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Between the chambers on the left side of your heart is a valve called the mitral valve, designed to prevent blood from flowing backward when the heart squeezes. Cardiovascular surgeon James Gammie at Johns Hopkins says this valve is most …

Among the valves in your heart the most likely to leak is the mitral valve, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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Food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Now a new metric called ‘food swamps’ include the presence of fast food and convenience stores in these same places, and they’re associated with an increased risk for cancer. …

What is a food swamp and how does it impact your risk for cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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High breast density has added complexity to the value of screening mammography, and now a new wrinkle has emerged, with a recent study showing that different densities in each breast can be a risk factor for breast cancer. William Nelson, …

Different densities in either breast has complicated interpretation of screening mammography, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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Pancreas cancer is deadly, but now a vaccine using mRNA technology may improve the odds. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson describes a new study. Nelson: What they've done here is they use the information that you can …

Can an mRNA vaccine help fight pancreas cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer – these are just a few of the cancers known to be associated with obesity. Now a new study adds metabolic risk factors to the profile. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns …

What does a combination of metabolic risk factors and obesity reveal about cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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Obesity is a risk factor for several types of cancer, with a new study looking at additional metabolic risk factors to further define it, and giving rise to the idea of metabolically healthy versus unhealthy obesity. William Nelson, director of …

Just how big a contributor to cancer risk is obesity? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »

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Heart attacks and dementia are linked, a new Johns Hopkins study shows. Michelle Johannsen, a stroke and cardiovascular expert and study author, says reducing your risk factors even before the first problem starts is the best strategy. Johannsen: If you're …

Starting to control cardiovascular risk factors early is your best course, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read more »