I hate this insidious killer. As my cousin who I grew up with lies in hospice care waiting to die, I think about all the others this plague has consumed. My sister and step father among them along with all the innocent children who bravely battle this bastard every day. I hate it when people say that a terminal diagnosis is Gods will. Or everything happens for a reason. BULLSHYT! God has nothing to do with it. It's a matter of chance. I guess if we cured all the killers of this world like cancer the population would become more than managable. I don't know. I've watched how loved ones suffer with this bastard of a disease until you feel grateful when their suffering finally ends. I don't know what to say. Words really don't mean a fukkin thing. I do hope for a cure especially for the children who suffer with this condition.
Cancer
- Thread starter Ludlow
- Start date
For sure. There is hope, as progress is gradually being made. Another real bastard is that f**king A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig's disease) - it's in my family, I've lost a few relatives due to it. Stephen Hawking is about the only long term survivor of it I've heard of, so it's probably 99.99% fatal. Maybe the only guards against these diseases is stubbornness and obnoxiousness.
Hope you are making headway with your condition, Ludlow!
Cancer cases worldwide are expected to soar in the coming decades, a report finds. Here’s why.
Around 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to the findings. That number could reach 35 million a year by 2050.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Daniel Wu
Published Jul 08, 2026 • 3 minute read
The X-ray of the human brain
Photo by merydolla /Adobe Stock
Annual cancer cases are projected to rise considerably worldwide by 2050, according to a World Health Organization report on cancer published Wednesday. With its assessment, the United Nations body tempered optimism about improvements in cancer surveillance and treatment and warned that global health care inequities are driving further cases and deaths.
Around 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to the findings. That number could reach 35 million a year by 2050.
The new cancer cases will disproportionately be borne by lower-income countries with poorer access to cancer surveillance and treatment, according to the report.
“Far too many people are still being left behind,” André Ilbawi, the lead for cancer control at WHO, said at a news conference about the study this week.
Cancer cases have risen globally in recent years, and other recent reports have given similar projections for 2050 as WHO’s latest study. One in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime, according to WHO.
The reasons behind increasing cancer rates are complex. Some cancers have become more common in different age groups. But the volume of cancer diagnoses is also being driven by improved detection and the fact that people are living longer, which increases the likelihood of developing age-associated cancers.
In the United States, the rate of new cancer cases has generally been stable in recent years, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the cancer death rate has declined.
Emil Lou, an oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, said in an interview that improvements to treatments like immunotherapy have greatly increased patient survivability for some advanced cancers like lung cancer.
“While we’ve made great progress as a society in treating some forms of cancer more effectively than ever before, the rise in cancer prevalence worldwide reminds us that we still have a very long way to go,” said Lou, who was not involved in the WHO study.
WHO’s report highlighted the steep differences in cancer outcomes for regions without access to better cancer treatment and surveillance. Researchers cited statistics for breast and cervical cancer to illustrate the disparity.
“In higher income countries in Europe, in North America, we see cervical cancer has been decreasing … to almost elimination,” said Isabelle Soerjomataram, an epidemiologist with the International Agency for Research on Cancer who spoke at the WHO news conference. “In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, it is still the top, number one cancer.”
In high-income countries, the five-year net survival rate for breast cancer now exceeds 85 percent, according to WHO; in low-income countries, it drops below 30 percent.
Countries both rich and poor are not adequately investing in programs for cancer prevention and treatment, the report said, though it highlighted moderate progress in curbing some practices and conditions that can cause cancer.
The report praised global progress in adopting measures to reduce tobacco use, which has dropped 27 percent since 2010. Separately, 85 percent of countries now have human papillomavirus vaccines in their national vaccine programs, according to the report, and an estimated 31 percent of girls have received the first dose of the vaccine, up from 17 percent in 2019.
Among the most alarming trends researchers highlighted in the report was a failure by most countries to curb rising obesity rates. Obesity has been linked to over a dozen cancers, including liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancer, according to the NIH.
“It will be a significant added burden for every country globally when cancers associated with obesity become the norm,” Ilbawi said. “That will likely happen in a significant number of countries in the next 20 or 30 years.”
Soerjomataram said that while the report’s projections for future cancer cases may be alarming, researchers stress many of them are preventable.
“Four in 10 new cancer cases are linked to risk factors for which we already know how to address,” Soerjomataram said.
healthing.ca
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torontosun.com
Around 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to the findings. That number could reach 35 million a year by 2050.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Daniel Wu
Published Jul 08, 2026 • 3 minute read
The X-ray of the human brain
Photo by merydolla /Adobe Stock
Annual cancer cases are projected to rise considerably worldwide by 2050, according to a World Health Organization report on cancer published Wednesday. With its assessment, the United Nations body tempered optimism about improvements in cancer surveillance and treatment and warned that global health care inequities are driving further cases and deaths.
Around 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to the findings. That number could reach 35 million a year by 2050.
The new cancer cases will disproportionately be borne by lower-income countries with poorer access to cancer surveillance and treatment, according to the report.
“Far too many people are still being left behind,” André Ilbawi, the lead for cancer control at WHO, said at a news conference about the study this week.
Cancer cases have risen globally in recent years, and other recent reports have given similar projections for 2050 as WHO’s latest study. One in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime, according to WHO.
The reasons behind increasing cancer rates are complex. Some cancers have become more common in different age groups. But the volume of cancer diagnoses is also being driven by improved detection and the fact that people are living longer, which increases the likelihood of developing age-associated cancers.
In the United States, the rate of new cancer cases has generally been stable in recent years, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the cancer death rate has declined.
Emil Lou, an oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, said in an interview that improvements to treatments like immunotherapy have greatly increased patient survivability for some advanced cancers like lung cancer.
“While we’ve made great progress as a society in treating some forms of cancer more effectively than ever before, the rise in cancer prevalence worldwide reminds us that we still have a very long way to go,” said Lou, who was not involved in the WHO study.
WHO’s report highlighted the steep differences in cancer outcomes for regions without access to better cancer treatment and surveillance. Researchers cited statistics for breast and cervical cancer to illustrate the disparity.
“In higher income countries in Europe, in North America, we see cervical cancer has been decreasing … to almost elimination,” said Isabelle Soerjomataram, an epidemiologist with the International Agency for Research on Cancer who spoke at the WHO news conference. “In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, it is still the top, number one cancer.”
In high-income countries, the five-year net survival rate for breast cancer now exceeds 85 percent, according to WHO; in low-income countries, it drops below 30 percent.
Countries both rich and poor are not adequately investing in programs for cancer prevention and treatment, the report said, though it highlighted moderate progress in curbing some practices and conditions that can cause cancer.
The report praised global progress in adopting measures to reduce tobacco use, which has dropped 27 percent since 2010. Separately, 85 percent of countries now have human papillomavirus vaccines in their national vaccine programs, according to the report, and an estimated 31 percent of girls have received the first dose of the vaccine, up from 17 percent in 2019.
Among the most alarming trends researchers highlighted in the report was a failure by most countries to curb rising obesity rates. Obesity has been linked to over a dozen cancers, including liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancer, according to the NIH.
