The widely used chemotherapy drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) can be life-saving for women with HER2-positive breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease. But new research now adds to mounting evidence that the treatment can take a toll on the heart, increasing the risk for heart failure. The complication is uncommon, and in many cases,…  read on >

Photo-editing tools that make people look more perfect online than in real life may be a health threat, medical experts warn. The tidal wave of altered photos on social media is changing perceptions of beauty. And that can trigger a preoccupation with appearance that leads to risky efforts to hide perceived flaws, researchers suggest. Those…  read on >

Emergency treatment rarely allows you much time to consider your options. But what about care that can be done on your timetable? There are many tools available to help you understand the pros and cons of nearly any procedure and — through an open discussion with your health-care provider — determine what’s best for you.…  read on >

Some children love taking a shower, while others find it just another chore to struggle with. Thankfully, for the parents of kids in the latter category, a daily shower may not be necessary, the American Academy of Dermatology says. While a daily bath or shower shouldn’t hurt kids aged 6 to 11, it isn’t absolutely…  read on >

Kids are spending more time than ever in front of screens, making it more likely they’ll become overweight or obese, a new review claims. The average 8- to 18-year-old spends more than seven hours a day fixated on a screen, whether it’s a computer, smartphone, tablet, video game or TV, the latest evidence shows. Teenagers…  read on >

You might not think much about it when turning on a light in your home, but faulty wiring and electrical products can lead to fire, injury and even death. That’s why it’s important to check for and fix potential problems before they happen. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests taking time to go room-by-room…  read on >

Middle-aged people who drink moderately — no more than a glass of wine a day — may have a relatively lower risk of developing dementia later in life, researchers report. The study, which followed 9,000 British adults for over two decades, found that both heavier drinkers and abstainers had a higher dementia risk than moderate…  read on >

As women around the world wage war against cancer, good news on the breast cancer front is tempered by predictions that lung cancer deaths could rise more than 40 percent. Researchers in Spain reported that between 2015 and 2030, lung cancer deaths among women worldwide will likely increase 43 percent. During that same period, however,…  read on >

Sunscreen washing off swimmers may pose a threat to fish and other aquatic life, a new study suggests. Ultraviolet (UV) filters have been added to many personal care products, including sunscreens, moisturizers and makeup. And swimmers, in particular, are advised to reapply sunscreen often or risk a painful and potentially harmful sunburn. But scientists have…  read on >