Health
Cancer Remission Like Catherine’s Does Not Always Mean the Illness Is Cured
Princess Catherine, wife of Prince William, reported on Tuesday that her cancer was in remission. But what does it mean to be in remission from cancer?
Doctors discovered her cancer unexpectedly last March when she had abdominal surgery. She has not revealed the type of cancer she has, nor how advanced it was when it was discovered.
But she did say she had chemotherapy, which she said had been completed in September. She told the British news agency PA Media that she had a port, a small device that is implanted under the skin and attached to a catheter that goes into a large vein. It allows medicines like chemotherapy drugs to be delivered directly to veins in the chest, avoiding needle sticks.
Catherine told PA Media that chemotherapy was “really tough.”
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” she wrote on Instagram.
Her announcement “certainly is good news and is reassuring,” said Dr. Kimmie Ng, associate chief of the division of gastrointestinal oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
But cancer experts like Dr. Ng say that the meaning of remission in a patient can vary.
In general, when doctors and patients talk about remission, they mean there is no evidence of cancer in blood tests or scans.
The problem is that a complete remission does not mean the cancer is gone. Even when a cancer is “cured” — defined as no evidence of cancer for five years — it may not be vanquished.
That makes life emotionally difficult for patients, who have to have frequent visits with oncologists for physical exams, blood tests and imaging.
“It’s really scary,” Dr. Ng said. “The amount of uncertainty is very very hard,” she added.
But that ongoing surveillance is necessary, despite the toll it takes on patients.
“Different cancers have different propensities of returning or not returning,” said Dr. Elena Ratner, a gynecologic oncologist at the Yale Cancer Center.
As many as 75 to 80 percent of ovarian cancers, she noted, can come back in an average of 14 to 16 months after a remission, depending on the stage the cancer had reached when it was found and on the cancer’s biology.
“Once the cancer returns, it becomes a chronic disease,” Dr. Ratner said. She tells her patients: “You will live with this cancer. You will be on and off chemotherapy for the rest of your life.”
Dr. Ratner’s gynecological cancer patients have to come back every three months for CT scans to keep an eye out for evidence that the cancer has returned.
“The women live CT scan to CT scan,” she said. “They say that for two and a half months, they have a wonderful life, but then, in time for the next CT scan, the fear returns.”
“It costs them — it costs them a lot,” she said.
“It’s awful, yet I am amazed every day by their strength,” she said of her patients.
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Taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss may improve male fertility, according to experts.
Research presented this week at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, explored how obesity is strongly linked to fertility problems in men.
Excess weight can contribute to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis — the hormone system that regulates testosterone production — and functional hypogonadism, a condition in which testosterone levels are abnormally low because of disrupted hormone signaling. These changes can also impair semen quality.
WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS COULD IMPACT SEXUAL HEALTH IN UNEXPECTED WAYS
The researchers evaluated how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs impact reproductive hormones and metabolic outcomes, analyzing data of men between the ages of 18 and 65 who were taking one of the medications, according to a press release.
The systematic review of five randomized controlled trials focused on measuring testosterone, brain hormones involved in testosterone and sperm production, and a protein that carries sex hormones in the blood. Semen quality, weight and BMI, cholesterol and blood sugar were also measured.
Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic heath while taking a GLP-1, the study found. (iStock)
The results suggested that GLP-1 medications do not suppress male hormones. Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic health, especially during weight loss.
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In one four-week study, dulaglutide showed no significant changes in reproductive hormones or sexual function.
In a separate 16-week trial, liraglutide improved hormones in obese men with functional hypogonadism, meaning low testosterone was likely related to obesity. The review found that liraglutide was better for health outcomes than hormone replacement therapy.
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Another liraglutide study reported improved sperm concentration and count.
The study authors concluded that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.” (iStock)
A 24-week trial of semaglutide, known commercially as Ozempic and Wegovy, saw improvement in sperm shape and bad cholesterol, while preserving total testosterone.
As only five trials were included, the small evidence base suggests more research is necessary to prove further association.
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In an abstract of the research, the authors summed up that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.”
“However, evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, underscoring the need for larger RCTs explicitly powered to assess male reproductive outcomes,” they wrote.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” one doctor said. (iStock)
Dr. Anthony Puopolo, men’s health expert and lead medical provider for RexMD, reflected on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” he said.
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While more research is necessary, Pupolo, who was not involved in the study, shared his optimism about how GLP-1s can play a role in improving male fertility.
“If this finding continues to gain evidence, GLP-1s might be a better option for low T than testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in obese men – as GLP-1 medications preserve fertility, whereas TRT tends to be harmful to male reproductive/sperm function,” he added.
Health
Measles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel, health officials warn
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A traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at Los Angeles International Airport and guests at a nearby hotel after arriving in Los Angeles County earlier this month, health officials said Wednesday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it is investigating a confirmed measles case involving a traveler who arrived aboard Cathay Pacific Flight CX 884 on June 11. The traveler was infectious while passing through Los Angeles County, potentially exposing others at LAX and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
The case marks the sixth measles infection reported in Los Angeles County this year. Health officials said the risk of exposure could increase as summer travel ramps up and Los Angeles welcomes international visitors for FIFA World Cup events being held in the region.
MEASLES CASES CONFIRMED AT FOUR MAJOR US AIRPORTS ACROSS COUNTRY AMID PEAK HOLIDAY TRAVEL
A 3D illustration shows measles virus particles. (iStock)
According to health officials, anyone who was at the Tom Bradley International Terminal between 10 a.m. and noon on June 11 may have been exposed. Officials also identified a potential exposure at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel, located at 5711 W. Century Blvd., between 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. that same day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with local health departments to notify passengers who were seated near the infected traveler on the international flight.
People who were at either location during the listed times could develop symptoms between seven and 21 days after exposure, officials said. The last day to monitor for symptoms is July 2.
AT LEAST 46 CHILDREN DEAD AMID MEASLES OUTBREAK AS VIRUS SPREADS GLOBALLY
Los Angeles International Airport is seen in Los Angeles, California. Health officials said a traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at LAX on June 11. (Michael Yanow/NurPhoto)
“As measles cases increase, it is important that residents take steps to make sure they are fully protected,” Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. “The MMR vaccine is the safest and most reliable way to prevent measles and protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Travelers exit a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)
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Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, followed by a rash that typically begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for additional comment but did not receive a response.
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