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New combination therapy for colorectal cancer, with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center involvement, lengthens survival
Many cancer types — breast, prostate, skin cancer — have 5-year survival rates and ample treatment options if caught early.
Colorectal cancer is not one of them.
With a 5-year survival rate of 15% once it's spread, colorectal cancer kills around 2,600 Pennsylvania each year. In Allegheny County, around 160 people died from the disease ...Read more
Many fear federal loan caps will deter aspiring doctors and worsen MD shortage
Medical educators and health professionals warn that new federal student loan caps in President Donald Trump’s tax cut law could make it more expensive for many people to become doctors and could exacerbate physician shortages nationwide.
And, they warn, the economic burden will steer many medical students to lucrative specialties in more ...Read more
Racial health disparities could widen as states grapple with Trump cuts, experts warn
Racial health disparities may widen as states, universities and nonprofits grapple with federal funding cuts to programs that were aimed at filling gaps in care, public health experts say.
As part of its federal restructuring and crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the Trump administration has been shuttering federal ...Read more
Health insurance premiums for 1.7 million Californians on Obamacare will soar as federal subsidies end
LOS ANGELES — Californians renewing their public health plans or who plan to sign up for the first time will be in for sticker shock when open enrollment begins on Saturday. Monthly premiums for federally subsidized plans available on the Covered California exchange — often referred to as Obamacare — will soar by 97% on average for 2026.
...Read more
On Nutrition: Remedies to get things moving
What we thought would be a minor foot surgery brought on more pain than my husband had expected. He usually declines strong pain relievers after a medical procedure, but not this time. For the first few days, he needed his prescribed meds to manage some intense pain.
If you’ve been there, you know that big-gun pain relievers can come with ...Read more
A new tool to find hidden 'zombie cells'
ROCHESTER, Minn. — When it comes to treating disease, one promising avenue is addressing the presence of senescent cells. These cells — also known as "zombie cells" — stop dividing but don't die off as cells typically do. They turn up in numerous diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease, and in the process of aging. While ...Read more
Explaining The Science Behind Having The Factor V Leiden Gene
DEAR DR. ROACH: My son is 32 years old and developed a superficial blood clot in his arm near the elbow. They tested him for the factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation, and he is positive and heterozygous. They put him on blood thinners. I went and got tested. I tested positive and am homozygous, which means that I inherited the gene from both my ...Read more
Want your child to be a natural-born athlete?
Dads have a big influence on the future happiness and accomplishments of their children. But we usually think that comes from their being involved in day-to-day parenting with joy, interest and interaction. Turns out there are also powerful biological influences that are passed from father to child through sperm at conception and play out for ...Read more
Measles outbreak in Utah, Arizona grows to over 130 cases
A measles outbreak in parts of Utah and Arizona not far from Las Vegas has grown to over 130 cases, according to public health officials in both states.
David Heaton, a public information officer for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, said there have been 43 measles cases recently confirmed in a five-county area. Those counties ...Read more
Can a weight loss and diabetes drug treat long COVID?
SAN DIEGO — Scripps Research in La Jolla announced a new clinical trial Thursday that will assess the effectiveness of using drugs approved for diabetes treatment and weight loss to treat long COVID-19, the debilitating chronic condition diagnosed in an estimated 20 million Americans and about 400 million people worldwide.
Developed to help ...Read more
Bill of the Month: Doctor tripped up by $64k bill for ankle surgery and hospital stay
Physician Lauren Hughes was heading to see patients at a clinic about 20 miles from her Denver home in February when another driver T-boned her Subaru, totaling it. She was taken by ambulance to the closest hospital, Platte Valley Hospital.
A shaken Hughes was examined in the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with bruising, a deep cut on ...Read more
Wave of RSV, particularly dangerous for babies, washing over US; doctors urge vaccination
LOS ANGELES — A wave of the highly contagious respiratory syncytial virus is beginning to wash over the United States — sending greater numbers of babies and toddlers to the hospital, recent data show.
The onset of RSV comes as the country heads into the wider fall-and-winter respiratory virus season, also typically marked by increased ...Read more
Advanced Case of COPD Calls for Immediate Treatment
DEAR DR. ROACH: After over 50 years of smoking, my wife has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bad scarring of her lungs, but fortunately she doesn't have cancer. She had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and no longer has nicotine cravings, but we aren't sure if it was RSV that killed her cravings.
She lies in bed day and night ...Read more
No bones about it
Around 10 million adults in the U.S. have osteoporosis (8 million women and 2 million men), putting them at risk for bone fractures caused by everyday motions like bending, coughing and lifting -- and they can even happen spontaneously.
Why is bone health such a challenge for around 17% of folks age 65 and older? Well, a new look at data on ...Read more
California temporarily blocks Trump administration from ending school mental health grants
California secured a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from discontinuing roughly $200 million in school mental health grant funding awarded to dozens of schools and universities in California, including the Santa Clara County Office of Education and California State University East Bay.
Congress created the Mental ...Read more
Doctors muffled as Florida moves to end decades of childhood vaccination mandates
SARASOTA, Fla. — Florida plans to end nearly a half-century of required childhood immunizations against diseases that have killed and maimed millions of children. Many critics of the decision, including doctors, are afraid to speak up against it.
With the support of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Sept. 3 ...Read more
Try this 1-minute test to uncover hidden health risks
When it comes to key numbers that give you insight into health status, things such as blood pressure and BMI probably come to mind.
There's another number, however, that can give you unexpected insight into serious health risks, including your chances of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
You can find out this number with a simple...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Debunking dietary deceptions: Does eating fat make you fat?
There’s a certain logic to the idea that eating high-fat foods — even nutritious foods such as avocados, nuts and olive oil — can lead to weight gain. After all, one gram of fat contains nine calories, while one gram of protein or carbohydrate contains only four calories. But just as science has debunked the idea that weight loss or weight...Read more
6 foods with more protein than a chicken breast
If you eat meat, it’s hard to talk about protein without bringing up chicken breast. The ingredient offers 25 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving — which, compared to other protein sources, is hard to beat by weight, according to registered dietitian nutritionist Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN. Chicken breast is also lean, versatile, ...Read more
What are eye flashes and floaters and what can I do about them?
Q: Over the years, I occasionally experience a streak of light across my vision, which goes away quickly. However, I have recently noticed a persistent small black spot when looking out of my right eye. Otherwise, my vision seems fine. Do I need to worry?
A: What you describe sounds like flashes and floaters. Both commonly happen as we get ...Read more
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Popular Stories
- What are eye flashes and floaters and what can I do about them?
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- Mayo Clinic Q&A: How belly breathing benefits your body, mind
- Wave of RSV, particularly dangerous for babies, washing over US; doctors urge vaccination
- Racial health disparities could widen as states grapple with Trump cuts, experts warn






















