Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in men and women under age 50.

According to the American Cancer Society almost 153,000 individuals in the U.S. were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in 2024 and more than 53,000 died from the disease.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness month and Intermountain Health is working to raise awareness about the disease and the importance of prevention and early detection.

Awareness is crucial because many cases of colon and rectal cancer can be prevented. In fact, colon cancer has a 90% survival rate when detected early.

Understanding your risks

Colon cancer can affect anyone, but certain factors can increase your risk:

• Age: Most cases occur in individuals aged 50 and older.
• Family history: A family history of colon cancer or polyps can increase your risk.
• Personal history: Previous polyps or inflammatory bowel disease heighten your risk.
• Lifestyle factors: Diets high in red and processed meats, smoking, heavy alcohol use and lack of physical activity can contribute to an increased risk.

It’s not just older adults who need to be vigilant. Colorectal cancer incidence has been steadily increasing in younger Americans for the last several decades, with the sharpest rise seen in the incidence of rectal cancer.

In 2020, 11% of all colon cancer and 15% of all rectal cancer diagnoses were estimated to occur in individuals under age 50.

“Waiting for symptoms is too late,” said Christine Hachem, M.D., interim medical director of gastroenterology and digestive health for Intermountain Health. “Screening occurs when you have no symptoms and feel well. Early detection is critical to catching colorectal cancer and saving lives.”

This rise is alarming because younger patients often have more advanced cases by the time they’re diagnosed.

Factors contributing to this trend may include environmental exposures, dietary habits, and sporadic genetic mutations, Hachem said.

“Younger individuals face unique barriers when it comes to colon cancer screenings, such as a lack of awareness about the need for screening, fear or discomfort associated with the procedure and challenges in navigating the healthcare system,” said Priyanka Patel, M.D., gastroenterologist for Intermountain Health. “It’s crucial for everyone, regardless of age, to understand their personal risk factors and discuss them with their healthcare provider to determine the best screening plan.”

Updated national guidelines make it possible for more people to be screened with a colonoscopy and stool-based testing starting at age 45.

Colonoscopies are considered the gold standard for colon cancer detection. It not only detects abnormalities, but removes precancerous lesions. Intermountain Health makes it easier to schedule a colonoscopy with an online system, ensuring you have access to this vital screening option.

For most patients a colonoscopy is then only needed once every 10 years, or once every five years if your doctor determines you have an increased risk of colon cancer.

Earlier screening may be recommended for anyone with a personal history of polyps or family history of colon cancer.

If you have inflammatory bowel disease (with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis) or other chronic conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract, talk with your doctor or a gastrointestinal specialist to determine when and how often you should be screened.

“Don’t delay your screenings,” Hachem said. “It could save your life.”

Other easy and convenient screening options

Intermountain Health offers home-based tests that are both effective and convenient, allowing you to get what you need, when you need it, without leaving your home.

Individuals who are 45 to 75 years old with average risk may qualify for Intermountain’s on-demand colon cancer screening kits. This is an option that allows you to get a test kit in the mail and send it back to the lab for testing without the need for an appointment.

Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT):

This simple, non-invasive test detects hidden blood in the stool, an early sign of colon cancer. You can complete it at home, and if the results are positive or abnormal, a follow-up colonoscopy may be necessary.

Cologuard:

Combining the FIT with a DNA test, Cologuard detects abnormal DNA markers in stool samples. It’s also non-invasive and can be done at home. A positive or abnormal result will require a follow-up colonoscopy.

Why choose home-based tests?

Home-based tests like FIT and Cologuard offer several advantages:

• Convenience: Complete the test at home without a doctor’s visit.
• Non-Invasive: No preparation or sedation required.
• Accessibility: Ideal for those who may have difficulty scheduling or accessing colonoscopy appointments.

Act today

Understanding your risks and exploring your screening options are vital steps in preventing colon cancer.

If you are 45 or older, you can order an at-home colon cancer screening kit to have a test kit mailed to you without needing a doctor’s visit. If you have risk factors, like a family or personal history of colon cancer or polyps, talk to your healthcare provider about getting screened.

