Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Doctors Suss Out Ovarian Cancer Cause, More Advise Salpingectomy
Stat: To Prevent Ovarian Cancers, Fallopian Tube Removal Is On The Rise
To Rebecca Stone, the single most important fact about ovarian cancer is that it’s usually a misnomer. The most common kind — responsible for 70% of cases and 90% of deaths — often has its silent beginnings not in the ovary, but in the fallopian tube. This isn’t just an interesting factoid; as a gynecologic oncologist at Johns Hopkins, Stone sees it as a reason to evangelize. (Boodman, 6/16)
Newsweek: Cancer Rates Rising In Americans Under 50—Three Age Groups Most At Risk
A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that the incidence of 14 different cancer types increased among people under the age of 50. Newsweek spoke with leading oncologists about new findings published in Cancer Discovery, which revealed that between 2010 and 2019, more than two million cancer cases were diagnosed in people aged 15 to 49 in the United States. (Notarantonio, 6/14)
ABC News: Ananda Lewis Chose 'Natural' Cancer Care Over Conventional Treatment. Many Others Do Too -- And It's Risky
Ananda Lewis, former MTV VJ and TV host, died last week from breast cancer at age 52. After revealing in 2020 that she had been battling breast cancer for more than two years, Lewis announced she was foregoing conventional treatment in favor of holistic methods such as juicing, herbal remedies and detox regimens. Lewis' cancer had already reached an advanced stage by the time it was detected -- delayed in part by her long-standing fear of mammograms and concerns about radiation exposure. (Hackshaw, 6/15)
On dementia and aging —
The Washington Post: Genetic Variant Tied To Doubled Dementia Risk For Older Men
A common genetic variant is linked to a doubled dementia risk for older men, a recent analysis in Neurology suggests. The study used data from Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE), which followed elderly patients in the United States and Australia with no history of cardiovascular disease, dementia or cognitive decline between 2010 and 2017. (Blakemore, 6/15)
The Washington Post: Nurse Practitioners Step In As Senior Population Explodes
On Fridays, Stephanie Johnson has a busy schedule, driving her navy-blue Jeep from one patient’s home to the next, seeing eight people in all. Pregnant with her second child, she schleps a backpack instead of a traditional black bag to carry a laptop and essential medical supplies — stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter. (Arvin, 6/15)
The Wall Street Journal: The Friendly Caller Who’s Helping Seniors Feel Less Lonely
What if you had a friend who never tired of hearing you tell old stories? Someone who was available anytime you wanted to talk Residents of a nonprofit senior living community in Riverdale, N.Y., took part in a recent pilot study to determine whether calls from a virtual companion named Meela would alleviate depression and loneliness. (Jargon, 6/14)
San Francisco Chronicle: UCSF Study Finds That Small Joyful Moments Can Make A Difference
The simplest tasks of joy and awe — listening to laughter, admiring a flower on a neighborhood walk, doing a nice thing for a friend — can measurably improve people’s emotional well-being and attitudes toward life, according to a new UCSF study. So-called micro-acts of joy can have remarkably outsize effects on people’s moods, and in particular on their belief that they can control their own happiness, said Elissa Epel, a UCSF professor who has long studied the effects of stress on aging and overall health. (Allday, 6/14)
In obituaries —
The New York Times: Norma Swenson, ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves’ Co-Author, Dies At 93
She was a proponent of natural childbirth when she joined the group that produced the candid guide to women’s health. It became a cultural touchstone and a global best seller. (Green, 6/15)
