Genes Archive

While ovarian cancer is not always inherited, family history is the top risk factor for the disease, which is diagnosed in 20,000 American women and kills 13,000 annually. Symptoms, such as bloating, pelvic pain, bowel or bladder habit changes, and unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding, are often vague and subtle until the disease is advanced, making it hard to detect and cure. No standard screening test is available for ovarian cancer. Women with symptoms can ask for a pelvic ultrasound. Women with a family history should seek genetic counseling and testing.

Many people have misconceptions about avoiding heart disease. One involves the use of over-the-counter fish oil capsules, which do not prevent heart disease in healthy people. Another relates to confusion about the ideal blood pressure targets in older adults. Some people are misinformed about the implications of a family history of heart disease, while others may be confused about the differences in heart attack symptoms between men and women.

Genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors contribute to reaching age 100. More than 100,000 people were 100 or older in 2019, triple the number in 1980. People reaching extreme old age tend to be nonsmokers, are not obese, and cope with stress effectively. Studies show that diets incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may lower the odds of frailty and increase life span. Siblings and children of long-living people also are likelier to live longer than peers. Optimism is associated with higher odds of living beyond 90.

A 2022 study found that women under 55 experiencing heart attacks have different leading risk factors than men in this age group. For women, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, and low household income are strong risk factors for heart attack.

Left-handers make up only 10% of the population. Despite some common beliefs, science has yet to show that left-handers have any specific advantages or disadvantages over right-handed people in terms of physical abilities, cognitive health, or longevity.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and treatment strategies vary by subtype, stage, and more. A new targeted therapy may help some women with early-stage breast cancer linked to BRCA gene mutations.