Microplastics appear to be contributing to chronic diseases in shoreline areas of the United States, a new study suggests. High blood pressure, diabetes and stroke rates are higher in coastal or lakefront areas with greater concentrations of microplastics in the environment, researchers reported at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The results…  read on >  read on >

Personalized support can help more people at risk of colon cancer attend a potentially life-saving colonoscopy appointment, a new study says. About 55% of people assigned a patient navigator got a follow-up colonoscopy after their stool test revealed a risk of colon cancer, compared with nearly 43% of patients who were simply notified of the…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 and influenza burned through the U.S. during this year’s cold and flu season, and deadly measles outbreaks have sickened people in 19 states. So what does it take to get people vaccinated against these preventable diseases? Essentially, an outbreak within a person’s own community appears to be one of the most potent influences on…  read on >  read on >

Use of cutting-edge weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound has increased dramatically among people with type 1 diabetes, raising safety concerns among experts, a new study says. Both adults and children with type 1 diabetes are taking the drugs more often to manage obesity, researchers reported in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. The problem…  read on >  read on >

Breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer might not conserve as much as previously thought, a new study suggests. Women’s breasts can shrink considerably after they’ve undergone radiation therapy and lumpectomy for their early-stage breast cancer, researchers reported March 27 in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “Our findings suggest that women undergoing (breast conserving therapy with…  read on >  read on >