Genetic variants can cause Breast Cancer risk

Study suggests ,father's family history of Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer generally overlooked by both patients and doctors.

Genetic counsellor Jeanna McCuaig and her co-authors from Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital  in Toronto and Montreal wrote in commentary in the journal “The Lancet Oncology”, Health care providers may be "unaware that these women might have inherited the mutated gene from their father …and might not routinely collect this information from their patients,"

Women don't recognize a paternal family history of cancer as a risk factor for the diseases, and are unlikely to volunteer the information unless directly questioned.

Women and Men  have 50 per cent risk of passing on mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumour suppressor genes, which increase lifetime risk for breast Cancer and ovarian cancer.

The researchers also determined patients were 5 times more likely to be referred with a paternal, than a maternal, family history of breast or ovarian cancer.

A study, led by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, has suggested that genetic variants on chromosomes 10 and 20 may modify risk of breast cancer among women with a BRCA2 mutation.Researchers analysed DNA samples from 6,272 women with BRCA2 mutations in a two-stage genome-wide association study.

The chromosome 10 variant identified in the study, near the gene ZNF365, decreased the risk of breast cancer by approximately 25 percent in women also carrying a mutation of the BRCA2 gene.

Researchers suggested that health care providers should be familiar with general trends in genetic cancers, including:

Diagnosis at younger ages than sporadic cancers.

Several family members over generations might be diagnosed with cancer, particularly rare forms or breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Diagnosis with many primary type of cancers.

According to a study, about 20 to 30 per cent of the more than 690,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer and nearly 190,000 diagnosed with ovarian cancer in developed countries have had a family history of cancer.

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are linked to aggressive hereditary breast cancers, but only account for about 15 per cent of all cases.

Last minute Halloween costume ideas for every one

HALLOWEEN IS just around the corner and the Halloween fever has gripped everyone across America and Europe. Halloween is ideally a national holiday across countries where it is celebrated.

Halloween is not just a celebration, it also puts to test one's creative abilities like attire management, which is compounded by the intricate designs which does not take much time when it comes to dressing up and showing off.

The best part of Halloween is that it lets one to get absorbed in the hype that surrounds it. It lets one dress-up in ones own choice of dresses which if the person wears during any other time of the year people might perceive the person a bit crazy.

The most sought after costume designs are pumpkin designs, clothes carrying images of ghosts etc. Some of the best last minute Halloween costume ideas can be:

1. Pregnant prom queen – find a gown and stuff a balloon or a small pillow in your tummy! It would be nice if you have a tiara and a sash that says “Prom Queen”

2 Dress like the 80s. Just find a really colorful pair of shirt and jeans, don’t forget to wear leg warmers and have your ponytail on the side.
3. NBA Basketball player – Just wear your normal jersey and bring a ball.
4. Surfer – wear your normal board shorts and bikini on top or rash guard for men.
5 Anna Kornikova – Just wear a sporty skirt and a sports bra topped with a sun cap on your head and just bring a tennis racket.

Find Out all Black Friday Deals

Retailers gearing up for Black Friday 2010

RETAIL CHAINS across the United States are getting ready for the upcoming Black Friday 2010, the largest and hottest shopping day of the year in the United States.  Black Friday 2010 is on November 26th and it will mark the start of Christmas shopping season.

Walmart's Toy Book sale will take place from November 7th to November 24th. Big Toy Book sale by Toys R Us will start this Sunday, October 31. Shoppers can save on over 1500 products during the sale. Babies"R"Us products are already available  online from October 26.
Kmart Toys said that their Black Friday 2010 sale will be up till November 24 and affects about 330 products. Target is advertising the lowest prices of the season on its top toys. Electronic giants like Samsung, Panasonic and LG will also be selling their products at low prices during the shopping days.
Every year more than 100 million shoppers in the United States participate in the Black Friday shopping rush. On the Black Friday, many stores open as early as midnight on the start of the Friday and remain open for 24 hours throughout the day until midnight the following Saturday to offer the best deals of the year.

