(December 15, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Texas - According to research presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, falling breast cancer rates may be linked to decreased use of hormone therapy. In a study of 16,500 women, researchers found that those who took daily doses of estrogen plus progestin had a 26% higher risk of breast cancer.t was found that the risk went up when hormone therapy was started, rose gradually, then peaked and dropped when therapy was stopped.

From California - According to research presented to the American Society for Cell Biology, the immune system works better at night. Researchers infected fruit flies with two different bacteria at different times of day and discovered that those infected at night were more likely to survive than those infected during the day. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the immune system increases restorative functions while the body is not engaged in strenuous metabolic activities.

And finally, from Japan - According to research in the journal Heart, women living in a multi-generational household have an increased risk of heart disease. In a study of over 90,000 people, researchers found that women living with a spouse, children and parents had twice the risk for coronary heart disease compared to women who lived only with a spouse. This pattern was not seen in men living in multi-generational households.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.