Previous experimentation suggested that the medicine could have a positive impact on the lifespan of older breast cancer patients, with clinical trials linking administration of the drug with improved outcomes.

However, this link has been brought into the spotlight recently, since some of the findings pointing in this direction have been unreliable or weak. The evidence for the trend is largely lacking.

McGill University's Dr Michael N Pollak alongside colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of papers concerning the link between metformin and breast cancer survival. His sentiments were that the research would soon come to a close, MedPage Today reports.

He said: "We're not really yet at the middle or concluding phases of the research, because there are a lot of unanswered questions, and some of those questions have become clear from the review of the posters today."

The newly-released paper details information about a clinical trial involving 2,361 women over the age of 66 who were diagnosed with breast cancer. The investigation spanned from 1997 to 2008, indicating that the data set should have been largely reliable and representative.

After cross-referencing health outcomes with medical records, which detailed whether the women were taking the diabetes drug, the analysts could find no statistically-significant association between the two factors.

However, the researchers admit that further investigation will be required to verify their findings. They were unable to take certain confounding factors, such as the participants' body-mass index (BMI) scores, into consideration with their calculations.

Lead author Dr Iliana Lega said: "Understanding the effects of metformin on breast cancer patients is critical in helping address the gap in cancer outcomes in patients with and without diabetes. The findings will help physicians inform treatment plans for patients with diabetes."

The Fisher Scientific, Loughborough fundraising team

On Tuesday 7 May staff across the Fisher Scientific Loughborough site joined forces to support the ‘Moon Walk, London’ which aims to raise money, raise awareness and unite against breast cancer.

The Company’s expert cake bakers and finest Indian food connoisseurs pooled their skills to offer a delicious choice of treats in the staff canteen, all sold in aid of the cause. Handmade cards and kitsch ‘bra pins’ were also sold to raise funds.
Support from Fisher Scientific staff was fantastic with a commendable £394.00 raised on the day.
We wish everyone participating in the Moon Walk a hugely successful event.

To find out more about the event visit the Moon Walk London website.

A team led by Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital's Dr. Anna-Sofia Melin utilised data in the National Swedish Patient Register and the National Swedish Cancer Register in order to conduct their investigation after planning to further understanding of the link.

They cross-referenced health records of 636 women who had been diagnosed with endometriosis, 220 of which had later gone on to develop ovarian cancer. They looked for trends among outcomes and treatment methods.

Analysis showed that patients who underwent oophorectomy, which involves the surgical removal of an ovary, were less likely to be affected by the disease later in life. However, no clear benefits from hormonal treatments – which are more commonly used – were witnessed.

Dr Melin said: "Our study suggests that surgical removal of an ovary and removal of visible endometriosis protects women from developing ovarian cancer at a later point. For women with endometriosis, the role of hormonal treatment and future ovarian cancer risk remains unclear and further investigation is warranted."

Endometriosis occurs when womb lining, the endometrium, is not effectively removed from the body during menstruation. This means that the tissue can be found in other parts of the reproductive system, such as the ovaries.

According to the NHS, the chronic condition affects around two million women living in the UK. This indicates that there is a considerable population of females who are at an unnecessarily high risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Cancer Research UK data shows that more than 7,000 new cases of this disease were identified in 2010, and 4,295 patients lost their lives as a result of the condition. Treating those affected by endometriosis could help to reduce these morbidity and mortality rates.

Screening for the condition could be an important step, since many cases go undiagnosed because not all sufferers experience symptoms. This could be incorporated into the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

The event which takes place from 10-13 March at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, will connect people from over 95 countries and is the only trade show for the analytical industry that reaches buyers from the growth markets of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Attendance at ArabLAB 2013 is essential for Fisher Scientific to connect with buyers, suppliers and colleagues from across the globe.  If you are lucky enough to be attending the show, you will find the Fisher Scientific team at stand number 702.

To find out more about the event visit www.arablab.com.

It came about after combining data from 75,000 people at 80 institutions, with the results published in the Nature journal.

Colitis and Crohn’s are types of inflammatory bowel diseases, affecting the colon and any gastrointestinal area, respectively.

Ramnik Xavier, Harvard Medical Shool professor, explained that by looking at genetic information for a large number of patients and controls it is possible to map an architecture of Chron’s and colitis.

“We used genome-wide association studies in combination with fine mapping tools… to identify genetic factors that either increase or decrease the risk for developing these diseases.”

He went on to say that when the 163 loci associated with either disease were examined, the researchers found that many risk factors were shared between the two conditions, while there were very few unique ones for each.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia looked at coroners reports to determine where sufferers were when they encountered the attack.

