Latest news with #cancerscreening
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The Undertones star Feargal Sharkey reveals shock prostate cancer diagnosis after GP visit for a sore throat
FEARGAL Sharkey has revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a casual visit to his local GP for a sore throat. The water campaigner, 66, has spoken out about his 2023 ordeal to raise awareness and urge men to undergo cancer screenings. 2 After his testicular cancer scare, the Undertones singer is now doing 'very well' and pledged to 'carry on this fight' for clean waterways after his health issue was cleared up a year ago. A keen angler, Feargal told the Express: 'About a year and a half ago, I randomly went to see my GP with a sore throat. "Now I've known him long enough but he goes, 'No no, you're that bloke that used to sing. 'So if you're telling me you've got a sore throat, something is going on'. 'So my doctor, being the beautiful, wonderful, awkward, cantankerous old man that is gone, 'Oh Feargal, by the way, you're 65 now, I'm going to run the full battery of tests'.' That wondrously awkward old physician's insistence on checking out the singer resulted in him being diagnosed with prostate cancer. But 'without that random visit' to his local GP, Feargal would have never known that he had cancer, and warned 'it could have been a very different ending and a very different outcome to my life.' He urged all men over 45 to go and get checked out for prostate cancer saying 'If you're lucky', you'll walk away.' The campaigner has slammed water companies, blaming their 'greed, profiteering, financial engineering and regulatory incompetence.' He has denounced companies such as United Utilities, which deals with wastewater across the Northwest of England. How to check your prostate cancer risk Storm overflows at two water treatment plants dumped raw untreated sewage at Cunsey Beck and Haskshead Pumpking Station, both flowing into England's largest Lake Windemere. The company claimed the spill was due to record rainfall last August but mourning evidence indicates spills are happening regularly. Campaigners claim the spills are due to a lack of infrastructure investment. Feargal said: 'Sewage dumping has nothing whatsoever to do with heavy rain. In an interview on BBC Radio 4 Today was asked if banning bonuses for water bosses and criminal liability for spills would go far enough in the new water bill. In response, he said: 'Whitehall has no monopoly in any of this by any means. Welsh Water, for example, is actually the largest sewage dumper in the United Kingdom. Scotland has any number of rivers in bad ecological condition. 'Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland has been poisoned to the extent that it too now turns green, like Windermere.' What causes prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is very common but its causes remain a mystery. As with most cancers, the older you get, the more you are at risk, and its most common in men in their older 70s. Ethnicity plays a role and it is more common in Black men than white men, and least common in Asian men. There is a genetic element, and your odds are worse if you have a male relative whose had the disease. Being overweight increases your risk of getting the disease, and excersize lowers it. A very high calcium diet rich in dairy is thought to increase the chances of getting sick so you might have to lay off the cheese. One in eight men will get prostate cancer THE risk of developing prostate cancer depends on many factors. Here are some of the facts about the disease and how many men it affects... One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime It is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, and the second most common in men There are 55,000 new cases every year in the UK, and 1.4million globally Around 12,000 people lose their lives to prostate cancer annually in the UK and almost 400,000 around the world Prostate cancer accounts for 28 per cent of all new cancer cases in men in the UK, and 14 per cent of all new cancer cases in men and women combined Prostate cancer survival has tripled in the last 50 years in the UK More than three-quarters (78 per cent) of patients survive for 10 or more years About 490,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer in the UK It is most common in men aged 75 to 79 Since the early 1990s, cases have increased by 53 per cent in the UK Mortality rates are up 16 per cent since the early 1970s in the UK Incidence rates are projected to rise by 15 per cent in the UK between 2023 to 2025 and 2038 to 2040 Mortality rates are expected to fall five per cent in the UK over the same years
