Many Black Men Missed Out on Prostate Cancer Care During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• July 28, 2021
• Full Page

Black men in the United States have higher rates of prostate cancer than white men, yet they were far less likely to have surgery for their cancer during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data from a Pennsylvania urologic d...

Severe COVID for People Under 45: Who's Most at Risk?

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• July 27, 2021
• Full Page

TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Young people aren't immune from severe COVID-19, and a new study warns that some are more at risk than others.

Folks under 45 have more than triple the risk for severe COVID-19 if they have cancer or heart dis...

Screening Often Misses Endometrial Cancer in Black Women

• Robert Preidt
• July 20, 2021
• Full Page

A noninvasive method of screening for endometrial cancer often fails to detect signs of it in Black women, a new study says.

The findings raise questions about the use of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) to determine the need for a biopsy in these patients, according to th...

Long Distance to Care Can Mean Worse Outcomes for Young Cancer Patients

• Robert Preidt
• July 19, 2021
• Full Page

Teens and young adults with cancer who live in rural areas or far from the hospital where they were diagnosed are more likely to have advanced cancer and more likely to die, new research shows.

"A number of studies have indicated that place of residence can influence can...

FDA Approves First Lymphoma Drug for Dogs

• Robert Preidt
• July 16, 2021
• Full Page

The first full approval of a drug to treat lymphoma in dogs has been granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"While canine lymphoma affects fewer than 70,000 dogs in the U.S. annually, it accounts for up to 24% of all cancers in dogs, making it one of the most ...

Alcohol Tied to 740,000 Cancer Cases Worldwide in 2020

• Robert Preidt
• July 14, 2021
• Full Page

Let's not toast to this: Alcohol was linked with 740,000 new cancer cases globally in 2020, representing 4% of all newly diagnosed cases that year, researchers say.

"Trends suggest that although there is a decrease in alcohol consumption per person in many European coun...

Cancer Survivors Fared Better Financially After Obamacare

• Robert Preidt
• July 14, 2021
• Full Page

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has eased financial struggles for younger adult cancer survivors, a new study finds.

University of Michigan researchers analyzed data from more than 20,000 participants in the National Health Interview Survey and found that cancer survivors ...

Obese Men May Have Better Survival With Advanced Prostate Cancer

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• July 12, 2021
• Full Page

When men have advanced prostate cancer, obesity might offer something of a survival advantage, a preliminary study suggests.

Researchers in Italy found that among men with prostate cancer that had spread throughout the body, those who were obese were less likely to die o...

Most Cancer Screenings Make Big Rebound After Pandemic Decline

• Robert Preidt
• July 12, 2021
• Full Page

A major U.S. hospital system had a strong rebound in most cancer screening tests after a steep drop-off in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows.

The findings are based on an analysis of data from the Boston-based Mass General Brigham system. ...

U.S. Deaths From Cancer Continue to Decline

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• July 8, 2021
• Full Page

THURSDAY, July 8, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Americans' overall death rate from cancer continues to fall -- but rising rates of certain cancers and ongoing racial disparities linger.

Those are among the findings of an annual report to the nation from sev...

Immunocompromised? Why the COVID-19 Vaccine Might Still Protect You

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• July 7, 2021
• Full Page

WEDNESDAY, July 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 vaccinations may not offer as much protection to people with compromised immune systems, but just how much appears to be driven by the type of underlying condition, new research suggests.

"People w...

Almost All Cancer Patients Respond Well to COVID-19 Vaccines

• Robert Preidt
• July 6, 2021
• Full Page

Most cancer patients have a good immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, new research shows.

Two of the three approved vaccines in the United States -- Pfizer and Moderna -- are mRNA vaccines.

Researchers assessed 131 cancer patients and found that 94% developed...

Too Little Sunlight, Vitamin D May Raise Colon Cancer Risk

• July 5, 2021
• Full Page

New research finds that countries with more cloudy days tend to have higher colon cancer rates. Lower levels of vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," may be to blame.

So, boosting your vitamin D levels through exposure to sunlight could help reduce your risk of colon cancer...

Sleep, Exercise & Your Odds for a Long, Healthy Life

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• July 1, 2021
• Full Page

THURSDAY, July 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Poor quality sleep can shave years off your life, and these effects may be magnified if you don't get enough physical activity.

That's the bad news. The good news is that getting more exercise may help counter...

Most Americans Don't Follow Diets That Could Prevent Cancer

• Robert Preidt
• July 1, 2021
• Full Page

The eating habits of most American adults aren't in line with dietary guidelines that can reduce the risk of cancer, a new study finds.

Researchers examined data from nearly 31,000 U.S. adult participants in the annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Women's Cancer Screenings Plummeted During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• June 30, 2021
• Full Page

Breast and cervical cancer screenings dropped sharply among low-income minority women during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

That could lead to delayed cancer diagnoses, health consequences and an increase in existing disp...

