Mexican Americans Face Higher Odds for Liver Cancer With Each New Generation

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 22, 2023
• Full Page

The risk of developing liver cancer appears to be rising with each successive generation of Mexican-Americans, especially men, a new report finds.

“Liver cancer is becoming a growing concern among Latinos, underscoring the importance of comprehending the factors drivin...

Sugary Drinks Raise Women's Odds for Liver Disease, Cancer

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 9, 2023
• Full Page

There are plenty of reasons to steer clear of sugary drinks, and new research highlights yet another one: Women who drink sodas and other sweetened drinks have a higher risk of developing liver cancer and chronic liver disease.

Looking at data on nearly 100,000 women, r...

Certain Cancers on the Rise Among Hispanic Americans

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• July 3, 2023
• Full Page

Cancer death rates among Hispanic Americans have declined in general over the past two decades, but for certain cancers the outlook has only gotten worse, a new study finds.

First, the good news: Thanks to improvements in screening, diagnosis and treatment -- and a decli...

Combo Therapy May Prevent Cancer's Return After Liver Surgery

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• April 24, 2023
• Full Page

A two-drug combination therapy can enhance survival odds for people with early-stage liver cancer through targeted attacks on tumor cells, a new clinical trial shows.

The combo -- atezolizumab (Tecentriq) and bevacizumab (Avastin) -- reduced risk of cancer recurrence or ...

Fighting Liver Cancer Takes Big Financial Toll: Study

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 2, 2023
• Full Page

Out-of-pocket costs can leave Medicare patients with the most common type of liver cancer in financial distress.

While Medicare payments in the first year after diagnosis with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeded $65,000, out-of-pocket costs were more than $10,000,

PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' Are Linked With Liver Cancer

• By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 10, 2022
• Full Page

A chemical called perfluooctane sulfate (PFOS) has been linked to the most common type of liver cancer, a new study indicates.

PFOS are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, and are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they break down very s...

Hepatitis C Infection Can Kill, But Less Than a Third of Patients Get Treatment

• Ernie Mundell and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
• August 4, 2022
• Full Page

Less than one-third of people with hepatitis C get treatment for this potentially deadly, but curable, infection within a year of their diagnosis, a new government report warns.

Spread by contact w...

Could Lots of Sugary Sodas Raise a Woman's Odds for Liver Cancer?

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• June 14, 2022
• Full Page

Sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks may raise a woman's odds of developing liver cancer, new research suggests.

A study of more than 90,000 postmenopausal women found that those who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a 78% higher risk, compared with...

Missed Cancer Screenings During Pandemic Could Raise Death Rate for Years

• March 21, 2022
• Full Page

The early months of the COVID-19 pandemic kept millions of Americans away from routine cancer screenings. Now a new study finds that many U.S. screening programs were still not back to normal by 2021.

The study, of more than 700 cancer facilities nationwide, found that i...

Biden Relaunches Cancer Moonshot Initiative

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• February 3, 2022
• Full Page

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he is giving a new push to the cancer moonshot initiative that he first led during the Obama administration.

In his announcement, Biden said the program ...

Most Americans Don't Know Alcohol Can Raise Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• January 31, 2022
• Full Page

Most American adults don't know that alcohol boosts cancer risk, but a majority support steps to increase awareness of the link, a new nationwide survey shows.

""It is important that people are made fully aware of the potential harms of alcohol so that they may make info...

Pre-Op Treatment May Be Advance Against Deadly Liver Cancers

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• January 28, 2022
• Full Page

When delivering a liver cancer diagnosis, Dr. Thomas Marron pulls no punches: "Liver cancer is one of the deadliest cancers," he tells patients.

Jeffrey Foster heard a similar message loud and clear when he was first diagnosed by another doctor with hepatocellular carcin...

More Than 10 Million People Died of Cancer Worldwide in 2019

• Cara Murez
• January 4, 2022
• Full Page

Cancer remains a major killer, with 10 million deaths reported worldwide in 2019.

More than 23 million new cases were documented globally in 2019, according to researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

By comparison, in 2010 there were 8.29 m...

Heavier Drinking During Pandemic Means More Liver Disease to Come

• December 24, 2021
• Full Page

It's clear that COVID-19 has killed many hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. Less clear is its impact on other health issues, which will be felt in the years to come.

Liver disease is projected to be one of those, with 8,000 additional deaths from

Cancer Care Costs U.S. $156 Billion Per Year; Drugs a Major Factor

• Robert Preidt
• October 13, 2021
• Full Page

Private insurers paid out about $156.2 billion in 2018 for U.S. patients with the 15 most common cancers.

