Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
Nexavar Lung Cancer Trial Halted
A trial on the use of the Nexavar cancer drug in patients with non-small cell lung cancer has been halted because the drug didn't help patients live longer than with standard chemotherapy, Bayer AG of Germany and California-based Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced Tuesday.
Nexavar, marketed as a treatment for kidney and liver cancer, was in the last of three stages of trials required for approval as a lung cancer treatment. But an independent committee that monitors clinical trials advised Bayer and Onyx that the drug wouldn't meet the main goal of this latest trial, called ESCAPE, Bloomberg news reported.
Nexavar is designed to block proteins on tumor cells in order to prevent them from proliferating and to cut off the blood supply to tumors, without harming healthy tissue.
Bayer and Onyx researchers and other scientists are looking into the use of Nexavar alone or with other treatments in a number of other cancers, including metastatic melanoma, breast cancer and as an adjuvant therapy for kidney cancer and liver cancer, Bloomberg reported.
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Sperm Defects Pass to Offspring
Genetic defects in sperm caused by exposure to environmental toxins can be passed down through generations, says a University of Idaho study.
Researchers exposed embryonic male rats to a hormone-disrupting fungicide called vinclozolin and found that the chemical altered genes in the sperm, including some associated with human prostate cancer, BBC News reported.
The rats exposed to the fungicide showed evidence of prostate damage, infertility and kidney problems. The genetic defects in sperm continued through four generations of the rats' descendents.
The researchers acknowledged that the embryonic rats were exposed to extremely high levels of the fungicide, but said that their work shows toxin-related defects in sperm can be passed down through many generations, BBC News reported.
The study was presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Heavy smoking and drinking may cause sperm damage and this study shows that men should be aware that they could pass that damage along to their heirs, experts told BBC News.
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Recalled Beef Poses Minimal Health Risk: Experts
The meat involved in the massive U.S. beef recall announced Sunday carries minimal health risks, food safety experts told the Associated Press.
California-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. was ordered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to recall 143 million pounds of beef, the largest such recall in U.S. history. The recall was prompted by undercover video that showed workers using forklifts and chains to push or drag immobile cows across the slaughterhouse floor.
But the violations in the video have more to do with inhumane animal handling and slaughter than with potential beef contamination, according to the USDA and the American Meat Institute.
The USDA did note it had evidence that Westland didn't routinely contact its veterinarian when cows that had passed a health inspection later became unable to walk, the AP reported.
So far, there have been no reports of illnesses linked to the recalled beef, dating to Feb. 1, 2006.
USDA officials had estimated that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat has already been eaten.
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More Pain Patches
Recalled
A defect that could cause an overdose in patients or caregivers has led to the second recall in a week of patches containing the prescription painkiller fentanyl, the Associated Press reported.
The new recall, announced Monday, covers patches sold in the United States by Actavis South Atlantic LLC. That name appears on the outer carton, while the pouches that contain the patches have the company's former name, Abrika Pharmaceuticals Inc., printed on them.
The recall includes 25-microgram-per-hour, 50-microgram-per-hour, 75-microgram-per-hour and 100-microgram-per-hour patches with expiration dates of May through August 2009, the AP reported.
A potential defect in the patches may cause them to leak, resulting in patients or caregivers coming into direct contact with the powerful opioid drug inside the patch. An overdose of the drug could lead to difficulty breathing and a potentially fatal overdose.
At this point the company hasn't received any reports of injuries linked to the patch defect.
Consumers are advised to refrain from handling damaged patches, which should be flushed down the toilet. Skin that comes into contact with the gel inside the patches should be thoroughly rinsed with water, but not washed with soap, the AP reported.
Last Tuesday, a recall of fentanyl patches was announced by PriCara, a division of Johnson & Johnson.
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Heavy Cell Phone Use Increases Mouth Cancer Risk: Study
An Israeli study reports that people who use cell phones for many hours a day are 50 percent more likely to develop mouth cancer than those who never use cell phones, and that cell phone users in rural areas may be at increased risk for cancer because cell phones need to emit higher levels of radiation in order to make contact with fewer available antennas.
The Tel Aviv University study looked at 500 people with benign and malignant tumors of the salivary gland and 1,300 healthy people. People who used cell phones for many hours a day were 50 percent more likely to develop a tumor of the parotid gland than infrequent users, the Telegraph reported.
The parotid gland -- the largest salivary gland -- is located near the jaw and ear, where cell phones are typically held during use. The findings appear in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Many previous studies have found no link between cell phone use and increased cancer risk. But the author of this new study noted that Israelis were quick to adopt cell phones and are exceptionally heavy users, the Telegraph reported.
