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Cancer risk linked to common blood-related condition, research reveals
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Anemia, a common blood disorder, may be a major risk factor for developing cancer.
That’s according to new research from Sweden, which sought to discover whether newly developed anemia is an early warning sign of cancer or death from any cause.
The study, published in BMJ Journals, looked at registry data from more than 380,000 Swedish adults – half were people with new-onset anemia and the other half were the same age and gender, but did not have anemia.
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All participants were over 18 years old and cancer-free at the start of the study.
The results showed that people with incident anemia – new cases occurring over a specific period – had a significantly higher chance of being diagnosed with cancer, especially in the first three months, according to a press release. This included 6.2% of men and 2.8% of women.
Anemia, a common blood disorder, may be a major risk factor for developing cancer. (iStock)
Individuals with anemia also had a much higher chance of death during the 18-month follow-up.
Specific types of anemia were individually linked to disease progression and mortality, the researchers discovered.
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Microcytic anemia – where the red blood cells are smaller than normal – was more frequently linked to cancer, especially types of disease that impact the digestive system and the blood.
Macrocytic anemia, a type of anemia where the red blood cells are larger than normal, was more strongly linked to overall mortality than cancer.
The researchers concluded in the study that new-onset anemia is a “strong and sustained risk marker” for both incident cancer and all-cause mortality. (iStock)
The researchers concluded in the study that new-onset anemia is a “strong and sustained risk marker” for both incident cancer and all-cause mortality.
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Lead study author Elinor Nemlander, researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet, commented on the findings in a press release from the Swedish medical university.
“We found that both the risk of cancer and the risk of death are highest during the first months after anemia is detected, but that the increased risk persists later during follow-up as well,” she said. “Our findings suggest that anemia may be a sign of underlying disease rather than a condition in its own right.”
Specific types of anemia were individually linked to disease progression and mortality, the researchers discovered. (iStock)
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Nemlander noted that measures like red blood cell size are already “routinely available” in primary care, and that the study highlights how this existing data can be used to identify early risk.
“At the same time, the elevated risks persist over time, underscoring the need for structured follow-up and clear plans for continued evaluation, even when cancer is not initially identified,” she said.
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As the study was observational, it shows an association, but does not prove that anemia causes cancer or death.
The research also did not measure for all causes of anemia, including alcohol use, malnutrition, chronic liver disease, inflammatory conditions and gynecological blood loss.
“Some of the results may also be influenced by who gets tested, underlying illnesses and differences in how anemia is evaluated in different healthcare settings,” Nemlander added.
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A new treatment for endometrial cancer demonstrated strong potential in a Phase 3 clinical trial.
Drugmaker Merck announced Monday that the investigational drug sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) met its “primary endpoints” of overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
The TroFuse-005 trial is the first global Phase 3 trial to “demonstrate statistically significant improvement” in survival compared to chemotherapy in these patients, according to a Merck press release.
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This was also the first and only antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to achieve such a result for endometrial cancer patients in this setting, the researchers stated.
An ADC is a targeted cancer therapy that delivers more of the drug to tumor cells while limiting damage to healthy cells.
The investigational drug, sac-TMT, is administered every two weeks via IV infusion. (iStock)
The trial involved 776 patients with endometrial cancer whose disease worsened after receiving both platinum chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
The patients were randomly assigned sac-TMT, administered every two weeks, or a treatment of the physician’s choice, including doxorubin or paclitaxel chemotherapy. The patients were aware of which treatment they were receiving.
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Those receiving sac-TMT showed “clinically meaningful improvement” in their disease state compared to the treatment of physician’s choice, the researchers found.
The study also met response rate benchmarks and exhibited similar side effects to earlier studies of the same drug, Merck reported.
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The drugmaker did not disclose any statistics on exact survival benefit, response rate, side effect rates or other details, but the researchers aim to present this Phase 3 data at an upcoming medical meeting.
The drug “may be able to address a critical unmet need for certain patients with advanced endometrial cancer,” said the lead researcher (not pictured). (iStock)
Dr. Domenica Lorusso, the study’s global lead investigator and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Humanitas University and Humanitas San Pio X in Milan, wrote in a press release that these results show sac-TMT “may be able to address a critical unmet need for certain patients with advanced endometrial cancer, one of the only cancers increasing in both incidence and mortality worldwide.”
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“Despite recent advances, patients whose disease progresses following treatment with platinum and immunotherapy are urgently in need of new options, and these findings show for the first time that a TROP2 ADC may be an effective option in this setting,” she added.
Dr. Brian Slomovitz, co-director of gynecologic oncology at Mount Sinai and an investigator on this trial, reflected on the study findings during an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“Unlike many other cancers that we are treating, the number of endometrial cancers and the number of deaths due to endometrial cancers are on the rise,” Slomovitz noted.