Some Myeloma Patients Get No Protection From COVID-19 Vaccines

• Ernie Mundell and Cara Murez HealthDay Reporters
• June 30, 2021
• Full Page

Because they're often given drugs that suppress their immune systems, people battling a blood cancer known as multiple myeloma have varying responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, new research shows.

Some patients had no evidence at all of COVID-fighting antibody production a...

Young Cancer Survivors Vulnerable to COVID, But Often Shun Vaccine

• Robert Preidt
• June 30, 2021
• Full Page

Despite being particularly susceptible to severe COVID-19, many U.S. teen and young adult cancer survivors are wary of vaccination, a new study finds.

Cancer survivors often have weakened immune systems and are more likely to develop severe respiratory infections. That p...

Kids Born Through Fertility Treatments Have No Higher Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• June 29, 2021
• Full Page

Good news for couples considering fertility treatments: Children born through assisted reproductive technology (ART) don't have an increased risk of cancer, researchers say.

In the new study, kids born through high-tech fertility treatments — such as in vitro fertiliza...

Could Home Test for Colon Cancer Mean a Big Medical Bill to Come?

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
• June 28, 2021
• Full Page

You decide to take a popular colon cancer screening test that can be performed at home, and it comes back positive. A follow-up colonoscopy is scheduled, but then you suddenly receive a large and unexpected medical bill.

That's what happened to a Missouri woman who was ...

Heart Failure Patients May Be at Higher Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• June 28, 2021
• Full Page

Living with heart failure is hard enough, but a new study suggests that these patients may also face a higher risk of cancer.

Researchers looked at more than 100,000 heart failure patients and the same number of people without heart failure. Their average age was just ov...

Could a DNA Blood Test Spot a Range of Hidden Cancers?

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• June 25, 2021
• Full Page

FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Could a new one-and-done blood test designed to detect as many as 50 different types of cancer become a diagnostic game changer?

Yes, say researchers, who report the method appears accurate and reliable at iden...

Survivors' Plasma Helps Blood Cancer Patients Battle COVID-19

• Robert Preidt
• June 18, 2021
• Full Page

Giving COVID-19 survivors' blood plasma to blood cancer patients hospitalized with COVID-19 significantly improves their chances of survival, a new study finds.

"These results suggest that convalescent plasma may not only help COVID-19 patients with blood cancers whose i...

Many 'High-Risk' Americans Unconcerned About Skin Cancer: Poll

• Cara Murez
• June 18, 2021
• Full Page

It's long been known the sun's rays can cause skin cancer.

But a new poll shows that only about 30% of American adults say they're concerned about developing skin cancer -- even though nearly 70% have at least one risk factor for the disease.

The American Academy o...

Race Doesn't Affect Risk for Genes That Raise Breast Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• June 15, 2021
• Full Page

Rates of breast cancer-related genetic mutations in Black and white women are the same, according to a new study that contradicts previous research.

It found that about 5% of both groups of women have a genetic mutation that increases the risk of breast cancer.

A Woman's Diet Might Help Her Avoid Breast Cancer

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• June 7, 2021
• Full Page

Women whose diets tend to feed inflammation may have a heightened risk of breast cancer, a preliminary study suggests.

The study, of more than 350,000 women, found that the more "pro-inflammatory" foods women consumed, the higher their breast cancer risk.

The term ...

Can You Keep Your Bladder After Bladder Cancer Strikes?

• Serena McNiff HealthDay Reporter
• June 7, 2021
• Full Page

After being diagnosed with bladder cancer, some patients face an almost impossible decision -- have their bladder removed or take a risk knowing that the cancer may be more likely to spread if the bladder is left intact.

But what if there was another way?

For David...

Study Pinpoints Cancer Patients at Highest Risk From COVID

• Robert Preidt
• June 7, 2021
• Full Page

Hospitalized patients with active cancer are more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who've survived cancer and patients who've never had cancer, a new study shows.

Researchers analyzed the records of nearly 4,200 patients hospitalized at NYU Langone Medical Center i...

Breast Cancer's Spread Is More Likely in Black Women, Study Finds

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• June 4, 2021
• Full Page

After a diagnosis of breast cancer, Black women face a greater risk of having the disease spread to distant sites in the body - a disparity that is not readily explained, researchers say.

It's known that in the United States, Black women have the highest death rates from...

Targeted Radiotherapy Might Help Men Battling Advanced Prostate Cancer

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• June 4, 2021
• Full Page

Patients with advanced prostate cancers may have newfound hope: Researchers identified a new potential treatment for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, which has no cure.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer means the disease continues ...

Drug Lynparza Could Help Fight Some Early-Stage Breast Cancers

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 4, 2021
• Full Page

A twice-daily pill can dramatically reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women who are genetically prone to the disease, researchers report.

The pill - olaparib (Lynparza) - works by blocking a natural enzyme called PARP that normally fixes DNA damage in health...

