Latest news with #National Institutes of Health
New York Times
21 hours ago
- Health
- New York Times
The Truth About Detransitioning
In its campaign against transgender rights, the Trump administration has been spotlighting stories of people who have regretted transitioning. A recent Federal Trade Commission event, titled 'The Dangers of 'Gender-Affirming Care' for Minors,' included testimony from six people who had come to believe their gender transition hurt them more than it helped. The Department of Education marked 'Detrans Awareness Day' in March. The following month, the White House ordered the National Institutes of Health to conduct more research into transition regret (even though it has gutted $800 million in grant funding for L.G.B.T.Q. research). I am a researcher who studies detransition — what happens when people who have undergone a gender transition decide to stop or reverse it, often halting medical treatments like hormones. I am also transgender, having begun my own medical transition with testosterone 15 years ago, when I was a 25-year-old graduate student. Under the guise of protecting children from medical harm, the Trump administration is oversimplifying detransition and using it as a political cudgel against transgender health care. My personal experience, that of most trans people I know and a large body of research, show medical transition can help many resolve their gender dysphoria and improve their quality of life. (I live a fulfilling life as a trans man and am the proud father of a 5-year-old.) But it's also true that a subset of people reverse course after already changing their bodies with hormones or surgeries. Early studies, from the 1970s until the 2000s, suggested detransition among adults was rare; about 1 percent to 6 percent reversed the process or expressed regret. But some recent studies among young people have suggested it could now be higher, 5 percent to 10 percent — an increase that has come amid a sharp rise in the number of young people seeking care at gender clinics. The focus of my research is on why people detransition and what the field of trans health care can learn from these experiences. In conducting what I believe to be the largest study ever designed to understand detransition, surveying nearly 1,000 people about the factors that contributed to their decision, my research team heard from many people whose stories were not all that different from the speakers at the F.T.C. panel. They felt let down by treatments, sometimes terribly so. This fact should encourage medical providers to take detransition seriously, to learn more about how to support people with these experiences. At the same time, the Trump administration's rhetoric on detransition is dangerously myopic. We found that many people detransition not out of regret, but because they feel forced by societal factors like negative attitudes toward transgender people, attitudes that are being amplified by the Trump administration. I believe that acknowledging the full complexity of detransition — that it can unfold with ambivalence, regrets, resilience and even satisfaction — is the best path toward better care. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Oral sex could increase your risk of SKIN cancer – the 3 ways to protect yourself
SCIENTISTS have discovered a new cause of skin cancer - and it's linked to oral sex. Human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK, is primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, including oral sex. 3 3 It's previously been linked to increased risk of several cancers, including anal, head and neck, throat, penile cancer and cervical cancer. But now, US researchers say the virus could also cause a deadly form of skin cancer - squamous cell carcinoma. Scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discovered the link after a 34-year-old woman was referred to the clinic. She presented with 43 spots of the skin cancer on her face, hands and legs. But while she had surgery to remove them, as well as immunotherapy, the cancer returned. Doctors first suspected sun damage and a weak immune system, but later found the beta-HPV virus had inserted into her skin cells' DNA and was producing viral proteins, taking control of the cells. Dr Andrea Lisco, a virologist who led the study, said: "This discovery could completely change how we think about the development, and consequently the treatment, of [skin cancer] in people who have a health condition that compromises immune function. "It suggests that there may be more people out there with aggressive forms of [skin cancer] who have underlying immune defect and could benefit from treatments targeting the immune system." The woman in the case report was found to have a genetic condition that weakened her T-cells (a type of immune cell), leaving her unable to fight off the virus. Doctors treated her with a stem cell transplant to restore her immune system. Urgent health alert as most sexually active will get cancer causing virus at some point in life Three years later, her skin cancer hadn't returned, and other HPV-related complications, such as growths on her tongue and skin, had disappeared. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and are preliminary, only suggesting a potential link between HPV and skin cancer. Three ways to protect yourself from HPV The most effective way to protect yourself from HPV is to get the HPV vaccine. Additionally, practising safe sex, such as using condoms, and getting regular screenings can further reduce the risk of infection and potential health problems. HPV vaccination In the UK, the vaccine is routinely offered to children aged 12 to 13, but is also available for older individuals who may have missed it, especially those at higher risk. The vaccine is most effective when administered before the first sexual contact, but it can still provide protection even after sexual activity has begun. 