Results tagged “cancer”

Elizabeth H. Blackburn, 60, a molecular biologist at the University of California at San Francisco, won the Nobel Prize for medicine today. Just what , exactly, did Blackburn do to win this this fancy award, you ask? Well, according to reports, she discovered "an enzyme that is essential to normal cell function and plays a role in cell aging and most cancers."

Noted no-nonsense humor haters Stuff Stones Like came across some revealing pot news. It seems a recent scientific survey suggests that kind bud protects against cancer. Pretty cool, huh? And with that in mind, we are going to try writing about this with the UTMOST SERIOUSNESS. (After all, marijuana is serious business.).

A Washington D.C. group called Cancer Project has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court today in Newark, New Jersey. On behalf of three cancer-ridden residents, the lawsuit claims that hot dog manufacturers need to use warning labels on their meat products, telling buyers that their products cause cancer. Also, before you persnickety sustainable wurst makers in the Bay Area fire off angry emails, the lawsuit is aimed at Kraft Foods Inc., manufacturer of the Oscar Mayer brand; Sara Lee Corp.; Nathan's Famous; and the makers of the Hebrew National and Sabrett brands -- you know, big guys only. According to Associated Press, "the lawsuit cites a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research that concluded regular consumption of processed meat can increase the risk of colorectal and other forms of cancer."

KQED today brings us this report about a move in the California Assembly to ban Bisphenol-A, a.k.a. BPA, a widely used chemical in plastic packaging. It's been known to be potentially hazardous since the 1930s, and lots of scientists think it's probably the reason why everyone gets cancer these days, but a large enough study in humans has yet to be done. The proposed ban would only affect plastics in baby bottles and baby foods, and Connecticut and Minnesota have already passed similar bans. Di Fi is proposing a nationwide ban in the Senate that would affect all food products. In the radio piece below, Sarah Varney speaks with a California Pacific Medical Center researcher who's been injecting the stuff into human cells and who consequently probably only shops at the farmer's market.

RIP, Farrah.

Bad news, folks. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment ruled yesterday that marijuana smoke causes cancer. Stemming from a "review of more than 30 scientific papers" state agency spokesperson Sam Delson said that wispy pot plumes contain "33 of the same harmful chemicals as tobacco smoke." Also, according to biased news agency Fox News, it can damage your DNA. Alas.

A crazy story just surfaced from the Napa Valley Register about Dannille Vanderpool, a police dispatcher who claimed to have both ovarian and brain cancer and subsequently scammed her way into free childcare, a home renovation, fundraisers, cash donations, and free time off from work. She shaved her head and wrote of her struggles with cancer on MySpace, apparently seeking public sympathy of the sort that only a few hundred animated, glittery Get Well .gif's can provide.

The entertaining/controversial Chris Daly, who seems a bit quiet as of late, has a new target now: wafts of cigarette smoke. We're told that his latest push of legislation "calls for a smoking ban outside of restaurants, in waiting areas, within 20 feet of nonresidential buildings," and in common areas of apartment buildings. That is to say, you might have to look elsewhere to spark up that Capri or Virgina Slim while eating out. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the measure come Thursday.

This just in--interrupting The View no less. Bah!--Senator Ted Kennedy (one of the leaders of the democratic party and tipsiest of the Kennedy clan) has been diagnosed with malignant brain tumor just days after having a seizure. He's got the brain cancer, folks.

The American Academy of Dermatology is launching a new campaign to get girls from 16 to 29 years old (and boys in the same age range who live in district 5) to stop using indoor tanning beds. The campaign is called, fittingly enough, "Indoor Tanning is Out." How so? Because: a) only trash uses indoor tanning facilities, and b) indoor browning is associated with a significant increase in the risk of melanoma. (Though we think the AAD is primarily concerned with the latter.)