You get cervical cancer

HEALTH Chemo for cervical cancer For only the fourth time in 10 years, the National Cancer Institute has issued a "clinical announcement," advising major changes in the way women who have invasive cervical cancer are treated. In a letter sent to thousands of doctors around the country, the agency has released results of five unpublished studies of different treatment regimens, providing overwhelming evidence that adding chemotherapy to radiation, the current standard treatment for invasive cervical cancer, can cut a woman's chances of dying by 30 to 50 percent.

Some 6,000 American women are diagnosed each year with invasive cervical cancer, in which the tumor has spread to other parts of the body. The annual U.S. death toll is about 4,800. In the developing world, cervical cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. Vaccines now being tested could make the disease a thing of the past by wiping out the human papilloma virus, which is passed through sexual contact and is the principal cause of cervical cancer. Until then, say NCI researchers, cervical cancer patients who require radiation should also be treated with chemotherapy.

TECHNOLOGY Beep, beep means 'I love you' Phil spots Pam across a crowded junior high classroom. He thinks she's neat. So he sends her a secret electronic note on his yellow beeper-size toy. Before she even reads it, her own purple gadget tells her if they're a good match.

Friend.link ($20), from American distributor Playmates Toys, hits U.S. stores this week. It's a close cousin of the Japanese Lovegety (as in "get some love"), which flashes when a potential date with a similar device--and similar mating interests--enters a 15-foot radius. (Users can choose between the "looking for love" or "karaoke pal" options.)

Friend.link is a bit more wholesome--an electronic version of passing notes in class. Kids can send private or global messages (within a 25-foot radius) to fellow gadget holders, and they can input hobbies and their age. The toy's "friend finder" calculates E-mail pals' compatibility--and beeps and flashes if kids get a message from a congenial compadre. "It's just what middle schoolers love," says toy analyst Chris Byrne. "The Lovegety is more like a game you'd play at a Cancun resort bar."

HEALTH Fighting Medicare fraud Last week the government asked the 39 million Medicare beneficiaries for help in rooting out errors, fraud, and abuse in the Medicare system. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 7 percent of Medicare charges for 1998 were "improper."

Physician groups note that fraud can't be precisely quantified and say the initiative promotes an adversarial doctor-patient relationship. Nonetheless, officials say Medicare beneficiaries should review statements for questionable entries, such as double billing. When something looks wrong, they should call the health care provider or Medicare insurance carrier. If the charge still seems suspicious, the beneficiary can call HHS at (800) 447-8477. Officials urge the elderly not to give out their Medicare number over the phone or to someone who comes to the door. For a copy of a new brochure, "Your Three-Step Plan to Fight Medicare Fraud," visit www.medicare.gov or write AARP, 601 E Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20049.

HOTLINE Book smart An array of books and other things African-American are at hand at www.cushcity.com, a new online bookstore. Forgoing bland reviews for solid synopses, Cushcity offers discounts of up to 60 percent and lets you browse its 2,800 titles via 35 categories.

Deadly game In just hours, terrorists will release a lethal virus in Washington, D.C. In the Syphon Filter video game ($50, PlayStation only), you must thwart this disaster while dodging steady sniper fire. With a compelling plot and movielike animation, it's not another pointless shootout.

Byte-size euro Typing the new euro currency symbol () is an iffy proposition. Most users of Windows--save Windows 98--need to download a free update (www.microsoft.com/windows/euro.asp). To make a euro, hold down the "Alt" key and type 0128 on the calculatorlike numeric keypad. Be forewarned: Some printers and fonts may have trouble with the euro.

Hot shots Two new Advanced Photo System cameras pack full-size features--like red-eye reduction and zoom lenses--in tiny packages. The 8-ounce Nikon Nuvis S (about $300, top right) measures 3.7 inches when collapsed; 6-ounce Olympus i Zoom 75 (about $450) is only 4.2 inches long.