The headline sure caught my attention: “Genetic Testing Helps British Woman Conceive Breast Cancer-Free Baby.”  Wow!   It seems a London doctor has used a genetic screening procedure to help a woman conceive Britiain’s first baby guaranteed to be free of hereditary breast cancer.   The news touched a nerve with this reporter because I have several friends and acquaintances dealing with various stages of this hideous disease right now…women who could use a little good news….even if it just means others may not have to suffer  in the future.

Apparently, the 27-year old British woman made the choice to have her embryos screened for an inherited gene that would have left her baby with a 50 percent chance of developing breast cancer.   Not only does the woman have a long history of breast cancer in her family…her husband also tested positive for the gene.

It’s called “preimplantation genetic diagnosis.”  The procedure involves removing cells from several embryos when they’re about three days old.  The cells from each embryo are tested for genetic disorders…and any embryo found to be free of the screened disorders is implanted in the mother’s womb through in vitro fertilization.  That baby will grow up free of the possibility of hereditary breast cancer.

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it.  But there may be a downside.  While the new diagnostic tool has given hope to families with long histories of genetic disease…. a number of doctors and ethicists fear this medical breakthrough could lead to genetic selection.  It would, effectively, give parents the opportunity to screen their children for traits such as eye color or intelligence.  The director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania is among those who believe genetic screening poses an ethical dilemma.  “Where is this going to take us in the future?” asks Caplan.  “How far will we go in letting people decide their babies?”

Dr. James Grifo at the new York University Fertility Center was the first U.S. doctor to screen embryos for life-threatening genetic disorders.  He says fears about “designer babies” are unfounded. He’s seen firsthand the positive effect on couples as they bring a child into the world…free from developing a devastating inherited disease later in life.

Dr. Grifo says our ability to do the kinds of things that we fear it (testing embryos) can do…create a class of genetically superior humans….a genetic “super race….” just isn’t going to happen.  “We aren’t scientifically sophisticated enough to make decisions about complicated traits.”    

Not yet, anyway.  Something to think about.

      I’ve had the privilege of interviewing hundreds of people over the years for the 10 News Staying Healthy segment.  Some of those interviews are a little hazy.  A few are forever etched into my memory.   Marilyn is one of them.

    I met Marilyn (not her real name) in the kitchen of her Scripps Ranch home one sunny, summer afternoon.  I was working on a report on the effect of diet on cancer.   Marilyn had prepared a feast for our cameras…..a colorful array of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fresh fish.   Marilyn was in the late stages of ovarian cancer….and along with medications and chemotherapy, had committed to eating a diet rich in antioxidants.   Marilyn was full of joy and optimism that day….hopeful that she would beat her cancer.   Less than a year latershe lost her battle…..joining thousands of women who die every year from ovarian cancer.

I thought of Marilyn as I read this week about the latest ray of hope in the fight against ovarian cancer.   The problem with ovarian cancer is it’s tough to diagnose.   By the time most women experience symptoms,  it’s too late.   Treatment simply isn’t effective.   That’s what happenned to Marilyn.   But the results of a new study may give women a fighting chance.   The news comes from the Public Health Sciences Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

In addition to the onset of new symptoms, the researchers boosted the level of early-stage ovarian cancer detection by 20 percent through the use of a blood test that looks for CA-125…a protein that is often elevated when ovarian cancer is elevated.     Using either test alone only uncovered about 60 percent of early-stage ovarian cancers in a high-risk group of women.  But the two techniques together found 80 percent of early-stage tumors. 

While the study is encouraging, there’s still a long way to go with ovarian cancer, according to Debbie Saslow with the American Cancer Society.   But the take-away message for women right now is the importance of recognizing the symptoms of ovarian cancer.  Important symptoms include pelvic or abdominal pain, bloating, increased abdominal size, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.  These symptoms must occur more than 12 times a month and have begun within the past year.   These symptoms combined with the CA-125 blood test may help detect the cancer in it’s earliest stage when it’s most treatable.

According to the American Cancer Society, if you have any of the symptoms of ovarian cancer….and they’re new-onset symptoms…..you need to discuss them with your doctor.   21,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year.  Sadly…15,000 women, like Marilyn,  die from the disease.    Maybe this new research will be the beginning of a reversal of these staggering statistics.  

Are you in pain? You’re not alone. More than 50 million American suffer from chronic pain. The culprits? Everything from back and neck problems to arthritis and fibromyalgia. If you’re hurting, you know how frustrating and debilitating it can be.

Well, at last, the medical community is beginning to look at pain as more than a side effect, but as a condition all its own.

Over the years I’ve been educated on the problem of pain by pain specialist Dr. Joseph Shurman of the Pain Treatment Center at Scripps Memorial Hospital. Dr. Shurman has been a regular contributor to the Staying Health segment on 10News. He also takes pain very seriously and is among a growing number of physicians helping their patients cope by using an assortment of treatments and techniques to relieve their pain symptoms.

When it comes to pain, patients often get the run-around in the health care system. They bounce from one doctor to another, spend energy and money and don’t always finding a solution. The end result? Many hurting patients just lose hope, give up and become depressed and isolated in their misery. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Dr. Christopher Chisholm of La Jolla is taking an extraordinary approach to the management of chronic pain by providing his patients with a multi-disciplinary treatment program. The board-certified anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist is hooked into a network of care providers who help give his patients the tools they need to take an active role in their well-being. They are not left alone to navigate their own pain management plan.

“At Comprehensive Pain Management Specialists, we believe in treating pain from several fronts,” says Dr. Chisholm. “Chronic pain can be difficult to manage and sometimes impossible to cure, but a combination of treatments can be effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life.”