3 How do you know if you have HPV? HPV doesn't usually cause any symptoms, which means most people who have it don't realise and don't have any problems. But sometimes the virus can cause painless growths or lumps around your vagina, penis or anus (known as genital warts). Genital warts appear on their own or in a group (groups of warts can look like a cauliflower. They may feel soft or firm, and be white, red, skin-coloured, or darker than the surrounding skin. Source: NHS Safe sex practices Using condoms consistently and correctly during sexual activity can significantly reduce the risk of HPV transmission, though they don't offer complete protection as HPV can affect areas not covered by the condom. Dental dams can also be used to reduce the risk of transmission during oral sex. And being in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who also has only had sex with you can also reduce the risk. Screening and testing Regular screenings, such as Pap tests and HPV tests, can help detect HPV and abnormal cell changes early, allowing for timely intervention and prevention of cervical cancer. Guidelines recommend starting Pap test screening at age 21 and continuing until age 65 for most women. Other ways to reduce skin cancer risk Sun protection Limit sun exposure: Avoid prolonged sun exposure, especially during peak UV hours (usually between 11am and 3pm). Seek shade when outdoors, especially during these hours. Sunscreen: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply it every two hours, or more frequently if swimming or sweating. Protective clothing: Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs, and choose a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, neck and ears. Sunglasses that offer UV protection are also crucial. Skin self-exams and professional check ups Regular skin checks: Regularly examine your skin for any new moles, changes in existing moles, or any unusual spots. Pay attention to the ABCDEs of melanoma: Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter, and Evolving. Dermatologist visits: Schedule regular skin exams with a dermatologist, especially if you have risk factors like a family history of skin cancer or a history of sunburns.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Virus spread through oral sex linked to soaring skin cancer rates for first time in major study
One of the UK's most common sexually transmitted infections (STI) which can spread via oral sex has been linked to skin cancer for the first time. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the second most common STI in the UK, after chlamydia, with around four in five people estimated to have HPV at some point in their lives. The virus is already known to raise the risk of six types of cancer, including anal, head and neck, throat and a number of gynaecological cancers such as cervical. But now, US researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) say the virus could also cause a deadly form of skin cancer, known as squamous cell carcinoma. More than 25,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease every year, making it the second most common form of skin cancer. While it is highly survivable in the early stages, when caught late it can spread to other areas of the body where it becomes far more difficult to treat. The scientists discovered the link after a 34-year-old woman was referred to the clinic, presenting with recurrent skin cancer despite multiple surgeries and a round of immunotherapy. Her local GP initially dismissed her symptoms as an inherited condition, believing she was more sensitive to radiation and struggled to repair cells damaged by UV radiation. But analysis at the NIH revealed HPV had incorporated itself into the genes of her cancer cells, which researchers suspected had led them to become more aggressive. Further tests showed that her skin cells could still repair sun damage, suggesting ultraviolet (UV) exposure was not the main driver of her skin cancer. Dr Andrea Lisco, a virologist who led the study, said: 'This discovery could completely change how we think about the development, and consequently the treatment, of [skin cancer] in people who have a health condition that compromises immune function. 'It suggests that there may be more people out there with aggressive forms of [skin cancer] who have underlying immune defect and could benefit from treatments targeting the immune system.' The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, are still preliminary and only suggest a potential link between HPV and skin cancer. More research is needed to confirm the findings, and it is not clear at this time what proportion of skin cancer cases may be caused by the virus. The patient was immunocompromised and unable to produce enough healthy T cells, a key part of the immune system, to fight off the virus. Doctors treated her with a stem cell transplant to restore her immune system. Three years later, her skin cancer has not returned, and other HPV-related complications, such as growths on her tongue and skin, have also disappeared. Researchers said she was infected with beta-HPV, a type of HPV that is present on the skin and can be spread through sexual contact. The variant differs from alpha-HPV, which is linked to cancer in the throat, anus and cervix. Researchers found that the virus had embedded itself in the cancer cells' DNA and was driving them to produce viral proteins, triggering mutations that likely fueled the tumors growth. In persistent HPV infections, studies suggest that mutations occur in cells that lead to the development of cancer. The immune system normally clears the infection by itself, with many patients unaware they ever had HPV. But in some cases the infection can cause symptoms, like warts, with doctors treating these using surgery or prescription creams to destroy the growths. Experts have repeatedly urged people to get the HPV vaccine to reduce their risk of HPV cancers. Yet, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UK's HPV vaccine uptake lags shockingly behind other countries — just 56 per cent among girls and 50 per cent for boys. Denmark, by comparison, records a rate of around 80 per cent. Cases of squamous cell carcinoma, however, have spiked in recent years and risen by 200 percent in the last three decades, estimates suggest. This has primarily been linked to more exposure to UV rays from the sun and tanning beds. Warning signs of the cancer include a firm, raised bump or nodule on the skin, or a scaly, red or pink patch or sore that does not heal. Those with long-term sun exposure, fair skin, or who are over 65 years old are most likely to be diagnosed with the disease. Men are also twice as likely to be diagnosed as women. Doctors normally treat the cancer using surgery or chemotherapy, and it has a good survival rate. More than four in five cases are caught in the early stages, where patients have a five-year survival rate of 99 percent. But if the cancer spreads in the body, this drops to 20 percent.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Men are embracing pelvic floor therapy — and not just for better sex