Medication was the largest expense and drugs for breast, lung, lymphoma and colon cancers accounted for the largest chunk of those costs, according to a Penn State C...

Cancer in Hispanics: Good News and Bad

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• September 23, 2021
• Full Page

Hispanic people in the United States have lower cancer rates than white people, but they are much more likely to develop certain preventable cancers.

"The good news is that overall cancer rates are lower in Hispanic people, but we are seeing very high rates of infectious...

Common Form of Liver Cancer on the Rise in Rural America

• Steven Reinberg
• September 21, 2021
• Full Page

Liver cancer is on the rise in rural America, but on a downswing in cities, new research shows.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer and the fastest-growing cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It's rising at an annual rate of ne...

Immune-Based Therapy May Help Some Battling Advanced Colon Cancers

• Robert Preidt
• August 11, 2021
• Full Page

Immunotherapy helped extend the lives of some patients with the most common type of advanced colon cancer, researchers report.

The new findings are important, they noted, because immunotherapy doesn't typically work against microsatellite stable (MSS) colon cancer. These...

Could a DNA Blood Test Spot a Range of Hidden Cancers?

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• June 25, 2021
• Full Page

Could a new one-and-done blood test designed to detect as many as 50 different types of cancer become a diagnostic game changer?

Yes, say researchers, who report the method appears accurate and reliable at identifying and locating cancer, including some kinds for which t...

Obesity Raises Odds for Many Common Cancers

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• May 10, 2021
• Full Page

Being obese or overweight can increase the odds of developing several types of cancers, new research from the United Kingdom reveals.

But shedding the excess pounds can lower the risk, researchers say.

Reducing obesity cuts the risk for endometrial cancer by 44% a...

The Future of Cancer for Americans

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• April 8, 2021
• Full Page

At first glance, it appears that little will change between now and 2040 when it comes to the types of cancers that people develop and that kill them, a new forecast shows.

Breast, melanoma, lung and colon cancers are expected to be the most common types of cancers in th...

Doubly Good: Healthy Living Cuts Your Odds for the 2 Leading Killers

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• March 16, 2021
• Full Page

The same lifestyle habits that protect the heart can also curb the risk of a range of cancers, a large new study confirms.

The study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults found both bad news and good news.

People with risk factors for heart disease also faced increa...

Why Is Liver Cancer More Lethal for Black Patients?

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 25, 2021
• Full Page

Black people with hepatitis C develop liver cancer sooner than people in other racial groups and the cancer is often more aggressive, but current screening guidelines may not be broad enough to catch these cases early, according to a new study.

Why? Despite often being m...

Know the Signs of Rare But Deadly Gall Bladder, Bile Duct Cancers

• Steven Reinberg
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

Most people aren't aware of the signs of gallbladder or bile duct cancer, but the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey says they should be.

The gallbladder is a small organ connected to the liver by bile ducts. Its job is to store bile, which is made by the liver to ai...

Drug Combo May Boost Survival for Tough-to-Treat Liver Cancers

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• February 9, 2021
• Full Page

A new drug combination for advanced liver cancer can extend people's lives substantially more than the long-standing drug of choice, new study findings confirm.

The treatment involves two drugs approved to fight various cancers: bevacizumab (Avastin) and atezolizumab (Te...

Breast Cancer Surpasses Lung Cancer as Leading Cancer Diagnosis Worldwide

• Robert Preidt
• February 4, 2021
• Full Page

Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the world's most commonly diagnosed cancer.

In 2020, there were an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million cancer deaths worldwide, according to the Global Cancer Statistics 2020 report from the American Ca...

Cancer Survivors at Higher Odds for Second Cancer: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• December 29, 2020
• Full Page

Cancer survivors are at greater risk of developing another cancer and dying from it, a new study finds.

These new cancers can result from a genetic predisposition, from treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy used to fight the first cancer, as well as from unhealth...

Blood Test Might Spot Cancer Years Earlier

• Amy Norton
• July 23, 2020
• Full Page

Scientists are working on a blood test that may catch five common cancers years sooner than current methods.

The blood test, which is still experimental, hunts for certain genetic "signatures" associated with tumors. Researchers found that it can detect five types of...

From 'Dead Man Walking' to Dancing Once More: One Man's Cancer Journey

• Serena Gordon
• July 8, 2020
• Full Page

After spending much of 2016 healing following the deaths of both his partner of 25 years and his mother, Oswald Peterson -- a professional carnival dancer in New York City -- was convinced 2017 would be his year to start again.

But life had other plans. Peterson, no...

New Blood Test May Improve Liver Cancer Screening

• Robert Preidt
• June 16, 2020
• Full Page

An experimental blood test may improve screening for the most common form of liver cancer, researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute say.

