Trending News Today: Studies Examine Fish Oil, Vitamin D Effect on Heart Health

The FDA granted priority review to Roche’s Tecentriq in combination with the chemotherapy abraxane for the initial treatment of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancers whose tumors test positive for PD-L1, Reuters reported. According to the article, interim overall survival data released last month showed a median survival of 25 months among patients treated with the combination therapy compared with 15.5 months in those who received only chemotherapy. Patients who received Tecentriq plus abraxane survived a median 21.3 months compared with 17.6 months for those on chemotherapy, Roche reported.

Study data revealed at the American Heart Association conference showed mix results for the effects of fish oil and vitamin D on heart health, the Associated Press reported. According to the article, fish oil taken by healthy individuals showed no clear ability to lower heart disease or cancer risks, but it did reduce heart problems and heart-related deaths among those with high triglycerides. Based on the study data, vitamin D did not appear to affect the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke, or developing cancer, the article reported.

A recent study suggests that weight loss following menopause may lower the risk of developing breast cancer in women, Reuters reported. According to the article, the researchers calculated the body mass index of more than 61,000 women twice, 3 years apart, and followed them for an average of 11.4 years. Compared with women who had a stable weight during the initial 3-year period, those who lost at least 5% of their body weight were 12% less likely to develop breast cancer, the article reported.