“It will be a significant added burden for every country globally when cancers associated with obesity become the norm,” Ilbawi said. “That will likely happen in a significant number of countries in the next 20 or 30 years.”
Soerjomataram said that while the report’s projections for future cancer cases may be alarming, researchers stress many of them are preventable.
“Four in 10 new cancer cases are linked to risk factors for which we already know how to address,” Soerjomataram said.
Colorectal Cancer | Healthing.ca
Often detected through screening, colorectal cancer challenges patients with physical and lifestyle adjustments. This hub covers the reality of surgery, ostomy care, and chemotherapy. Content highlights the rising incidence in younger adults and offers practical advice on recovery, supported by...
healthing.ca
Human papillomavirus (HPV). | Healthing.ca
HPV is the most common STI, linked to various cancers. This hub explains the virus's lifecycle and the vital role of vaccination. Articles clarify screening guidelines (Pap tests) and symptom management. The focus is on prevention and education, demystifying a virus that affects the majority of...
healthing.ca
Breast Cancer | Healthing.ca
Beyond the pink ribbon, breast cancer involves complex decisions about genetics, surgery, and identity. This section explores the journey from screening to reconstruction and survivorship. Real stories address intimacy and body image, while expert articles cover advances in targeted therapies...
healthing.ca
Cervical cancer | Healthing.ca
Preventable yet life-changing, cervical cancer touches on sensitive topics of fertility and sexual health. This collection breaks down the science of HPV and screening protocols. Articles tackle the stigma often attached to the diagnosis, offering supportive patient narratives and clear guidance...
healthing.ca
Lung Cancer | Healthing.ca
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death, yet innovation is changing the landscape. This category moves past stigma to focus on biomarker testing and immunotherapy. Resources cover the management of breathlessness and diagnosis, featuring stories from never-smokers and long-term...
healthing.ca
Cancer cases worldwide are expected to soar in the coming decades, a report finds. Here’s why.
Annual cancer cases are projected to rise considerably worldwide by 2050, according to a World Health Organization report.
Why does cancer seem so common right now? An oncologist explains.
Cancer is a global problem.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Mikkael Sekeres, MD
Published Jul 22, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 6 minute read
patient listening to doctor
Photo by Konstantin Yuganov /Adobe Stock
Q: I know so many people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Are rates really going up? Why does it seem so common now?
Cancer is a global problem. If it seems like there are more cancer diagnoses than ever, you’re right: In 1975, about 400 per 100,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer. In 2023, the incidence was 456 per 100,000, though overall rates have been mostly stable since 2014.
While more people are being diagnosed with cancer today compared to 50 years ago – either because of an increase in actual cases, better detection or a changing definition of what’s considered cancer – the good news is that fewer are dying from it. Since 1999, age-adjusted cancer d eath r ates fell dramatically, from 201 per 100,000 people in 1999, to 142 per 100,000 people in 2023.
To understand how these can both be possible at the same time – and how ultimately, the outlook for those diagnosed with cancer is quite positive – it helps to first understand what cancer is, how it occurs and how modern treatments have learned how to exploit the diagnosis for good.
Put simply, cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. While there are a number of possible causes, they are all related to errors that happen in the cell’s genetic instructions, or DNA.
The cell can make a random mistake when replicating, resulting in a cell that grows faster than other cells around it. Or, the cell can be damaged by carcinogens, such as ultraviolet light or the chemicals in cigarettes.
Some cancers can also occur when a cell’s “self-destruct” code malfunctions. Our bodies recognize when cells are damaged, grow too rapidly or otherwise behave abnormally, then react by sending out chemical signals that tell the cells to stop growing or self-destruct. Errors can alter that signal or affect a cell’s ability to recognize it; the cell turns a deaf ear to the instructions from the body to cease and desist.
Most genetic errors that cause uncontrolled cell growth occur because of bad luck. The longer we live, the more of our cells divide, increasing the statistical likelihood that one of those cells will make a mistake when replicating and develop into cancer. This is why most cancers are diagnosed in older adults.
Another form of bad luck includes genetic mutations we’re born with. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of cancers are caused by inherited genetic abnormalities such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are linked to breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, among others.
Some genetic errors are introduced by viruses. Anywhere from 13 to 20 percent of cancers worldwide are thought to be due to viruses, such as human papilloma virus, or HPV, Epstein-Barr virus and hepatitis B and C, and bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori.
Other extrinsic or “outside of the body” factors can break or damage a cell’s DNA and lead to cancer, including smoking, alcohol intake and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or other sources, such as tanning beds. Less common DNA-damaging culprits include environmental exposures such as industrial chemicals, nuclear radiation, chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to treat other cancers.
Once created, cancer cells are insidious: They can instruct blood vessels to grow toward tumours, thus ensuring their own survival by having an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients; they can hide from the immune system, cloaking themselves to prevent their own destruction; and they can even trick the immune system into helping them survive and thrive.
Overall, people are living longer because deaths from cardiovascular disease, stroke and other medical conditions have declined. As we extend our lifespan, though, we increase that statistical likelihood that our cells accumulate genetic mutations.
Cancer rates can also change depending on how we define “cancer.” For example, many of my patients have a type of bone marrow cancer called myelodysplastic syndromes. It was only about 25 years ago that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute formally recognized this condition as a cancer, and started tracking it alongside more common cancers like those of the lung, breast or prostate. Once these government agencies decided to call myelodysplastic syndromes a cancer, overnight the numbers of cancers diagnosed in the U.S. increased by about 20,000 per year.
And much of the increase in cancer diagnoses can be attributed to better detection. Radiology scans have become more refined and sensitive, making them better at detecting abnormalities that lead to cancer diagnoses. Laboratory tests have been developed to identify markers in the blood (such as certain proteins) that suggest cancer may be present before it otherwise would have been discovered.
Cancer screening programs, which are designed to detect cancer in its early stages, when it is potentially more curable, have uncovered more slower-growing cancers – including ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast in women or early stage prostate cancer in men – that previously never would have been diagnosed.
While there are increases in certain kinds of cancer (which generate a lot of discussion), such as colorectal cancer in people under 50, it’s also true that cancer rates are dropping in other groups, like colorectal cancer in people over 50.
There is some good news: People are living longer than ever following a cancer diagnosis. The National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences estimates that there are over 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S. and that this number is expected to grow to 26 million by 2040. Seventy percent of survivors live five or more years following their diagnosis, approximately half live 10 or more years and three-quarters of survivors are 60 years or older.
While some of the improved survival from cancer can be attributed to the increased number of early-stage cancers detected, we can also thank advancements in cancer therapies. Traditional chemotherapies damage cells during the division process, taking advantage of those rapidly dividing cancer cells. Other drugs, called angiogenesis inhibitors, help prevent the growth of blood vessels that feed the tumor. These treatment approaches, though, are not always specific to a given person’s cancer, and tend to affect the growth of noncancerous cells, too.
But over the past two to three decades, medications have been developed that target specific genetic mutations within the cancer cells, such as the HER2 abnormality in breast cancer, ALK in lung cancer, FLT3 in leukemia and more recently KRAS in pancreatic cancer, among many, many others.