They found that, contrary to popular belief, more people die from this condition whilst sitting at home than do while taking part in exercise.

Just over one-in-ten (11 per cent) cases of sudden cardiac death occurred while the person was taking part in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

The scientists suggest that disproportionate media coverage of sporting stars who suffer from the condition may be causing people to strongly associate exercise with sudden cardiac arrest.

One of the most famous, yet non-fatal, incidents occurred with 23-year-old footballer Fabrice Muamba.

The researchers claim that those people who engage in regular exercise are actually decreasing their likelihood of encountering a sudden cardiac arrest.

Exercise improves heart health, also reducing the person’s risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack.

Attribution: Fltyingpig

The researchers examined 1,031 males aged 45 to 65 and split them into four groups, depending on the amount of antioxidant present in their blood. The incidence of strokes among the participants was then noted for the next 12 years.

A stroke occurs when brain cells become damaged or die as a result of cut-off blood supply to the organ. The outcomes differ depending on which regions of the brain are affected but paralysis and slurring of speech are quite common.

Results of the study, which was published in Neurology, showed that there were 11 incidences of stroke in the quartile of men exhibiting the highest initial lycopene levels, while there were 25 in the low-level group.

Risk factors for stroke include smoking, lack of exercise, high alcohol consumption, a poor diet and high blood pressure. These behaviours and symptoms could result in blood clots which may block arteries and prevent oxygen delivery to the brain.

Even when controlling for the known risk-factors among the participants, the scientists found that those with a lycopene-rich diet were 55 per cent less likely than their counterparts to have a stroke.

Lycopene is a carotenoid pigment which gives foods like tomatoes, watermelons and apricots their reddish colour. Previous research has linked the chemical to reduced risk of coronary heart disease, mascular degenerative disease and a number of cancers.

The scientists are not sure why the antioxidant could help reduce the risk of these conditions but University of Eastern Finland’s Dr Jouni Karppi believes that the chemical may help to prevent blood clotting.

However, people should be wary that other factors may be influencing the results. Those men who had high levels of lycopene in their blood may be more likely to participate in other preventative activities which have not yet been linked to lower stroke incidence.

People are urged to consume five portions of differently-coloured fruits and vegetables each day so that a variety of vital vitamins and minerals are ingested. This may help to reduce the risk of having a stroke or developing other health complications.

The study, published in Molecular Cell, was conducted by researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), Monash University and Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research.

Scientists have found that two proteins, PUMA and NOXA, are involved in the death of cells with DNA damage.

When cells’ encoded information is affected, they do not function properly. This can cause them to multiply excessively and therefore result in cancer.

Exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays and contact with harmful chemicals such as those found in cigarettes can result in DNA damage.

Proteins therefore kill affected cells to protect the body from developing the disease.

Cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy can damage the genetic information in female reproductive cells. This can stimulate PUMA and NOXA to trigger cell death.

It is particularly important that the body naturally removes damaged egg cells to prevent the development of abnormal foetuses.

However, many female patients would be devastated to learn that treatments have resulted in infertility.

Stopping the death-triggering proteins from functioning may allow eggs to survive for longer or could prevent their destruction.

The research found that cells which were missing PUMA survived when exposed to radiation.

The scientists were also pleasantly surprised to learn that the eggs subsequently repaired themselves so that genetic damage did not affect resultant offspring.

Those cells that were also missing the NOXA protein had even better protection against this damaging therapy and were still able to restore themselves in order to grow healthy babies.

Stopping PUMA and/or NOXA from functioning in female cancer patients could therefore reduce their chances of becoming infertile.

Head of the Female Reproductive Biology Group at PHI, Professor Jock Findlay, believes that this discovery could also aid women who experience premature menopause.

Low numbers of primordial follicle oocytes, which provide a woman’s lifetime supply of eggs, results in early menopause.

Slowing the death of these cells by blocking actions of the proteins could therefore delay the onset of menopause.

Professor Findlay said: “Such a treatment could have the potential to reduce menopause-associated health conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.”

Hospital staff could significantly reduce the number of life-threatening central line infections in paediatric cancer patients by following three simple precautions, according to a new John Hopkins Children’s Centre study.

By encouraging families to speak up when they observe noncompliance with the protocol and by honest analysis of the root cause behind every single infection, one in five infections could be prevented, research published in Pediatrics suggests.

Previous research has shown that meticulous daily care of the central line can cut the number of bloodstream infections in critically ill patients, but this new approach is the first time research has been focused on the most vulnerable of pediatric patients – those undergoing cancer treatment and bone marrow transplants.

