(November 17, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Baltimore - According to research in the Archives of Surgery, preoperative briefings can reduce operating room delays. In the study, 11 surgeons agreed to implement preoperative briefings which involved a 2-minute discussion designed to familiarize the surgical team with each other and the operative plan. These briefings were found to reduce unexpected delays by 31% and decrease the frequency of communication breakdowns.

From Washington - According to research presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, vitamin C and E supplements do not have any cancer-prevention value. In a study of nearly 15,000 people, researchers found that taking either vitamin C or vitamin E did not result in a significant reduction in the risk for cancer when compared to placebo. Previous research has also failed to show that these supplements can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

And finally, from Boston - According to research in the journal Nature Cell Biology, it may be possible to track cancer and decide on an ideal therapy by using blood tests. Researchers found that tiny sacs released from tumor cells, which carry genetic information about the tumor, can be found in the blood stream. In a study of 25 brain cancer patients, researchers using this new technique were able to uncover specific gene mutations that a surgical biopsy had missed.

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