Washington, April 22 : A protein, CXCL12, that normally controls intestinal cell movement, has the potential to halt colorectal cancer spreading, say researchers.

Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center researchers in Milwaukee say that the new research represents a potential mechanism by which CXL12 may slow cancer spreading.

Controlling this process could lead to new biological therapies for colorectal cancers, the authors said.

Washington, April 22 : A study conducted in India has found that kids born to short women were 70 percent more likely to die before age 5 than those born to taller women.

The study, carried out by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), revealed an association between the height of mothers and several indicators of her children''s health, including risk of death, risk of being underweight, and anemia.

Washington, Apr 22 : Walnuts contain compounds that reduce the risk of breast cancer, claims a new study.

Elaine Hardman, Ph. D., associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine, said that while her study was done with laboratory animals rather than humans, people should heed the recommendation to eat more walnuts.

"Walnuts are better than cookies, french fries or potato chips when you need a snack," said Hardman.

"We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases,” the expert added.

Washington, Apr 22 : Eating burnt meat from the barbecue or the grill may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, says a new study.

According to Kristin Anderson, Ph. D., associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, the finding is linked to consumption of well and very well done meats cooked by frying, grilling or barbecuing.

Cooking in this way can form carcinogens, which do not form when meat is baked or stewed.

Anderson and colleagues conducted a prospective analysis that included 62,581 participants.

Washington, Apr 22 : Drinking wine may reduce the risk of death and relapse among non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma patients before diagnosis, according to a new epidemiology study.

According to Xuesong Han, the first author of the abstract and a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of Public Health, claimed that the findings need to be replicated before any public health recommendations are made.

However, he said that the evidence is becoming clearer that moderate consumption of wine has a large number of advantages.

Washington, Apr 22 : Eating salmon or other fatty fish just once a week can help reduce men''s risk of heart failure, says a new study.

However, the effect of fatty fish and marine omega-3 fatty acids can be seen only in men.

The study provided no evidence that taking food supplements containing marine omega-3 fatty acids made any difference. The men in this study, which is published in Europe''s leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal, obtained most of their marine omega-3 fatty acids from the food they ate.