Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Casts Doubt On Breast Cancer Screening For Those Over 70
Reuters: Women Over 70 Risk Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis With Screening, US Study Finds
A new study is raising fresh questions about the value of breast cancer screening in older women, finding that those 70 and older who underwent mammograms were more apt to be diagnosed with tumors posing no threat to their health than those who did not screen. The study by researchers at Yale Medical School, published on Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, tracked 54,635 U.S. women 70 and older who received a mammogram - an X-ray of the breast - in 2002. Women who opted for continued screening were compared to those who chose not to be screened. (Welle, 8/7)
CBS News: Black Men Have Lowest Melanoma Survival Rate Compared To Other Races, Study Finds
Men with melanoma, particularly Black men, are more likely to die than women with melanoma, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The study also showed that men of color were more likely to have melanoma diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it more difficult to treat. Even when adjusted for factors like income level and insurance coverage, Black race alone increased mortality risk compared to the White population, the study found. (Moniuszko, 8/7)
Fierce Biotech: Dana-Farber AI Traces Unknown Cancers Back To Their Source: Study
Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed an artificial intelligence tool that could help trace a cancer back to its site of origin in particularly tricky cases. (Hale, 8/7)
In related environmental health news —
The Mercury News: Air Pollution May Increase Risk For Prostate, Breast Cancers, Study Says
Outdoor air pollution may raise the risk for non-lung cancer in older adults, with even low levels of air pollution exposure increasing the chances for prostate, colorectal, breast, and endometrial cancers. That’s according to a new Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study of millions of Medicare beneficiaries. The researchers found that chronic exposures to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over a 10-year period increased the risk of developing cancer. PM2.5 has been in the news during the last couple of months because that’s the concerning air pollutant from the Canadian wildfire smoke, which has wreaked havoc across the U.S. (Sobey, 8/7)
AP: Carcinogens Found At Montana Nuclear Missile Sites As Reports Of Hundreds Of Cancers Surface
The Air Force has detected unsafe levels of a likely carcinogen at underground launch control centers at a Montana nuclear missile base where a striking number of men and women have reported cancer diagnoses. A new cleanup effort has been ordered. (Copp, 8/7)
WUSF Public Media: Veterans Exposed To Toxins Should Enroll For PACT Act Benefits By Wednesday's Deadline
Wednesday marks a year since the PACT Act was signed into law. It's also an important deadline for veterans who want to enroll for its benefits. While new claims can be filed after the deadline, those who make the Wednesday cutoff could receive additional benefits or compensation backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, when the act was signed. (Guan, 8/7)
