Health Female: In 25 Years, Cancer Death Rates May Be Cut in Half

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

In 25 Years, Cancer Death Rates May Be Cut in Half

By Stephanie Cornwell, Editorial Assistant

Kennedy's decision to send a man to the moon was the most ambitious scientific exploration in history. President Joe Biden now wants to employ the same spirit to fight cancer in the United States.

Today's Top Story

Moonshot Initiative Aims to Halve Cancer Deaths by 2047

In a beefed-up version of its 2016 Moonshot initiative, the White House announced an ambitious plan to cut cancer death rates in half by 2047.

When Biden announced the original moonshot in 2016, Congress allocated $1.8 billion for a seven-year period. There's $400 million left for 2022 and 2023.

While the program didn't receive additional funding, there are concrete goals to address cancer screening, new forms of cancer treatment, and education in cancer prevention.

The reinvented moonshot plans to make up for the millions of missed cancer screenings due to COVID. It also calls for improved at-home testing, expanded access to community health centers, and better electronic records for hard-to-reach communities.

Some experts think the focus should be on early detection, while others want to extend the lives of those with cancer, treating it like a chronic illness. Newer treatments like immunotherapies will also be a focus of moonshot.

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Traditional cancer treatment like chemotherapy can work more broadly. Immunotherapies use the immune system to attack cancerous cells and minimize damage to other tissue. It allows for more personalized treatments. Putting money into developing machine learning, tumor genotyping, and blood-based biomarkers can help scientists test these treatments.

Feel Better

Cancer moonshot is a long-term plan. But specific measures, like increasing access to preventative screenings and continued use of telehealth, may help decrease cancer rates and improve outcomes for cancer patients in the short term.

Childhood Trauma May Influence COVID Vaccine Hesitancy

People who have experienced four or more types of adverse childhood experiences or childhood traumas are three times more likely to have vaccine hesitancy. A recent study found that childhood trauma correlates with low trust in COVID information. If a child is a survivor of sexual or physical abuse, they may develop a mistrust for adults and information from them. Being trauma-informed can help reduce distrust in health information and vaccines.

Why Am I Always Cold?

Cold intolerance, or sensitivity to cold often found in women with low body fat, can have many causes. Anemia, anorexia, and hypothyroidism are some examples of conditions that affect metabolism, hormones, the thyroid, and body fat. Body temperature is regulated in the brain by hormones. The body generates heat when it metabolizes food. Make sure you're eating enough, maintaining stable body fat, and wearing extra layers if you are sensitive to the cold.

In an interview with Verywell, Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, PhD, MPH, explains the diet of cancer patients varies and should be discussed with a registered dietitian.

Following a high fiber diet should also be done in the context of an adequate balance of protein and other important nutrients for the immune system and recovery, such as B12 and iron.