Taller men more likely to have Testicular Cancer

Scientists have found Tall men have a higher risk of developing testicular cancer.

An analysis of 13 previous studies, involving thousands of men, found that every extra two inches in height raises the odds of the disease by 13 per cent. It is not yet known what is behind the link, but it may be that the hormones involved in growth help fuel the disease.

Testicular cancer affects some 2,000 men in UK a year and, unlike other cancers, it is most common in the young. Half of cases occur in mens under age of 35, with those aged 25 to 34  are the most likely to be affected.

It is one of the most easily treated forms of the cancer disease, with survivors including seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and Grand National-winning jockey Bob Champion.

US researchers made the link with height after crunching together data from more than ten studies from around the world. Researcher Dr Michael Blaise Cook,Writing in the British Journal of Cancer, said that genes, nutrition, hormones and other factors that affect height may also play a role in the cancer.

But British cancer experts urged tall men not to worry, saying that the cancer is relatively rare.

Americans unaware of number one cancer killer- reveals survey

MEN AND women worry about prostate and breast cancer, yet the number one cancer killer in the United States – lung cancer – isn't on their radar. According to a survey released by the National Lung Cancer Partnership, Americans know little about lung cancer's causes, symptoms and the number of lives it takes compared to other cancers.

The survey of 1,000 American men and women aged 18 and older found most women were unaware that lung cancer takes more women's lives each year than even breast cancer. And they weren't alone, most men surveyed were unaware that lung cancer takes more men's lives each year than prostate cancer.

"Lung cancer is by far the number one cancer killer in the US, yet the disease isn't on anyone's top call of concern," said Regina Vidaver, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Lung Cancer Partnership.

"If we're going to catch it early, treat it and give people the best chance for survival, they need to know about lung cancer symptoms, take measures to reduce their risk and talk with their doctor about their health history."

The survey findings include:

* 80 percent of respondents did not know that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the United States

* Only 12 percent of respondents said they know the symptoms of lung cancer, which include a cough that won't go away; pain in the back, chest or shoulders that won't go away; shortness of breath;
unexplained wheezing; and coughing up blood, among other symptoms.

* 88 percent of those surveyed did not know that radon was the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that is formed by the natural decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water and can be found in all 50 states.

* Only 6 percent of respondents said they had talked to their doctor about their risk for lung cancer.

* Only 32 percent of those surveyed understood that half of all lung cancers occur in people who have already quit smoking. This lack of awareness of continued risk after quitting smoking may make people less likely to talk with their doctors about symptom recognition.

The survey did reveal some encouraging findings related to lung cancer awareness too. According to the national advocacy organization, 98 percent of men and women recognized that lung cancer does not just affect people who smoke. This finding shows that Americans' perception that only smokers get lung cancer seems to be fading, and further education on lung cancer risk factors such as radon, second-hand smoke and family history of cancer will be crucial to helping people take appropriate measures to protect their health.

"This survey holds both good and bad news about the current state of lung cancer awareness in the United States," said Dr. Vidaver. "Awareness can help decrease cancer death rates, as recent studies have shown, so it's never been more important for Americans to understand that lung cancer is the country's number one cancer killer."

Now Check Breast Cancer with DIY breast cancer scanner kit

A new breast cancer scanner could revolutionise detection of the disease for tens of thousands of women suffering with the disease.The lunchbox sized kit will let women test themselves at home in just minutes.

The scanners can be fitted over the bra and there is no need to apply liquid gel, as used in ultrasound.Any tumours are shown by a red dot on a screen.The device was invented by Prof Zhipeng Wu at Manchester University.Professor Wu believes  scanners are small enough to fit inside a lunch box and could eventually be used at home to allow at-risk women to continuously monitor their own breast health, cutting waiting lists for GP tests.