It may not just be tooth decay you need to worry about when it comes to sugary drinks: new research suggests that these sweetened beverages might also be raising the risk of oral cancer.

Researchers from the University of Washington crunched the numbers from a public health database, looking at records covering the dietary habits of 162,602 women, 124 of whom developed oral cancer over a 30-year period.

Compared with women who drank less than one sugary drink per month, those who indulged in one or more sugary drinks daily were 4.87 times more likely to develop oral cancer.

Those who didn’t drink alcohol or smoke much or at all, but consumed one or more sugary drinks daily, were at 5.46 times higher risk of oral cancer than women who drank less than one sugary drink each month.

“The incidence of oral cavity cancer (OCC) is increasing among non-smokers and young individuals without traditional risk factors worldwide,” write the researchers in their published paper.

“In this study, high sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with a significantly increased risk of OCC in women, regardless of smoking or drinking habits, yet with low baseline risk.”

The structure of this study means it does not show direct cause and effect, because other factors may be involved that the researchers haven’t accounted for. However, the association is strong enough to suggest there is some relationship here.

Traditionally, oral cancer is linked to risk factors such as smoking or chewing tobacco, drinking heavily, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. It’s a real concern that oral cancer cases are quickly rising outside of these risk factors.

One reason that’s been put forward for this is our changing dietary habits. The unhealthy foods many of us are now consuming on a regular basis could be triggering long-term inflammatory responses from the body’s immune system.

“A Western dietary pattern has increasingly been recognized as a risk factor for gastrointestinal tract cancers and is characterized by high consumption of saturated fats, processed foods, and added sugars,” write the researchers.

“Our hypothesis is that diets with higher added sugar may contribute to chronic inflammation, which may, in turn, contribute to the risk of OCC.”

There are some limitations here – the study only looked at data for women, and covers a relatively low number of cancer cases – and the researchers are keen for more data to be collected and assessed on this potential link.

However, it’s another compelling reason for us to watch what we drink as well as what we eat. The health dangers associated with sugary drinks aren’t new, but we’re now realizing just how harmful they can be.

“The methodology and quality of the study are excellent and the data has been analysed in great detail,” says epidemiologist Raúl Zamora Ros, from the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) in Spain, who wasn’t involved in the research.

“More studies are needed to confirm these associations and also to assess whether soft drinks with artificial sweeteners would be just as harmful, as many people substitute one for the other.”

(NEXSTAR) – New cases of a dangerous, drug-resistant fungus have been identified in at least two states’ hospital systems.

Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. in 2016. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year, jumping substantially in 2023 (the last year of data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Recently, cases have proliferated in Georgia, the state’s health department told local news outlet WJCL. A study published this week, which focused on the Jackson Health System in Miami also found cases of the fungus have “rapidly increased.”

The CDC has called Candida auris “an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat” because it’s resistant to anti-fungal drugs, making it hard to treat an infection once it occurs.

“If you get infected with this pathogen that’s resistant to any treatment, there’s no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You’re all on your own,” Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar.

People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but Candida auris mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices.

When the fungus infects a patient, it can be hard to identify what’s going on. Symptoms are like those of any infection, including fever and chills.

Another reason Candida auris is so concerning is because of how well it has adapted to surviving on surfaces, like countertops, bedrails and doorknobs.

“It’s really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment,” Nolan explained. “So if you have it on a patient’s bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn’t get cleared, then they’re becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment.”

It’s not just hospitals in Georgia and Florida that are areas of concern. Candida auris has been found in all but 12 states, with a substantial spike between 2022 and 2023.

In the past, the CDC estimated that “based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.”

Weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. touted vitamin A as an effective treatment for measles amid the largest outbreak of disease in decades, hospitalized patients in West Texas are being treated for signs of vitamin A toxicity.

Several patients at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock have been found to have abnormal liver function, CNN reported, which can occur when a person takes excessive doses of vitamin A. Those being treated include “a handful of unvaccinated children who were given so much vitamin A that they had signs of liver damage,” the New York Times reported.

More than 320 people in Texas have contracted measles in recent weeks. Forty people have been hospitalized in the state and one child has died in the current outbreak. As of March 27, there have been 411 reported cases of measles in the United States in 2025 and two deaths overall.