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Feargal Sharkey, 65, reveals shock prostate cancer diagnosis after he visited GP with a sore throat
Feargal Sharkey has revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer after a routine visit to the doctor for a sore throat. The 66-year-old Water campaigner is now 'doing very well' and has vowed to 'continue the fight' for clean rivers following the health scare that was 'resolved' a year ago. For the first time, the Undertones frontman has shared his experience publicly, hoping to motivate other men to undergo cancer screenings. He revealed that around a year and a half ago, he went to see his GP for a sore throat. Knowing him well, the doctor insisted on running a full set of tests, noting Feargal's age and sensing something more serious might be going on. Speaking to the Express, he said: 'Two days later, it turns out, I began a journey which led to the [diagnosis] of prostate cancer. 'Thankfully, that's all now been resolved a year ago. 'But here we are, had it not been for that random visit to my local GP, I would never have known that I was at that point carrying prostate cancer, and if it had not been seen to, it could have been a very different ending and a very different outcome to my life.' The 66-year-old Water campaigner is now 'doing very well' and has vowed to 'continue the fight' for clean rivers following the health scare that was 'resolved' a year ago He explained the reason he is happy to talk about it now is because he has a chance to raise awareness and appeal to men. 'The reason I'm very happy to talk about it is because if there's one man out there over the age of 45 go and see your GP. Go and get the blood test done.' He made a direct appeal to men to get 'have the blood test', saying that 'if you're lucky, you'll walk away'. The Irish singer has been vocal against water companies, blaming their 'greed, profiteering, financial engineering and regulatory incompetence'. Last August, a map from water company United Utilities, which supplies wastewater services across the northwest of England, showed that storm overflows at two water treatment plants were dumping untreated raw sewage. One is an outfall at Near Sawrey sewage works into Cunsey Beck, which flows into Lake Windermere - England's largest lake. The other is at Hawkshead Pumping Station, which also goes to Windermere. Operators of the plants, United Utilities, said that the spills were due to 'heavy rainfall' in the area, pointing out that there were weather warnings in place for the area and rainfall over 40mm between August 21 and 27. Storm overflows are an emergency relief valve for the water network, which spills sewage into seas and rivers when there is heavy rainfall to stop it from backing up into homes. But there is mounting evidence that suggests spills are happening when there is no heavy rainfa,ll and they do not absolutely need to. Campaigners do not believe water firms' claims that heavy rainfall is the reason for the excessive sewage dumping and instead say the blame is on a lack of investment. Former Undertones singer turned campaigner, Feargal Sharkey, said: 'Sewage dumping has nothing whatsoever to do with heavy rain. 'It is caused by greed, profiteering, financial engineering and regulatory incompetence. 'Fix those and you fix the sewage scandal.' In an interview on BBC Radio 4 Today, the 66-year-old was asked if the personal criminal liability for water bosses and the banning of bonuses for water bosses in the new water bill would address the issue. In response, he said: 'Whitehall has no monopoly in any of this by any means. Welsh Water, for example, is actually the largest sewage dumper in the United Kingdom. Scotland has any number of rivers in bad ecological condition. 'Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland has been poisoned to the extent that it too now turns green, like Windermere.'
