For the first time, a study has found that a vaccine can help to prevent HIV infection in people. There was other vaccine news this week as well. Studies found that shots protect adults from seasonal flu better than spray vaccine, and that children 10 and older need just one dose of swine flu vaccine. European researchers reported that obesity may soon become the top cause of cancer in women. And a study found that the risk of a fatal heart attack increased among men who were treated with hormones for prostate cancer.
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Some Success Reported With an HIV Vaccine
For the first time, researchers report that a vaccine has helped to prevent HIV infection in human testing. The Associated Press reported on the announcement this week. The vaccine combines two vaccines that failed to prevent HIV alone. One vaccine gets the immune system ready to fight HIV. The other one strengthens that response. Volunteers tested the vaccine in Thailand. They were randomly divided into two groups. Each group had about 8,200 people. One group received the real vaccine. The other got a fake vaccine (placebo). Both groups received condoms and advice on preventing HIV infection. Within 3 years, 51 of the group receiving the vaccine became infected. There were 74 infections in the group that got the placebo. This means the vaccine reduced the risk of infection 31%. Though that's not a large reduction, it's the best result ever for an HIV vaccine. More important, it focuses a search for even better vaccines. When a vaccine doesn't work at all -- as has been the case until now with HIV -- researchers get no clues as to what kind of vaccine would work. They only know what didn't work. But when a vaccine is somewhat effective, it provides clues as to what refinements could make it work even better.

Seasonal Flu Shots Beat Spray for Adults
For adults, shots are nearly twice as effective as spray vaccine in preventing seasonal flu, researchers said this week. But that finding may not apply to the new swine flu vaccines that will be available soon. Experts said both kinds may be equally effective in children and adults. The Associated Press reported on the new study. It looked at the effects of vaccine in 2,000 healthy adults in the last flu season. They were randomly divided into four groups. The groups received flu shots, the FluMist nasal spray, or a placebo (fake) dose of the shot or spray. The flu shot was 68 percent successful at preventing the flu. The spray was about 36 percent effective. The study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. In other flu news this week, U.S. health officials said research shows one dose of swine flu vaccine is enough for children 10 and older. They already had announced that one dose is effective for adults. This is important because it will take time to make enough vaccine to provide to everyone. If children 10 and older and adults only need one shot, and not two, it means that twice the number of people can be vaccinated.

Obesity May Top Other Causes of Women's Cancer
Obesity could become the top cause of cancer in women within the next 10 years, researchers said this week. Their conclusion is based on computer models of cancer data from Europe. Results were announced at a conference in Germany, the Associated Press said. The researchers said excess weight causes about 8% of cancers in Europe. It has been linked to breast, colon and endometrial cancer, among others. Researchers estimated there were about 70,000 fat-related cancers in 2002. They said the number doubled by 2008. The numbers will keep going up for two reasons, they said. Obesity is increasing. And other causes, such as smoking, have declined.

Prostate Treatment May Raise Heart Risk
Hormone treatment for prostate cancer may slightly increase a man's risk of heart problems, a new study suggests. The study was released this week at a cancer conference in Germany. Researchers followed the health of more than 30,000 Swedish men who were treated with hormones for about three years. The men had a 28% higher risk of a fatal heart attack than Swedish men in general. But the overall risk of heart problems was low. Researchers said there would be about 10 extra cases of heart problems a year for each 1,000 men treated with hormones. The Associated Press reported on the study results.

Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.