Proper handling of the central venous catheter, or central line, is critical, the researchers say, because it can be handled as much as 10 to 30 times daily in oncology patients. Lead investigator Michael Rinke, a paediatrician and a patient safety expert at the Johns Hopkins Children’s

Centre, said: “Children receiving cancer treatment are uniquely prone to invasive bloodstream infections because of their weakened immunity and because their central lines are accessed multiple times a day, with each entry posing a risk for infection.”

To keep bacteria at bay, nurses involved in the study deployed strict device-handling precautions that included frequent and regular changing of the dressing covering the central line; regular changing of the tubes and caps attached to central line; cleaning of the line before and after each use; use of facial mask and gloves when handling the device; and hand-washing before and after handling the line.

But added to this, the Johns Hopkins investigators asked parents to provide additional oversight, equipping them with wallet flash cards on the “dos” and “don’ts” of central line care. The approach reduced infections by 20 per cent over two years, highlighting the effectiveness of extra care.

As part of the partnership, Fisher Scientific were joined by Duncan Rothery, an adult trainee who had previously worked as a lorry driver. Since successfully completing the programme, winning a Regional Individual Learner Award in the process, Duncan has successfully returned to employment.

Here, Duncan talks about his incredible story.

“For just over thirty years I was a HGV driver, twenty-five of those years I worked on international journeys travelling to Eastern & Western Europe, Syria and one BIG trip into Russia.

“I truly loved my work, it was like being paid for something I enjoyed, travelling, meeting people, seeing different cultures, they say that “travel broadens the mind,” I certainly found this to be true!!

“My main issue was that I was providing a decent standard of living for my wife and family, yes, OK, I worked long hours but hey-ho, A man does what he has to do to provide.  I earned good money and that was the justification for the long hours.

“I was in constant employment from age 15 years and had a pride in myself, a pride and a love of my job, a lovely wife and kids and a beautiful home up on the west coast in the scenic Lake District.

“At the age of 50 I was diagnosed with a disease in my eyes, I was told that this would eventually mean I was to go completely blind.  WOW!!! The impact of this was so powerful; I was convinced I would lose everything, my job, my home, maybe even my marriage.  What could I do????  What did the future hold???  How would I cope with sight loss???

“All these and so many more questions were going through my head at a pace that would have anyone’s head in a total spin.  At this point just let me say, “I’m a typical man, when things go right I’m fine, when things go wrong I don’t know how to cope.”

“The inevitable happened when my driving license was revoked, the Ministry of Transport in their wisdom thought that there were enough blind people already on the roads. Ha ha!!  With the license went the job, the wage, the only way I knew how to provide.

“As I had never been unemployed I found it very difficult to manage having so much time with nothing to get out of bed for, nothing to look forward to, no job. OK yes, we have savings and so that was a comfort but as you know, you can’t keep taking from a pot and putting nothing back, how long could that last???

“I needed something to fill the void, I needed to support my Wife and family!!!  So I ended up for the first time in my life begging for help.  At my local job centre it was decided that I should re-train.

“I arrived at RNIB College in Loughborough where I started a six month course learning to use a computer, I absolutely loved every second!! Hey, at 50+ years old I was learning new skills – without sight – I always thought that as we get older we lose the capacity to absorb knowledge, not so!!  I passed exams with a good standard.

“Whilst I was in Loughborough I was offered a work placement in the transport office at Fisher Scientific.  This was to become a turning point for me!!

“As I continued with my studies at the college I was able to use my new skills in a real work situation.  I worked alongside the transport manager who gave me a project to complete.  This was fantastic and everything I could have dreamed of!!

“Their support and help gave me more confidence and I grew as a person.  I will never forget their help and will be forever in their debt for the support they gave me.  It showed me that I could once again hold my head up and return to work, earn a living and provide once again for my wife and family.

“I realised from the beginning that these people were giving me their time and support and I owed nothing less than my full attention and determination to take this opportunity and grasp it with both hands.  The placement worked so well, I was able to see a busy transport office at work, I was able to contribute to the workforce.

“I can hear people reading this saying, “How does a blind man use a computer?”  In the college I learned to use a computer with a speech technology, a screen reader. This reads everything to me that is on the screen, I also learned to “touch-type” so I also know, through raised buttons on the keypad, where I am on the keypad.

“The end of this story comes when I tell you that I have been able to secure a full-time job, once again working in a transport office in a company near my home.  The confidence that the work placement at Fisher Scientific gave me has helped me in so many ways!!  It has given me back a pride in myself, it has helped me to be a proud man once again and provide for my family.

“To Mr Jason Hill & Mr Warren Berrisford, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!

“Thank you for giving me this excellent opportunity, thank you for believing in me, thank you for all your help and support!!!”

- Duncan Rothery.