ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601170060
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
Wheat bran may lower cancer risk
WASHINGTON - Scientists have uncovered more evidence that a diet high in wheat bran or calcium may lower the risk of colorectal cancer, by soaking up acids that doctors believe spur the tumors.
Arizonans fed high-dose supplements of either wheat bran or calcium produced much lower amounts of these bile acids than people on low-fiber, low-calcium diets, researchers from the Arizona Cancer Center report in today'sWednesday's Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
``The findings of the Arizona trial are encouraging,'' Dr. Michael Wargovich of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston wrote in an accompanying editorial. ``While not yet proven, evidence is mounting that changing the composition of the diet ... may lead to prevention'' of colorectal cancer.
Some 138,000 Americans were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer last year. About 55,000 died, a toll second only to lung cancer.
- Associated Press
Congress increases NIH funding 5.8%
WASHINGTON - While cutting the budget for most other agencies, Congress has given the National Institutes of Health an increase of 5.8 percent, after Republicans concluded that biomedical research was an engine of economic growth.
A bill signed recently by President Clinton provides $11.94 billion for the institutes in the current fiscal year, an increase of $655 million from the $11.28 billion spent last year.
Although Congress has cut most of the president's budget requests, it approved $175 million more than he requested for the NIH. The increase, in a bill signed by Clinton on Jan. 6, won strong support from lawmakers of both parties, including Speaker Newt Gingrich.
- The New York Times
Clotting factor lots linked to hepatitis A
WASHINGTON - The government told hemophiliacs Monday not to use several batches of clotting factor after genetic tests proved one of the products gave two patients hepatitis A.
Hepatitis A is usually a mild disease.
A batch of Alphanate Factor VIII, made by Alpha Therapeutics Corp., was genetically linked to two cases of hepatitis A, and doctors suspect it also caused a third infection, the Food and Drug Administration. said Monday.
Alpha Therapeutics told pharmacists and other distributors to stop selling Lot No. AP5014A on Dec. 8 because of a suspected risk.
A fourth patient came down with hepatitis A after taking a second Alpha clotting factor, called Factor IX, made from the same pool of blood plasma.
Although genetic tests have not proved the cause, the FDA said Monday that four lots of the AlphaNine S-D are being quarantined as a precaution. It told hemophiliacs not to use lot Nos. CA5410A, CA5412A, CA5413A and CA5421A.
Hemophiliacs who are experiencing a flu-like illness with jaundice or liver tenderness should be checked for hepatitis, the FDA said.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB