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Cancer during pregnancy is rare, but is becoming more common. Here’s what researchers think is behind the increase

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Former Alone Australia winner Gina Chick diagnosed from breast cancer just days after checking out she was pregnant. She describes in his last book her experience with chemotherapy and what got here after it.

Fortunately, cancers diagnosed during pregnancy and in the 12 months after delivery are rare. But such cases are becoming more and more common in parts With world, including Australia. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why.

Here’s what scientists know thus far and treatment options.

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Gina Chick talks about life, loss and loneliness in Australia on ABC TV’s Australian Story.

How rare is this?

New South Wales test found that in 1994, for each 100,000 women giving birth, roughly 94 cancers were diagnosed during pregnancy or inside one 12 months of birth. In 2013, this number increased to around 163 per 100,000. Although these statistics are over a decade old, they’re the latest and most rigorous data available in Australia.

Swede from 2023 test pregnancies in the years 1973–2017 showed similar results.

Both studies found that a couple of quarter of pregnancy-related cancers are diagnosed before birth, with the rest diagnosed a 12 months after birth.

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What variety of cancer are we talking about?

First in the UK comprehensive assessment cancer during pregnancy – a review of diagnoses from 2016–2020.

This study, the NSW study and others found that breast and skin cancer (often melanoma) are the most typical cancers related to pregnancy. In this group, there was also a high percentage of thyroid cancer, gynecological cancer (especially cervical and ovarian cancer) and blood cancer.

A UK study found that around 92% of cancers were recent diagnoses and around 82% had symptoms. The majority (81%) were treated with curative intent, and roughly 82% of pregnancies related to a cancer diagnosis resulted in a live birth.

However, 20% of the moms died before the end of the five-year study period. Gastrointestinal cancers were particularly concerning. They were characterised by the highest mortality rate of roughly 46% and were related to diagnosis at a more advanced stage of cancer.

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This could also be because lots of the symptoms of gastrointestinal cancers, resembling abdominal pain, fatigue and acid reflux disorder, overlap with those of pregnancy. In other words, some cancer symptoms may be confused with pregnancy symptoms, “masking” or delaying the diagnosis of cancer.

Breast cancer is considered one of the most ceaselessly diagnosed cancers today.
Production “My Ocean” / Shutterstock

Why are there more and more such cases?

The big selection of cancers that occur during and after pregnancy suggest that there are various aspects involved.

In countries with high socioeconomic status, women have children later in life, and the biggest risk factor for a lot of cancers is age. However, the evidence that age is a serious risk factor for pregnancy-related cancers is inconclusive. This may explain some, but not all, cases.

Another factor could also be increasing usage prenatal genetic testing in early pregnancy. They analyze DNA from the mother’s blood to detect chromosomal abnormalities in the developing fetus. But these tests may also provide details about the mother’s chromosomes. This has led to the diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease, breast and colorectal cancer in pregnant women without symptoms.

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Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones essential for the growth and development of breast tissue and supporting other points of a healthy pregnancy. They may also contribute to cancer developmentespecially breast cancer. However, it is unclear whether this is related to the increase in pregnancy-related cancers.

Other cancers, resembling skin cancer, have been linked to environmental aspects resembling exposure to UV radiation. Of note, melanoma was the leading pregnancy cancer in the New South Wales study, reflecting the high rate of skin cancer in the local population. Other environmental aspects, resembling smoking and human papillomavirus, have been linked to cervical cancer. Again, we will not be sure whether such aspects are related to the increase in the incidence of pregnancy-related cancers.

Healthcare worker wearing gloves examining the back of a patient with moles
In a study in New South Wales, the most typical was skin cancer.
African Studio/Shutterstock

What happens after the diagnosis is made?

Pregnancy complicates the diagnosis of cancer because any potential treatment for the mother may jeopardize the health and viability of the fetus. So some points of treatment may require adjustment.

Surgery can often be performed in any trimester of pregnancy, depending on the location of the cancer.

Radiotherapy requires careful planning because the effects of radiation on the fetus rely upon the developmental stage at which radiation is administered to the body and on the dose.

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Chemotherapy must be avoided in the first trimester of pregnancy on account of its potential toxic effects on the fetus. It can often be given in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Chemotherapy must be avoided inside three weeks of birth to cut back the risk of bleeding and infection in the newborn, who might also have a weakened immune system consequently of chemotherapy.

More targeted immunotherapies are typically given to the mother after delivery. Depending on her treatment, she could also be advised to not breastfeed. This is because the medicine can pass from mother to baby through breast milk.

What’s happening to the children?

Reassuringly, data from New South Wales showed no increase in the rate of perinatal deaths given to moms with pregnancy-related cancer.

However, there have been more planned premature births. This is because women are offered induction of labor and/or cesarean section to make it easier for the mother to undergo cancer treatment while also reducing the risks of treatment for the unborn baby.

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There was also the next percentage of babies born with low birth weight and low Apgar scores (indicators of a baby’s condition soon after birth), which were probably related to premature birth.

What do researchers need to know?

We have lots to study why pregnancy-related cancers are rising and what women diagnosed with this cancer can expect.

We also have to mix cancer and obstetrics data in national databases. This would allow us to find out which areas must be prioritized for further research, provide clinical guidelines for cancer screening during and after pregnancy, and help assess responses to screening programs or therapies in the future.

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This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Can psychedelics help you drink less alcohol? Our new study aims to find out

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Psychhedels reminiscent of LSD and psilocybina (Active ingredient in magical mushrooms) is gaining increasingly more attention in psychiatry. Research suggests They can offer therapeutic advantages in conditions reminiscent of depression, anxiety, obsessive and compulsive disorders, dietary disorders and addiction.

Our research team Study whether N, N-Dimetytryptamine (DMT)Quickly acting psychedelic, can help people reduce alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is most frequently Incorrectly used substance in Great Britainpartly since it is legal, widely available and deeply rooted in social culture. While many individuals can enjoy alcohol sparselyIN significant number Fight to control their drinking. For these people, Excessive alcohol consumption It can lead to serious physical, mental and social consequences.

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Traditional treatments don’t work for everybody, which is why we examine alternatives reminiscent of psychedelics, which may allow people to change their behavior in a single transformational experience.



DMT is Metabolized quickly within the body. When administered intravenousThe effects start almost immediately, often in a single to two minutes. However, these effects are short -lived, lasting only ten to 20 minutes.

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Despite the short duration of many users, they describe this experience as very deep. They often report live visions, complex patterns and feeling in one other reality. In some cases, experience leads to a whole change in how they think, feel and perceive the world. For many, this experience is deeply significant and transformational.

But what happens within the brain presently and the way can it affect long -term behavior, reminiscent of a discount in alcohol consumption?



Neuroplasticity and addiction

Our team He is especially all for how psychedelics reminiscent of DMT can help within the context of addiction. One theory is that psychedelics can temporarily increase neuroplasticityBrain ability to create new neural connections. This temporary reinforcement can open a window of flexibility, enabling some people more open to change.

For someone who got stuck in a heavy drinking cycle, this increased plasticity can help them break the old habits and develop healthier behavior. Basically, it might probably offer the brain Opportunity for “again” Sam and disturbing unhealthy patterns underlying addiction.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys9fbb19ws0

We also deal with reward and brain motivation systems, which play a key role in addiction. These systems affect the behavior related to pleasure, including food, sex and alcohol.

In individuals with Alcohol consumption disorderThese systems turn out to be hypersensitive to alcohol guidelines, often on the expense of other satisfying experiences. Some early studies He suggests that psychedelics can help “reset” these paths. We test this theory to see if DMT can reduce alcohol consumption by re -calibrating the brain prize system.

To examine these possibilities, we designed a study with drinking heavy, who’re motivated to reduce alcohol consumption. Each participant undergoes a radical screening test to be sure that they’re suitable for testing, and all sessions are conducted in a highly controlled, clinical environment with doctors and experienced researchers supervising this process.

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The study includes three visits to our UCL laboratory. We use through the first and third visit Functional imaging of magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to measure brain activity and observe how different areas of the brain interact.

During scans, participants watch emotionally engaging movies that provide a more natural way of testing brain response compared to abstract tasks. This helps us assess how DMT can affect the brain function in real, emotionally charged situations.

During the second visit, the participants are randomly assigned to receive DMT, placebo or non -pryshedel medicine (D-CykLoserina Or Lisers). It is believed that these subszymical substances are believed Promote neuroplasticity Without inducing full psychedelic effects of DMT.

. The test is double blind – Neither participants nor scientists know which substance is run. This helps to eliminate bias and ensures that the outcomes are as reliable as possible.

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In addition, we measure changes in brain activity during infusion of the drug with electroencephalography (EEG). EEG tracks the brain electrical signals and may help us predict which participants will almost certainly use DMT.

Participants also perform various psychological assessments, including questionnaires and tasks that measure memory, attention, mood and decision making. These data will help us understand how changes in brain function can relate to changes in behavior related to drinking.

What can we hope to discover

We are still within the technique of collecting data, but we’re excited whether DMT can lead to a major reduction in alcohol consumption. As scientists, it’s crucial for us to remain objective and permit the evidence to conduct our conclusions. By maintaining a “blind” test, until all results can be found, we be sure that our arrangements are objective and reliable.

If DMT proves to be effective in helping people to reduce alcohol consumption, especially for many who struggled with other treatments, it might probably pave the best way to a new approach to addiction therapy. Even if the outcomes are ambiguous, they may proceed to provide precious insight into the potential role of psychedels within the treatment of addiction and open new possibilities of future research.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkr-jvglkng

It is very important to emphasize that these research takes place in a protected, controlled environment. Psychhedels are strong substances, and their effects could be unpredictable, especially outside the clinical settings. They usually are not a “magic ball” and usually are not suitable for everybody. The controlled setting allows us to examine our effects, while minimizing the chance for participants.

