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Teenagers with cancer are missing out on UK trials which could significantly improve their chances of survival, it has been claimed.

According to the British Journal of Cancer, just 25 per cent of 15 to 19 year olds were recruited for trials which took place from 2005 to 2007, reports the BBC.

Furthermore, the research indicated that not one person aged over 16 was included in a trial for brain cancer – even though four people were available.

Inclusion in such trials has been proved to be vital, as it improves care, as well as providing access to new drugs and more specialists.

Simon Davies, chief executive of Teenage Cancer Trust and one of the authors of the study, said the number needs to double over the next five years.

"Young people are constantly falling through the gap between paediatric and adult cancer specialists and there are not enough trials for the types of cancers that affect them," he said.

Cancer Research UK has announced a £1.5 billion research plan for the next five-year period.

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The number of stroke fatalities in Scotland has significantly decreased over the past year, NHS figures have indicated.

Reducing the number of strokes in Scotland has become a priority for the NHS, given the high levels of associated risks – such as diet and smoking.

According to the findings, there is a continuing downward trend of such incidences, with six per cent fewer deaths among those under 75.

"If this trend from 1995 continues, the target of a 50 per cent reduction from 1995 to 2010 looks achievable," the NHS said.

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in Scotland, with some 8.2 per cent of men and 6.5 per cent of women living with the after-effects of an attack.

A recent study of 80 patients at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Universities aimed to determine whether any damaged tissue could be salvaged by performing brain scans three times in the month after their stroke.

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One in ten people has reduced their processed meat intake since a report linked the food to cancer, a new survey has revealed.

Last year, the World Cancer Research Fund published a report which warned those eating two rashers of bacon and two sausages a day upped their risk of bowel cancer by some 63 per cent.

An online study of 2,124 people has indicated that many people have now cut their intake, with older people most likely to have changed their diet.

Excessive consumption of red meat has often been linked to the disease, with 11 per cent of respondents claiming they had been trying to cut down.

Richard Evans, the head of communications for the World Cancer Research Fund, said: "This survey shows that if people are told how they can reduce their risk of cancer then many of them will make changes."

A spokesman for Bowel Cancer UK also said other factors such as smoking and excessive alcohol "should not be ignored".

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Scientists from Italy and the US have made a significant discovery which sheds light on the causes of epilepsy.

According to the study, a faulty immune reaction could be responsible for the development of the condition.

Studies in mice linked epileptic seizures to immune cells which were found to be sticking inside their blood vessels.

By freeing these cells, the researchers were able to prevent the development of the disease in the test subjects – which may be of note to those considering life insurance.

Professor Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist from University College London and a member of Epilepsy Research UK’s scientific advisory board, deemed the research "interesting and exciting".

"It provides a further piece of evidence for a breakdown in the blood brain barrier in the development of epilepsy," he said.

He added that there are already drugs available which engage with this process, but they have not yet been used in the treatment of epilepsy.

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The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched an online game which aims to highlight the problems of childhood obesity.

Called the Yoobot, it allows users to create an online version of themselves and has been designed to illustrate the long-term effects that food choices have on their bodies.

Users can paste their photo onto a character and then make diet and exercise choices – not dissimilar to the popular Tamagotchi game.

As the character ages, children are able to see how their lifestyle choices affect their long-term health.

Commenting on the development, Jon Williams, chief creative officer of Grey London, said: "The medium of gaming is the perfect way to show kids who think they’re immortal, that the choices they make now will catch up with them eventually"

Ten second teaser advertisements for the platform will be broadcast on children’s channels Nickelodeon and Nick Replay, before longer ads are rolled out.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with obesity

Women under 65 with diabetes are more likely to have fatal heart attacks than their male counterparts of the same age, according to new research.

Dr. Anna Norhammar and associates noted that the advantage of less heart-related events which is normally associated with females is negated by diabetes, reports Reuters.

In a study of 25,555 patients younger than age of 65 treated for heart attack between 1995 and 2002, diabetic women were found to have a 34 per cent increased risk of dying, compared with diabetic men.

Furthermore, the female group had a higher incidence of high blood pressure and were more likely to be smokers.

"The present observation makes further study of the impact of improved risk factor management in this particular group of relatively young, easily identifiable, high-risk patients important," the researchers said.

Elsewhere, Norfolk county council recently announced changes to improve care for diabetes sufferers in the region.

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A growing number of new brides are suffering from post-nuptial depression as they adjust to married life, it has emerged.

Psychologists in California have noted that around ten per cent of recently married women attended counselling sessions to tackle their post-wedding blues.

San Francisco psychologist Dr Michelle Gannon reported an increase in the number of couples who were having difficulty coping with the stress of arguments, as they assumed married life would be relatively blissful.

"I tell them: ‘Where did you get the idea that you weren’t supposed to fight’ You are. It’s normal," he told Time magazine.

"It’s also normal to remain independent and to be responsible for your own happiness. It’s unrealistic to presume your partner is going to do everything for you."

The research suggests that a lack of communication and a decline in the release of hormones that encourage affection could be partly responsible for a feeling of post-nuptial depression.

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Some breast cancers would have regressed naturally if not treated with surgery and chemotherapy, scientists have claimed.

A recent study indicated that routine screening can pick up cancers which are not a threat to health – which can sometimes result in invasive and unnecessary treatment.

Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the paper notes that levels of breast cancer have risen in every European country since screening has been introduced.

However, it is currently impossible to determine which cancers are potentially fatal and which would have regressed naturally.

The authors wrote: "If all of these newly-detected cancers were destined to progress and become clinically evident as women age, a fall in incidence among older women should soon follow."

Dr Alexis Willet from Breakthrough Breast Cancer said the theory was significant, but reiterated that it is not possible to predict how a cancer will progress if left untreated.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer is a UK charity committed to the prevention of the disease.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with cancer

Care for diabetes sufferers in the Norfolk region is set to improve, following concerns over the levels of service available.

Norfolk county council has announced changes in hospitals to tackle the issues that have been raised.

Extra medical staff are to be recruited to meet the requirements, while a working group to specifically help children is to be formed.

Furthermore, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is to increase the number of diabetes specialist nursing staff.

Chairman of the Norfolk health overview and scrutiny committee, Janice Eells, said: "I’m very pleased the committee has been able to affect a change in the way that people with diabetes are treated in Norfolk."

She added that she was looking forward to monitoring how diabetes care improved over the ensuing months.

In related news, it has been reported that millions of people will be screened for pre-diabetes from next year, as part of a new government drive to prevent the disease.

The current trend for buying cheaper, less-healthy foods due to the economic downturn could increase obesity levels, it has been claimed.

Many shoppers are shunning foods such as smoothies and organic vegetables for cheaper options such as hamburgers and frozen pizzas as a way of saving money, reports the Financial Times.

Dr Tim Lobstein, director of the childhood obesity programme at the International Association for the Study of Obesity, said such a development could be bad news for the fight against the condition.

"Reduced spending on food would usually mean going for the cheaper food lines and these are generally more sugary and fatty," he said, noting that it would be increasingly difficult to keep healthy food sufficiently cheap.

Dame Deirdre Hutton, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, added that the "food agenda" changes along with the economic climate.

Speaking in a meeting with the Department of Health, she said it was crucial to ensure that "nutrition and health" remained the top priorities for shoppers.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with obesity