He said: 'The system is portable and as soon as you lie down you can get a scan - it's real-time. The real-time imaging minimises the chance of missing a breast tumour during scanning.'Other systems also need to use a gel, such as in an ultrasound, to work but with our system you don't need that - it can be done simply in oil, milk, water or even with a bra on.

A university spokesman said: "Not only is this a quicker and less intrusive means of testing, it means women can be tested at GP surgeries, which could reduce waiting times and in some cases avoid unnecessary X-ray mammography.Prof Wu added: "This will benefit millions of women in developed and developing countries bearing in mind one in nine may develop breast cancer.

"It could also be used at home for monitoring of breast health."It could also dramatically improve cancer monitoring and treatment in developing countries.

"Although there is still research to be done, the system has great potential to bring a new way for breast cancer diagnosis."Some 45,000 UK women are diagnosed with the disease each year. It claims around 12,000 lives a year.

A £600 million fund for cancer drugs was yesterday confirmed by Health Secretary UK Andrew Lansley - after speculation the plan faced cutbacks.

Cancer on the rise among Scottish women

Women lung cancer death rates bIncreased by nearly 12% over 10 years.

Lifestyle choices including ladette behaviour are driving up the risk of women developing the cancer disease, while levels among men are falling.

Figures of people diagnosed with cancer in Scotland has been on the increase for some time. According to the new data, 28,638 patients tested positive in 2008, compared with 25,771 in 1998. This is largely because cancer is more common among the elderly population.In shifting age profile into account, there was a 6% drop in the incidence of cancer among Scottish men during the decade to 2008. However, it rises by 4% among women.NHS Scotland statistics division, which conducted analysis, said it is the first time when this significant trend had been seen among women.

Women suffering lung cancer and breast cancer are driving the problem. Death rates from lung cancer in women have increased by nearly 12% over the last decade.Nell Barrie, Cancer Research UK’s science information officer, said: “Breast cancer rates have been increasing for some time. This is partly because of lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption, obesity and the trend to have children later in life, which increases their risk of the disease, but it is also partly because more cases are being picked up through the national screening programme.

“Lung cancer rates in women are also going up in Scotland.Number of men dying from lung cancer will continue to fall in Scotland, while female deaths will increase slightly up to 2014. This is mainly because of historical differences in smoking patterns between men and women.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “Skin cancer is clearly linked to excessive exposure to sunlight or use of sunbeds. Those with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, a disease that has increased markedly in Scotland in recent years have a significantly increased risk of liver cancer.The incidence of both types of cancer is increasing sharply.

Incidence of skin cancer has also risen sharply,upto 68% in men and 71% in women between 1998 and 2008.People not realising the risks in the past,have to look at the statistics in the coming years to see if the awareness message is getting across.”On a more positive side,new report showed large improvements in the number of sufferers who have survived cancer.We must redouble efforts to change attitudes about making healthy lifestyle choices in Scotland and raise awareness of the serious risks associated with making poor lifestyle choices.

Healthy lifestyle could Prevent cancer risk

Researchers believe making diet and lifestyle changes could prevent bowel cancer.A study published today makes a firm relation between an unhealthy lifestyle, person’s weight and bowel cancer cases, which is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Wales.

The researchers from Denmark found these recommendations on waist circumference,physical activity,smoking,alcohol and diet could reduce the risk of developing the disease upto 23%.Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in Wales, affecting more than 2,000 people a year.

Researchers from Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, in Copenhagen, said: “Our study reveals the useful public health message that even modest differences in lifestyle might have a substantial impact on colorectal cancer risk and emphasises the importance of continuing vigorous efforts to convince people to follow the lifestyle recommendations.”

The Danish research, which is published by the BMJ today, studied more than 55,000 men and women aged 50 to 64 to examine the relation between healthy lifestyle advice and the risk of bowel cancer in middle-aged people. The participants were followed for 10 years and questioned about their lifestyle habits and diet.

