Having Asthma Linked To Higher Overall Cancer Risk: Study
News outlets report on a new study that is said to be the first revealing a positive association between asthma and overall cancer risks in the U.S. population. Researchers found that people who treat their asthma with inhaled steroids may experience some protection, however.
The Washington Post:
Inhaled Steroids For Asthma May Offer Some Cancer Protection, Study Says
People with asthma were found to be 36 percent more likely to develop cancer than people who do not suffer from the chronic respiratory disease, according to research published in the journal Cancer Medicine. The study tracked 360,084 participants, ages 18 to 65, for eight years, including 90,021 people with asthma. In that time, those with asthma had a higher risk for developing five types of cancer — lung cancer, blood cancer, melanoma, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer — from the 13 types of cancer the researchers analyzed. (Searing, 5/1)
The Hill:
People With Asthma Have Higher Risk Of Cancer, And Not Just In Lungs: Study
The cancer risk was elevated with statistical significance in 5 of 13 cancers analyzed in the study, not merely in cancers related to the respiratory system: lung cancer, blood cancer, kidney cancer, melanoma and ovarian cancer. The study, researchers assert, is the first “to report a positive association between asthma and overall cancer risk in the US population.” (Mueller, 5/1)
On cardiac care —
Axios:
Cardiac Care Is More Intense In Hospitals, Study Finds
Heart patients were more likely to receive a high-intensity, hospital-based intervention when their doctor was employed by a hospital compared to patients whose care was managed by an independent cardiologist, a study published Monday in Health Affairs found. The study signals more evidence that hospital consolidation may lead to more risky — and costly — care. (Reed, 5/2)
Stat:
One-Third Of Black Americans Live In 'Cardiology Deserts'
Many Black Americans would have to travel across county lines just to find an open spot with a cardiologist, a new analysis found. About 16.8 million Black Americans — roughly 1 in 3 — live in counties with little or no access to heart specialists, according to a report from GoodRx, a telehealth company that provides drug discounts and also researches health trends. (Chen, 5/2)
In other health and wellness news —
USA Today:
Breast Cancer Screening At 42? Study Says Black Women Should
More and more, Dr. Ryland Gore has been diagnosing Black women with breast cancer at younger ages. Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive, fast-growing breast cancer subtypes. The Atlanta-based breast surgical oncologist said that by the time many of her patients reach her, the cancer is advanced. (Hassanein, 5/1)
CNN:
Cognitive Decline, Dementia Common After Stroke
Up to 60% of all stroke survivors develop memory and thinking problems within a year, and one-third go on to develop dementia within five years, according to a new American Stroke Association scientific statement. (LaMotte, 5/1)
CBS News:
New AI System Could Help People Who Lost Their Ability To Speak
"Currently, language encoding is done using implanting devices that require neurosurgery. Our study is the first to decode continuously, meaning more than single words or sentences, from non-invasive brain recordings, which we collect using functional MRI," Jerry Tang, one of the researchers, said during a press conference about the study, the findings of which were published Monday in Nature Neuroscience. (Moniuszko, 5/1)
Military.Com:
Military Expanding The Use Of Fitness Trackers To Detect Disease Outbreaks Such As COVID-19
The Pentagon is expanding the use of wearable fitness trackers to help predict outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 as use of the technology, such as watches and rings, spreads in the military despite early security concerns. The Defense Innovation Unit, an entity within the Pentagon focused on pairing commercially available technology with military uses, says that it had success during the pandemic in identifying infections by marrying an artificial intelligence algorithm with a commercial device. (Lawrence, 5/1)
The Washington Post:
Dog Walking Is A Reason For Common Injuries Seen In ERs
Fractured fingers, shoulder sprains and head injuries are common reasons people visit the emergency room. Now new research has identified a potential culprit — the family dog. Johns Hopkins University researchers found that over a period of nearly two decades, more than 422,000 U.S. adults were treated in ERs for injuries suffered while walking leashed dogs. Women and people ages 40 to 64 made up most of the patients. (Bever, 5/1)
In environmental health news —
CBS News:
Freshwater Fish Contaminated With Toxic "Forever Chemicals" Found In Nearly Every State
Health experts have been sounding the alarm about PFAS, human-made toxic chemicals that last so long in the environment and people that they've been called "forever chemicals. The compounds have been linked to cancer and other illnesses, and more than 95% of all Americans who have been tested have detectable levels in their blood. (Saberi, 5/1)
Politico:
Federal Study Details Extent Of PFAS In Firefighters' Gear
Concentrations of "forever chemicals" were found in every textile sample of firefighters' protective gear, according to a federal report that could add fuel to a yearslong battle to get the hazardous chemicals out of firefighters' personal protective equipment. The report, published Monday by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, tested 20 new samples from firefighters' gear for 53 types of PFAS and found traces of 26 types. (Borst, 5/1)