“In the United States, the number of deaths due to endometrial cancer has surpassed the number of deaths due to ovarian cancer, [making it] the deadliest of all gynecologic malignancies.”
Endometrial cancer has become “the deadliest of all gynecologic malignancies,” one doctor shared. (iStock)
Despite recent advancements introducing immunotherapy as the standard of care, “better treatment options” for patients with recurrent disease “remains an unmet need,” Slomovitz commented.
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“If the full data confirm this announcement, the key questions will be the magnitude of the survival benefit and the toxicity profile — those will define sac-TMT’s role,” he said.
“But an overall survival improvement in recurrent disease is a real, meaningful result for patients and their families, not just a statistical one.”
WHO issues WARNING after DEADLY ebola outbreak
The CDC is coordinating the ‘safe withdrawal’ of at least six Americans exposed to a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the WHO declared a global health emergency.
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The World Health Organization has declared an international public health emergency as a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa sparks concern that the deadly virus could spread beyond the region — including into the United States.
The outbreak has been linked to dozens of suspected deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda.
Ebola is a zoonotic, viral disease that is rare but life-threatening, according to Cleveland Clinic. Outbreaks typically develop in areas of Africa, starting in species like antelope, fruit bats and nonhuman primates.
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There are four different Ebola strains, also known as orthoebolaviruses. Bundibugyo virus is the strain that has been detected in the DRC outbreak.
While the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, U.S. officials are warning Americans not to visit the area, escalating the State Department travel advisory from a Level 3 to Level 4 on Sunday.
A visitor washes his hands at a checkpoint before entering Kyeshero Hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 18, 2026, as part of Ebola prevention measures following a reported case in the city. (Jospin Mwisha/AFP)
One American tested positive for Ebola on May 17 while working in Congo and is being transported to Germany for treatment with other Americans who are high-risk contacts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of May 18, there have been 11 confirmed and 336 suspected cases, including 88 deaths in the DRC.
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“This is a rapidly evolving situation, and case counts are subject to change,” the CDC noted.
While no cases have been detected in the U.S., there is a possibility that it could make its way into American territory, posing a threat to public health.
“This virus is transmitted only person-to-person via infected blood and body fluids from symptomatic people.”
Dr. Jacob Glanville, a leading immunologist at Centivax in San Francisco, which is developing a universal flu vaccine, spoke with Fox News Digital about the potential spread of Ebola into the U.S.
The doctor noted that the virus has a two- to 21-day incubation period, during which an infected person can show no symptoms and the infection cannot be detected by tests.
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“It is thus possible for Ebola to move across international borders silently, bypassing screening,” he said.
“Some travel restrictions from the affected area have been put in place to limit this risk, although as this outbreak was spreading silently for months, it is possible that an infected traveler had come to the U.S. in the past 21 days from the affected areas prior to the travel restrictions.”
A visitor washes his hands at a checkpoint outside Kyeshero Hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 18, 2026, as part of Ebola prevention measures following the first reported case in the city. (Jospin Mwisha/AFP)
Glanville noted that while the outbreak is “growing rapidly,” one week ago there were fewer than 500 global cases.
“Thus, the chance of an infected traveler having come to the U.S. remains quite low for the time being,” he said.
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Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, agreed that the threat to American communities remains low.
“The viruses that cause Ebola pose a very small risk, even to travelers to areas with outbreaks,” the Arkansas-based expert told Fox News Digital. “This virus is transmitted only person-to-person via infected blood and body fluids from symptomatic people, and rarely from infected animals.”
Those who believe they have been exposed to Ebola should seek medical attention immediately, experts advise. (iStock)
Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or remains of infected people or animals, including fluids such as saliva and sweat, according to Hopkins.
Cleveland Clinic notes that it is “very unlikely” for Ebola to be an airborne infection.
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The virus starts with flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, vomiting/diarrhea and loss of appetite. Other signs may include a rash or spots of blood under the skin, hiccups, bruising and red, bloodshot eyes.
As the disease is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever, it causes damage to the blood vessels and can lead to more serious symptoms, including severe bleeding or hemorrhaging, neurological disorders and severe vomiting.
Health workers dressed in protective gear begin their shift at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, Congo, on July 16, 2019. (Jerome Delay/AP)
For those who have traveled to the outbreak area, Hopkins recommends monitoring for symptoms for three weeks after departing and seeking immediate care if symptoms develop.
Treatments are available, along with a vaccine that can help protect high-risk individuals and prevent further spread, according to healthcare professionals.
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Avoiding contact with blood, body fluids, and sick or deceased people and animals is “highly effective in the prevention of Ebola transmission,” Hopkins advised.
“If contact is required, high-quality personal protective equipment is recommended before contact with potentially infectious people and/or materials,” he added.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
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