The researchers created a healthy lifestyle index using internationally-accepted public health recommendations from the World Health Organisation, World Cancer Research Fund and the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations.These included being physically active people for at least 30 minutes a day,having no more than 7 drinks a week for women and 14 drinks a week for men,being a non-smoker,having a waist circumference below 88cm for women and 102cm for men and consuming a healthy diet.

During follow up, 678 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer. After looking at how participants managed to keep each of the five lifestyle recommendations, the researchers calculated that if all participants except the healthiest had followed even one additional recommendation, it was possible that 13% of the bowel cancer cases could have been prevented.If all participants had followed all five recommendations, then 23% of the bowel cancer cases could have been avoided.

Dr Rosemary Fox, acting director of the screening division of Public Health Wales, said; “In Wales bowel cancer is the third biggest killer of men and women and around 1,000 people die every year from the disease. However, if it is picked up early, it’s also one of the most treatable forms of cancer“.“Screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage in people with no symptoms. That is why it is so important for everyone aged between 60 and 69 to take up the opportunity to be screened and make it part of their regular health check.”

A second study, also published today, suggests adults with low education should be given access to a decision aid to help them decide whether to take part bowel cancer screening.

Afatinib (BIBW 2992*) Triples Progression Free Survival in Lung Cancer Patients

Boehringer Ingelheim announced promising results from two clinical trials of its investigational cancer compound afatinib (BIBW 2992) presented at the 35^th European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Milan, Italy. Results from the ?LUX-Lung 1? trial suggest that afatinib (BIBW 2992) is highly active in late-stage patients with NSCLC¹, while in the LUX-Lung 2 phase II trial afatinib demonstrated encouraging activity in advanced NSCLC patients that have a mutated EGF Receptor.

Afatinib, which is taken as a tablet, is a next generation inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) tyrosine kinase (TK) and unlike first generation TKIs irreversibly binds to EGFR/HER2. The compound is under development in several solid tumour types.

The LUX-Lung 1 trial (phase II b/III) compared afatinib to placebo in over 580 patients with advanced NSCLC whose disease has progressed after receiving chemotherapy and a first-generation EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (gefitinib or erlotinib) ? results showed¹:

• Even though the LUX-Lung 1 trial did not meet the primary endpoint of prolonging overall survival (OS), afatinib significantly extended the time before the tumour progressed; specifically it led to a three-fold extension of progression-free survival (PFS, key secondary endpoint) from 1.1 months to 3.3 months over placebo.
• The PFS benefit was apparent as a robust effect across all patient subgroups and has been confirmed by independent review.
• There was a significantly higher rate of tumour control or shrinkage in those patients who took afatinib (disease control rate: 58%) versus those taking placebo (disease control rate: 19%); also independently verified.
• Afatinib significantly improved the lung-cancer related symptoms cough, dyspnea (shortness of breath) and pain, and delayed the time to deterioration of cough, individual dyspnea items and chest pain significantly.
• There were no new or unexpected safety findings; the main side effects were diarrhea and rash.

The results of LUX-Lung 1 in a special patient population whose cancers probably have a high incidence of EGFR mutations have substantially contributed to better understanding of the biology of these tumours. Conclusions from the trial will be relevant for the design of further clinical studies, which will evaluate further patient populations and their mutation status.

Lung cancer is the most common and most deadly form of cancer in the world, accounting for 1.6 million new cancer cases annually and 1.4 million deaths² from lung cancer. Lung cancer remains an area of high unmet need, especially in its advanced stages where it is particularly aggressive and patients have limited treatment options. No approved therapy is currently available for patients with advanced lung cancer who have failed chemotherapy and progressed after treatments with EGFR TKI.

?In clinical practice, it is of high relevance to patients to have improvement in key lung cancer related symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and pain? commented Dr Vera Hirsh, investigator of the trial, and Chair of the Lung Cancer Committee, McGill University, Canada. ?Furthermore, the time to deterioration, meaning the time before the symptoms get worse, was significantly extended for some of these symptoms in the LUX Lung 1 study.?

