Women see rise in cancer rates as rates in men decrease: Report
A new American Cancer Society report revealed women in some age groups are being diagnosed with cancer more often than men. The findings suggested that higher cancer rates are shifting from men to women, and the gaps between sexes, as well as between older and younger adults, have narrowed greatly.
The research showed an increase in cancer diagnoses among younger Americans.
While the American Cancer Society said it is unclear what is driving the increase in women and younger adults, it listed possible factors. Obesity, alcohol use, ultra-processed foods, smoking and environmental hazards are among possible contributors.
The American Cancer Society said racial disparities in cancer rates still exist, with minorities seeing higher rates of cancer diagnoses.
The study also found overall cancer death rates fell by 34% since their peak in the early 1990s.
House approves spending bill to avoid government shutdown
Democrats and Republicans in the House voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill to keep the government open until Friday, March 14. The bill passed just hours before the government was set to shut down.
Notably, the bill –– known as a continuing resolution –– did not maintain the debt ceiling suspension, something President-elect Donald Trump advocated for. However, it did include language from the annual Farm Bill as well as disaster relief aid.
Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., delivered a holiday-themed pitch on the House floor before the vote.
“‘Twas five days before Christmas and all through this House, not a lawmaker was resting, not even their spouse. The [continuing resolution] stalled, the debates full of heat, while a shutdown shadow loomed over our streets. My friends, it’s time to fund our defense and aid for our farms and disaster relief to protect our very own citizens from harm,” Alford said.
The House has revised the bill multiple times over the last few days. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., did not move the first version forward after it received extensive public criticism on Wednesday, Dec. 18, from Elon Musk and the president-elect.
A second version, released Thursday, Dec. 19, would have raised the debt ceiling, but it fell short despite Trump and Musk’s backing. Thirty-eight House Republicans joined Democrats in voting against that bill.
Democrats mostly supported the bill but criticized Musk, accusing him of sabotaging and complicating the process.
“At the behest of the world’s richest man who no one voted for, the Congress has been thrown into pandemonium,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said.
“It leads you to the question of; who is in charge? I thought that there was a Republican majority in this body. Not a President Musk majority,” DeLauro added.
The final version of the bill also removed funding for a bipartisan program for pediatric cancer research, as well as research into other diseases, including Down syndrome, and options to treat and detect sickle cell disease, breast cancer and cervical cancer.
A separate bill for pediatric cancer research that passed in the House last March is still awaiting a vote, but Senate Democrats have not brought it up. Republicans have said they support that bill and believe the Senate should approve it there, as opposed to making it part of the continuing resolution.
In the hours following the passage of the continuing resolution, the Senate voted unanimously to approve the bill the House passed last March. That legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk.
US life expectancy hits highest level since COVID-19 pandemic
The U.S. life expectancy jumped significantly in 2023, hitting its highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. The new findings come from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report on Thursday, Dec. 19, revealing life expectancy among Americans rose to 78.4 years last year, up nearly an entire year from 77.5 years in 2022.
Health officials say a one-year jump in life expectancy was previously unheard of before the COVID-19 pandemic. They attribute the rise in life expectancy largely to a decline in COVID-19 deaths, which, from 2019 to 2021, had caused U.S. life expectancy to drop from 78.8 years to 76.4 years.
COVID-19 went from the fourth leading cause of death in 2022 to 10th in the United States in 2023. COVID-19 deaths dropped last year from 350,000 deaths in 2020 to 76,000 in 2023.
The biggest decrease in COVID-19 deaths is reportedly among Hispanic men and women, who saw a more than 10% decrease in COVID-19 deaths.
The CDC also found that overdose deaths decreased last year for the first time since 2018.
The rate of overdose deaths dropped from nearly 33 in every 100,000 people to a little more than 31 per 100,000 people. The group seeing the largest drop in drug overdose deaths was 15 to 24-year-olds, who saw a drop of more than 10%.
The top five causes of death last year in the United States were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, stroke and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Rates for 9 of the 10 leading causes of death reportedly fell in 2023 while cancer deaths remained largely unchanged.
Vikings pay tribute to Randy Moss in win over Bears
The Minnesota Vikings left no doubt Monday, Dec. 16, that the team is ready to compete for a championship, beating the Chicago Bears 30-12. In the process, the team paid tribute to one of its all-time great players, Randy Moss, who recently shared that he is battling cancer.
It began with former wide receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed, who took a Moss jersey to midfield for the coin flip to honor their ex-teammate.
Justin Jefferson, the Vikings’ current star receiver, had crystal clear message for the hall of fame icon after his first touchdown.
Jefferson said it was the least he could do considering all Moss has done for him.
“I definitely wanted to show that love to him, grateful for what he has done for this game and what he as done for me as a kind just watching him, being a fan, always gotta show love to him,” Jefferson said.
The Vikings continued their tribute on X with a post that said “You’re with us tonight, 84” with the hashtag “LetsMossCancer,” a nod to the receivers’ dominance during his playing days. His opponents were often referred to as “getting mossed” when beaten on a play.
