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Incidence of 17 Cancers on the Rise in Younger Generations, Major New Study Says
Gen X and Millennials in the U.S. are at greater risk for 17 cancers than were previous generations, a major new study revealed.
Researchers at the American Cancer Society analyzed data from millions of people born between 1920 and 1990 who were diagnosed with 34 common types of cancer between 2000 and 2019. They also reviewed death records from the same period.
The cancers on the rise included two types of stomach cancer, small intestine cancer, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, ovarian, liver, bile duct and colorectal cancer, uterine and testicular cancer, gall bladder, kidney and pancreatic cancer, and two types of blood cancer: myeloma and leukemia.
COVID-19 Vaccination May Increase Risk for Urinary Tract Symptoms
COVID-19 vaccination seems to have some side effects on the lower urinary tract and overactive bladder in younger adults, according to a study published online June 24 in Frontiers in Medicine.
Marta de-la-Plaza-San-Frutos, from Universidad Europea de Madrid in Spain, and colleagues examined potential side effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the urinary tract among 1,563 individuals (74.7% women and 27.3% men), aged 18 to 45 years, who completed an online survey.
“Based on the results obtained in this study, monitoring and addressing urinary tract side effects of COVID-19 vaccination are important for vaccination programs to include the systematic collection of urinary tract side effect data, which will allow for ongoing evaluation of vaccine safety and efficacy,” the authors write. “Health care professionals should be alert to the possibility of patients experiencing urinary tract symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination.”
Canadian Health Officials Call for Only One Gardasil HPV Vaccine Injection for Children
Amid continuing concerns about the side effects of Gardasil and a number of lawsuits being pursued in the U.S., involving allegations that the HPV vaccine caused severe and debilitating autoimmune disorders, Canadian health officials now indicate that children only need one dose to help prevent infections and cervical cancer.
Gardasil was introduced in 2006, as the first vaccination against the development of human papillomavirus, which can be sexually transmitted and lead to the later development of cervical cancer. The injection has been widely used among both young girls and boys, before sexual activity, typically involving a series of two or three shots several months apart.
Last week, Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) issued new guidelines on HPV immunization, indicating that multiple doses of the vaccine are only needed for patients who are 21 years of age and older. Those between the ages of 9 and 20 only need to receive one injection to be adequately protected from the human papillomavirus and decrease their risks of cervical cancer, the committee determined.
Merck Shares Slide as Gardasil Sales Drop in China
Merck shares dropped almost 10% Tuesday after the company disclosed a “significant step down” in shipments of its Gardasil vaccine to providers in China during the second quarter.
Gardasil, designed to prevent infection with human papillomavirus, is Merck’s second-best selling medicine, after the blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda.
In the second quarter, overall sales of the Gardasil franchise reached $2.48 billion, little changed from the year-earlier period. Analysts had expected revenue of about $2.7 billion for the product in the quarter, according to Leerink Partners.