Don't Delay Lung Cancer Surgery, Study Suggests

• Robert Preidt
• May 28, 2021
• Full Page

Surgery soon after a diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer is crucial in reducing the risk of recurrence and death, a new study finds.

"Patients with early-stage cancer have the best chance for survival," said senior author Dr. Varun Puri, a thoracic surgeon and professor...

Out-of-Pocket Costs Delay Cancer Follow-Up Care, Even for the Insured

• Robert Preidt
• May 28, 2021
• Full Page

About 1 in 10 U.S. cancer survivors delays follow-up care because they can't afford associated medical bills, even if they're insured.

That's the conclusion from an analysis of data from more than 5,400 survivors of various cancers. Most were insured, college-educated an...

Colonoscopy After 75: A Potential Lifesaver for Most

• Robert Preidt
• May 21, 2021
• Full Page

If you're over 75, being screened for colon cancer could save your life, a new study says.

This week, the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age to begin colon cancer screening from 50 to 45 for people without a family history of col...

Faulty Gene Could Raise Vulnerability to Asbestos-Linked Cancer

• Robert Preidt
• May 21, 2021
• Full Page

Mutations in a certain gene may increase a person's risk for an aggressive asbestos-related cancer called malignant mesothelioma, a new study claims.

The gene is called LRRK2 and is involved in regulating responses in immune cells in the brain. Mesothelioma can affect th...

Immunotherapy Drug Can Beat Back Early-Stage Lung Cancer

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• May 20, 2021
• Full Page

An immunotherapy drug is the first to significantly reduce the risk of cancer recurrence or death in people with early-stage lung cancer, researchers report.

Atezolizumab reduced by 34% the risk of disease recurrence or death in a certain group of people with stage II to...

As Medicaid Access Expands, So Does Cancer Survival

• May 19, 2021
• Full Page

More lower-income Americans are surviving cancer due to expanded Medicaid health care coverage, a new study shows.

Researchers found a link between long-term survival of patients newly diagnosed with cancer -- across all stages and types of the disease -- and expan...

Get First Colonoscopy at 45, not 50: U.S. Expert Panel

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 18, 2021
• Full Page

A lot of people think of age 50 as the magic number for getting a first colonoscopy, but earlier is better, a prestigious U.S. expert panel now says.

Based on evidence that younger people are being diagnosed with colon cancer and would benefit from screening, the U.S. Pr...

Melanoma Can Strike Your Nails: Here's How to Check

• May 16, 2021
• Full Page

When checking your body for signs of skin cancer, don't overlook your nails.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) points out that skin cancer -- including melanoma, the deadliest type -- can develop under and around the fingernails and toenails. Though it's rare, it...

Depression Even More Common With Heart Failure Than Cancer

• Steven Reinberg
• May 14, 2021
• Full Page

People with heart failure are 20% more likely than those with cancer to develop depression within five years of their diagnosis, a new study finds.

Nearly 1 in 4 patients with heart failure are depressed or anxious, according to the German researchers.

"The treatme...

Grief Can Strike Even Before a Loved One Is Gone

• Cara Murez
• May 12, 2021
• Full Page

Feelings of grief are expected after the loss of a loved one, but having those feelings when your loved one has a terminal illness is also real and can fluctuate over time, experts say.

Individuals can adjust to their emotional pain, according to a new study focus...

Obesity Raises Odds for Many Common Cancers

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• May 10, 2021
• Full Page

Being obese or overweight can increase the odds of developing several types of cancers, new research from the United Kingdom reveals.

But shedding the excess pounds can lower the risk, researchers say.

Reducing obesity cuts the risk for endometrial cancer by 44% a...

Lockdown Loneliness Making Things Even Tougher for Cancer Patients

• Robert Preidt
• May 10, 2021
• Full Page

Fighting cancer can be a lonely battle, and new research shows that the coronavirus pandemic has made the experience even more isolating.

Studies conducted before the pandemic found that 32% to 47% of cancer patients were lonely, but in late May of 2020 roughly 53% of 60...

Lots of Sugary Drinks Doubles Younger Women's Colon Cancer Risk: Study

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• May 7, 2021
• Full Page

Rates of colon cancer among young Americans are on the rise, and a new study suggests that drinking too many sugary beverages may be to blame -- at least for women.

Women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, fruity drinks or sports and energy dr...

Relatives' Colonoscopy Results Could Affect Your Colon Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• May 5, 2021
• Full Page

Having close relatives with colon polyps -- which can be precursors of cancer -- could mean that you have a higher risk for colon cancer, researchers say.

Colon cancer is the second deadliest form of cancer in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

Americans Missed Almost 10 Million Cancer Screenings During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• May 5, 2021
• Full Page

Nearly 10 million cancer screenings have been missed in the United States during the coronavirus pandemic, researchers report.

The investigators analyzed data on three types of cancer for which early screenings are most beneficial -- breast, colon and prostate -- and fou...