And within the past 10 to 15 years, there has been a revolution in the use of immunotherapy to treat cancer, with drugs that specifically target proteins on the outside of cancer cells, or that harness a patient’s own immune system to essentially train it to find and eliminate cancer. These newer, innovative treatments have improved the rates and duration of remission and even survival for a number of cancers, and have retooled how we treat cancer.
So while it is true that there seems to be more cancer than ever, there is also more hope than ever, as cancer is being detected earlier, eliminated more effectively or transformed to a chronic condition rather than a life-threatening one.
Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS, is the chief of the division of hematology and professor of medicine at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami . He is author of the books ” When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia ” and ” Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public’s Trust .”
torontosun.com
Cancer is a global problem.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Mikkael Sekeres, MD
Published Jul 22, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 6 minute read
patient listening to doctor
Photo by Konstantin Yuganov /Adobe Stock
Q: I know so many people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Are rates really going up? Why does it seem so common now?
Cancer is a global problem. If it seems like there are more cancer diagnoses than ever, you’re right: In 1975, about 400 per 100,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer. In 2023, the incidence was 456 per 100,000, though overall rates have been mostly stable since 2014.
While more people are being diagnosed with cancer today compared to 50 years ago – either because of an increase in actual cases, better detection or a changing definition of what’s considered cancer – the good news is that fewer are dying from it. Since 1999, age-adjusted cancer d eath r ates fell dramatically, from 201 per 100,000 people in 1999, to 142 per 100,000 people in 2023.
To understand how these can both be possible at the same time – and how ultimately, the outlook for those diagnosed with cancer is quite positive – it helps to first understand what cancer is, how it occurs and how modern treatments have learned how to exploit the diagnosis for good.
Put simply, cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. While there are a number of possible causes, they are all related to errors that happen in the cell’s genetic instructions, or DNA.
The cell can make a random mistake when replicating, resulting in a cell that grows faster than other cells around it. Or, the cell can be damaged by carcinogens, such as ultraviolet light or the chemicals in cigarettes.
Some cancers can also occur when a cell’s “self-destruct” code malfunctions. Our bodies recognize when cells are damaged, grow too rapidly or otherwise behave abnormally, then react by sending out chemical signals that tell the cells to stop growing or self-destruct. Errors can alter that signal or affect a cell’s ability to recognize it; the cell turns a deaf ear to the instructions from the body to cease and desist.
Most genetic errors that cause uncontrolled cell growth occur because of bad luck. The longer we live, the more of our cells divide, increasing the statistical likelihood that one of those cells will make a mistake when replicating and develop into cancer. This is why most cancers are diagnosed in older adults.
Another form of bad luck includes genetic mutations we’re born with. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of cancers are caused by inherited genetic abnormalities such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are linked to breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, among others.
Some genetic errors are introduced by viruses. Anywhere from 13 to 20 percent of cancers worldwide are thought to be due to viruses, such as human papilloma virus, or HPV, Epstein-Barr virus and hepatitis B and C, and bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori.
Other extrinsic or “outside of the body” factors can break or damage a cell’s DNA and lead to cancer, including smoking, alcohol intake and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or other sources, such as tanning beds. Less common DNA-damaging culprits include environmental exposures such as industrial chemicals, nuclear radiation, chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to treat other cancers.
Once created, cancer cells are insidious: They can instruct blood vessels to grow toward tumours, thus ensuring their own survival by having an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients; they can hide from the immune system, cloaking themselves to prevent their own destruction; and they can even trick the immune system into helping them survive and thrive.
Overall, people are living longer because deaths from cardiovascular disease, stroke and other medical conditions have declined. As we extend our lifespan, though, we increase that statistical likelihood that our cells accumulate genetic mutations.
Cancer rates can also change depending on how we define “cancer.” For example, many of my patients have a type of bone marrow cancer called myelodysplastic syndromes. It was only about 25 years ago that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute formally recognized this condition as a cancer, and started tracking it alongside more common cancers like those of the lung, breast or prostate. Once these government agencies decided to call myelodysplastic syndromes a cancer, overnight the numbers of cancers diagnosed in the U.S. increased by about 20,000 per year.
And much of the increase in cancer diagnoses can be attributed to better detection. Radiology scans have become more refined and sensitive, making them better at detecting abnormalities that lead to cancer diagnoses. Laboratory tests have been developed to identify markers in the blood (such as certain proteins) that suggest cancer may be present before it otherwise would have been discovered.
Cancer screening programs, which are designed to detect cancer in its early stages, when it is potentially more curable, have uncovered more slower-growing cancers – including ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast in women or early stage prostate cancer in men – that previously never would have been diagnosed.
While there are increases in certain kinds of cancer (which generate a lot of discussion), such as colorectal cancer in people under 50, it’s also true that cancer rates are dropping in other groups, like colorectal cancer in people over 50.
There is some good news: People are living longer than ever following a cancer diagnosis. The National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences estimates that there are over 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S. and that this number is expected to grow to 26 million by 2040. Seventy percent of survivors live five or more years following their diagnosis, approximately half live 10 or more years and three-quarters of survivors are 60 years or older.
While some of the improved survival from cancer can be attributed to the increased number of early-stage cancers detected, we can also thank advancements in cancer therapies. Traditional chemotherapies damage cells during the division process, taking advantage of those rapidly dividing cancer cells. Other drugs, called angiogenesis inhibitors, help prevent the growth of blood vessels that feed the tumor. These treatment approaches, though, are not always specific to a given person’s cancer, and tend to affect the growth of noncancerous cells, too.
But over the past two to three decades, medications have been developed that target specific genetic mutations within the cancer cells, such as the HER2 abnormality in breast cancer, ALK in lung cancer, FLT3 in leukemia and more recently KRAS in pancreatic cancer, among many, many others.
And within the past 10 to 15 years, there has been a revolution in the use of immunotherapy to treat cancer, with drugs that specifically target proteins on the outside of cancer cells, or that harness a patient’s own immune system to essentially train it to find and eliminate cancer. These newer, innovative treatments have improved the rates and duration of remission and even survival for a number of cancers, and have retooled how we treat cancer.
So while it is true that there seems to be more cancer than ever, there is also more hope than ever, as cancer is being detected earlier, eliminated more effectively or transformed to a chronic condition rather than a life-threatening one.
Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS, is the chief of the division of hematology and professor of medicine at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami . He is author of the books ” When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia ” and ” Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public’s Trust .”
Why does cancer seem so common right now? An oncologist explains.
Q: I know so many people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Are rates really going up? Why does it seem so common now?
William Shatner and his daughter reveal they both fought Stage 4 cancer
'Star Trek' icon and his daughter open up on life-changing diagnosis
Author of the article:Mark Daniell
Published Jul 22, 2026 • 4 minute read
William Shatner speaks at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo at the BMO Centre on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
William Shatner speaks at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo at the BMO Centre on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Photo by Brent Calver /Postmedia
William Shatner has revealed that he and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, both battled Stage 4 cancer over the past few years.
The father-daughter duo made the revelation in a new cover story with PEOPLE magazine, saying that they are now both cancer-free.
Gretsch, 61, said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. It was while she was undergoing treatment the following year that Shatner, 95, learned he had Stage 4 melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain.