‘Flying off the shelves’

One week after RFK Jr.’s March 4 interview on Fox News, during which he touted the “very good” results of treating measles with vitamin A-rich cod liver oil, pharmacies in West Texas saw demand skyrocket.

“It’s flying off the shelves,” Tyler Schultz, pharmacy manager at Drug Emporium in Lubbock told KLBK News earlier this month about cod liver oil.

On Thursday, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade organization for the food supplement industry, issued a statement in response to recent media reports that parents were giving their children excessive doses of vitamin A as a way to treat or try to prevent contracting measles.

“While vitamin A plays an important role in supporting overall immune function, research hasn’t established its effectiveness in preventing measles infection. CRN is concerned about reports of high-dose vitamin A being used inappropriately, especially in children,” the statement said.

While large doses of vitamin A have been shown to be effective in helping to treat severe cases of measles, health experts warn that it should be administered under the guidance of a physician.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases states on its website that “when measles does occur, vitamin A can be an effective treatment when appropriately administered by a healthcare professional.”

Taking too much vitamin A can also be dangerous.

Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity

On its website, Cleveland Clinic states that “Acute vitamin A toxicity happens when somebody — usually a child — accidentally ingests a megadose of vitamin A.”

The most common symptoms include headache, a rash that may cause skin to peel, drowsiness, irritability, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, the clinic said.

Kennedy directed the CDC to update its measles guidance to promote the use of vitamin A.

“While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection,” Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, wrote in a March 2 op-ed published by Fox News. “Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.”

But the study Kennedy referenced looked at the effectiveness of vitamin A “treatment and supplementation in addition to offering two doses of vaccine to all children.” And in his Fox News interview two days later, Kennedy suggested vitamin A could also work “as a prophylaxis” to measles, which is not true.

Vaccines work against measles

“I just want to be abundantly clear that vitamin A is not a replacement for vaccination,” Dr. Stacey Rose, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, told Houston Public Media earlier this month. “I think the reason that vitamin A is part of the conversation is because vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce mortality or death associated with measles infection, especially in young children and in populations or areas where children tend to be malnourished.”

Health care experts have marveled at how an entirely preventable childhood disease has continued to circulate thanks to vaccine skepticism.

“Given that two (2) doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective in preventing the disease, it should not be necessary for a parent or a healthcare professional to know how to treat measles,” the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases states on its website.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs), the first such drug approved in decades and the first in a new class of medications.

British pharmaceutical company GSK announced Tuesday that the FDA had approved its oral antibiotic Blujepa for treating uncomplicated urinary tract infections in female adults and pediatric patients 12 and older.

A UTI is considered uncomplicated if it occurs in a female individual who does not have a fever, is not pregnant, does not have a condition that weakens their immune system, does not have a catheter in place and is limited to the lower part of the urinary tract.

According to the drugmaker, Blujepa works through a novel mechanism, inhibiting bacterial DNA replication. A U.S. commercial launch is planned for the second half of 2025. Funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority went to the development of Blujepa.

The drug is effective against UTIs caused by E. coli, klebsiella, Citrobacter freundii, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Enterococcus faecalis. The most common side effects reported from using the drug were gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea and nausea.

“The approval of Blujepa is a crucial milestone with uUTIs among the most common infections in women,” Tony Wood, GSK’s chief scientific officer, said in a statement. “We are proud to have developed Blujepa, the first in a new class of oral antibiotics for uUTIs in nearly three decades, and to bring another option to patients given recurrent infections and rising rates of resistance to existing treatments.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has officially signed Senate Bill 189 into law, granting approval for the sale and purchase of ivermectin for human use without a prescription.

The new legislation, signed into law on Tuesday, allows ivermectin suitable for human consumption to be sold over-the-counter in Arkansas, making it accessible to individuals without the need for a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional.

The legislation explicitly states that “ivermectin suitable for human use may be sold or purchased as an over-the-counter medication in this state without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional.” This development marks a notable shift in the state’s stance on the drug, which has traditionally been available only through a doctor’s prescription.