This is the first time that a compound has demonstrated in a controlled study, a clinically meaningful improvement in PFS in patients with NSCLC who have progressed on first generation EGFR TKIs.

Encouraging results were also presented for LUX-Lung 2, a phase II trial studying patients with advanced NSCLC who harbour EGFR mutations. This result shows that the use of afatinib led to a high rate of tumour size reduction (overall response rate of 61%) and a long delay in the progression of cancer by over 1 year (PFS of 14 months)³. These results help to underline afatinib?s potential benefit as a first or second line treatment in patients with EGFR mutations. Two phase III trials, LUX-Lung 3 and LUX-Lung 6 are currently underway to further evaluate afatinib as a first-line treatment in this patient group.

?Both of these recent trials demonstrate the promise of afatinib as a next-generation treatment option in NSCLC patients in different settings? says Prof. Klaus Dugi, Senior Vice President Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim. ?We are convinced that afatinib could provide a benefit for patients with NSCLC, and we remain fully committed to its ongoing development in lung cancer and in other solid cancer types.?

Afatinib?s clinical trial programme: LUX Trial Programme

The LUX-trial programme is a comprehensive and robust programme that comprises more than ten trials conducted across the globe, investigating afatinib in a variety of different solid tumour types, including NSCLC, breast and head and neck cancer.

LUX-Lung 1 is a phase III trial investigating afatinib plus best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo plus BSC in NSCLC patients who were previously treated with chemotherapy and first generation EGFR-TKIs, erlotinib or gefitinib.

LUX-Lung 2 is a phase II trial evaluating afatinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations, either chemotherapy naïve or after one line of chemotherapy.

In two further ongoing global phase III trials, LUX-Lung 3 and LUX-Lung 6, the efficacy and safety profile of afatinib is compared to standard chemotherapy for first-line treatment of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations in different geographical regions.

Another trial, LUX-Lung 5, is a global phase III trial in patients previously treated with erlotinib or gefitinib. This is the first randomised phase III trial investigating whether patients who initially benefit from treatment with afatinib alone may further benefit from afatinib beyond progression when given in combination with chemotherapy.

Further indications

Additionally, Boehringer Ingelheim has recently commenced a phase III clinical trial evaluating afatinib in advanced breast cancer (LUX-Breast 1).

Afatinib is also being investigated in head and neck cancer, glioblastoma and colorectal cancer.

Afatinib & BIBF 1120*: the two front-runner molecules within Boehringer Ingelheim?s investigational oncology portfolio

Apart from afatinib, Boehringer Ingelheim?s late stage oncology portfolio includes BIBF 1120, also in phase III development for the treatment of patients in two different indications, advanced NSCLC and ovarian cancer.

BIBF 1120 is a triple angiokinase inhibitor that acts on three growth factors simultaneously: vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) ? all crucially involved in the formation of blood vessels, which supply tumours with nutrients and oxygen needed for the cancer to grow.

Notes to editors

About lung cancer

Lung cancer is the world?s most common cancer and kills more people than any other cancer.In 2008, approximately 1.6 million new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed worldwide, with 1.4 million people dying from the disease.²

About breast cancer

There are more than one and a half million cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year⁴. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide, resulting in more than 500,000 deaths per year. Breast cancer accounts for around a third of all cancers diagnosed in women, making it the most commonly diagnosed tumour type in females⁵.

About head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer can occur in over 30 different places in any of the tissues or organs in the head and neck⁶ and is the sixth most frequently occurring cancer worldwide⁷. Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas⁸ over 90% of which express EGFR⁹ which is critical for tumour growth.¹⁰

About ovarian cancer

Each year approximately 204,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in women worldwide, with an estimated 125,000 dying of the disease each year¹¹. One of the greatest challenges in the management of ovarian cancer is that the majority of cases are not found at an early stage¹¹ (when definitive cure is possible by surgery) since the tumour usually causes only non-specific symptoms, commonly attributed to non-serious causes.