The two are launching a new weekly podcast series titled No Time but Now, in which they’ll interview other cancer survivors and health experts.
Gretsch, who is the youngest of the Star Trek actor’s three daughters with his first wife, Gloria Rand, said she underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and 30 radiation therapy treatments.
“Chemo was the most physically draining, and the radiation I found so emotionally draining,” she said.
But when she was going through her final round of treatment, Gretsch noticed a lump on her dad’s cheek.
“I went to the family doctor, and he said, ‘It’s your salivary gland. It’s blocked. Just massage it,’” Shatner recalled.
When Shatner asked a plastic-surgeon friend for a second opinion, they told him: “You better get this out.”
Gretsch admitted she was more concerned about her father’s health.
“I remember vividly thinking, ‘I don’t have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time,” she told the outlet.
Shatner underwent surgery to remove the tumour, followed by two years of immunotherapy to fight off the cancer in his lungs and brain.
Throughout it all, Shatner continued to work. “He wouldn’t stop his life. He kept working and moving forward,” Gretsch said.
Dr. Omid Hamid, who helped develop the immunotherapies used to target Shatner’s tumours, said that just 20 years ago the average survival time for those with his diagnosis was “six to eight months.”
Dr. Carlie Thompson, who was part of Gretsch’s care team, said “groundbreaking” treatments helped eradicate her cancer.
Both were declared cancer-free at the end of 2024.
Gretsch said the experience has changed her life. “I’m not so afraid anymore, and there’s so much freedom and joy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shatner said he has learned to find gratitude in all the things life has to offer.
“I’m thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball, and my children,” Shatner said. “I’m aware of the magic of it all.”
Shatner shut down health rumours earlier this year
Back in April, Shatner spoke out after social media reports went viral that claimed he was dying.
The TV icon accused a Facebook page attributed to The Beanstalk Functions Group of publishing “stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer, was in some kind of fight with Erika Kirk and that I’m dying.”
“I wanted to put this out yesterday but given the day, and the possibility that it would look like a joke I waited for today,” Shatner said, making reference to April Fools’ Day. “None of these stories are true, but they apparently seem genuine enough for fans to repost them across social media and send messages of support to me and my family all while the culprits behind the account make money. This is the downside of AI and yellow journalism. While it can be a wonderful tool in the right hands; it can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands”
Shatner claims the stories were being monetized.
“Most of the stories use an AI image of me,” he added.
The actor warned his followers not to believe any news about his health unless it appeared on his own verified social media pages.
But in a 2022 interview with Postmedia, Shatner said death was never far from his mind.
“As you get older, as I’m sure you can imagine, you think of death — it becomes more and more present,” he said at the time. “I’ve heard of people weeping, my father was incapacitated, he had had a stroke and he had tears in his eyes and I wonder quite often what he was crying about. Was he crying about leaving? I loved him very much and he loved me. Was he weeping because of me and leaving this world?”
The notion informed how he bid farewell to Captain James T. Kirk in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations.
“So when this character was dying, I thought, ‘How do you die?'” Shatner said. “I thought, ‘How would Captain Kirk die?’ Captain Kirk, who has faced death so often. I thought he would look at death approaching with the same awe and wonder that he looked at these strange beings that he faced in the years I played him. I wanted him to look at death as something filled with the awe and wonder that he looked at the universe.”
mdaniell@postmedia.com
notimebutnow.com
torontosun.com
'Star Trek' icon and his daughter open up on life-changing diagnosis
Author of the article:Mark Daniell
Published Jul 22, 2026 • 4 minute read
William Shatner speaks at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo at the BMO Centre on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
William Shatner speaks at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo at the BMO Centre on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Photo by Brent Calver /Postmedia
William Shatner has revealed that he and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, both battled Stage 4 cancer over the past few years.
The father-daughter duo made the revelation in a new cover story with PEOPLE magazine, saying that they are now both cancer-free.
Gretsch, 61, said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. It was while she was undergoing treatment the following year that Shatner, 95, learned he had Stage 4 melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain.
The two are launching a new weekly podcast series titled No Time but Now, in which they’ll interview other cancer survivors and health experts.
Gretsch, who is the youngest of the Star Trek actor’s three daughters with his first wife, Gloria Rand, said she underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and 30 radiation therapy treatments.
“Chemo was the most physically draining, and the radiation I found so emotionally draining,” she said.
But when she was going through her final round of treatment, Gretsch noticed a lump on her dad’s cheek.
“I went to the family doctor, and he said, ‘It’s your salivary gland. It’s blocked. Just massage it,’” Shatner recalled.
When Shatner asked a plastic-surgeon friend for a second opinion, they told him: “You better get this out.”
Gretsch admitted she was more concerned about her father’s health.
“I remember vividly thinking, ‘I don’t have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time,” she told the outlet.
Shatner underwent surgery to remove the tumour, followed by two years of immunotherapy to fight off the cancer in his lungs and brain.
Throughout it all, Shatner continued to work. “He wouldn’t stop his life. He kept working and moving forward,” Gretsch said.
Dr. Omid Hamid, who helped develop the immunotherapies used to target Shatner’s tumours, said that just 20 years ago the average survival time for those with his diagnosis was “six to eight months.”
Dr. Carlie Thompson, who was part of Gretsch’s care team, said “groundbreaking” treatments helped eradicate her cancer.
Both were declared cancer-free at the end of 2024.
Gretsch said the experience has changed her life. “I’m not so afraid anymore, and there’s so much freedom and joy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shatner said he has learned to find gratitude in all the things life has to offer.
“I’m thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball, and my children,” Shatner said. “I’m aware of the magic of it all.”
Shatner shut down health rumours earlier this year
Back in April, Shatner spoke out after social media reports went viral that claimed he was dying.
The TV icon accused a Facebook page attributed to The Beanstalk Functions Group of publishing “stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer, was in some kind of fight with Erika Kirk and that I’m dying.”
“I wanted to put this out yesterday but given the day, and the possibility that it would look like a joke I waited for today,” Shatner said, making reference to April Fools’ Day. “None of these stories are true, but they apparently seem genuine enough for fans to repost them across social media and send messages of support to me and my family all while the culprits behind the account make money. This is the downside of AI and yellow journalism. While it can be a wonderful tool in the right hands; it can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands”
Shatner claims the stories were being monetized.
“Most of the stories use an AI image of me,” he added.
The actor warned his followers not to believe any news about his health unless it appeared on his own verified social media pages.
But in a 2022 interview with Postmedia, Shatner said death was never far from his mind.
“As you get older, as I’m sure you can imagine, you think of death — it becomes more and more present,” he said at the time. “I’ve heard of people weeping, my father was incapacitated, he had had a stroke and he had tears in his eyes and I wonder quite often what he was crying about. Was he crying about leaving? I loved him very much and he loved me. Was he weeping because of me and leaving this world?”
The notion informed how he bid farewell to Captain James T. Kirk in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations.
“So when this character was dying, I thought, ‘How do you die?'” Shatner said. “I thought, ‘How would Captain Kirk die?’ Captain Kirk, who has faced death so often. I thought he would look at death approaching with the same awe and wonder that he looked at these strange beings that he faced in the years I played him. I wanted him to look at death as something filled with the awe and wonder that he looked at the universe.”
mdaniell@postmedia.com
No Time But Now | William Shatner & Melanie Shatner Gretsch
William Shatner and Melanie Shatner Gretsch explore health, longevity, resilience, and healing through expert insight, humor, and personal stories.