Ivermectin, a medication primarily used to treat intestinal parasitic worms in both animals and humans, gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings against using ivermectin as an unapproved treatment for COVID-19, it gained traction among vaccine opponents as an alternative remedy during the height of the pandemic.

While its use in humans is generally reserved for specific conditions, it has been widely administered to horses and other livestock to treat parasitic infections.

Under the new law, ivermectin will become available for purchase without the oversight of a medical professional.

The measure will take effect 90 days after the Arkansas state legislature adjourns, setting the stage for broader accessibility to the drug.

This change is expected to have a significant impact on how the medication is accessed and used in the state, particularly among those who view it as a viable treatment option despite the ongoing controversy surrounding its safety and efficacy for COVID-19.

Brock Thompson, the one who initially proposed the bill to Senator Alan Clark had this to say about the passing of the bill:

I am happy that Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed SB189 giving the people the choice to use Ivermectin an old drug for themselves. It has been finding new life over the past few years and this will help continue the conversation about medical freedoms. We don’t know what the future holds for the human drug, but to me it validates the doctors that were demonized for using it.

Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have scored big wins from the FDA in recent months, as the agency cracks down on copycat versions of their GLP-1 blockbusters. Now, as the battle with compound GLP-1s comes to an end, both pharma giants are ramping up their direct-to-consumer offerings in the obesity space.

The FDA declared last month that the shortage of semaglutide, the active ingredient for Novo’s Wegovy and Ozempic, has been resolved — a decision that restricts pharmacies from manufacturing compounded versions of the drugs. The agency did the same for Lilly’s tirzepatide, found in its obesity and diabetes meds Zepbound and Mounjaro, late last year.

Compounded GLP-1s have been a source of contention for Lilly and Novo, which have both waged a legal war to prohibit copycats. Until recently, these versions were widely available through online pharmacies and telehealth providers at lower list prices than the brand names, eating into Lilly and Novo’s obesity market share.

Amid the latest blow to the cheaper compounded market, Lilly and Novo are bringing down prices to attract more patients.

Compounders on their way out

The FDA’s decisions will have a significant impact on the market for weight loss drugs. As many as 1 in 8 U.S. adults said they had tried a GLP-1 in a KFF poll last year, including many who turned to compounded versions. Direct-to-consumer wellness companies such as Ro, WeightWatchers and Hims & Hers added weight loss programs to their businesses, offering compounded GLP-1s for a fraction of the $1,000 monthly list price for Novo and Lilly’s drugs. The on-and-off availability of compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide drugs has also impacted the stock market, triggering significant fluctuations in shares for Hims & Hers in particular. When the company first announced its weight loss program, its share price soared.  But the recent FDA decisions have deeply cut into its value.

Buy now, pay later is a common tool to help shoppers purchase things like consumer electronics and furniture. But can this short-term financing method help people pay for expensive weight-loss drugs?

Customers who struggle to afford the $1,000-plus list price for weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Wegovy will have the option to buy now and pay later under a partnership announced Tuesday by telehealth provider FuturHealth and consumer finance company Affirm.

FuturHealth CEO Luke Mahoney said the partnership gives customers one more option to access the popular glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, weight-loss drugs. Consumers are struggling to afford brand-name GLP-1 drugs, and the less expensive compounded versions are expected to soon be phased out.

“The pricing has kept the branded meds out of reach for a lot of people,” said Mahoney.

Why are consumer struggling to pay for weight-loss drugs?

The financing option comes as consumers who’ve used less expensive compounded versions of the popular weight-loss drugs will need to seek other options.

The Food and Drug Administration allows compounding pharmacies sell copies of drugs when the medications are in short supply. Yet federal regulators have declared the blockbuster weight-loss drugs Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) are no longer in shortage. That means consumers who’ve used compounded weight-loss drugs via telehealth providers will soon need to switch to brand name drugs or pursue other options.

The industry trade group Outsourcing Facilities Association sued the FDA in U.S. District Court in Texas and asked a judge to issue an order delaying enforcement, but on March 5 a judge rejected the group’s request.

Pharmacies can dispense compounded semaglutide, which is sold under the brand Wegovy, until April 22. Suppliers must cease distributing compounded semaglutide by May 22.

