Health
Woman’s alarming cancer symptoms blamed on pregnancy for years before stage 3 diagnosis
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A Los Angeles mother said her jarring symptoms were dismissed by doctors for years, chalked up to a side effect of childbirth — but they turned out to be signals of colorectal cancer.
Marisa Peters, 44, a mother of three and former Broadway vocalist, first noticed bleeding when going to the bathroom after having her first son.
“Symptoms intensified to where blood was filling the toilet … then I had increased urgency to go to the bathroom,” she shared with Fox News Digital. “The size, shape and texture of my stool also changed.”
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As these symptoms progressed, Peters voiced her concerns to her primary care physician and other doctors.
Since Peters was only in her early 30s at the time, she wasn’t seen as the “typical” colorectal cancer (CRC) patient, as most cases occur in older adults. In recent years, however, statistics show the disease has been rising in younger individuals.
The Peters family is pictured shortly after Marisa’s diagnosis. (BE SEEN)
“They didn’t realize the face of colorectal cancer had changed,” Peters said. “It now looked like someone much younger.”
“We’re seeing a rise in people, younger and younger, unfortunately, with late-stage diagnosis, which leads to pretty abysmal mortality rates,” she added, noting the power of earlier detection and intervention through colonoscopy.
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Instead of considering cancer, Peters’ doctors told her that “our bodies change when we have babies” and that her concerns were “ultimately dismissed.”
Meanwhile, her symptoms were “checking every single box” for CRC, including severe anemia, although she was unaware at the time.
Marisa Peters founded BE SEEN to advocate for earlier colorectal cancer intervention. (BE SEEN)
Over the next five years, Peters had two more children while battling on-again, off-again symptoms. During the last year, she noted there was “always blood” in her bowel movements, motivating her to seek answers from a gastroenterologist.
“I will never forget [the doctor’s] face,” she said. “She was stunned and shocked by what I shared.”
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The doctor ran blood and stool-based tests, which came back positive for CRC, prompting an urgent colonoscopy to confirm the cancer.
In June 2021, Peters was officially diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer after a 5-centimeter tumor was found at the top of her rectum.
Marisa Peters is pictured with her husband during her first infusion after her diagnosis. (BE SEEN)
Peters had a complete response to the next 11 months of chemotherapy and radiation, as her tumor shrunk by half. She then underwent rectal reconstruction and was fitted with a temporary ileostomy bag, which diverted waste away from the area for four months so it could heal.
“We’re seeing a rise in people, younger and younger, with late-stage diagnosis, which leads to pretty abysmal mortality rates.”
After six more rounds of chemo, Peters had an ileostomy reversal, where her body was “essentially put back together.”
At the time of Peters’ diagnosis, she was still nursing her 16-month-old baby and continued to take care of all three kids while undergoing treatment, with support from her husband.
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“Thankfully, I have a tremendous mental health team, and they have helped me redefine my life, really communicate with my husband, with my children — not only throughout the journey, but also through the reformation of what family and motherhood looks like,” she told Fox News Digital.
Taking early action
Although Peters’ cancer was already “too far gone” for a colonoscopy to have made a difference in her diagnosis, she highly encourages the “gold standard” screening for anyone who has concerns or is at high risk.
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After her diagnosis, Peters said her sister went in for a colonoscopy, during which her doctors found and removed some pre-cancerous polyps, although she never had any symptoms. Peters later discovered that her parents both had pre-cancerous polyps removed.
“Knowing your family’s health history is tremendously important,” she said.
Peters’ sons are pictured advocating for cancer research on Capitol Hill. (BE SEEN)
Peters founded BE SEEN, a colorectal cancer nonprofit advocating for earlier intervention and screening, to help others find their voice and get ahead of the disease. BE SEEN offers resources and community programs.
“Colorectal cancer is an entirely preventable disease, even though it’s on the rise in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s for reasons we don’t know,” she said.
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“I want people to be seen for their symptoms … I want them to be seen for their story. And I want them to be seen, ultimately, for their screenings, because we know they save lives.”
“I lost so much time, and I’m still deeply questioning why I am here to talk about it when so many other people get a late-stage diagnosis and don’t have the complete response that I had,” Peters added. “We’re losing people far too soon, and it’s just not okay. This is not something we should be settling for.”
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. (iStock)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, according to a report from the American Cancer Society.