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http://people.com/william-shatner-daughter-melanie-fought-stage-4-cancer-together-exclusive-12023877
William Shatner and his daughter reveal they both fought Stage 4 cancer
William Shatner has revealed that he and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, both battled Stage 4 cancer over the past few years. More.
Johnson & Johnson offers $5.5B to settle talc lawsuits
J&J said the settlement covers around 76,000 claims, representing nearly all remaining talc claims.
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Jul 28, 2026 • 1 minute read
Pharmaceutical Company Johnson & Johnson To Pay 4.6 Billion Dollars To 22 Women Over Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit
In this photo illustration, a container of Johnson's baby powder made by Johnson and Johnson sits on a table on July 13, 2018 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Justin Sullivan /Getty Images
New York, July 28, 2026 (AFP) — US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has offered $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming that its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer, the company said Monday.
The proposed settlement aims to end a long-standing legal battle that has weighed on the New Jersey-based firm for years.
J&J said the settlement covers around 76,000 claims, representing nearly all remaining talc claims.
The firm denies that its talc-based products caused cancer but stopped selling its talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020.
Its vice president of litigation said the claims “lack scientific merit.”
“This resolution allows the Company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives,” he said in a statement.
The company has previously settled most of the cases alleging that its talcum powder contained traces of asbestos blamed for causing cancer.
It also faces a lawsuit in the United Kingdom over similar claims filed in 2025.
According to the law firm representing around 3,000 complainants, the compensation claim “is estimated to be more than £1 billion” ($1.3 billion).
Claimants allege that either they or a family member developed forms of ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using J&J’s baby powder.
torontosun.com
J&J said the settlement covers around 76,000 claims, representing nearly all remaining talc claims.
Author of the article:AFP
AFP
Published Jul 28, 2026 • 1 minute read
Pharmaceutical Company Johnson & Johnson To Pay 4.6 Billion Dollars To 22 Women Over Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit
In this photo illustration, a container of Johnson's baby powder made by Johnson and Johnson sits on a table on July 13, 2018 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Justin Sullivan /Getty Images
New York, July 28, 2026 (AFP) — US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has offered $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming that its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer, the company said Monday.
The proposed settlement aims to end a long-standing legal battle that has weighed on the New Jersey-based firm for years.
J&J said the settlement covers around 76,000 claims, representing nearly all remaining talc claims.
The firm denies that its talc-based products caused cancer but stopped selling its talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020.
Its vice president of litigation said the claims “lack scientific merit.”
“This resolution allows the Company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives,” he said in a statement.
The company has previously settled most of the cases alleging that its talcum powder contained traces of asbestos blamed for causing cancer.
It also faces a lawsuit in the United Kingdom over similar claims filed in 2025.
According to the law firm representing around 3,000 complainants, the compensation claim “is estimated to be more than £1 billion” ($1.3 billion).
Claimants allege that either they or a family member developed forms of ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using J&J’s baby powder.
Johnson & Johnson offers $5.5B to settle talc lawsuits
J&J said the settlement covers around 76,000 claims, representing nearly all remaining talc claims.
What to know about cancer risk if it runs in your family
Only up to 12 per cent of all cancers are believed to be associated with inherited genetic mutations
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Mikkael Sekeres, MD
Published Aug 20, 2026 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 6 minute read
Almost three in four Canadians -- or 73% -- turn to search engines to understand a diagnosis from their doctor, according to a new survey from Breast Cancer Canada.
Almost three in four Canadians -- or 73% -- turn to search engines to understand a diagnosis from their doctor, according to a new survey from Breast Cancer Canada. Photo by iStock /GETTY IMAGES
How much does family history matter when it comes to cancer risk? Am I definitely going to get it if it runs in my family?
The patient sitting a few feet away from me in my examination room was in her late 80s and had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Her son and daughter were sitting by her side. As part of my routine series of questions when I first meet someone, I asked if anyone else in her family had cancer.
“Well, yes,” she answered, “my mother had multiple myeloma, in her 60s.” I asked if there was anyone else with cancer.
“Me!” Her daughter volunteered. “I had breast cancer, also in my 60s.” I dutifully typed the information into her medical record.
“Does that mean cancer runs in our family?” my patient asked.
I’ve wondered the same thing. As I’ve written before, my mom has lung cancer, and both her brother and mother were diagnosed with leukemia. On my dad’s side of the family, his father had prostate cancer and mother had ovarian cancer. That’s five close relatives with cancer.
But does my family history of cancer mean that my own risk of cancer is higher? What about my patient’s family?
Before worrying, keep in mind that the majority of cancer cases – about 90 percent – are not due to an inherited gene, but are completely random, arising in whole or in part from lifestyle or other factors. On the plus side, an estimated 40 percent of all cancers are thought to be preventable by exercising, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and making other healthy choices.
Again, only up to 12 percent of all cancers are believed to be associated with inherited genetic mutations, what we colloquially call cancer that runs in the family.
Clues that you may have inherited a proclivity to develop cancer include multiple close family members on the same side of the family who have similar cancers; cancers developing in younger (under age 50) family members – especially cancers of the ovary, pancreas, colon and rectum, metastatic prostate cancer, male breast cancer or “triple-negative” breast cancer; and several different types of cancer that occur in the same person. Any one of these should prompt consideration of genetic testing.
Some of the more common inherited genetic mutations linked to cancer include:
BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are found in families in whom multiple members develop breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, among others. About 1 in 400 people in the general population carry one of these genes, but among people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, the prevalence is higher, at about 1 in 50.
MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2, which can lead to colorectal, gastric, ovarian and endometrial cancers, among others, and are often referred to as Lynch syndrome. The population prevalence of carrying one of these mutations is almost 1 in 300.
TP53, which can lead to a variety of malignancies, including cancers of the breast, bone and soft tissue, brain, adrenal gland and leukemia, among others – collectively referred to as Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Carriers can develop multiple cancers, with women tending to have breast cancer first, and men initially having brain or soft tissue cancers. It is estimated that up to 1 in 5,000 people have inherited a TP53 variant that predisposes them to cancer.
While inherited genetic mutations can lead to cancers in younger adults, it is increasingly being recognized that these cancers can even occur later in life. Cancer is a multistep process, and having one inherited genetic mutation usually isn’t enough to cause the cancer. For example, colleagues and I discovered one inherited genetic mutation in identical twins who developed a form of leukemia in their late 60s, suggesting that additional mutations had to arise over the course of their lives for the cancer to occur.
Because of our family history of cancer, my mom underwent genetic testing and – good news – no inherited cancer gene was found. Despite the number of people with cancer on her side of the family, there was no unifying genetic cause. Instead, the cases were random, and she therefore was unlikely to pass on a known cancer gene to me. I still have no idea, though, whether my dad’s side of the family could have such a gene.
Similarly, even though my patient’s family had quite a few cancer cases, the pattern was not typical of an inherited genetic mutation.