On Friday, Dec. 13, Moss announced on Instagram that he is recovering from a 6-hour surgery to remove the cancer. Moss stepped away from his job as a football analyst on ESPN to continue his treatment.
The Vikings forced a tie for first place in the NFC North with their seventh consecutive victory. The team clinched a spot in the playoffs when Seattle lost to Green Bay. The Vikings also caught a big break when Buffalo snapped division-rival Detroit’s 11-game winning streak on Sunday, Dec. 15.
Some breast cancer patients might not need surgery: Study
Some breast cancer patients might be able to avoid certain surgeries, making treatment a little less daunting, two new studies found. The studies looked at early treatment options and alternative approaches to specific cancer types.
Women who undergo surgery for breast cancer often receive a sentinel lymph node biopsy. Doctors remove a few lymph nodes in the armpit to check for spreading cancer. The procedure can lead to lasting pain and swelling.
Breast cancer research
A new study released in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at whether early breast cancer patients planning to have breast-conserving surgery could safely skip lymph node removal.
Researchers studied 4,858 women randomly assigned to have lymph nodes removed or not. They found that after five years, about 92% of women in both groups were still alive and cancer-free.
The researchers concluded that removing lymph nodes doesn’t increase the chance of survival, and the risk of cancer coming back in the armpit area is fairly low.
Several women choose to undergo surgery while others take a “wait-and-see” approach with more frequent monitoring.
A study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated active monitoring is a safe alternative to surgery for the majority of women. However, the study only researched two years’ worth of data. Some doctors said that isn’t enough time to draw accurate conclusions.
The researchers in that study said they’ll continue to follow the same group of patients for a decade to see if the findings hold up.
Study on link between COVID-19 and cancer causes buzz online
A new study on the effects that COVID-19 could potentially have on cancer tumors is causing a lot of buzz online. Northwestern University researchers found that the virus triggers immune changes that one day may be able to fight cancer.
The research started after doctors noticed people with cancer, who got very sick with COVID-19 during the pandemic, saw their tumors shrink or grow at a slower rate.
The study revealed the same cells activated by severe cases of the virus could be induced with a drug to attack cancer cells. Researchers specifically saw a response with melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer.
While there were some anecdotal stories from doctors during the pandemic, the researchers only used human blood and tissues and mice. No actual patients with cancer were a part of the study.
However, the results led to different headlines from multiple news outlets ranging from “Covid might cure cancer. No, you didn’t read that wrong,” to “Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links viruses to shrinking tumors.”
The headlines had some doctors reacting on social media, including Dr. Ali Khan who served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than 20 years.
“Clickbait,” Khan commented on X. “Nope – Not a single person involved in the study. Some blood and human tissue samples and mice. Stay tuned 20 years.”
Clickbait. "Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links virus to shrinking tumors" Nope. Not a single person involved in study. Some blood & human tissue samples and mice. Stay tuned 20 years.https://t.co/bgBYs8ySMa
The study also has some people questioning the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If the COVID-19 natural infection can mitigate cancer, could the COVID-19 immunization have the opposite effect?” another person said on X.
While the study didn’t include data on the vaccine, the researchers say the link between the COVID-19 virus and cancer is promising.
They also emphasized more work is needed before this approach can actually be used on patients. They said next steps will involve clinical trials to see if they can safely and effectively implement their findings on people.
Harvey Weinstein diagnosed with cancer, reports say
Disgraced movie mogul and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with cancer, according to multiple sources. Reports say he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, and he’s undergoing treatment at Rikers Island prison in New York where he’s serving a 16-year sentence.
“Craig Rothfeld, Mr. Weinstein’s authorized legal healthcare representative in New York State, expresses profound dismay at the speculation surrounding Mr. Weinstein’s medical condition,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said in a statement provided to Variety. “It is both troubling and unacceptable that such private and confidential health matters have become a subject of public discourse. Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will offer no further comment.”
This is just the latest health issue Weinstein has faced behind bars. Last month, he had emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart, and he was hospitalized in July with COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Harris, Trump look for votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With exactly two weeks to go until Election Day, both candidates for president are blitzing the battleground states. And we’ve learned how long student loan repayments for about eight million Americans will remain on hold. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
Harris, Trump look for more votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With two weeks to go until Election Day, the presidential candidates are crisscrossing the country trying to pick up any undecided voters that remain.
.@Liz_Cheney: Vice President Harris is going to defend our Constitution. We're not always gonna agree, but I know Vice President Harris will always do what she believes is right for this country. She has a sincere heart, and that's why I'm honored to support her pic.twitter.com/lcFD6MGDSF
“So, I think that we are facing a choice in this election; it’s not about party, it’s about right and wrong,” Cheney said. “And I certainly have many Republicans who will say to me, ‘I can’t be public.’ They do worry about a whole range of things including violence, but they’ll do the right thing.”
In Wisconsin, Harris described her opponent former President Donald Trump as “unstable,” referencing comments made by former Trump cabinet members.
