Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Alcohol May Be To Blame For Increase In Cancer Rates, Researchers Find
The New York Times: Deep Links Between Alcohol And Cancer Are Described In New Report
Adults under age 50 have been developing breast cancer and colorectal cancer at increasingly higher rates over the last six decades, and alcohol use may be one factor driving the trend, according to a scientific report published on Wednesday. (Rabin, 9/18)
The New York Times: These Four Common Infections Can Cause Cancer
A new report says that 13 percent of cancers are linked to bacteria or viruses. Vaccines and treatments offer powerful protection. (Agrawal, 9/18)
In other cancer news —
NBC News: Black Women Are More Likely Than White Women To Die Of All Types Of Breast Cancer
Black women are more likely than white women to die from even the most treatable types of breast cancer, a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found. The findings, experts say, underscore that it’s racial disparities, not biology, driving the biggest differences in death rates between Black and white women. While Black women and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at similar rates, Black women are 40% more likely to die from the disease. (Sullivan, 9/17)
NBC News: Breast Cancer Treatment: Drug Kisqali Approval Expanded For Earlier Stage Disease
The Food and Drug Administration expanded the approval of Kisqali, a drug for metastatic breast cancer, to also treat patients with earlier stages of the disease, drugmaker Novartis said Tuesday. The approval means that tens of thousands of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will have access to a medication that can help prevent their cancer from coming back. (Fattah, Kopf and Park, 9/17)
Modern Healthcare: Mass General Brigham And Tampa General Hospital Expand Partnership
Mass General Brigham and Tampa General Hospital have bolstered their partnership with the addition of new programs and services, the organizations announced Tuesday. Several services have been added in Florida, including a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, a type of cancer treatment that uses a patient's own immune system to fight the disease, and a bone marrow transplant program. The partnership, which began in 2021, has also expanded healthcare services for veterans and service members in Florida. (DeSilva, 9/17)