As a general statement, and for a number of cancers, people with a first-degree relative – defined as a parent, sibling or child – with cancer have two to five times the risk (compared with those without a family history) of developing the same cancer. This may be related to some other type of susceptibility – such as having a similar complexion that’s more sensitive to UV damage – or to a lifestyle or environmental risk factor in common, such as smoking.
But without an identifiable genetic mutation at play, it’s hard to know just how much a family history puts you at risk. Knowing that I am at increased risk for cancer based solely on my family’s history of cancer, I have tried to adopt healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercising, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking and excess alcohol intake, to minimize that risk.
People who inherit one of those common cancer genes have a high risk of developing cancer – much higher than the general population. But cancer is not inevitable.
For example, while about 13 percent of women in the general U.S. population can expect to have a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes, 55 to 72 percent of women who inherit the BRCA1 variant and 45 to 69 percent of women who inherit a BRCA2 variant will develop breast cancer by 70 to 80 years of age. Cancer risk for carriers of one of these mutations is unquestionably higher than the general population – but it is not 100 percent.
For example, in women who have inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants, options to reduce cancer risk include enhanced screening – with annual breast imaging starting at age 25 – or risk-reducing surgery such as preventive mastectomy or ovary removal, which can also be recommended for people with Lynch syndrome. This strategy was famously chosen by the actress Angelina Jolie, who is a BRCA carrier, and her decision led to higher testing rates for BRCA variants and to other women choosing to undergo risk-reducing mastectomy.
Cancer prevention with medications may also help: Oral contraceptive pills, for example, may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women with one of these variants by 44 to 61 percent.
For people with Lynch syndrome, colonoscopy screening for cancer should start in a person’s 20s, or five years before the youngest age of colorectal cancer diagnosis in an affected family member, and continue every one to two years. The idea is that this is early enough that a nascent cancer can be identified quickly and removed before it becomes more aggressive or spreads. Taking a daily aspirin may also help; one study found that when taken for a minimum of two years, 600 milligrams daily of aspirin reduced the risk of colon cancer by about 60 percent.
Cancer is complicated. The cards we’re dealt at birth play an important role, but risk is influenced by many factors that occur over our lifetime. Regardless of your family history of cancer, minimizing or eliminating additional lifestyle risk factors and engaging in cancer screening programs is something you can control.
healthing.ca
healthing.ca
healthing.ca
healthing.ca
healthing.ca
healthing.ca
torontosun.com
Only up to 12 per cent of all cancers are believed to be associated with inherited genetic mutations
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Mikkael Sekeres, MD
Published Aug 20, 2026 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 6 minute read
Almost three in four Canadians -- or 73% -- turn to search engines to understand a diagnosis from their doctor, according to a new survey from Breast Cancer Canada.
Almost three in four Canadians -- or 73% -- turn to search engines to understand a diagnosis from their doctor, according to a new survey from Breast Cancer Canada. Photo by iStock /GETTY IMAGES
How much does family history matter when it comes to cancer risk? Am I definitely going to get it if it runs in my family?
The patient sitting a few feet away from me in my examination room was in her late 80s and had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Her son and daughter were sitting by her side. As part of my routine series of questions when I first meet someone, I asked if anyone else in her family had cancer.
“Well, yes,” she answered, “my mother had multiple myeloma, in her 60s.” I asked if there was anyone else with cancer.
“Me!” Her daughter volunteered. “I had breast cancer, also in my 60s.” I dutifully typed the information into her medical record.
“Does that mean cancer runs in our family?” my patient asked.
I’ve wondered the same thing. As I’ve written before, my mom has lung cancer, and both her brother and mother were diagnosed with leukemia. On my dad’s side of the family, his father had prostate cancer and mother had ovarian cancer. That’s five close relatives with cancer.
But does my family history of cancer mean that my own risk of cancer is higher? What about my patient’s family?
Before worrying, keep in mind that the majority of cancer cases – about 90 percent – are not due to an inherited gene, but are completely random, arising in whole or in part from lifestyle or other factors. On the plus side, an estimated 40 percent of all cancers are thought to be preventable by exercising, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and making other healthy choices.
Again, only up to 12 percent of all cancers are believed to be associated with inherited genetic mutations, what we colloquially call cancer that runs in the family.
Clues that you may have inherited a proclivity to develop cancer include multiple close family members on the same side of the family who have similar cancers; cancers developing in younger (under age 50) family members – especially cancers of the ovary, pancreas, colon and rectum, metastatic prostate cancer, male breast cancer or “triple-negative” breast cancer; and several different types of cancer that occur in the same person. Any one of these should prompt consideration of genetic testing.
Some of the more common inherited genetic mutations linked to cancer include:
BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are found in families in whom multiple members develop breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, among others. About 1 in 400 people in the general population carry one of these genes, but among people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, the prevalence is higher, at about 1 in 50.
MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2, which can lead to colorectal, gastric, ovarian and endometrial cancers, among others, and are often referred to as Lynch syndrome. The population prevalence of carrying one of these mutations is almost 1 in 300.
TP53, which can lead to a variety of malignancies, including cancers of the breast, bone and soft tissue, brain, adrenal gland and leukemia, among others – collectively referred to as Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Carriers can develop multiple cancers, with women tending to have breast cancer first, and men initially having brain or soft tissue cancers. It is estimated that up to 1 in 5,000 people have inherited a TP53 variant that predisposes them to cancer.
While inherited genetic mutations can lead to cancers in younger adults, it is increasingly being recognized that these cancers can even occur later in life. Cancer is a multistep process, and having one inherited genetic mutation usually isn’t enough to cause the cancer. For example, colleagues and I discovered one inherited genetic mutation in identical twins who developed a form of leukemia in their late 60s, suggesting that additional mutations had to arise over the course of their lives for the cancer to occur.
Because of our family history of cancer, my mom underwent genetic testing and – good news – no inherited cancer gene was found. Despite the number of people with cancer on her side of the family, there was no unifying genetic cause. Instead, the cases were random, and she therefore was unlikely to pass on a known cancer gene to me. I still have no idea, though, whether my dad’s side of the family could have such a gene.
Similarly, even though my patient’s family had quite a few cancer cases, the pattern was not typical of an inherited genetic mutation.
As a general statement, and for a number of cancers, people with a first-degree relative – defined as a parent, sibling or child – with cancer have two to five times the risk (compared with those without a family history) of developing the same cancer. This may be related to some other type of susceptibility – such as having a similar complexion that’s more sensitive to UV damage – or to a lifestyle or environmental risk factor in common, such as smoking.
But without an identifiable genetic mutation at play, it’s hard to know just how much a family history puts you at risk. Knowing that I am at increased risk for cancer based solely on my family’s history of cancer, I have tried to adopt healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercising, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking and excess alcohol intake, to minimize that risk.
People who inherit one of those common cancer genes have a high risk of developing cancer – much higher than the general population. But cancer is not inevitable.
For example, while about 13 percent of women in the general U.S. population can expect to have a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes, 55 to 72 percent of women who inherit the BRCA1 variant and 45 to 69 percent of women who inherit a BRCA2 variant will develop breast cancer by 70 to 80 years of age. Cancer risk for carriers of one of these mutations is unquestionably higher than the general population – but it is not 100 percent.
