Experts urge perspective, saying the risk per child remains low.

The theoretical risks of CT scans must be weighed against the benefits. (Bethesda naval medical center, Maryland, Hospital)

After a hard fall, a computed tomography (CT) scan can seem like a lifeline. In minutes, the scan can rule out a brain bleed or another hidden injury. The technology now anchors pediatric care, guiding decisions on concussions, appendicitis, and cancer.

A new study found that CT scans may carry hidden costs. About one in 10 blood cancers among the children and adolescents studied – roughly 3,000 cases – may be attributable to imaging radiation, according to one of the largest studies to date linking medical radiation to childhood leukemia and lymphoma.

The risk to any one child is small, but across millions of patients it adds up. Continue reading →

Key driver of pancreatic cancer spread identified

A Cornell-led study has revealed how a deadly form of pancreatic cancer enters the bloodstream, solving a long-standing mystery of how the disease spreads and identifying a promising target for therapy.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is among the most lethal cancers, with fewer than 10% of patients surviving five years after diagnosis. Its microenvironment is a dense, fibrotic tissue that acts like armor around the tumor. This barrier makes drug delivery difficult and should, in theory, prevent the tumor from spreading. Yet the cancer metastasizes with striking efficiency – a paradox that has puzzled scientists. Continue reading →

The US Army has admitted to spraying a mysterious chemical fog over dozens of US neighborhoods, which residents now claim is giving them cancer decades later.

St Louis’s Pruitt-Igoe housing complex in the 1950s, where the US Army tested mysterious chemical fog during Cold War experiments

These secret tests took place in the 1950s and 1960s, in areas such as St Louis, Missouri; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Corpus Christi, Texas, and 29 other cities throughout the US and Canada.

Over the years, residents in these of densely populated areas, including St Louis’s Pruitt-Igoe housing complex, saw trucks and rooftop devices spraying a thick, foul-smelling fog that stuck to their skin and made many children feel sick.

What the military didn’t tell Americans was that the spray contained zinc cadmium sulfide (ZnCdS), a powder which can cause cancer, kidney damage, or lung problems if inhaled in large amounts over time. Continue reading →

Medicare is a vital government-run health insurance program. It’s designed to serve those 65 and over, but also extends to numerous others in need. Medicare is divided into parts; certain components cover prescription medication needs while others offer general wellness coverage. Medicare Part A is used for hospital treatment, while Part B is the standard medical insurance that most people will be familiar with. There are several free Medicare benefits you can take advantage of throughout the year, but keep in mind that some states plan to implement changes in 2026, including AI-based approval for certain services. Continue reading →

More Americans are receiving computed tomography (CT) scans than ever before, and while this technology can save lives, some scientists are concerned that low doses of ionizing radiation could increase cancer risk.

Importantly, at an individual level, the theoretical risk of developing cancer from a CT scan is thought to be very low, if it exists at all. Patients should not hesitate to undergo these tests if they are considered medically necessary. Continue reading →

Thousands of Americans are living in the direct path of invisible toxic gas clouds from ‘super-emitter’ methane leaks across the country.

PSE Healthy Energy did not name specific plants or leak sites, just counties in which the sites are located. A Western Midstream natural gas facility located in Kern County, California is pictured. A July 2020 methane leak in this county exceeded 1,000 kg of methane per hour

Researchers at the California-based non-profit science institute PSE Healthy Energy created a first-of-its-kind interactive map using data from more than 1,300 major methane leaks across the country to model the spread of dangerous air pollutants released during each event.

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. When it leaks from oil and gas infrastructure due to equipment failure, malfunctions, or ruptures, the plume acts as a carrier for a wide array of hazardous co-pollutants, including known human carcinogens such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. Continue reading →

Illustration of a cancer cell. (Science Photo Library/Canva Pro)

In a world where cancer remains one of the most formidable adversaries of public health, a groundbreaking exploration by historian Robert N. Proctor sheds light on the often-overlooked forces shaping our understanding of this devastating disease. “Cancer Wars: How Politics Shapes What We Know and Don’t Know About Cancer” delves into the intricate interplay of politics, science and society, revealing how these elements collectively influence our knowledge – and ignorance – about cancer.

As cancer continues to claim over a thousand lives daily in the United States alone, Proctor’s work serves as a critical reminder that the battle against this disease is as much about politics as it is about medicine. Continue reading →