Check for >> Breast Cancer Disease , Cancer Care News

Adulterated honey curse for diseases like cancer

AN INTERESTING fact that has come to light during the discussions with various stakeholders is that in order to meet the growing demand for honey, companies are selling artificial honey having large sugar contents giving the end product a honey like flavour.

A lot of cases have been brought into light where local honey sellers added sugar to honey and claimed that it was procured directly from the hive. Such activities are done at a large scale by various honey manufacturing companies.The companies, many a times misguide the consumer by claiming that the packaged product is pure and is collected directly from the source like forests et al. As the demand for honey grows it may also be noticed that the companies are unable to satisfy the needs of the consumer as deforestation takes place on a large scale.

A study on effects of mobile phones and towers on honey bees has revealed that they emit electromagnetic waves that may wipe out honey bees. These waves interfere with the navigational skills of the worker bees and as a result they fail to reach their home destination. Without the worker bees, the beehives are left only with the queen and the eggs resulting into a total collapse. As per Hindu mythology, honey is essential part of our life from child birth to death, it is used for treatment and other religious rituals.

Lord Shiva is given honey bath during rudraabhishek ceremony and honey is used for preparing chranamrit for offering prasad to gods and goddesses on various occasions. Prepared through natural process by the honey bees it was always considered pure. It is used as antibiotics for indigestion even without the prescription of doctors. Honey mixed with grounded almonds is used as scrub for face.

It is effective for dressing heavily infected wounds and gives better results than conventional ointments and dressings. It is used for treatment of throat infection, tooth decay, cough and eye diseases. Honey contains a variety of antioxidants which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer diseases.

A recent research conducted by Center for Science and Environment shocked lakhs of people in the country when it found presence of antibiotics in company manufactured honey which if taken for a long period can lead to blood related diseases and liver injury in about a dozen brands of honey sold in our country. These substances could damage blood, kidneys, liver, bones and teeth. Moreover they create resistance in the body to prescribed antibiotics.

What is more shocking is that some honey manufacturing companies which have a presence in India are also equally well recognised companies overseas. Earlier an article published in a British medical journal pointing out presence of superbug having resistance to all antibiotics in patients, who have got operated in Indian hospitals was described as a conspiracy against Indian health tourism. But the findings by the Centre headed by Sunita Narayan, who has taken on powerful Cola lobbies for its findings of presence of pesticides in cold drinks cannot be taken lightly.

Apart from the leading honey producing indigenous firms, antibiotics have been found in two brands of imported honey. As usual the release of findings sent shock waves in the honey industry and they came out with denials defending their products describing antibiotics as natural.

It is worth mentioning here that most of the developed countries have banned or regulated the presence of antibiotics in honey. Indian firms manufacturing honey for export are also following these standards as they fear a chance of facing rejection of their products but unfortunately these companies are dumping local markets with honey having antibiotics as there are no regulations.

Export Inspection Council of India and Agriculture and processed food products export development authority under the commerce ministry regulates and monitors the standards for money meant for export but for domestic market it is left to the mercy of the companies.The CSE lab is said to have tested as many as a dozen leading brands of honey sold in national capital made by Indian companies Dabur, Himalya, Patanjali, Baidyanath and Khadi as well as two foreign companies namely Nectaflor and Capilano based in Switzerland and Australia.

The foreign companies sell their products having antibiotics in India taking advantage of our policy. The tests have revealed high level of six harmful antibiotics in eleven samples with only the Indian Hitkari brand coming out clean. Antibiotics like ampicillin, oxytetracycline, and ciprofloxacin were found in the honey sold in the Indian markets. It is believed that antibiotics are fed to bees for preventing diseases and increase honey production to meet the growing demand. Besides, the bees collect honey from the flowers of various crops which are sprayed with pesticides.