Health insurers have been reluctant to cover GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Most large employers cover diabetes drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, but a 2024 survey by benefits consultant Mercer said less than half of large employers covered GLP-1 drugs for obesity.

Drug companies offer discounts

Both Zepbound-maker Eli Lilly and Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk have discounted the price of their weight-loss medications for people who pay out of pocket.

Novo Nordisk said patients who are prescribed Wegovy can purchase the obesity drug through the company’s NovoCare Pharmacy for $499 per month. Lilly’s prices differed based on dosage. Customers who buy a month’s supply of 2.5 mg vials will pay $349, and 5 mg vials will cost $499.

How does buy now, pay later work?

Consumers who select Affirm’s buy now, pay later option on FuturHealth’s website must undergo a quick eligibility check. They can choose biweekly or monthly payment plans to pay for their medication, according to Affirm and FuturHealth.

Unlike one-time purchases for consumer goods, weight-loss medications are routinely refilled. So consumers could accrue recurring charges if they stay on the medication. Plus, FuturHealth charges $129.99 per month for a package that includes access to obesity-trained medical professionals, though discounts are available.

FuturHealth does not prescribe drugs but connects customers with licensed medical professionals who prescribe weight-loss medication, if appropriate. The company, for now, allows consumers to get compounded semaglutide, which pharmacies are allowed to dispense over the next month, according to the FDA. The company also offers the branded weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound.

“We didn’t build this company under the notion that you can just be on meds forever,” Mahoney said. “Some people may need to do that (stay on medications), and that’s totally valid. But for the vast majority, our goal is to bring you on, educate you through the tools and offerings we have with the idea that you will one day be off medication.”

Doctors have recommended that patients keep taking the medication as long as necessary to achieve their goals, whether to treat diabetes or maintain weight loss. But a study earlier this year found 65% of those without diabetes discontinued the drugs in less than one year, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. Those with higher incomes and fewer side effects were more likely to continue taking the medication, the study said.

Yvonne Herrera, a vice president at Affirm, said in a statement the financing arrangement gives consumers “the freedom to manage costs on their own terms, without gotchas.”

Still, a recent survey by the business intelligence firm Morning Consult found consumers who use short-term financing often borrow and spend a lot and have difficulty keeping up with debt payments.

More than 2 out of 5 users carry buy now, pay later debt and one-quarter of them missed a payment last month, the survey showed. About 1 in 4 said they paid late fees; 27% saw a decline in their credit score and 22% interacted with a debt collector.

In a news release, Affirm said it will approve financing only if the company believes the debt will be repaid, and the company said it doesn’t charge late or hidden fees. Interest rate charges range from 0 to 36%, Affirm said.

Herrera said such financing hasn’t traditionally been available in health care, and she said Affirm has experienced 90% year-over-year growth in provider partnerships.

The tick menace is even worse than we thought. A pair of new studies this month suggests that there are more tick species out there in the U.S. that can cause an unusual form of allergy to red meat.

Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials published the research late last week in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The studies detail cases of red meat allergy, formally known as alpha-gal syndrome, tied to bites from two tick species not normally associated with it—ticks that also cause Lyme disease. These cases seem rare, but indicate that more people are at risk for the syndrome than currently assumed.

Alpha-gal is a sugar found in the muscles of most mammals, though importantly not humans. We can normally tolerate the alpha-gal found in the meat we eat without issue. But for reasons we’re still trying to understand, a tick bite can sometimes cause our bodies to develop an overactive immune response to alpha-gal, essentially making us allergic to red meat and even dairy. Alpha-gal syndrome is the only type of classic food allergy that involves a sugar (the alpha-gal) rather than a protein. And unlike other food allergies, symptoms might take hours, not minutes, to show up after exposure.

March 24 (Reuters) – Tuberculosis (TB) infections among children in the European region rose 10% in 2023, indicating ongoing transmission and the need for immediate public health measures to control the spread, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

WHO’s European region, which comprises 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, reported more than 7,500 cases among children under 15 years of age in 2023, an increase of over 650 cases compared to 2022.