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Teenager misdiagnosed with ‘period pain' told she has a rugby ball-sized ovary tumour
A Derbyshire mother is urging for childhood ovarian cancer screening after her 14-year-old daughter's rugby ball-sized tumour was initially misdiagnosed as period pain. Izzy Pickering, from Sawley, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April, a diagnosis that revealed a large tumour with a stem in her ovary. Izzy's initial symptoms, including back pain, stomach aches, and vomiting, led doctors to suspect appendicitis or period pain when she first visited A&E in November. However, during a second emergency room visit, her parents, Lisa and Wayne Pickering, insisted on further investigation. These subsequent tests uncovered the stage two cancer. This case highlights the lack of a national screening programme for ovarian cancer, a disease that accounts for 7,500 new cases annually in the UK. It primarily affects women over 50, according to NHS data. Following the diagnosis, doctors successfully removed Izzy's tumour. With the cancer detected relatively early, medical professionals are optimistic that chemotherapy will prove effective in Izzy's fight against the disease. Her mother is now advocating for increased awareness and testing for ovarian cancer in children. Izzy and her mum Lisa (Collect/PA Real Life) 'You hear of children with leukaemia but you don't hear of young girls with ovarian cancer,' Ms Pickering said. 'We want to get the word out that ovarian cancer can affect girls as young as 14 and not to take symptoms for granted. 'Children should have access to screening from when they start their period. 'They should not have to wait until they are sexually active as this is proof you don't have to be to get cancer in that area.' Izzy, who loves singing, acting and theatre, started to feel unwell in November when she was struck with a severe stomach ache, back pain and began vomiting. Her parents took her to her local GP where doctors initially thought it could be appendicitis and she was rushed to A&E at Queen's Medical Centre hospital in Nottingham for tests that same day. Doctors thought her pain could be due to her period and she was prescribed antibiotics for a possible infection in her oesophagus. But weeks later, Izzy's vomiting continued and she became frightened to eat in case she was sick. On March 19, her parents took her back to A&E where doctors ruled out appendicitis. But Ms Pickering refused to leave the hospital without more tests to confirm what was wrong. 'Something wasn't right, we know our daughter,' she said. Izzy and her mum Lisa at a Taylor Swift concert (Collect/PA Real Life) Izzy's temperature spiked and she was sent for an MRI scan on April 20 which led to her ovarian cancer diagnosis the following day. Close friend Sarahjane Giles, 45, who has launched a fundraiser to support the family while they take time off to take Izzy for treatment, said: 'Doctors found a rugby ball-sized mass in her ovary with a stalk growing in the middle which was causing her back pain. 'It was so big, all her organs had been pushed backwards and it had attached itself to tissue at the bottom of her back.' On March 17, Izzy underwent surgery to remove the tumour and began bleeding out on the operating table. Ms Giles, who has been with the family throughout their ordeal, said: 'They had to cut her in so many ways as the stalk had attached itself to so many things. 'They had to pack her stomach, leave her open, and put her in ICU to stop the bleeding.' Izzy was given blood transfusions overnight and was well enough to return to the operating theatre the next day where doctors removed what they believed was all the cancer. She was put in an induced coma for five days because 'one small movement and her stitches would have ruptured', Sarahjane said. In mid-April, doctors slowly took Izzy off her sedation medication and she began eating small amounts of food and taking her first steps. Izzy in costume for a theatre performance (Collect/PA Real Life) A biopsy showed she had stage two cancer and would need three months of chemotherapy five days a week to remove what was left of the disease. 'She will lose her hair and doctors said she will struggle to have children in the future,' Sarahjane said. 'It's a lot for a 14-year-old child to take on. 'What makes it really sad is that Izzy is a miracle baby herself and has always wanted to be a maternity nurse. 'But she has a lovely group of friends who have been going to visit her and her parents have been there every step of the way.' Izzy is taking time off school during her three-month treatment which started on April 25. Her parents are having to take unpaid leave from work to take Izzy to hospital and support her during her recovery. To support the family during this time, Ms Giles has launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe which has so far raised £8,345 of a £10,500 target. She is also running the half-marathon in Carsington Water, Derbyshire, on June 21 for the same cause and to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. (Collect/PA Real Life) Any funds raised will also go towards wigs for Izzy and other things she may need. Ms Giles added: 'Izzy is really bubbly, outgoing and the kindest and most caring young lady. 'She loves makeup, handbags, singing and is in a drama group. 'Lis and Izzy will often go to the West End to see shows and were supposed to be going on a family holiday to Turkey before her diagnosis. 'Any donations to help them through this difficult time will make all the difference.' A spokesperson for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said that, according to its data, 'current evidence does not support population screening for ovarian cancer, even in adults, as there is insufficient evidence that screening reduces mortality and may lead to unnecessary interventions'. A spokesperson for Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham said the hospital did not comment on individual cases. A link to Izzy's fundraiser can be found here:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exact Sciences Highlights Innovations in Early Cancer Detection and Precision Oncology at ASCO 2025
