Kate Brophy is an experienced health writer and editor with a long career in the UK and United States. Kate has been Executive Editor of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Focus on Healthy Aging newsletter for more than a decade. Kate also has been a regular contributor to Weill Cornell Medicine’s Women’s Nutrition Connection and Women’s Health Advisor, Duke Medicine’s Health News, UCLA Health’s Healthy Years, and Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Advisor, and has edited a range of health special reports.
By Kate Brophy
Q: Given there is a blood test for ovarian cancer, why is the disease so hard to diagnose? A: Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose early because the symptoms (which include chronic abdominal bloating, constipation, urinary urgency, and low back pain) are nonspecific enough for many women to either ignore … Read MoreBy Kate Brophy
As we get older, our cells sustain damage from the physical and mental stresses of life. These damaged cells can proliferate in older adults, and have been linked to a range of health issues. Now, scientists are investigating whether these cells may be a target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drugs. … Read MoreBy Kate Brophy
Aging puts you at risk for more health issues, particularly if you're overweight or obese. One such issue that has become more common as the U.S. obesity rate increases is hiatal hernia pain. Estimates suggest that up to half of adults age 60 and older have this type of hernia. … Read MoreBy Kate Brophy
Like the upper back, the mid-back region is very stable, and this stability gives it some protection from injury. But the same underlying conditions and circumstances that can result in upper back pain also can result in middle back pain. These include: 1. Poor posture This is a major risk … Read MoreBy Kate Brophy
The liver doesn’t actually contain nerves, so the organ itself can’t feel pain. Even so, the sensation of liver pain can occur because the layer of tissue that surrounds the organ—it’s called Glisson’s Capsule—does contain nerves. Any diseases affecting the liver that increase its size can result in what feels … Read More