Cancer Risk - Subscribe to the NCI Cancer Currents Blog
News about research on factors that affect cancer risk, including inherited genetic mutations, smoking/tobacco use, obesity, and infectious agents like HPV.
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Why Have Thyroid Cancer Diagnoses Spiked for US Women?Women are far more likely than men to be diagnosed with small thyroid cancers that probably would have never caused problems during their lifetime, a new study finds. The results may help explain why thyroid cancer seems to be more common in women.
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Alcohol Tied to 750,000 Cancer Cases Worldwide in 2020Nearly 750,000 cases of cancer diagnosed worldwide in 2020, or 4%, can be attributed to alcohol consumption, according to a new study. While heavy drinking accounted for most cases, light and moderate drinking accounted for a modest amount.
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Pattern of DNA Damage Links Colorectal Cancer and Diet High in Red MeatResearchers have discovered a consistent pattern of DNA damage in colorectal tumors that may explain how a diet high in red and processed meat can help cause colorectal cancer.
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Could a Diabetes Diagnosis Help Detect Pancreatic Cancer Early?Numerous studies have pointed to a link between new-onset diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Now, several large NCI-supported studies are testing ways to pick out those people whose diabetes might be a sign of early pancreatic cancer, when treatments may be more effective.
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NF1 Associated with More Cancer Types Than Previously KnownThe study also found that people with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) developed some cancers at an earlier age and were more likely to die from several cancer types, which make preventive measures and early diagnosis important for people with NF1.
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For Cancer Screening, COVID-19 Pandemic Creates Obstacles, OpportunitiesAfter a steep drop in screening for common cancers early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are now exploring ways to improve cancer screening during the current crisis and beyond.
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Why Is Colorectal Cancer Rising Rapidly among Young Adults?Diagnoses of colorectal cancer continue to increase in younger adults. In September 2020, more than 400 leading scientists and patient advocates participated in an NCI/NIEHS-sponsored symposium to identify research priorities that address important questions about this concerning trend.
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Anal Cancer Incidence and Deaths Are Rising in the United StatesThe number of cases and deaths from anal cancer have been on the rise in the United States since 2001, according to a new study. The increases have been especially rapid in two segments of the population.
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MGUS to Myeloma: Study Suggests Risk of Progression Can ChangeA person’s risk of progressing from a benign condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to the blood cancer multiple myeloma can change over time, according to a new study.
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Could a Vaccine Prevent Colorectal Cancer in People with Lynch Syndrome?Findings from an NCI-funded study suggest a new vaccine approach may have the potential to prevent colorectal cancer in people with Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases an individual's risk for developing certain types of cancer.
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Studying “Total Diet” and Its Impact on Health, Including Cancer RiskResearchers are shifting how they assess diet and cancer risk, looking beyond the impact of individual foods or nutrients on health, and taking a more holistic approach, considering dietary patterns across the lifespan.
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Vaping Pods Produce High Nicotine Levels in Young UsersAdolescents who use pod-style e-cigarettes had higher levels of nicotine in their bodies than is typically found in adolescents who smoke conventional cigarettes, a new study has found. The study's findings are concerning for several reasons.
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Liquid Biopsy May Predict Risk of Breast Cancer Returning Years LaterUsing a liquid biopsy to test for tumor cells circulating in blood, researchers found that, in women with breast cancer, the presence of these cells could identify women at risk of their cancer returning years later.
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Easing Concerns about Giving Research Study Participants Their Genetic Test ResultsDo cancer study participants want to receive their genetic test results? A recent study involving women with a history of breast cancer tested an approach for returning genetic research results and evaluated the impact those results had on the women.
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Molecular Switch Links High-Fat Diet to Prostate Cancer MetastasisA new study in mice has revealed a molecular link between a high-fat diet and the growth and spread of prostate cancer. The findings, the study leaders believe, raise the possibility that changes in diet could potentially improve treatment outcomes in some men.
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Incidence of Cancers of the Lower Stomach Increasing among Younger AmericansA type of cancer that occurs in the lower stomach has been increasing among some Americans under the age of 50, even though in the general population the incidence of all stomach cancers has been declining for decades, according to a new study.
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An Important Moment in Tobacco ControlNovember 26, 2017, marked a unique moment in US public health history, with the major US tobacco companies issuing the first in a series of court-ordered "corrective statements" about their products.
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Study Identifies Crucial Characteristic of High-Risk HPVBy comparing the genomes of women infected with a high-risk type of human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers have found that a precise DNA sequence of a viral gene is associated with cervical cancer.
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Large Study Verifies Cancer Risk for Women Carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 MutationsResults from the first large prospective study of breast and ovarian cancer risk in women with inherited mutations in the BRCA 1 or BRCA2 genes confirm the high risks estimated from earlier, retrospective studies.
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Shifts Seen in Tobacco Product Types Purchased in USThe consumption of cigarettes, small cigars, and chewing tobacco has declined over the past 15 years, according to a new study. These declines were partially offset by a rise in consumption of large cigars, pipe tobacco, and snuff.