Latest News On Cancer

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Operating in the Red: Half of Rural Hospitals Lose Money, as Many Cut Services

KFF Health News Original

A recent report finds half of America’s rural hospitals are losing money, and many are struggling to stay open. Researchers and advocates worry the hospitals’ financial spiral will have immediate and long-term health effects on their communities.

Toxic Gas That Sterilizes Medical Devices Prompts Safety Rule Update

KFF Health News Original

The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening regulation of ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic gas used to sterilize medical devices. The agency is trying to balance the interests of the health care industry supply chain with those of communities where the gas creates airborne health risks.

FDA’s Plan to Ban Hair Relaxer Chemical Called Too Little, Too Late

KFF Health News Original

The FDA’s recent notice that it would move to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products comes more than a decade after researchers raised alarms about health risks. Scientists say a ban would still leave many dangerous chemicals in hair straighteners.

Hoping to Clear the Air in Casinos, Workers Seek to Ban Tobacco Smoke

KFF Health News Original

Casinos in several states are fighting efforts to ban smoking, and trying to roll back existing anti-smoking laws. One planned facility even moved outside a city’s limits because of voter-approved smoking restrictions.

Mammography AI Can Cost Patients Extra. Is It Worth It?

KFF Health News Original

Artificial intelligence software to aid radiologists in detecting problems or diagnosing cancer has been moving rapidly into clinical use, where it shows great promise. But it’s a turnoff for some patients asked to pay out-of-pocket for technology that’s not quite ready for prime time.

‘Like a Russian Roulette’: US Military Firefighters Grapple With Unknowns of PFAS Exposure

KFF Health News Original

Federal research linking “forever chemicals” to testicular cancer confirms what U.S. military personnel long suspected. But as they seek testing for PFAS exposure, many wonder what to do with the results. There’s no medical treatment yet.

Mississippi’s Cervical Cancer Deaths Indicate Broader Health Care Problems

KFF Health News Original

Mississippi has among the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the U.S. When low-income women can’t afford regular preventive care, much less gynecological visits, this highly preventable and treatable cancer becomes a killer.

A Blood Test That Screens for Cancer: Does It Do More Harm Than Good?

KFF Health News Original

The first of a new wave of cancer-detection blood tests likely saved Gilbert Milam Jr.’s life. But many cancer researchers, wary of overtesting, argue it’s premature to prescribe the Galleri test widely.

Pioneering Study Links Testicular Cancer Among Military Personnel to ‘Forever Chemicals’

KFF Health News Original

The military first documented health concerns surrounding chemicals known as PFAS decades ago yet has continued to use firefighting foam made with them. Despite scores of lawsuits by its personnel and high rates of testicular cancer among troops, it has been slow to investigate a connection.

Mujeres negras sopesan riesgos emergentes de alisadores para el cabello “adictivos”

KFF Health News Original

Los alisadores pueden contener carcinógenos, como agentes liberadores de formaldehído, ftalatos y otros compuestos que alteran el sistema endócrino, según estudios de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud.

Black Women Weigh Emerging Risks of ‘Creamy Crack’ Hair Straighteners

KFF Health News Original

Social and economic pressures have long compelled Black girls and women to straighten their hair. But mounting evidence shows chemical straighteners — products with little regulatory oversight — may pose cancer and other health risks.