For example, in women who have inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants, options to reduce cancer risk include enhanced screening – with annual breast imaging starting at age 25 – or risk-reducing surgery such as preventive mastectomy or ovary removal, which can also be recommended for people with Lynch syndrome. This strategy was famously chosen by the actress Angelina Jolie, who is a BRCA carrier, and her decision led to higher testing rates for BRCA variants and to other women choosing to undergo risk-reducing mastectomy.
Cancer prevention with medications may also help: Oral contraceptive pills, for example, may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women with one of these variants by 44 to 61 percent.
For people with Lynch syndrome, colonoscopy screening for cancer should start in a person’s 20s, or five years before the youngest age of colorectal cancer diagnosis in an affected family member, and continue every one to two years. The idea is that this is early enough that a nascent cancer can be identified quickly and removed before it becomes more aggressive or spreads. Taking a daily aspirin may also help; one study found that when taken for a minimum of two years, 600 milligrams daily of aspirin reduced the risk of colon cancer by about 60 percent.
Cancer is complicated. The cards we’re dealt at birth play an important role, but risk is influenced by many factors that occur over our lifetime. Regardless of your family history of cancer, minimizing or eliminating additional lifestyle risk factors and engaging in cancer screening programs is something you can control.
Colorectal Cancer | Healthing.ca
Often detected through screening, colorectal cancer challenges patients with physical and lifestyle adjustments. This hub covers the reality of surgery, ostomy care, and chemotherapy. Content highlights the rising incidence in younger adults and offers practical advice on recovery, supported by...
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Breast Cancer | Healthing.ca
Beyond the pink ribbon, breast cancer involves complex decisions about genetics, surgery, and identity. This section explores the journey from screening to reconstruction and survivorship. Real stories address intimacy and body image, while expert articles cover advances in targeted therapies...
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Prostate Cancer | Healthing.ca
The most common cancer for Canadian men, prostate cancer brings complex choices. This section explores active surveillance versus treatment, addressing sensitive side effects like incontinence. Personal narratives and medical information help patients weigh their options, focusing on quality of...
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Leukemia | Healthing.ca
Affecting both children and adults, leukemia demands complex care and resilience. This category covers the spectrum from acute to chronic types, detailing treatment advancements and the bone marrow transplant journey. Through patient stories and expert insights, content addresses the physical...
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Lung Cancer | Healthing.ca
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death, yet innovation is changing the landscape. This category moves past stigma to focus on biomarker testing and immunotherapy. Resources cover the management of breathlessness and diagnosis, featuring stories from never-smokers and long-term...
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Myeloma | Healthing.ca
Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells often characterized by cycles of remission and relapse. This hub provides resources on managing bone health, blood tests, and emerging therapies. Patient voices and expert advice offer a roadmap for living well despite the uncertainty of a chronic...
healthing.ca
What to know about cancer risk if it runs in your family
Again, only up to 12 percent of all cancers are believed to be associated with inherited genetic mutations, what we colloquially call cancer that runs in the family.
The most common cancer is easy to miss. Here’s what to look for.
Here are some other things dermatologists and patients want you to know about basal cell carcinoma, including how to prevent it.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Lindsey Bever
Published Aug 24, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 5 minute read
Basal cell carcinoma on the chest of a seventy year old Caucasian woman who has lived all her life in Africa
Photo by Peter /Adobe Stock
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer, affecting 1 in 5 adults in the United States during their lifetimes. Yet it can be easy to miss.
Alexa Frank thought the small, pink, flaky spot on her nose was an acne scar or eczema, a condition that causes dry, itchy skin.
It turned out to be basal cell carcinoma.
“I was completely shocked. I remember thinking, ‘I’m 23. How could I have skin cancer?'” said Frank, now 24, of Syosset, New York.
As in Frank’s case, basal cell carcinoma often can start off looking like a small, skin-colored bump, sore or scaly patch – easily mistaken for dry skin or a pimple on the mend. While very rarely life-threatening, it can grow deep into the skin, which is why experts said early detection is important for the best recovery.
Basal cell carcinoma can affect anyone, but it’s more common in people older than 40, those who are light-skinned, have a history of skin cancer or are immunocompromised, said Kelly Nelson, a professor of dermatology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Here are some other things dermatologists and patients want you to know about basal cell carcinoma, including how to prevent it.
Basal cell carcinoma often appears on the face – particularly the nose, ears or bare scalp – as well as other areas with increased sun exposure, such as the neck, shoulders, arms and hands. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body, though it can grow into nearby tissue.
“I liken it to rust on a car. It’s not going to stop your engine, but it is something that we want to stop when it’s a small problem because if we let it get out of hand, it can become an issue, particularly if it’s close to important structures,” such as your eyes, Nelson said.
Depending on the type, it can form as a nodular bump with tiny blood vessels; a superficial patch that looks like dry skin; or a flat, firm scar-like lesion that can extend deeper beneath the skin, making it more difficult to treat, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Because basal cell carcinoma can be difficult for the untrained eye to spot, Nelson suggested using the “ugly duckling sign” – a self-check method that involves looking for a mole, spot or patch that looks different from any other on your body and then having it evaluated by a dermatologist. Additionally, a new hard, pink bump, a new sore, or a spot that bleeds and does not heal within a few weeks should be assessed, she said.
Although it’s best to identify it early, this type of skin cancer is typically slow-growing, expanding by an average of about 2 to 3 millimetres per year, Nelson said. So even if you don’t catch it on your own, as long as you’re diligent about getting routine annual dermatologic examinations, it can usually be found and treated before it causes significant problems, she said.
Once basal cell carcinoma is diagnosed through a biopsy, the recommended treatment may vary based on the type as well as the growth’s size, location and whether it is a new or returning cancer.
For higher-risk growths, Mohs surgery is the preferred treatment.
During Mohs surgery, a specialized dermatologist called a Mohs surgeon removes thin layers of cancerous tissue one at a time and examines each under a microscope until no more cancer cells are seen. Once the margins are clear, either the Mohs surgeon or a plastic surgeon will reconstruct the area, said Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Stephanie Townes, 35, of Charlotte, had Mohs surgery to remove nodular basal cell carcinoma in 2025. She had been aware of a small, translucent mole next to her nose for years. But then it started to grow, itch and bleed. Initially, she decided to have it removed for cosmetic reasons.
But her dermatologist told her it was skin cancer.
“I was kind of laughing at the irony since I went in for vanity reasons, and it ended up being this news that I didn’t expect at all,” she said.
In retrospect, however, she said she was at higher risk. A competitive swimmer, she spent much of her adolescence in the sun, and her dad has had multiple surgeries to treat basal cell carcinoma, she said.
This year, Frank also had Mohs surgery. She then had plastic surgery to repair the area. “I went from having a tiny, pink spot that I was barely worried about to having a ton of stitches and a scar that was at least five times the size of the actual skin cancer,” she said.
Depending on the type, basal cell carcinoma can be removed surgically or through less-invasive procedures, such as using a scraping tool and electric current to remove the growth or even through prescription creams.
