Sugary Sodas, Fruit Punches May Raise Kidney Stone Risk: Study WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking large amounts of sugary sodas and fruit drinks might raise your odds for painful kidney stones, a new study finds. Although drinking extra fluids usually helps prevent stones from forming, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston warn that beverages may come with varying risks or benefits. Coffee, tea and orange juice, for example, are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone ...

Scientists Discover More Genetic Clues to Testicular Cancer SUNDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Twelve new genetic regions associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer have been identified by researchers in two studies. One study identified four regions and the other identified eight regions, bringing to 17 the total number of genetic regions associated with testicular cancer. The studies were published online May 12 in the journal Nature Genetics . Testicular cancer is the most common type of ...

Study Claims Marijuana Tied to Lower Bladder Cancer Risk FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- New research says smoking pot may be less likely to cause bladder cancer than smoking cigarettes. The finding is potentially valuable, the study authors said, given the ongoing debate over legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. But one urologist not involved with the study was skeptical of the finding, and noted that nonsmokers weren't among the men included in the study. For the study, the researchers compar...

Testicular Cancer on Rise in U.S., Especially Among Hispanic Men FRIDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- The number of testicular cancer cases continues to climb slowly but steadily in the United States, according to new research. While the cancer is still most common among white males, the greatest increase is among Hispanic men, according to Dr. Scott Eggener, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago. Eggener tracked the statistics on testicular cancer from 1992 through 2009, looking a...

Smog Exposure During Pregnancy Might Raise Child's Cancer Risk: Study TUESDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and the first year of life might increase the likelihood of developing certain childhood cancers, California researchers say. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health collected data on children diagnosed with cancer before the age of 6 and local traffic exposure. The greater the traffic pollution, the higher the od...

High-Dose Statins Linked to Acute Kidney Damage TUESDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- People who take high doses of popular cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may be more likely to develop kidney problems, a new study suggests. Specifically, those participants who took higher doses of statins were 34 percent more likely to be hospitalized for acute kidney injury during the first 120 days of treatment, compared to their counterparts who were taking lower doses. This risk remained elevated two year...

Bathroom Visits May Add to Sleep Problems for Seniors THURSDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Having to get up at night to urinate may worsen the already poor sleep of older people with insomnia, a new study suggests. Treatment of this problem, called nocturia, might help improve the sleep quality among these seniors, the researchers said. The study included older men and women with insomnia. Their patterns of sleeping and waking up to urinate during the night were evaluated for two weeks. The investigat...

Ravicti Approved for Urea Cycle Disorders FRIDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Ravicti (glycerol phenylbutyrate) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain urea cycle disorders (UCDs) in people 2 years and older. These inherited conditions involve a lack of enzymes that help the body remove ammonia from the blood. In people with UCDs, ammonia buildup can lead to coma, brain damage or death, the FDA said Friday in a news release. Ravicti is a liquid taken three times daily ...

Side Effects of Prostate Cancer Treatments Similar in Long Run: Study WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- For men with prostate cancer who are trying to decide between surgery or radiation therapy, new research shows that declines in sexual, urinary and bowel function do differ with each treatment in the short-term, but those declines tend to even out in the long run. The study included more than 1,600 men treated for early stage prostate cancer. Researchers asked them about their urinary, sexual and...

1st OTC Drug Approved for Women With Overactive Bladder FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The drug Oxytrol has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first over-the-counter treatment for women 18 and older with overactive bladder. Overactive bladder is characterized by symptoms including leakage, frequent urination and feeling the sudden and urgent need to urinate. The condition affects some 33 million Americans, mostly older women. Oxytrol contains oxybutynin, among a class of ...