Frontline: Cervical cancer; shingles and cardiovascular risk; extreme temperatures and heart health

Women 65 and Older at Higher Risk of Late-Stage Cervical Cancer

Researchers who analyzed data from women diagnosed with cervical cancer discovered that women age 65 and older were more likely to be diagnosed with and die from late-stage cervical cancer than younger women, according to a study published Jan. 9, 2023, in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The 5-year survival rates among those diagnosed with late-stage cancer were 23-37 percent for women 65 and older compared to 42-52 percent for women younger than 65. Current screening guidelines recommend that women 65 or older stop being screened for cervical cancer if they have a history of negative results on Pap and HPV tests. The study’s lead author, statistician Julianne Cooley, said, “Our findings highlight the need to better understand how current screening guidelines might be failing women 65 and over.” If you are 65 or older, talk with your doctor about your risk of cervical cancer, your screening history and results, and if you may benefit from screening now or in the future.

Shingles Linked with Higher Risks of Stroke and Heart Attack

Having shingles may increase your risk of cardiovascular events, according to research published Dec. 6, 2022, in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers analyzed data collected from more than 200,000 adults participating in three long-term, ongoing health studies and found that the risk of heart attack was up to 25 percent higher and risk of stroke was up to 38 percent higher in participants who developed shingles. The elevated risks were detected for a period of 12 years or longer following their shingles diagnosis (average follow-up was 16 years). In adults 50 and older with healthy immune systems, getting the shingles vaccine is up to 97 percent effective at preventing shingles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, data suggests that only about one-third of women age 60 and older have been vaccinated.

Extreme Temperatures May Spell Danger for Your Heart

Researchers have found that a higher number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) occur during periods of extremely low or extremely high temperatures, according to a study published Jan. 3, 2023, in Circulation. For the study, the researchers assembled data from 567 cities in 27 countries. They tracked the number of deaths that occurred due to any cardiovascular cause, as well as deaths from heart disease, stroke, and heart failure, and found that the most deaths occurred during periods of extreme heat or cold. Extreme cold appeared to be harder on the heart than extreme heat.

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