Health
Florida doctor reveals his own cancer journey to help others handle the emotions a diagnosis brings
With more than two million new cases of cancer expected in 2024, a Florida physician who survived the disease wants to help others navigate the terrain of a life-changing diagnosis.
Dr. Chris Scuderi, who practices at Millennium Physician Group in Jacksonville, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in Nov. 2020 — at the end of a challenging year amid the COVID pandemic.
“My diagnosis came as a great surprise because I was in my mid-40s, had no family history, worked out almost every day and overall ate a very healthy diet,” Scuderi told Fox News Digital in an interview.
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Scuderi had none of the risk factors or typical symptoms normally associated with bladder cancer.
“I thought I had food poisoning,” he said.
A cancer diagnosis can come with a wide range of overwhelming emotions, survivors shared with Fox News Digital. (iStock)
He underwent surgery a week after the diagnosis and then completed a year’s worth of chemotherapy specifically targeted for bladder cancer.
Today, Scuderi is healthy and cancer-free. He’s made some lifestyle changes, including putting a greater emphasis on eating more plant-based foods and getting regular exercise.
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“Stress, overwork and irregular sleep were areas of my life I had to address as a physician, husband and father,” he said.
“Over the past two years, I have been using a fitness tracker to closely monitor my sleep, stress levels and recovery each day, and use this objective data to prioritize my rest.”
Emotional roller-coaster
Each patient’s emotional reaction will be different, Scuderi noted.
“The first few weeks can bring up a lot of emotions, and the unknown is extremely scary,” he said.
“You don’t know what treatment options you will have or how this will affect your life or your family members’ lives. You don’t know how this will affect your work or future plans.”
Dr. Chris Scuderi (left), who practices at Millennium Physician Group in Jacksonville, Florida, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in Nov. 2020. “Stress, overwork and irregular sleep were areas of my life I had to address as a physician, husband and father,” he said. (Dr. Chris Scuderi)
“There’s a lot to process, and it feels like your life is stopping while the rest of the world is moving forward.”
Some patients may feel grief over the loss of their health, and the abandonment of plans that must be put on hold, the doctor noted. This can also cause feelings of anger.
Denial is also a common response, as many patients resist the reality of their lives changing.
“The first few weeks can bring up a lot of emotions, and the unknown is extremely scary.”
Anxiety and fear are also typical emotions, Scuderi said, as any cancer diagnosis sparks feelings of uncertainty and unease.
“Talking with your health care team about the diagnosis, including how you feel about it and the plan for treatment and any next steps, is helpful in relieving some of that anxiety,” he said.
“It’s also common to wonder, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ or ‘Did I do something to cause this?’” the doctor added.
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“Patients may have conflicting emotions — like shock, sadness, peace, hope and fear — all at the same time. Knowing you have people on your side and a plan in place makes all the difference.”
Erin Gratsch, an Ohio mother and fitness instructor who received two breast cancer diagnoses — first in 2016, then again in 2022 — also experienced a wide range of emotions, she told Fox News Digital.
The first was shock. “How did this happen to me?”
Two-time cancer survivor Erin Gratsch, shown here, has completed nine Boston Marathons. (Erin Gratsch)
Next was guilt. “What did I do? Could I have done something to cause or prevent this?”
Anger was another prevalent emotion, especially when Gratsch’s second diagnosis arrived.
“I remember throwing my end table across the family room and it broke into pieces,” she said.
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Gratsch also experienced worry and depression, thinking things like, “Will I die? I don’t want to go through radiation or chemo. How will I pay my bills and work? I don’t want to be a burden to my family. I want to live to become a grandparent.”
Then came survival mode and hope — when Gratsch shifted her outlook to, “OK, what do I have to do to beat this?”
A big shift in perspective
Gratitude plays a big role in Scuderi’s daily routine, he said.
“Before I fall asleep, I identify three things I am grateful for specifically from that day, as I have realized now more than ever that each day is a gift,” he said.
“Many studies show how powerful gratitude is for our health, and it is easy at our current pace to miss many of the great moments and connections we had during our day if we don’t take time to reflect on them.”
It’s important to have a support team who can help you along the path from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, a doctor said. (iStock)
Scuderi has spent more time with his family and friends since his diagnosis, prioritizing travel and experiences.
To celebrate the end of his cancer treatments, he hiked the last 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago with a group of good friends.
“I identify three things I am grateful for specifically from that day.”
“Cancer changes your perspective,” he said. “Getting through a diagnosis and treatment really helps you see what is truly important. It also helped to renew the power of choice in my life.”
Scuderi’s triumph over cancer has also strengthened his belief in the importance of encouragement.
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“There were many people who kept me up during my diagnosis, surgery and treatments,” he told Fox News Digital. “It has since become a mission of mine to encourage others.”
He also emphasized that growth even post-cancer is not linear. “It is sometimes two steps forward and one step back.”
Tips for dealing with post-diagnosis emotions
For those who have just received a diagnosis, Scuderi and Gratsch offer tips for navigating those first days and weeks.
Communicate with your care team
“Talking with your family physician, oncologist and other members of your treatment team will be helpful in managing any anxiety and uncertainty around the diagnosis and fear of what’s next,” said Scuderi.
“Many patients notice their stress lessens when they know what they need to do, and how to take back control of their health.”
“Cancer takes a lot from you — but running and exercising was one thing I could do to feel good about myself,” said Gratsch. (Denise F Photography/Denise Haney)
In Scuderi’s case, the urologist who led his care has been “a huge part” of this journey.
“It is important to have a team that you can communicate well with and trust,” he added.
Getting a professional second opinion can also help patients feel they’re making the most informed decisions in their care, Gratsch said.