MADISON, Wis., May 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, today announced it will present ten abstracts at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place May 30–June 3, 2025, in Chicago, Ill. Presentations include new data on the Oncodetect™ molecular residual disease (MRD) test, multi-cancer early detection (MCED) testing, the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test, and the Cologuard® test that underscore Exact Sciences' expanding portfolio and commitment to advancing care through scientific excellence. "The data Exact Sciences will present at ASCO 2025 reflect the scientific rigor and clinical significance of our expanding portfolio and pipeline," said Dr. Rick Baehner, MD, chief medical officer, Precision Oncology at Exact Sciences. "From MRD to MCED to CRC screening, we are advancing evidence-based innovations that help empower providers and deliver crucial answers to patients. Every study, partnership, and data point move us closer to a future where cancer is detected earlier and treated with greater precision." Real-world evidence supporting the Cologuard test continues to grow, with ongoing research into repeat screening. New data from prominent experts and research groups reinforce the Oncotype DX® test as a trusted, evidence-backed tool, further affirming its role as the standard of care for predicting chemotherapy benefit for breast cancer patients. Building on more than a decade of experience with Cologuard and 20 years of leadership with the Oncotype DX test, Exact Sciences continues to advance the future of precision oncology and multi-cancer screening. New Data and Continuous Evidence Generation Underscore the Oncodetect Test's Power to Detect Cancer Recurrence. Data from the Beta-CORRECT study further strengthens the clinical foundation of the Oncodetect test, confirming its role in helping guide treatment decisions and surveillance strategies for patients with stage II–IV colorectal cancer1. Expanding on this evidence to multiple solid tumor types, Exact Sciences and Flatiron Health continue enrollment in a multi-year, prospective study evaluating how MRD testing can improve cancer monitoring and treatment decisions in community care settings. New Data Support Promise of MCED as Exact Sciences Prepares for LDT Launch. A modeling study found annual MCED testing could reduce late-stage cancer incidence by more than 40% and mortality by up to 18% in high-risk groups2. Additionally, the Falcon registry, a large, prospective real-world study of Exact Sciences' MCED test, will track 25,000 participants against a 50,000-person standard-care cohort to assess adoption, outcomes, and patient experience. These findings come as Exact Sciences prepares to launch Cancerguard™ EX, its MCED lab-developed test (LDT), in the second half of the year, marking a significant step in expanding access to earlier cancer detection. Exact Sciences abstracts at ASCO include: Precision Oncology The Association of Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) with Recurrence in Patients with Stage II-IV Colorectal Cancer: The ꞵ-CORRECT Study Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CT Abstract number: 3590 Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) in Solid Tumors Monday, June 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CT Abstract number: TPS3186 Enhancing Recurrence Detection in Stage III Colorectal Cancer Patients Through Molecular Residual Disease Test-guided Surveillance: A Modeling Study Abstract number: e15600 Patient outcomes in WSG-ADAPT according to NATALEE and MonarchE risk criteria Monday, June 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CT Abstract number: 601 Screening Adherence to repeat screening for colorectal cancer using the multi-target stool DNA test: Real-world analysis of patients from Federally Qualified Health Centers Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CT Abstract number: 3630 A decade of progress: Trends in 5-year survival across 17 cancer types Abstract number: e23262 The potential of multi-cancer early detection screening in reducing cancer incidence and mortality in high-risk groups: A modeling study Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM CT Abstract number: 10542 Falcon – Exact Sciences' multi-cancer early detection (MCED) real-world evidence (RWE) registry Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM CT Abstract number: TPS11189 Evaluation of plasma methylated DNA markers for detection HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a case control study Monday, June 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CT Abstract number: 6057 Feasibility of vaginal tampons versus vaginal swabs in the collection of vaginal fluid for endometrial cancer testing Abstract number: e17617 References Hashimoto et al. The association of ctDNA with recurrence in patients with stage II-IV colorectal cancer: The β-CORRECT study. