Colorectal cancer in young people is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, with researchers finding most patients age 21 or younger already had Stage III or IV disease. Because symptoms like rectal bleeding, weight loss, abdominal pain, and bowel changes may be overlooked, researchers are calling for greater vigilance.
Scientists have found a surprising way to regrow damaged knee cartilage by blocking a protein that becomes more abundant with age. In old mice, the treatment restored naturally lost cartilage and also helped prevent osteoarthritis after ACL-like knee injuries, while human cartilage taken from knee replacement patients began producing new, functional joint cartilage after exposure to the same inhibitor.
Couples who exercise together report better communication, healthier conflict resolution, and lower marital stress than those who work out alone. Even something as simple as taking a walk together may create valuable opportunities to talk, listen, and feel more connected.
New mothers paired with patient navigators were much more likely to receive postpartum care, depression screening, preventive testing, and ongoing primary care. By helping with barriers such as transportation, childcare, scheduling, and confusing medical information, navigators may provide a powerful way to improve women’s long-term health.
In a small study, sleeping near the scent of Hinoki root essential oil was linked to fewer nighttime awakenings, better morning alertness, and brain-wave changes associated with smoother sleep onset. The findings suggest an overlooked forestry byproduct could someday become a natural ingredient in sleep and relaxation products.
A ketogenic diet increased small-intestinal tumors in cancer-prone mice while reducing tumors in the colon, revealing a strikingly different response within neighboring parts of the gut. Researchers traced the increased risk not to ketones, but to the way intestinal stem cells processed the diet’s high levels of fat. That fat-burning activity pushed the cells to multiply more rapidly, potentially raising the chance of cancerous changes.
Scientists found that prolonged fasting triggers major changes throughout the body, but many of the most interesting effects only appeared after about three days without food. The results suggest fasting may influence health in ways that go beyond weight loss and could eventually inspire treatments that mimic its effects.
Stimulating the vagus nerve after practice helped mice develop stronger long-term motor learning, revealing a potentially important window when the brain is still locking in a new skill. The effect was linked to rhythmic changes in brain blood vessels, hinting that body-to-brain signals may help prepare the brain for lasting change.
Scientists have discovered a human gene with a remarkable double life: it appears to play an important role in brain cells while still retaining the ability to jump around the genome. Called BC200, the gene evolved millions of years ago from a mobile piece of DNA known as a transposon, but unlike most genes that arose this way, it never lost its mobility. Researchers even found BC200 embedded inside a human poxvirus, suggesting it may have jumped from infected skin cells into the virus.
Scientists have discovered that E-cadherin, a protein best known as the “glue” holding cells and tissues together, has a surprising second job: helping epithelial cells swallow nearby dead cells. Using live zebrafish and mouse embryos, researchers found that cells can dramatically reshape their lower surfaces to engulf cellular debris while keeping their upper surfaces stable, allowing protective barriers to remain sealed.
A two-year randomized clinical trial involving 493 adults with overweight or obesity found that diet soft drinks were essentially as effective as water for long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. Participants drinking beverages sweetened with aspartame, acesulfame-K, or sucralose lost a similar amount of weight to those drinking water, while both groups also saw improvements in waist size, body composition, and several metabolic measures.
Scientists have identified an enzyme that may act as a natural defense against the worsening of fatty liver disease, which affects an estimated 100 million Americans. The enzyme, called UBE2N, helps liver cells clear away damaged mitochondria and break down fat, potentially preventing the inflammation, scarring, and cell damage associated with the more dangerous condition MASH.
Getting financial assistance from hospitals often involves filling out cumbersome forms. Some states now require hospitals to identify and automatically enroll patients eligible for charity care.
Tests like full-body scans marketed directly to consumers are pitched as a way to detect diseases early and establish a baseline of health markers. But there are financial, physical, and psychological risks to all medical tests — and in some cases, not getting a test could be better for your health.
Hours after experiencing a flare-up related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Kenney Blewett of Kyle, Texas, died by suicide in June. A medication his doctor prescribed days earlier to ease his breathing problems hadn’t been filled due to an “insurance issue,” his pharmacy explained via email.
Catherine Sweeney was one of the reporters in the witness room during the attempted execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee. The journalists knew that a recent execution hadn’t gone according to plan and that Pike’s lawyers had predicted failure because of a health condition. They’d even asked for her to be hanged instead.
Many rural voters say immigrants are a key part of their local economy, but views on whether President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has had positive or negative effects on their communities are split.
There’s a term for reducing unnecessary or harmful drugs: “deprescribing.” Especially as patients age, experts say, it’s important to regularly review the medications they’re taking.
While Democratic congressional candidates are floating the restoration of federal Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid funding, Oregon officials are crafting a more ambitious plan to implement universal coverage in their state.
Think you can terrify us in 17 syllables? KFF Health News’ eighth annual Halloween haiku contest is now open. Send us your most haunting healthcare verses.