Men can develop a hypertonic pelvic floor — over-activation of muscles for peeing and sex. Sometimes it's a response to too much stress or anxiety but there are other causes too. Strength training, stretching, breath work, and no more than 10 minutes on the toilet all help. If you're a woman, you probably already know what a kegel exercise is, and have been told to work on strengthening your pelvic floor. But an increasing number of men are discovering they have the opposite problem: a pelvic floor that is hyper tense and over-flexed nearly all the time. All of us, regardless of gender, are sitting on a hammock of muscles that control how well we can urinate, perform a bowel movement, and have sex. This is the pelvic floor. When operating properly, it sits largely unnoticed, helping thanklessly to facilitate these bodily functions throughout the course of each day. But, if the pelvic floor muscles become too tight or too loose, chaos can ensue. That's what happened to Adam Gvili when he was in his early 20s. "I went like 20 times a day," Gvili, now a physical therapist treating pelvic floor issues, told Business Insider, referring to his frequent urge to pee — one of the most common symptoms of hypertonic pelvic floor. According to the US National Institutes of Health's Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, up to one in five women will have surgery for a pelvic floor disorder at some point in her lifetime, and even more women — about 32% — will have some sort of diagnosed pelvic floor disorder. The number of men with chronic pelvic pain is estimated to be about half that, around 16%. Pelvic floor experts told BI these men are often suffering in the shadows. Almost no one is talking about the male pelvic floor, due to a mix of shame, a lack of awareness, and the fact that getting a diagnosis typically involves a long process of elimination with specialists. Many patients quietly find PTs like Gvili on Reddit or through frantic Google searching, he said. Others might hear him on a podcast, or are referred from a urologist. "Because they have this urge and frequency to go, it's like, 'Do I have to go? Should I go? Wait, I'm not sure. I already went like 20 minutes ago. Does that mean I really have to go?' And that's just for urination," Gvili said. "So imagine how much in your head you can get." Beyond needing to pee often, common tell-tale signs of a pelvic floor in panic mode include: Shooting pain in the rectum Erectile dysfunction (ED) Premature ejaculation Constipation Groin pain Testicular pain "It's not like the muscle pops up and says, 'Hey, I'm the problem,'" physical therapist Karen Brandon, president of the International Pelvic Pain Society, told BI. "What is more common is that men will experience symptoms of urgency and difficulty urinating and some random strange pains in their penis or their scrotum." There are myriad reasons that a pelvic floor can become tight and overengaged. Sometimes, it's stress. "For some people, they tense their pelvic floor when that [stress] happens" Gvili, the founder of Pelvis NYC, said. Tensing and tightening those muscles can also be a response to anxiety, or sexual trauma. Not all of the cases he sees are linked to stress, though. He says there are a fair number of "type B guys here that are way chill and have this" for other reasons. Older men can develop a hypertonic pelvic floor after a prostatectomy, for example. "It could be, for a lot of men, masturbating too many times, it could be after squatting or deadlifting, I mean, there's many reasons." Male pelvic floor issues can also be spurred by an infection or injury to the area, even a "really bad bowel movement," Brandon said. "What happens is your pelvic floor muscle then starts to guard and get protective." Ultimately, Gvili said, there's not a ton that men can do to prevent the pelvic floor from going into overdrive. Of course, maintaining a good exercise routine, staying flexible, breathing through stress, and time for relaxation, those all help. His work endeavors to help people pay less attention to their pelvic floor, and let "your body's natural mechanism" operate automatically again. "My goal is to decrease your awareness to a certain area of the body," Gvili said. "It's not as simple as 'just do some kegels.'" Instead, it's the engagement and then release of the pelvic floor throughout the day that will help keep it healthy. Brandon imagines the pelvic floor like a set of saloon doors that can swing both ways: lifting and pulling in, much like you would for a kegel, but also doing the opposite, by dropping and releasing, telescoping the anus to push towards the floor, almost like you're about to pass gas. One of the best things Gvili recommends for maintaining a healthy pelvic floor is strength training. "Lift heavy," he said. "Squats, dead lifts." But you have to be careful. Brandon stresses that maintaining "good form" for your strength training is essential, to ensure you're not "biasing a certain muscle and overusing the one that's connected to the pelvic floor." Men with really tight hips who never take time to stretch after they work out are prime candidates for a hypertonic pelvic floor. "Don't be shy or afraid of being flexible," she said. "The majority of the male issues I see are that." Poses like frog can help release the pelvic floor, when done correctly. The goal is to be able to both contract and relax this silent set of muscles, in proper balance. "For a lot of men that are tight, we help them use those muscles, but also tone down their nervous system to know that there's no reason to tighten them up," Gvili said. Gvili and Brandon both had the same parting piece of advice for maintaining a healthy pelvic floor: Don't spend too much time on the toilet. Invest in a squatty potty if you are often constipated, it will help relax the muscles so your bowels can flow without pushing. "I get the whole scrolling on the phone thing," Gvili said. If you need some alone time in the bathroom, that's fine, just don't spend too long with your cheeks spread across the bowl. If you're constipated, try leaning forward or backwards without pushing, breathing deeply, and if you're ultimately unsuccessful, get off and try again later. "I tell people five to 10 minutes, no longer," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