Check for >> Breast Cancer Disease , Cancer Care News

Adulterated honey curse for diseases like cancer

AN INTERESTING fact that has come to light during the discussions with various stakeholders is that in order to meet the growing demand for honey, companies are selling artificial honey having large sugar contents giving the end product a honey like flavour.

A lot of cases have been brought into light where local honey sellers added sugar to honey and claimed that it was procured directly from the hive. Such activities are done at a large scale by various honey manufacturing companies.The companies, many a times misguide the consumer by claiming that the packaged product is pure and is collected directly from the source like forests et al. As the demand for honey grows it may also be noticed that the companies are unable to satisfy the needs of the consumer as deforestation takes place on a large scale.

A study on effects of mobile phones and towers on honey bees has revealed that they emit electromagnetic waves that may wipe out honey bees. These waves interfere with the navigational skills of the worker bees and as a result they fail to reach their home destination. Without the worker bees, the beehives are left only with the queen and the eggs resulting into a total collapse. As per Hindu mythology, honey is essential part of our life from child birth to death, it is used for treatment and other religious rituals.

Lord Shiva is given honey bath during rudraabhishek ceremony and honey is used for preparing chranamrit for offering prasad to gods and goddesses on various occasions. Prepared through natural process by the honey bees it was always considered pure. It is used as antibiotics for indigestion even without the prescription of doctors. Honey mixed with grounded almonds is used as scrub for face.

It is effective for dressing heavily infected wounds and gives better results than conventional ointments and dressings. It is used for treatment of throat infection, tooth decay, cough and eye diseases. Honey contains a variety of antioxidants which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer diseases.

A recent research conducted by Center for Science and Environment shocked lakhs of people in the country when it found presence of antibiotics in company manufactured honey which if taken for a long period can lead to blood related diseases and liver injury in about a dozen brands of honey sold in our country. These substances could damage blood, kidneys, liver, bones and teeth. Moreover they create resistance in the body to prescribed antibiotics.

What is more shocking is that some honey manufacturing companies which have a presence in India are also equally well recognised companies overseas. Earlier an article published in a British medical journal pointing out presence of superbug having resistance to all antibiotics in patients, who have got operated in Indian hospitals was described as a conspiracy against Indian health tourism. But the findings by the Centre headed by Sunita Narayan, who has taken on powerful Cola lobbies for its findings of presence of pesticides in cold drinks cannot be taken lightly.

Apart from the leading honey producing indigenous firms, antibiotics have been found in two brands of imported honey. As usual the release of findings sent shock waves in the honey industry and they came out with denials defending their products describing antibiotics as natural.

It is worth mentioning here that most of the developed countries have banned or regulated the presence of antibiotics in honey. Indian firms manufacturing honey for export are also following these standards as they fear a chance of facing rejection of their products but unfortunately these companies are dumping local markets with honey having antibiotics as there are no regulations.

Export Inspection Council of India and Agriculture and processed food products export development authority under the commerce ministry regulates and monitors the standards for money meant for export but for domestic market it is left to the mercy of the companies.The CSE lab is said to have tested as many as a dozen leading brands of honey sold in national capital made by Indian companies Dabur, Himalya, Patanjali, Baidyanath and Khadi as well as two foreign companies namely Nectaflor and Capilano based in Switzerland and Australia.

The foreign companies sell their products having antibiotics in India taking advantage of our policy. The tests have revealed high level of six harmful antibiotics in eleven samples with only the Indian Hitkari brand coming out clean. Antibiotics like ampicillin, oxytetracycline, and ciprofloxacin were found in the honey sold in the Indian markets. It is believed that antibiotics are fed to bees for preventing diseases and increase honey production to meet the growing demand. Besides, the bees collect honey from the flowers of various crops which are sprayed with pesticides.

Check for >> Breast Cancer Disease , Cancer Care News