Having said that, we imagine in psychhedels offer a special opportunity To higher understand the brain and its ability to change. By examining how transformational experiences can affect behavior, we hope to contribute to the event of simpler treatment of addiction and other mental health conditions.

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This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Tina Knowles reveals the diagnosis of breast cancer and reminds people not to “bend over mammograms”

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Tina Knowles reveals the diagnosis of breast cancer and reminds people not to

Ghettos

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Tina Knowles revealed that she was fighting breast cancer. The 71-year-old learned that she had cancer in stage 1 in July 2024. She learned about her diagnosis at a time when she launched the Cécred hair care line along with her daughter Beyoncé.

“It is important not to slow down to your mammograms,” she said during an interview with people. The creator also revealed that she missed mammography. Task group of American preventive services recommended That women aged 40 to 74, who’re exposed to the average risk of breast cancer, receive mammography every 2 years, but you may also get one yr.

“I forgot that I did not go to the test for two years before I thought I did it,” she said – “Because Covid came, they called me and canceled and said, we would call you when we started testing again. I just thought that I did it. So you can’t play with it.”

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Tina revealed a message about her meeting with breast cancer in her diary, which he published on April 22.

“I fought with whether I would share this journey [in the book] Because I’m very private. But I decided to share it because I think these are many lessons for other women – he says. “And I believe that as women sometimes we’re so busy and we’re so wrapped and running, but you’ve got to go to the test. Because if I did not get the test early, I mean, fascinated with what could occur to me.”

While the news of a loved one could be devastating, Knowles said that her daughters had a realistic response to listening to her diagnosis.

She said that Beyoncé “took it well, remaining positive, and I already felt her mind racing, focusing on this as a task with precision.” Tiny’s second child, Solange said: “Mom, we’ll deal with it.” Additionally, Kelly Rowland who’s close to the matriarch, and her niece Angie Beyinka was also at her side. “My girls have become my team,” she wrote in a newly published book.

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Fortunately, the dressmaker underwent surgery last yr to remove the tumor, and also obtained breast reduction.

“I’m great,” she said. “Without cancer and incredibly blessed that God let me find him early.”

Knowles wants women to remember about regular research – key detection is essential.

“I didn’t know that there was stage 0. I could catch it at stage 0 if I didn’t miss my mammogram,” she said.

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Mama Super Gwiazda also wants people to know you can undergo the difficult terror of health and proceed to go to the top: “I want to show people that you can go and continue to fly.”

Nowadays, the 71-year-old is doing and feels good.

“I’m healthier, I eat better, I lost weight,” she told people.

“I want to give people hope,” Knowles added. “What scares me now is not the best to use every day that I left in this life.”

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This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

President of HBCU will submit a request for a donor of organs in graduation

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Livingstone College, organ Donation, kidney


President HBCU prays that a member of his school community may also help him find an organ donor.

Dr. Anthony J. Davis, president of Livingstone College, has been fighting kidney failure for almost two years. Since the diagnosis, Davis has undergone almost 10 hours of dialysis treatment at night, and was also juggling the duties of institutions. During the last ceremony of starting Livingstone, May 3 revealed his tragic request for a donor of organs.

“When the Lord is a blessing, the enemy begins to play”, he shared Graduate class, on.

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Davis stays involved in lifting the college and her body, despite his medical failures. He remains to be working on increasing registration and recruitment, remaining at the highest of his goals to lift Livingstone. His term also recorded a donation of two anonymous gifts price $ 10 million per school.

Describing his health journey, he also noticed that none of his members of the family was entitled to a match because of their different blood groups.

“I said, my children, what is happiness? They have a good mother’s appearance and her blood group,” he shared the group’s laughter.

His emotional speech also inspired graduates to beat obstacles that they might encounter in their lives. Davis also began the “Be my match” campaign to assist search. The “Be My Match” initiative encourages those in the HBCU Livcustone community and out of doors of it to get to know a living donor. Davis expressed the hope and faith that his public declaration concerning the need for a donor would cause his community to seek out a match.

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Blacks are disproportionately affected by kidney disease. According to the National Institute of Health, the 2023 annual report showed that this demographic group Accounts 30% of all individuals with final kidney disease (ESKD). Black are also 4 times more exposed to death because of their ECOD than their white counterparts, because of which their ability to seek out a match is more essential than ever.

Bearing in mind these numbers, Davis hopes that his network will strengthen this campaign to the masses to assist the educator and supporter of HBCu save his life. When he finished his powerful and key message, the category of 2025 and Davis hope that in the subsequent era of their lives with latest prosperity.

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This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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