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2025. Chhatwal, J., Xiao, J., ElHabr, A., Tyson, C., Cao, X., Raoof, S., Fendrick, A. M., Ozbay, A. B., Limburg, P., Beer, T. M., Deshmukh, A., & Briggs, A. (2025). The potential of multi-cancer early detection screening in reducing cancer incidence and mortality in high-risk groups: A modeling study. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2025 About Exact Sciences Corp. A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences helps give patients and health care professionals the clarity needed to take life-changing action earlier. Building on the success of the Cologuard® and Oncotype DX® tests, Exact Sciences is investing in its pipeline to develop innovative solutions for use before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. For more information, visit follow Exact Sciences on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on LinkedIn and Facebook. NOTE: Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score and Oncodetect are trademarks of Genomic Health, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exact Sciences. Exact Sciences, Cologuard, and Cancerguard are trademarks of Exact Sciences. Forward-Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning our expectations, anticipations, intentions, beliefs, or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions and events to differ materially from those anticipated. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the performance characteristics and health care benefits of the Cologuard, Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score, Oncodetect, and Cancerguard EX tests in a commercial setting, as well as statements regarding the development and commercialization of Exact Sciences' pipeline tests. Risks and uncertainties that may affect our forward-looking statements are described in the Risk Factors sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Lisa Warshaw323-360-8778Lwarshaw@ Investor Contact: Derek Leckow608-893-0009investorrelations@ Sign in to access your portfolio
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Extra cancer scans for women with dense breasts could save 700 lives a year
Hundreds of lives could be saved every year with extra cancer checks for women with very dense breasts, a study suggests. Millions of women undergo breast screening, but regular mammograms can be less effective at spotting cancer in the 10% with very dense breasts, as the tissue can hide tumours on X-rays. This is because very dense breasts look whiter on scans, making it harder to detect early-stage disease, which also appears white. Offering this group of women enhanced scans could find 3,500 more cases of cancer and save 700 lives a year in the UK, researchers from the University of Cambridge said. Their findings were published in the Lancet. The study's lead author, Prof Fiona Gilbert, said: 'Getting a cancer diagnosis early makes a huge difference for patients in terms of their treatment and outlook. We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.' She added: 'In addition to the relevance for the UK's breast cancer screening programme, this study has global implications for all countries where screening is undertaken for women with dense breast tissue.' The study involved 9,361 women in the UK who had dense breasts and had received a negative (no cancer) mammogram result. When additional scanning methods were trialled, an extra 85 cancers were found. Two methods examined were contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), in which dye is used to make blood vessels more visible, and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (Ab-MRI), which is faster than a regular MRI. Researchers said adding either method to existing screening could detect 3,500 more cancers a year in the UK. With screening reducing mortality for about 20% of cancers detected, this could mean an extra 700 lives saved a year, the Cambridge team said. A third scanning method used in the trial – automated breast ultrasound (Abus) – also picked up cancers but was much less effective than CEM and Ab-MRI. CEM detected 19 cancers for every 1,000 women scanned, Ab-MRI found 17 and Abus found four. With mammograms already detecting about eight cases of cancer per 1,000 women with dense breasts, additional scans could more than treble breast cancer detection, the researchers said. The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Although the trial showed the scans could detect additional small cancers, which would probably save lives, further research is needed to confirm whether they could reduce the number of deaths, in order to establish the risk of overdiagnosis and to estimate the cost-benefit ratio of offering extra scans. 'More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of these techniques, but these results are encouraging,' said Dr David Crosby, the head of prevention and early detection at CRUK. Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, the head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'The UK National Screening Committee now needs to consider this research as part of their current review to determine whether women with very dense breasts should be offered additional imaging during their routine screening.' She added: 'Routine breast screening is the most likely route to finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. While we know that the current process can be less effective in detecting cancers in dense breasts, we still encourage all women to attend mammogram screening when invited.' The Department for Health and Social Care said research into enhanced scans for women with dense breasts was being carried out as part of the NHS breast screening programme. 'The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available,' a spokesperson said.
