Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Drinking Coffee Helps Colon Cancer Patients Live Longer, Study Suggests
The New York Times: Drinking Coffee Tied To Better Outcomes In Colon Cancer Patients
Drinking coffee may extend survival time in people with colorectal cancer, a new study suggests. Researchers studied 1,171 patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic colon or rectal cancer who could not be treated with surgery. The patients completed diet and lifestyle questionnaires, including information about their coffee consumption, at the start the study. (Bakalar, 9/22)
In other science and research news —
The Atlantic: What COVID-19 Does To The Heart
Autopsies have found traces of the coronavirus’s genetic material in the heart, and actual viral particles within the heart’s muscle cells. Experiments have found that SARS-CoV-2 can destroy lab-grown versions of those cells. Several studies have now shown that roughly 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had high levels of troponin—a protein released into the blood when the heart’s muscle cells are damaged. Such patients are more likely to die than others with no signs of heart injury. (Yong, 9/21)
USA Today: COVID-19 Survivors May Need To Get Screened For Heart Damage: Doctors
While COVID-19 is known as a respiratory infection, there's emerging evidence linking it to heart damage, too. Cardiologists are seeing patients with signs of inflammation and scar formation in their hearts even after recovery from COVID-19, experts say. For that reason, anyone who plans on participating in vigorous exercise and was sick with COVID-19 for three or more days should get a cardiac screening before working out or participating in their sport, said Dr. Steven Erickson, medical director for Banner University Sports Medicine and Concussion Specialists in Phoenix. (Innes, 9/21)
The Hill: Dengue Exposure May Provide Some COVID-19 Immunity, Researchers Say
Exposure to the mosquito-borne illness dengue fever may provide some immunity against COVID-19, Reuters reported Monday, citing a new study. The not-yet-published study analyzed the coronavirus outbreak in Brazil and found a link between the spread of the virus and past outbreaks of dengue fever, according to the newswire. (Klar, 9/21)