The test checks people for previous exposure to certain viruses that may interact with the immune system and increase the...

Blood Test Could Spot 50 Different Cancers

• Steven Reinberg
• March 31, 2020
• Full Page

A simple blood test for dozens of cancers is in the works.

Researchers say their test can detect more than 50 kinds of cancer at early stages and pinpoint their location in the body.

"If these findings are validated, it will be feasible to consider how thi...

For People With Hepatitis, Daily Aspirin Might Lower Liver Cancer Risk

• Steven Reinberg
• March 11, 2020
• Full Page

People with hepatitis B or C are at greater risk for liver cancer, but a low-dose aspirin a day might significantly lower that risk, a new study suggests.

Over a median of nearly eight years of follow-up, 4% of those taking low-dose aspirin developed liver cance...

Progress Against Lung Cancer Fuels Record Drop in U.S. Cancer Deaths

• Robert Preidt
• January 8, 2020
• Full Page

A 29% drop in U.S. cancer deaths between 1991 and 2017 was driven by declines in deaths from four major cancers -- lung, colon, breast and prostate, according to the latest American Cancer Society (ACS) annual report.

Cancer deaths in the United States fell 2.2&#...

Regular Exercise Cuts Odds for 7 Major Cancers

• Steven Reinberg
• December 26, 2019
• Full Page

Exercise may reduce the odds you'll develop any of seven types of cancer -- and a new study suggests the more you exercise, the lower your risk.

That's the conclusion of researchers who pooled data from nine published studies that included more than 750,000 men and ...

Scientists Find Unsafe Levels of Known Carcinogen in Menthol E-Cigarettes

• Steven Reinberg
• September 16, 2019
• Full Page

As doctors race to determine what is causing sudden and severe lung illnesses among some vapers, new research discovers dangerously high levels of a known carcinogen in menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes.

The chemical (pulegone) is used as a menthol and mint flav...

A 'Supercool' Breakthrough for Patients Awaiting Liver Transplant

• Robert Preidt
• September 9, 2019
• Full Page

A new "supercooling" technique can triple the length of time a donor liver can be preserved before transplantation, researchers say.

The new method -- which cools the liver to 21.2 degrees Fahrenheit without freezing it -- could make significantly more livers availab...

Roundup Linked to Human Liver Damage: Study

• Dennis Thompson
• May 24, 2019
• Full Page

The popular weed killer Roundup might be linked to liver disease, a new study suggests.

A group of patients suffering from liver disease had elevated urine levels of glyphosate, the primary weed-killing ingredient in Roundup, according to researchers at the Universit...

Study Reaffirms Safety of Hepatitis C Meds in Liver Cancer Patients

• Robert Preidt
• February 12, 2019
• Full Page

It's safe to use antiviral drugs to treat hepatitis C in liver cancer survivors, a new study reports.

The findings contradict previous research suggesting that antiviral drugs might increase these patients' risk of liver cancer recurrence.

That prior resear...

New Hepatitis Meds Are Saving Lives: Study

• Robert Preidt
• February 12, 2019
• Full Page

New (and pricey) hepatitis C medicines, such as Harvoni and Sovaldi, are living up to their promise and greatly reducing patients' odds for liver cancer and death, a new French study finds.

The news came as little surprise to one U.S. liver expert.

The adve...

Big Gains Against Hep C Possible With Big Investment

• Robert Preidt
• January 29, 2019
• Full Page

Millions of hepatitis C cases and related deaths could be prevented, but it will require a significant investment, researchers say.

In the first study to model such measures worldwide, the authors concluded that sweeping prevention, screening and treatment efforts co...

Liver Transplants Tied to Alcohol Use Doubled Since 2002

• Robert Preidt
• January 23, 2019
• Full Page

The percentage of U.S. liver transplant recipients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) doubled over 15 years, but significant regional variations remain, a new study finds.

ALD has replaced hepatitis C as the most common reason for U.S. liver transplants. One...

Race May Matter for Liver Transplant Success

• Robert Preidt
• January 15, 2019
• Full Page

Black Americans who receive a liver transplant to treat liver cancer may survive much longer if the new organ comes from a black donor, a new study suggests.

"Our data are intriguing. But our results require validation," said study author Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, chief ...

Hepatitis C Screening Can Help Prevent Liver Disease

• Steven Reinberg
• January 3, 2019
• Full Page

Infection with the hepatitis C virus can cause liver disease and even liver cancer. But once found, the virus can be cured, so screening is vital for those at risk, health experts say.

For hepatitis A and B, preventive vaccines exist, but there is none for hepatitis ...