The cure rate for certain types of basal cell carcinoma is about 98 to 99 percent, though people who have had one non-melanoma skin cancer are at higher risk of developing another “because it’s a marker of how much UV exposure you’ve had and how much DNA damage you’ve had,” Rossi said.
Since having basal cell carcinoma, both Frank and Townes said they have become vigilant about wearing sunscreen and hats to help protect their skin. Frank even had the windows on her car tinted to reduce UV exposure.
Dermatologists recommend using a broad-spectrum chemical or mineral sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapplying it about every two hours, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming. Rossi likes mineral sunscreens because he said they are less irritating for sensitive skin.
For patients with an increased risk of skin cancer, such as those who have had it multiple times, Rossi said he also sometimes recommends taking supplemental nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3.
Some researchers believe nicotinamide helps restore cellular energy and enhances the skin’s ability to repair UV-induced DNA damage, Rossi said. But consult your doctor before starting nicotinamide, as it can interact with certain medications, including some anticonvulsants, blood thinners and diabetes medications, he said.
In some cases, Rossi also recommends photodynamic therapy, which uses special medicines and light to destroy precancerous non-melanoma cancer cells.
Townes said she still enjoys the outdoors but thinks constantly about the precautions she needs to take, including dermatologic exams every six months.
“I won’t stop doing the activities that I love just because of this. But I’ve become hyper aware of what can happen,” she said.
![AdobeStock_1558784186[1].jpeg](https://forums.canadiancontent.net/data/attachments/33/33724-833955157665a61a125cabd003957799.jpg "AdobeStock_1558784186[1].jpeg")
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torontosun.com
Here are some other things dermatologists and patients want you to know about basal cell carcinoma, including how to prevent it.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Lindsey Bever
Published Aug 24, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 5 minute read
Basal cell carcinoma on the chest of a seventy year old Caucasian woman who has lived all her life in Africa
Photo by Peter /Adobe Stock
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer, affecting 1 in 5 adults in the United States during their lifetimes. Yet it can be easy to miss.
Alexa Frank thought the small, pink, flaky spot on her nose was an acne scar or eczema, a condition that causes dry, itchy skin.
It turned out to be basal cell carcinoma.
“I was completely shocked. I remember thinking, ‘I’m 23. How could I have skin cancer?'” said Frank, now 24, of Syosset, New York.
As in Frank’s case, basal cell carcinoma often can start off looking like a small, skin-colored bump, sore or scaly patch – easily mistaken for dry skin or a pimple on the mend. While very rarely life-threatening, it can grow deep into the skin, which is why experts said early detection is important for the best recovery.
Basal cell carcinoma can affect anyone, but it’s more common in people older than 40, those who are light-skinned, have a history of skin cancer or are immunocompromised, said Kelly Nelson, a professor of dermatology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Here are some other things dermatologists and patients want you to know about basal cell carcinoma, including how to prevent it.
Basal cell carcinoma often appears on the face – particularly the nose, ears or bare scalp – as well as other areas with increased sun exposure, such as the neck, shoulders, arms and hands. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body, though it can grow into nearby tissue.
“I liken it to rust on a car. It’s not going to stop your engine, but it is something that we want to stop when it’s a small problem because if we let it get out of hand, it can become an issue, particularly if it’s close to important structures,” such as your eyes, Nelson said.
Depending on the type, it can form as a nodular bump with tiny blood vessels; a superficial patch that looks like dry skin; or a flat, firm scar-like lesion that can extend deeper beneath the skin, making it more difficult to treat, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Because basal cell carcinoma can be difficult for the untrained eye to spot, Nelson suggested using the “ugly duckling sign” – a self-check method that involves looking for a mole, spot or patch that looks different from any other on your body and then having it evaluated by a dermatologist. Additionally, a new hard, pink bump, a new sore, or a spot that bleeds and does not heal within a few weeks should be assessed, she said.
Although it’s best to identify it early, this type of skin cancer is typically slow-growing, expanding by an average of about 2 to 3 millimetres per year, Nelson said. So even if you don’t catch it on your own, as long as you’re diligent about getting routine annual dermatologic examinations, it can usually be found and treated before it causes significant problems, she said.
Once basal cell carcinoma is diagnosed through a biopsy, the recommended treatment may vary based on the type as well as the growth’s size, location and whether it is a new or returning cancer.
For higher-risk growths, Mohs surgery is the preferred treatment.
During Mohs surgery, a specialized dermatologist called a Mohs surgeon removes thin layers of cancerous tissue one at a time and examines each under a microscope until no more cancer cells are seen. Once the margins are clear, either the Mohs surgeon or a plastic surgeon will reconstruct the area, said Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Stephanie Townes, 35, of Charlotte, had Mohs surgery to remove nodular basal cell carcinoma in 2025. She had been aware of a small, translucent mole next to her nose for years. But then it started to grow, itch and bleed. Initially, she decided to have it removed for cosmetic reasons.
But her dermatologist told her it was skin cancer.
“I was kind of laughing at the irony since I went in for vanity reasons, and it ended up being this news that I didn’t expect at all,” she said.
In retrospect, however, she said she was at higher risk. A competitive swimmer, she spent much of her adolescence in the sun, and her dad has had multiple surgeries to treat basal cell carcinoma, she said.
This year, Frank also had Mohs surgery. She then had plastic surgery to repair the area. “I went from having a tiny, pink spot that I was barely worried about to having a ton of stitches and a scar that was at least five times the size of the actual skin cancer,” she said.
Depending on the type, basal cell carcinoma can be removed surgically or through less-invasive procedures, such as using a scraping tool and electric current to remove the growth or even through prescription creams.
The cure rate for certain types of basal cell carcinoma is about 98 to 99 percent, though people who have had one non-melanoma skin cancer are at higher risk of developing another “because it’s a marker of how much UV exposure you’ve had and how much DNA damage you’ve had,” Rossi said.
Since having basal cell carcinoma, both Frank and Townes said they have become vigilant about wearing sunscreen and hats to help protect their skin. Frank even had the windows on her car tinted to reduce UV exposure.
Dermatologists recommend using a broad-spectrum chemical or mineral sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapplying it about every two hours, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming. Rossi likes mineral sunscreens because he said they are less irritating for sensitive skin.
For patients with an increased risk of skin cancer, such as those who have had it multiple times, Rossi said he also sometimes recommends taking supplemental nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3.
Some researchers believe nicotinamide helps restore cellular energy and enhances the skin’s ability to repair UV-induced DNA damage, Rossi said. But consult your doctor before starting nicotinamide, as it can interact with certain medications, including some anticonvulsants, blood thinners and diabetes medications, he said.
In some cases, Rossi also recommends photodynamic therapy, which uses special medicines and light to destroy precancerous non-melanoma cancer cells.
Townes said she still enjoys the outdoors but thinks constantly about the precautions she needs to take, including dermatologic exams every six months.
“I won’t stop doing the activities that I love just because of this. But I’ve become hyper aware of what can happen,” she said.
Skin Cancer | Healthing.ca
From basal cell carcinoma to melanoma, skin cancer requires vigilance. This collection emphasizes prevention and early detection of changing moles. Articles cover the spectrum of care, from Mohs surgery to immunotherapy, sharing patient experiences that highlight the importance of sun safety and...
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