condoms — a difference that's an issue in the developing world. The FC2 had been accepted previously by some international organizations, and the Female Health Co. distributed 14 million of them abroad last year along with 21 million of the older version. Advocates of the female condom praised the FDA announcement because it opens the door for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the largest global providers of condoms, to distribute the FC2 overseas. "This is a tremendous victory," said Susie Hoffman, an assistant professor of clinical epidemiology at Columbia University who contends the female condom has suffered from misconceptions. "In the United States, there has been strong bias against it," Hoffman said. "Some people involved in AIDS and family planning would say, 'Why do we need these? ... It's so weird that women are not going to pick it up.'" "But if presented in the right way, many women do like it," Hoffman said. "To find these people and help them and train them, you need systematic programming, which costs money." Resistance is less of a problem in some developing nations. The U.N. Population Fund, government agencies and nonprofits are aggressively promoting female condoms in places such as Brazil, Ghana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Women's groups in Zimbabwe collected more than 30,000 signatures demanding access to the female condom. In Ghana, nonprofits say more than 10,000 people have attended training programs that teach women how to insert female condoms — they require careful instruction to be used properly — and how to negotiate with their male partners. "The mindset is changing, but there are still a lot of challenges," said Bidia Deperthes, the Population Fund's HIV technical adviser for condoms. "Accessibility is still minimal. There's a huge demand, and we're not meeting it." Deperthes hopes that with FDA approval of the FC2, the number of female condoms distributed globally could climb to 50 million this year. If the numbers keep rising, she said, the cost to public-sector distributors for each FC2 could drop as low as 25 cents. Jeff Spieler, a science adviser with USAID's Office of Population and Reproductive Health, said the female condom's future may depend on whether its promoters can develop a private-sector market. Its commercial price in the United States generally has been more than $2. Another challenge is a stigma associated with the female condom in some places because prostitutes are among those deemed to benefit most from using it. On the other hand, advocates of the female condom say it has invaluable safe-sex potential for married women whose husbands are unfaithful and shun male condoms. Serra Sippel, executive director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity in Washington, said FDA approval of the FC2 is a key step toward "putting the power of prevention in women's hands." But she bemoaned the product's limited over-the-counter availability. "We'd love to see the profile raised, to have commercials about it and normalize it so people aren't embarrassed," she said. Mary Ann Leeper said the Female Health Co. is seeking a corporate partner to help market the FC2. She suggested that concern about HIV/AIDS may generate interest among women in communities with high infection rates. The female condom's advocates stress that it will never be the "magic bullet" that by itself turns the tide in fighting AIDS. But, they say, it should be a bigger part of the arsenal. "It's not going to be the one answer," Hoffman said. "But it's got a lot more to contribute than it has to date." ___ U.N. Population Fund: http://www.unfpa.org/hiv/female.htm Female Health Co. http://www.femalehealth.com/
[Via]

READ MORE - Health advocates tout new model of female condom (AP)

American Apparel slams Woody Allen's sex life (AP)

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer Larry Neumeister, Associated Press Writer – Wed Apr 15, 10:34 am ET NEW YORK – A clothing company known for its racy ads is fighting a $10 million lawsuit brought by Woody Allen, arguing that it can't have damaged his reputation by using his image because the film director has already ruined it himself. The 73-year-old Allen started the fight against American Apparel Inc. when he sued the company last year for using his image on the company's billboards in Hollywood and New York and on a Web site. Allen, who does not endorse products in the United States, said he had not authorized the displays, which the Los Angeles-based company said were up for only a week. Now the company plans to make Allen's relationships to actress Mia Farrow and her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn the focus of a trial scheduled to begin in federal court in Manhattan on May 18, according to the company's lawyer, Stuart Slotnick. "Woody Allen expects $10 million for use of his image on billboards that were up and down in less than one week. I think Woody Allen overestimates the value of his image," Slotnick said. "Certainly, our belief is that after the various sex scandals that Woody Allen has been associated with, corporate America's desire to have Woody Allen endorse their product is not what he may believe it is." One billboard featured a frame from "Annie Hall," a film that won Allen a best-director Oscar. The image showed Allen dressed as a Hasidic Jew with a long beard and black hat and Yiddish text. The words "American Apparel" also were on the billboard. Allen's lawsuit said the billboard falsely implied that Allen sponsored, endorsed or was associated with American Apparel. Slotnick said it was not a cheap shot to bring up Allen's sex life in a lawsuit over the billboard and Internet ads. "It's certainly relevant in assessing the value of an endorsement," he said, noting that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps lost endorsement power after a photograph surfaced of him using marijuana. Farrow starred in several of Allen's movies during a relationship with the director that ended in 1992, when she discovered he was having an affair with her oldest adopted daughter, then 22. Allen married Soon-Yi Previn in 1997. During a bitter custody fight, Farrow accused Allen of sexually abusing their adopted daughter Dylan, 7. Allen was exonerated of the abuse charges, but Farrow won sole custody of the children. Leslee Dart, a spokeswoman for Allen, said Friday that she does not believe Allen wants to comment on the litigation at this point. American Apparel is known for its provocative ads of scantily dressed young models in tight-fitting and sometimes see-through garments. Allen testified at a December deposition that he considered the company's advertising to be "sleazy" and "infantile." Lawyers for American Apparel have complained that Allen has refused to turn over much of the information they have demanded to prepare for trial. Among their demands were documents concerning any endorsement requests that were withdrawn after the sex scandal with Farrow and Previn became public. The documents defined sex scandal as "your relationship with Soon-Yi Previn including the discovery ... (of) nude pictures you took of Soon-Yi Previn." The lawyers also requested documents concerning Allen's public image and reputation, including his contention during his deposition that he was a "special kind of entity" or a "special taste." Allen's attorneys said the request for documents related to the sex scandal and custody battle were "vexatious, oppressive, harassing" and not relevant. Slotnick said he could not discuss whether there were any settlement talks under way but he hinted that the company may be open to avoiding a trial. "All I can say is that the company has apologized for the use of Mr. Allen's image, however brief. And the company apologized if they offended Mr. Allen's sensibilities," he said.
[Via]

READ MORE - American Apparel slams Woody Allen's sex life (AP)

Viagra not harmful to vision: study (AFP)

Tue Apr 14, 11:38 am ET WASHINGTON (AFP) – Treatments for erectile dysfunction such as the hugely popular drug Viagra do not appear to pose long-term damage to men's sight, a new study has shown. Doctors had been concerned that Viagra, and its competitor drug sold in the United States as Cialis, might prove harmful after some men reported blurred and blue-tinged vision. The two drugs accounted for a billion dollars in sales in 2008. But the six-month study published Monday and funded by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, the makers of Cialis, showed no side effects on sight, according to the results published in the April issue of Archives of Ophthalmology. The drugs treat erectile dysfunction by blocking an enzyme in the blood flowing to the penis, and there had been fears they could also act on similar compounds in the retina in the eye that receives and transmits images. A total of 244 healthy men, some with mild erectile dysfunction, aged 30 to 65 took part in the study. Some 85 took five milligrams of Cialis daily, 77 took 50 milligrams of Viagra manufactured by Pfizer and 82 were given a placebo. Among the 194 men who completed the study and eye examinations no significant differences were found in vision between those taking the drugs and the placebo groups. "Our results indicate that there is no cumulative damage or effect of clinical significance for either 5 milligrams of tadalafil (Cialis) or 50 milligrams of sildenafil (Viagra) taken daily for six months," the report noted.
[Via]

READ MORE - Viagra not harmful to vision: study (AFP)