Latest news with #AtlantiCare
Gizmodo
11 hours ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Troubling Case Links Vaping to Aggressive Lung Cancer
Vaping might be safer than cigarette smoking, but they carry their own health risks. A New Jersey man's electronic cigarette habit likely contributed to his fast-spreading, fatal lung cancer, his doctors say. Doctors at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City detailed the tragic death this month in the American Journal of Case Reports. The 51-year-old former smoker and longtime vaper developed an aggressive lung cancer that killed him just months after diagnosis. Though a causative link isn't confirmed, the authors say more studies are needed to figure out vaping's cancer risk. According to the report, the man visited a local hospital sometime in 2020 after he started to cough up blood. During the prior month, he had also been experiencing symptoms of weight loss, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath. Tests soon revealed that he had a form of non-small cell lung carcinoma, specifically determined to be squamous cell carcinoma. The cancer had already started to spread and break off into pieces that reached the heart, making surgery unfeasible. He was discharged and quickly placed on chemotherapy, but to no avail. The man's health continued to rapidly deteriorate and he died three months after his diagnosis. The man had a history of cigarette smoking, the equivalent of 10 pack-years (meaning he smoked roughly a pack a day for 10 years). But he told the doctors he quit in 2009 and switched exclusively to e-cigarettes for the next 11 years. He regularly received lung and heart check-ups, and his last chest X-ray two years earlier was normal, suggesting his cancer only recently emerged. Because of the aggressive and non-responsive nature of the cancer, his relatively young age (most cases are caught in people over 65) and the lack of recent cigarette use, the doctors suspect that vaping probably played a part in his death. 'While causality cannot be established, the case highlights a potential association between [vaping] and malignancy,' they wrote. People have gotten seriously sick from vaping before, though usually under specific circumstances. In 2019, for instance, a mysterious lung disease that affected thousands of people in the U.S. was ultimately traced back to toxic additives primarily used in THC-containing vapes (while the initial outbreak did subside, these cases still appear occasionally). Other chemicals used to flavor vapes have also been tied to rare lung illnesses. But this appears to be one of the first case reports to explicitly link vaping and lung cancer. Other isolated reports have found a connection between vaping and mouth cancer. Some studies have also suggested that people who both vape and smoke (so-called dual users) have a higher risk of lung cancer than people who only smoke. At the same time, the overall research to date doesn't appear to show a significant added risk of lung cancer among people who only vape and have never smoked. And studies have also long found that vaping is less harmful in general than smoking. Given that this case is only one anecdote, the doctors aren't pushing for formal changes to screening guidelines just yet. But they are calling for further studies to untangle the unique dangers that vaping may pose.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sodexo partners AtlantiCare for on-site operational services in New Jersey
Sodexo has partnered AtlantiCare, a healthcare system in Egg Harbor Township in the US state of New Jersey, to provide on-site operational services from 21 June. 2025. The collaboration aims to enhance patient and employee experiences through Sodexo's clinical nutrition, facilities management, environmental services, healthcare technology management and a centralised call centre. The partnership will introduce a centralised response centre to facilitate hotel-style patient meal ordering and coordinate requests for environmental services and facilities. A new eating and retail dining destination and two micromarkets will be established for visitors, incorporating Sodexo's infection prevention programme, known as Protecta. Sodexo Healthcare US CEO Molly Matthews stated: "Sodexo is proud to bring our industry-best food and facilities services to AtlantiCare and partner with their onsite team to achieve our shared vision of building healthy communities through individualised patient care. "We plan to leverage our extensive and proven expertise to help further transform AtlantiCare's patient experience along crucial touchpoints, including offering delicious, nutritionally specialised menu options for in-room dining, customised specifically for AtlantiCare, and utilising state-of-the-art cleaning systems." Operational efficiency is a key objective for Sodexo's leadership, supported by the Sodexo site management system - an IT platform designed to optimise service and business operations. AtlantiCare president and CEO Michael Charlton added: "At AtlantiCare, we are focused on delivering care that puts patients first and supports the people who care for them. Our partnership with Sodexo helps us create an environment where comfort, dignity and healing are built into every part of the experience. 'When our facilities are designed with both patients and team members in mind, we strengthen our ability to provide safe, consistent and compassionate care. This is part of our ongoing commitment to excellence at every level of the healthcare journey." In March 2025, Sodexo reported a 3.1% revenue increase in the first half of the fiscal year 2025, up to €12.5bn ($13.5bn) from €12.1bn ($13bn) in the comparable period of the previous year. "Sodexo partners AtlantiCare for on-site operational services in New Jersey" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