“I think it’s very important that we acknowledge — and I have said publicly that Donald Trump is an unserious man,” Harris said, “and the consequences of him ever being President of United States again are brutally serious. Brutally serious.”
Former President Trump visited North Carolina on Monday where he surveyed the damage created by Hurricane Helene and continued his criticism of the Biden administration’s relief efforts.
“The power of nature, nothing you can do about it, but you got to get a little bit better crew and to do a better job than has been done by the White House,” Trump said. “It’s been not good. Not good. I’m here today in western North Carolina to express a simple message to the incredible people of the state: I’m with you and the American people are with you all the way. We’re going to continue to be with you. We’ll see what happens with the election. And we’re, on January 20th, you’re going to have, I think, a new crew coming in to do it properly and help you in a proper manner.”
Trump made two more stops while in North Carolina Monday, holding a rally and speaking at a faith leaders’ event.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, former President Trump will continue campaigning in North Carolina with a rally in Greensboro, and Vice President Harris will sit down for an interview with NBC News in Washington, D.C.
Blinken in Israel to revive Gaza cease-fire talks after Sinwar death
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel once again — his 11th visit to the region since war broke out between Israel and Hamas a little more than a year ago.
On my way to Israel and other stops in the Middle East for intensive discussions about the importance of ending the war in Gaza, returning the hostages to their families, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/lIaRUo7Ea2
This visit is the first stop on a wider tour of the Middle East in which Blinken is expected to revive talks for a cease-fire in Gaza in the wake of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Blinken’s weeklong trip comes as the Middle East braces for Israel’s response to an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv earlier this month.
Teen arrested after 2 adults, 3 children killed in shooting at Washington home
Officials with the King County Sheriff’s Office said another teenager who had been injured went to a Seattle hospital. They said that teenager and the teen in custody both live at the home where the shooting happened, but did not know the relationships between those teens and the five people killed.
“I just don’t know the relationships, so I’m going to withhold confirming any relationships, but it does appear to be that this is a family incident,” Deputy Mike Mellis told reporters Monday. “Clearly, a domestic violence incident that involves not only a young man — who’s now in significant trouble — and it involves firearms. Young men and firearms.”
Reports say he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, and he’s undergoing treatment at Rikers Island prison in New York where he’s serving a 16-year sentence.
This is just the latest health issue Weinstein has faced behind bars. Last month, he had emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart, and he was hospitalized in July with COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Student loan payments pause extended for 8 million SAVE plan borrowers
Eight million Americans will be able to continue holding off paying back their student loans for at least another six months, the Department of Education confirmed on Monday.
The Education Department said save enrollees will be placed in an interest-free general forbearance for at least six months pending the outcome of legal challenges to the plan.
Cheapest World Series tickets costing at least $1,000 on secondary market
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have each punched their ticket to the World Series and now if you want a ticket, you’ll need at least $1,000. According to SeatGeek, the cheapest single seat for the Game 1 in LA on Friday, Oct. 25, will cost $1,034.
For Game 2 on Saturday, Oct. 26, also at Dodger Stadium, the least expensive ticket is $1,209.
Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 28 and 29, head back to the East Coast, with the cheapest tickets for Yankees Stadium costing $1,385 and $1,110, respectively. A possible Game 5 is showing the same as Game 4.
And “if necessary,” Games 6 and 7 would be back in LA, with the cheapest tickets going for around $1,300 or more.
As for the good seats behind home plate at Dodger Stadium, those tickets are going for $1,500 or more.
Breast cancer deaths down in the US, but diagnoses up
While breast cancer deaths are continuously becoming fewer in the United States, breast cancer diagnoses are becoming more common – especially among younger women. That’s according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.
The new report shows between 1989 and 2022, the United States’ overall breast cancer death rate dropped 44%. That equates to more than 500,000 fewer people dying from the disease.
However, instances of breast cancer diagnoses climbed 1% each year between 2012 and 2021. The study also found a slightly higher increase in cases among women younger than 50 than those 50 and older.
A separate study recently showed breast cancer rates among women 20 to 49 years old have risen over the past two decades.
The new report also found that despite being 5% less likely to get breast cancer than white women, Black women had a 38% higher death rate from it, and the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any race.
The American Cancer Society predicts this year, 1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That’s about 311,000 people. The Cancer Society also predicts about 42,000 of them will likely die from the disease.
There are some ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer, like maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active and not drinking alcohol often – or at all. Some people who are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer can also take certain medications to help prevent it.
Kate Middleton opens up about cancer battle, chemo and focus on recovery
Princess of Wales Kate Middleton has opened up about her health six months after revealing her cancer diagnosis. The 42-year-old mother of three shared a video message on Monday, Sept. 9, speaking candidly about her journey.
Kate said she is focused on staying cancer-free and gradually returning to her royal duties after completing chemotherapy. In her message, she expressed her relief in completing her treatment. She went on to describe the last nine months as incredibly tough for her family.
Kate’s message also reflected on how this experience has shifted her perspective saying, “life as you know it can change in an instant.” The newly released video also captures the family playing games together and embracing.