Viruses, Infections & Disease, features and articles | Educational Science

Feb 28, 2019

Butt Implants Linked to Rare Cancer in First Reported Case

A woman with buttock implants was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that, until now, has largely been linked to breast implants, according to a new report of the woman's case. The case marks the first time that this cancer — called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) — has...

Mar 6, 2019

What's the Link Between Recalled Blood Pressure Meds and Cancer?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a series of recalls of blood pressure medication over the last 10 months, all linked to concerns that the drugs may be linked to an increased risk of cancer. But what makes these drugs a cancer risk? All of the medications...

Mar 6, 2019

Alex Trebek's Pancreatic Cancer: What Does Stage 4 Mean?

Long-time Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek has revealed that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Trebek, who is 78, announced his diagnosis today (March 6) in a video posted to the show's YouTube channel and shared on social media. Normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging,...

Mar 15, 2019

A Lump Grew Out of a Woman's Belly Button. It Was Cancer.

A strange lump growing out of a woman's belly button turned out to be metastatic cancer, according to a new report of her case. The 73-year-old woman went to an emergency room in Spain, where she told doctors that the painful lump in her belly button had been enlarging over...

Mar 22, 2019

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Fuels Colon Cancer Growth in Mice

High-fructose corn syrup may fuel colon cancer growth, at least in mice, a new study finds. In the study, published yesterday (March 21) in the journal Science, researchers found that consuming the equivalent of 12 ounces of a beverage sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup accelerated tumor growth in mice that...

Apr 1, 2019

Flossing and Going to the Dentist Linked to Lower Risk of Oral Cancer

ATLANTA — Regularly flossing and going to the dentist may be tied to a lower risk of oral cancer. That's according to findings presented March 31, here at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting. In the new study, researchers analyzed the dental health behaviors of patients who...

Apr 2, 2019

Will There Ever Be a Universal Test to Detect Cancer?

ATLANTA — Cancer is over one hundred different diseases hiding under one name. That's why, just as there isn't one universal way to treat cancer, there also isn't one universal way to detect it. But that doesn't mean scientists aren't trying: If researchers can find a unique signature or biomarker...

Apr 3, 2019

There May Be a Link Between Coffee and Lung Cancer, Study Suggests

ATLANTA — Drinking coffee has been linked to a slew of health benefits, such as a longer life span, and a decreased risk of conditions including depression, heart attacks and certain cancers. But a new study suggests that there may be a downside to your morning brew: Researchers found that...

Apr 3, 2019

How Your 'Lifestyle Score' Affects Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer

ATLANTA — Unhealthy habits can increase a person's risk of colorectal cancer, and a new study aims to calculate how much individual behaviors play a role. To do this, researchers assigned a lifestyle score to nearly 30,000 people, based on levels of certain biomarkers in the blood and lifestyle data....

Apr 8, 2019

How a New Cancer 'Vaccine' Fights Tumors Throughout the Body

A new cancer vaccine that's injected directly into a single tumor can trigger the immune system to attack cancer cells throughout the body, a small new study suggests. The researchers say that the experimental therapy essentially turns tumors into cancer vaccine factories, where immune cells learn to recognize the cancer...

May 30, 2019

Alex Trebek's Promising Cancer Update: What Is 'Near Remission'?

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek recently shared a promising update about his pancreatic cancer diagnosis — he's in near remission, according to news reports. But what exactly does that mean? Trebek, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March, recently told People Magazine that he's been responding well to...

Jun 14, 2019

Biden Promises to 'Cure Cancer' If Elected. Here's Why That's Laughable.

If former Vice President Joe Biden gets elected in 2020, he's curing cancer. At least that's what the presidential hopeful promised at a campaign stop in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Tuesday this week. I promise you if I'm elected president, you're going to see the single most important thing that changes...

Jun 15, 2019

Scientists Develop New Laser That Can Find and Destroy Cancer Cells in the Blood

Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood. And now, researchers have developed a new kind of laser that can find and zap those tumor cells from the outside of the skin. Though it may still be a ways away from becoming a commercial diagnostic...

Jun 19, 2019

Alcohol Boosts the Risk of Breast Cancer. Many Women Have No Idea.

Drinking alcohol is known to raise women's risk of developing breast cancer, but many women aren't aware of this link, a new study from the United Kingdom suggests. The study researchers analyzed information from 205 women who were undergoing breast cancer screening or seeking treatment for breast cancer symptoms at...

Jun 21, 2019

Could an Injection of Dead Cells Help Fight Cancer?

Dead cells in the body don't sound very useful, but they might provide a new way to fight cancer, a new study in animals suggests. The study found that injecting dying cells into tumors in mice drove the animals' immune cells to attack the cancers. The method is a bit...