The cost of treatment for early stage breast cancer can be devastating for many patients, but they get little guidance or help from their doctors, a new study suggests. “We have made a lot of progress in breast cancer treatment, which is wonderful. But this study shows we are only part of the way to…  read on >

Gluten-free foods are one of the latest nutritional trends, with many parents assuming foods with a gluten-free label are healthier than foods with gluten. But new research says that’s just not true, unless your child truly must avoid gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — due to celiac disease or other…  read on >

If your memory starts slipping, your gender may play a role in whether or not you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. How? Women excel in a skill called verbal memory — the ability to learn and remember verbal information such as stories or grocery lists. At the moment, tests to detect…  read on >

Your age doesn’t determine how long you’ll live after a dementia diagnosis, new research contends. “These findings suggest that, despite all efforts, and despite being younger and perhaps physically ‘healthier’ than older people, survival time in people with young-onset dementia has not improved since 2000,” said study author Dr. Hanneke Rhodius-Meester, from VU University Medical…  read on >

Dementia strikes about one in 13 lesbian, gay or bisexual seniors in the United States, a new study finds. “Current estimates suggest that more than 200,000 sexual minorities in the U.S. are living with dementia, but — before our study — almost nothing was known about the prevalence of dementia among people in this group…  read on >

One low-dose aspirin a day could help women avoid ovarian cancer or boost their survival should it develop, two new studies suggest. In fact, daily low-dose aspirin — the type many older women already take to help their hearts — was tied to a 10 percent reduction in developing ovarian cancer. It was also tied…  read on >

A broken bone in older age may increase your risk of death for the next 10 years, researchers say. “A fracture is the starting point for much wider health issues that persist long after the fracture has healed, and can ultimately result in earlier death,” said study author Jacqueline Center, who’s with the Garvan Institute…  read on >

The increased risk of cancer in people with diabetes is higher for women than men, a new study finds. Previous research identified the link between diabetes and cancer risk, but this study looked at whether that risk differs between men and women. The takeaway: Among people with diabetes, women have a 6 percent higher risk…  read on >

A modified type of botulinum toxin — botox — gave mice long-term pain relief and may someday be a safer alternative to opioids as a treatment for chronic pain, according to British researchers. They “deconstructed” the botulinum molecule and reassembled it with an opioid called dermorphin. The resulting compound — called Derm-BOT — silenced pain…  read on >

Most spider bites do not fully penetrate human skin, so they tend to only cause a mild reaction. But if the bite is from a brown recluse spider or a black widow, it will cause a much more serious reaction that requires immediate care, the Nemours Foundation says. If you suspect a spider bite, wash…  read on >