The program consists of professionals from a variety of disciplines working together, with on-going communication. Simply stated, they try everything until something works!! Dr. Chisholm’s network of professionals counsel patients on exercise and fitness, nutrition, support groups, physical therapy, psychological therapy, acupuncture and stress management.

If your doctor says you just have to live with your pain, don’t accept it. Patients with arthritis, sciatica, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, phantom limb pain, failed back surgeries and spinal stenosis (to name a few!) are candidates for this type of interdisciplinary treatment and many are finding relief for the first time in years.

Whether it’s Scripps Memorial’s Pain Treatment Center, Comprehensive Pain Management Specialists or one of several other local pain management programs, get a referral and give one a try. More is being learned about the causes and treatment of chronic pain. Chances are there’s relief in sight for you, too.

Leave it to the folks at Henry’s Farmer’s Market to come up with something new to get folks excited about their health and fitness. Henry’s has been a regular contributor to the Staying Healthy report on 10News for most of the last 25 years. Now, Janet Little, Henry’s own certified nutritionist, has come up with a plan to help you achieve an overall healthier, more balanced lifestyle through better diet, exercise and smart decision making.

And no, it’s not some trendy “quick-fix” diet program. If you’re looking for a lifestyle makeover, you might want to check this out. It’s called, “You Renewed: Eat Less, Think Better, Move More.” Seriously, this plan is fun and it won’t hurt a bit! The “You Renewed” program is an easy 6-week program that provides a step-by-step guide to improve your overall lifestyle.

Each week contains a tip relating to the following three categories: “Eat” (tips to improve diet), “Move” (tips relating to exercise) and “Think” (tips to improve overall well-being). As the weeks progress you can incorporate the tips from the previous weeks into the new lifestyle that will improve your health, reduce stress and put a little balance in your life.

I love that the program doesn’t overwhelm you with so much stuff there’s no way you can incorporate it all into your life at once. Be honest, have you actually kept the New Year’s resolution you made about living more healthfully? Me either! And apparently, we’re not alone! Research over the years concludes that 90 percent of all health-related resolutions are already broken by mid-January.

Why not pick up the “You Renewed” booklet at Henry’s. It only costs a buck and it’s crammed with easy-to-digest information on everything from antioxidants and anti-aging to flexibility and core stability to healthy recipes and de-stressing techniques. If you commit to this simple plan, Janet promises, “At the end of six weeks, you’ll see the benefits of a balanced set of changes… which can become part of your new, reinvigorated life.”

Remember that New Year’s resolution? There’s still time. It’s only June! For more information on Henry’s “You Renewed” program, stop by any Henry’s Farmer’s Market or go to www.henrysmarkets.com.

Kudos to Sharp Healthcare! The annual women’s health conference has been a San Diego favorite for nearly 20 years but this year’s event was over the top!! 800 women converged on the Sheraton Harbor Island last Saturday morning for a day filled with inspirational speakers, good health information, great food, unbelievable “swag” and more fun than ought to be allowed by law!

In partnership with “Speaking of Women’s Health,” Sharp Healthcare’s “Discover Your Everyday Super Heroes” was a rousing success. I had the privilege of emceeing the event featuring Dr. Pamela Peeke and Colette Carlson, two of the country’s top motivational speakers for women. The exhibit hall featured cholesterol, blood pressure and bone density screenings, ”Ask the Doctor” and “Ask the Pharmacist” booths, the latest health information and products from scores of vendors and bags full of free samples!

Women could choose from 38 fabulous breakout sessions on topics ranging from joint pain, super foods and cancer prevention to relationship advice, skin care and self-defense strategies. The gourmet lunch was to die for but even better were the incredible bags of “swag” from the good folks at L’Oreal, Garnier and Maybelline, Kellogg’s, Dove and Kimberly Clark, among others. It took two trips to get it all to the car! Dozens of attendees left with door prizes from local restaurants, Wal-Mart, the Rancho Bernardo Inn and XX Sports!

It was high energy from morning to early evening: music, dancing and brilliant color! The perfect atmosphere to learn and share with other women. We left informed and inspired to make positive life changes. Mark your calendar now for next year’s event. I guarantee, it’ll be the hottest ticket in town! Saturday, May 30. Watch this space. I’ll bring you all the details.

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One more thing: If you or someone you love is a cancer survivor, make plans to stop by Bloch Cancer Survivor’s Park this Saturday, June 8, for the 11th Annual Celebration of Life, hosted by “Cancer Survivorship: San Diego!” It’s a full day of the latest information in cancer treatment, cancer screenings and demonstrations of integrative therapies. Doctors and other experts will be on hand from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 4100 N. Harbor Drive across from Lindbergh Field. For more information or to register, go to www.cancersurvivorshipSD.com.

I’ve run across a couple of health items I thought would be of interest to you women out there, starting with the latest attempted assault on coffee!   For decades, researchers have been trying to blame your “cuppa jo” for every health problem out there.  Well, their latest attempt has failed once again! 

When it comes to coffee and breast cancer, there is apparently no connection. After a decades-long study, Harvard researchers found no sign that either regular or decaf coffee leads to higher rates of breast cancer. And it was just as true for women who drank four or more cups a day as for those who drank only one cup. Some 85,000 women took part in the study which, by the way, included tea. So go ahead and brew yourself a pot of something wonderful and enjoy!

Another item for you women: if you want a “brainy” baby, go for the flounder!  Pregnant moms may be able to boost their babies’ brain power by eating fish. Harvard researchers found that 3-year-olds whose mothers ate fish while pregnant scored better on tests of their cognitive abilities. But, there could be a downside. The diet high in fish also raised the amount of mercury in the mother’s body. Experts believe the benefits would be greater if mothers ate seafood with lower levels of mercury such as salmon and cod than seafood with high levels, such as tuna and swordfish. Who knows, that salmon filet for dinner may send your child to the head of the class!!