Health
What to know about thyroid cancer prognosis following Pam Bondi’s diagnosis
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after leaving the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, a source stated.
The thyroid is a gland located in the neck. It makes hormones that are then secreted into the blood, which help the body “use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles and other organs working as they should,” according to the American Thyroid Association.
PAM BONDI DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER WEEKS AFTER DEPARTING AS TRUMP’S ATTORNEY GENERAL: REPORT
Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon compared to other cancers. Even so, as of 2023, more than one million people in the U.S. are living with the disease.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) predicts that there will be an estimated 45,260 new cases in 2026.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after leaving the Department of Justice last month. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Risk factors and symptoms
While more common in women, thyroid cancer can affect both sexes. Those with a family history may be more likely to develop it, as well as those between the ages of 25 and 65. Exposure to radiation is also a risk factor, according to the National Cancer Institute.
NOT ALL CANCERS SHOULD BE TREATED RIGHT AWAY, MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY — HERE’S WHY
Signs of thyroid cancer may include lumps or swelling in the neck, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, hoarseness and pain when swallowing, per the above source. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
If thyroid cancer is suspected, a doctor can diagnose it in several ways. A laryngoscopy is a procedure where the doctor checks the voice box with a mirror or laryngoscope — a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and lens, per NCI.
Signs of thyroid cancer may include lumps or swelling in the neck and trouble breathing. (iStock)
Blood hormone studies – where a blood sample is checked to measure hormone levels – can also reveal indicators of thyroid cancer. Ultrasounds and CAT scans are then used to check for tumors in the body.
Treatment options
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy are the main ways doctors treat thyroid cancer. A new type of therapy, immunotherapy, is being tested in clinical trials.
“Surgery is the primary therapy, followed by regular surveillance and thyroid hormone replacement,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, according to a source. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
If the thyroid must be completely removed, patients will take hormones to replace the gland’s natural function.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“Radioactive iodine is added in extensive or more aggressive cases,” Siegel said, but noted that it is “usually not needed.”
The thyroid gland is located in the neck. It makes hormones that are then secreted into the blood, which help the body use energy. (iStock)
Survival rates
The prognosis for thyroid cancer is generally positive and depends heavily on how the cancer responds to treatment, according to NCI.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Some types are much milder and slower-growing than others. Doctors will also consider the stage of the cancer’s progression.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The best-case scenario is when a surgeon can completely remove the tumor during surgery. Doctors will also factor in whether this is a brand-new diagnosis or if the cancer has returned after previous treatment.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its guidelines for colorectal cancer screening.
The organization released the update in its flagship journal on Wednesday, noting that the new recommendations “re-affirm” that adults at average risk should be screened for colorectal cancer at age 45 and continue through 75, for those with a life expectancy greater than 10 years.
In addition to the standard colonoscopy, the ACS also recommends that patients receive a blood-based screening test in a doctor’s office, which is designed to detect tumor DNA in the blood.
COMMON CANCER TYPE COULD BE DETECTED WITH NEW BLOOD TEST
The ACS also suggested an at-home screening option that looks for hidden blood and molecular markers in stool samples.
These new guidelines reflect recent advancements in disease detection, as well as a “critical shift in public health strategy to expand screening options and lower barriers to access,” the ACS stated in a press release.
The ACS recommends blood-based testing and at-home stool sampling as options for colorectal cancer screening. (iStock)
Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president of early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the report, wrote in a statement that colorectal cancer should be emphasized as a “highly preventable disease as much as a treatable one.”
“By offering more screening tools in our guideline update, more eligible adults will be able to participate in lifesaving colorectal cancer testing, helping to close the screening gap and catch more cancers at an earlier, treatable stage,” he added.
JAMES VAN DER BEEK MISTOOK CANCER SYMPTOMS FOR PROBLEMS WITH HIS DIET
According to the ACS, colorectal screening “dramatically improves survival,” as studies show early-stage detection yields a five-year survival rate of more than 90% in the U.S.
About one in three American adults are eligible for colorectal cancer screening but have not been tested, although ACS research marks colorectal cancer as the top cancer killer of adults under 50.
Colorectal cancer is the top cancer killer of adults under the age of 50, according to the ACS. (iStock)
People at a high risk of colorectal cancer may need to begin screening before age 45 or be screened more often, the ACS added. Those over 85 years old should no longer be screened for colorectal cancer, per the guidelines.
Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the ACS, commented that “no matter which test you choose, what’s most important is to get screened, and that includes underserved, rural and minority populations.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
These guideline changes follow a surge in colorectal cancer diagnoses in younger individuals. Recent ACS research revealed a 50% relative increase in diagnoses in adults aged 45 to 49 from 2021 to 2022.
Dr. Aparna Parikh, medical director of the Center for Young Adult Colorectal Cancer at the Mass General Cancer Center, who is not affiliated with the ACS, shared that experts don’t “entirely understand why” cases are on the rise.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“But it seems to be an interplay of a person’s risk factors, overall makeup and early exposures,” she previously told Fox News Digital. “[Those] include dietary exposures, environmental exposures and possible antibiotic exposures, as well as lifestyle factors in the right host.”
Changes in bowel habits are the primary red flag that should raise the suspicion of colorectal cancer. (iStock)
Another recent ACS study found that drinking heavily and consistently over an adult’s lifetime could lead to a higher risk of colorectal cancer.
Other known risk factors include family history, obesity, smoking, a diet high in red and processed meats, inflammatory bowel disease, and a personal history or family history of polyps.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
While there may be no symptoms of colorectal cancer before diagnosis, especially in the early stages, certain symptoms should not be overlooked, experts say.
Dr. Eitan Friedman, PhD, an oncologist and founder of The Suzanne Levy-Gertner Oncogenetics Unit at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel, confirmed to Fox News Digital that changes in bowel habits are the primary red flag that should raise the suspicion of colorectal cancer.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Other symptoms include fatigue as a result of anemia, stomach pain or abdominal discomfort, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, weakness and unexplained weight loss.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Crypto39 seconds agoFBI Seizes Over $8 Billion In Cryptocurrency As Part Of The Largest Forfeiture In US Government History
-
Fitness13 minutes agoThe 150-minute Exercise Rule Helps Your Heart. But If You’re Serious About It, Better Aim for 600 Minutes
-
Movie Reviews25 minutes ago‘The Blow’ Review: A Gripping, Feverishly Performed French Drama Explores Incest With Candor and Emotion
-
World37 minutes agoYoung MC Follows Morris Day in Exiting D.C. ‘Freedom 250’ Festival Over Trump Connection, as C+C Music Factory Weighs Options: ‘The Artists Were Never Told About Any Political Involvement’
-
Business55 minutes agoThe Google Insider Trading Case Hits Polymarket
-
Health1 hour agoHow Author Mary Kay Andrews, 71, Lost 65 Lbs. Microdosing GLP-1 Meds
-
Culture1 hour agoFinding Wisdom in a Poem by Wendy Cope
-
Lifestyle1 hour ago‘Look to your elders’: Alfre Woodard shares her secret to Hollywood longevity