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“This gives the patient confidence that they are making the right decisions knowing both doctors are recommending the same plan,” she said. “Also, you may get additional advice or information from the second doctor that you didn’t get from the first.”
Build a non-medical support team
In addition to talking with your treatment team, Scuderi said it’s essential to have a support team of loved ones who can help you along the path from diagnosis to treatment and recovery.
“Don’t be afraid to lean on them when you need extra support,” he said. “It’s OK to be honest — a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming no matter what, and sharing your fears with others can lighten the mental toll so you can put all your energy toward your recovery.”
Getting a professional second opinion can also help patients feel they’re making the most informed decisions in their care, a survivor shared with Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Gratsch echoed the advice to allow others to take care of you.
“Take advantage of local resources,” she said. “Social workers, hospitals and oncology offices can refer patients for help with financial support, emotional support groups, rides to treatment and meals.”
Keep up with physical exercise as much as possible
“You may not be able to exercise as intensely as you did previously, but a 20- to 30-minute walk is a great way to relieve stress and feel better,” Scuderi said.
“Being outside when possible may also have benefits to improve our immune systems. Talk with your team about which exercises are best for you.”
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Over the course of her cancer journey — through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation — Gratsch, an avid runner, maintained about five marathons per year.
“Cancer takes a lot from you — but running and exercising was one thing I could do to feel good about myself,” she said.
Continue doing things you enjoy
Pursuing enjoyable hobbies and activities will help to maintain a sense of routine and keep your spirits up, Scuderi said.
To maintain a sense of routine and keep your spirits up, pursuing enjoyable hobbies and activities will help, a doctor said. (iStock)
“Sometimes patients with serious illnesses can become depressed due to the emotional toll of cancer, chemotherapy and being in hospital settings, so staying close to your hobbies and loved ones will help reduce these feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” he said.
Focus on the present day
“It’s so important to stay in each day and not get caught up in worrying too much about tomorrow or living in the regret of yesterday,” Scuderi said.
“Cancer recovery takes a lot of energy — and my patients who do their best to be present in each day seem to do better.”
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Collagen supplements have exploded in popularity, touted as everything from an anti-aging miracle to a muscle recovery booster.
But a sweeping new review conducted by U.K. researchers suggests that while collagen may help improve skin elasticity and ease arthritis pain, it does little for athletic performance or wrinkle reduction.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University analyzed 16 systematic reviews and 113 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 8,000 participants worldwide, which they say is the most extensive evaluation of collagen’s health effects to date.
The review found consistent evidence that collagen supplementation improves skin elasticity and hydration over time and provides significant relief from osteoarthritis-related joint pain and stiffness, according to findings published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
A large U.K. review found that collagen supplements may improve skin elasticity and hydration over time. (iStock)
The researchers, however, did not find meaningful improvements in post-exercise muscle recovery, soreness or tendon mechanical properties (strength, springiness and stretch resistance).
“Collagen is not a cure-all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,” co-author Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University, said in a statement.
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“Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy aging, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use,” Smith added.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, supports skin, bones, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue, according to experts. Natural collagen production begins to drop in early adulthood and declines more sharply with age.
The study found that collagen supplements may help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis. (iStock)
The review found that long-term collagen supplementation was linked to improved skin firmness and hydration, but did not help skin roughness — a proxy for visible wrinkles.
Benefits appear to accumulate gradually, suggesting that collagen should not be viewed as an “anti-wrinkle ‘quick fix,’ but as a foundational dermal support for individuals seeking holistic skin maintenance,” the researchers said.
“If we define anti-aging as a product or technique designed to prevent the appearance of getting older, then I believe our findings do support this claim for some parameters,” Smith told the BBC. “For example, an improvement in skin tone and moisture is associated with a more youthful-looking appearance.”
Collagen supplementation was linked to reduced pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, with stronger benefits seen over longer periods of use, and showed modest improvements in muscle mass and tendon structure that may support healthy aging.
Collagen did not significantly improve skin roughness, a marker of visible wrinkles. (iStock)
However, it did not show meaningful results when used as a fast-acting sports performance supplement, and evidence for benefits related to cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and oral health was mixed or inconclusive.
Dr. Daniel Ghiyam, a California-based physician and longevity specialist, said the findings align with what he sees in clinical practice.
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“Collagen is a targeted support tool, not a foundation of health or performance,” Ghiyam, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “When marketed that way, it makes sense. When marketed as a cure-all, it doesn’t hold up to the data.”
The authors noted that while many previous collagen studies have received financial support from the supplement industry, the current review did not receive industry funding.
Experts say collagen supplements may offer modest benefits for skin hydration and joint comfort, but they are not a cure-all. (iStock)
The team called for more high-quality clinical trials examining long-term outcomes, optimal dosages and differences between collagen sources, such as marine, bovine and plant-based alternatives.
Among its limitations, the review could not determine whether certain forms of collagen work better than others or what the optimal regimen should be.
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While the review included randomized controlled trials, the quality of the studies varied, with newer research generally showing stronger results.
Experts say more data and studies are needed to build on the findings. They also noted that diet plays a crucial role in skin health.
Collagen supplements, often sold as powders or pills, may improve skin elasticity and ease joint pain, experts say. (iStock)
Dr. Erum Ilyas, a Pennsylvania-based dermatologist and chair of dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine, noted that the review analyzed previously published meta-analyses rather than generating new primary data.
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“At this time, I have not seen sufficiently strong independent evidence to routinely recommend collagen supplements to my patients,” Ilyas, who was not involved in the review, told Fox News Digital.
“Although some studies show modest improvements in markers such as hydration and elasticity, there remains limited independent, biopsy-confirmed evidence demonstrating sustained increases in dermal collagen content,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment.
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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