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Official health agencies recommend that CRC screenings start at age 45 and continue through age 75 for adults at “average risk.”
Anyone with concerning symptoms or questions about risk should consult a doctor for guidance.
Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.
Health
Could ‘humanmaxxing’ actually help you live longer? Here’s what experts say
Medical expert analyzes trending IV therapy, concerns about peptides
Dr. Mike Varshavski joins ‘Fox & Friends’ for Wellness Week, examining trending self-care treatments. He evaluates IV vitamin therapy, highlighting its hospital-critical role versus unproven benefits for general wellness, citing potential risks like vitamin imbalance. Dr. Mike also differentiates creatine, a research-backed supplement, from unregulated peptides marketed with unverified anti-aging and muscle growth promises, urging caution for patients.
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We are officially living in the “maxxing” era.
From “looksmaxxing” to improve appearance to “sleepmaxxing” for better rest, these viral terms all point to the same goal: squeezing every ounce of potential out of a specific trait or habit.
With a growing focus on optimizing wellness and maximizing longevity, the trend has evolved into what’s known as “humanmaxxing,” sparking a bigger question: How far can people go to optimize the human body?
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While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions.
While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions. (iStock)
For some, the movement begins with biohacking. According to Dave Asprey, a Texas-based wellness expert who refers to himself as the “father of biohacking,” optimizing your body starts with changing your environment.
Asprey has defined biohacking as “the art and science of changing the environment around you or inside you so that you have full control of your own biology.”
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His public advice focuses on boosting cellular energy through everyday choices like intermittent fasting, high-fat diets, red-light therapy and supplement routines.
“My goal right now is 180 years, because I’m doing something about it now instead of waiting,” he once said.
Clinical experts warn that extreme self-experimentation skips the rigorous safety checks that typical medical science requires. (iStock)
Others have embraced a more data-driven approach. Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint in Los Angeles, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data.
“Methodically, we sought to build an algorithm with science and data that could better care for me than I can myself,” Johnson wrote on his website. “My mind did not have the authority to override the algorithm.”
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Johnson’s routine involves tracking hundreds of health metrics, eating a precisely measured diet, taking dozens of supplements, and undergoing advanced medical treatments in an effort to reduce his biological age.
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At the far end of the spectrum are those investing in technologies aimed at pushing the limits of human performance.
London-based tech investor Christian Angermayer recently described humanmaxxing as a strategy toward human maximization.
Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data. (iStock)
“I don’t think we should become something different, because I think humans are awesome, but I think we can maximize the potential [that] is already in us,” he said in an interview with The New York Times.
Angermayer’s investment firm, Apeiron Investment Group, focuses on technologies intended to help people “live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.” He also founded atai Life Sciences, a biotechnology company that develops psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
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As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions.
Public guidance from the National Institute on Aging notes that while some anti-aging therapies have shown promise in laboratory research, there is not yet sufficient evidence that they can safely extend human life.
As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions. (iStock)
Clinical experts also caution that extreme self-experimentation can bypass the rigorous safety standards applied to conventional medical treatments.
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According to the Endocrine Society, taking substances such as testosterone or growth hormone without a medical need can lead to serious health risks, including cardiovascular complications and long-term disruption of the body’s chemical balance.
While many humanmaxxing habits overlap with standard healthy lifestyle practices, experts say consumers should be cautious of expensive or experimental interventions that promise dramatic anti-aging or longevity benefits without strong scientific evidence.
Health
New blood test detects 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases, beating current screenings
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A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.
The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men — mostly Swedish or European — aged 50 to 74.
NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDS
All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests. (iStock)
Stockholm3 missed “significantly fewer” serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.
Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are “truly dangerous.”
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“Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups,” she said.
“These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted,” the researcher added. “A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.”
“A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures,” a researcher commented. (iStock)
Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these “promising” findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING AFTER 70: EXPERTS QUESTION GUIDANCE AFTER BIDEN’S DIAGNOSIS
He confirmed that the PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s despite its “well-documented limitations.”
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“It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease,” Vigneswaran said.
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival is close to 100%. (iStock)
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.
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Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that “we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch,” Vigneswaran said.
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“The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease,” he said.
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher. (Getty Images)
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.
The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.
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The test estimates a man’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.
The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will “generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data,” Vigneswaran said.
Health
This Protein Smoothie Trick Helps Women Over 40 Lose Twice as Much Fat
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