Epidemiology News and Research

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Breast tissue changes could predict aggressive cancer and poor survival rates

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a series of changes in the architecture and cell composition of connective tissues of the breast, known as stromal tissue, that is associated with an increased risk of developing aggressive breast cancer among women with benign breast disease, and poorer rates of survival among women with invasive breast cancer.

13 May 2025

Study reveals key differences in health risks between males and females

The results of an international study led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London's Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI) shed new light the underlying biological mechanisms which cause differences in health risks, symptoms and outcomes between males and females.

13 May 2025

Living near golf courses raises Parkinson’s disease risk, study finds

Living within 1 to 3 miles of a golf course is associated with a significantly higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, particularly in groundwater-vulnerable areas. The study suggests both drinking water contamination and airborne pesticides may contribute to elevated risk.

12 May 2025

Millions of women may be unaware of their risk for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease

Millions of women may be unknowingly living with risk factors for heart, kidney and metabolic disease – interconnected conditions that together drive risk for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among women, according to experts with the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all.

12 May 2025

Delayed puberty in boys raises risk of type 2 diabetes later in life, study shows

A large Israeli study found that boys who experience delayed puberty are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in early adulthood. This increased risk persists even after accounting for body weight, socio-economic status, and other confounding factors.

10 May 2025

Obesity in teens alters brain regions tied to memory and emotion

Adolescents with abdominal obesity have larger brain regions linked to memory and emotional control, potentially due to inflammation, according to a large MRI-based study. These brain changes, coupled with socioeconomic disadvantage, may impair cognitive and emotional development during adolescence.

10 May 2025

Redlining continues to impact breast cancer survival in America

In neighborhoods across America, women face a daunting threat from a federal practice that, although it was outlawed decades ago, continues to negatively impact their health today.

10 May 2025

Liver disease in pregnancy linked to higher risk of preterm birth

Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

9 May 2025

New QR4 model identifies hidden risk factors in cardiovascular disease

Collaborative research, led from the University of Oxford and published today in Nature Medicine, has developed a new tool called QR4 that more accurately predicts an individual's 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases, like heart disease and stroke, particularly identifying high-risk patients that current prediction tools miss.

9 May 2025

Annual blood test could detect cancer earlier and save lives

A single blood test, designed to pick up chemical signals indicative of the presence of many different types of cancer, could potentially thwart progression to advanced disease while the malignancy is still at an early stage and amenable to treatment in up to half of cases, suggests a modelling study published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

8 May 2025

Firefighters and health care workers show elevated PFAS levels in new study

A study including researchers from the University of Arizona Health Sciences and published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found that firefighters had higher concentrations of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and health care workers had moderate elevations of PFAS in their blood with significantly higher odds of two specific PFAS when compared with other essential workers.

8 May 2025

Maternal health during pregnancy linked to higher blood pressure in children

Children born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus or a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than children born to mothers without these risk factors, according to a new USC study.

8 May 2025

Cancer rates are climbing in younger adults and researchers want to know why

A new NIH-led study finds rising rates of 14 cancer types in Americans under 50, especially breast, colorectal, kidney, uterine, and pancreatic cancers. The research urges deeper investigation into shared risk factors and earlier screening strategies.

8 May 2025

Ovary and fallopian tube removal linked to lower death risk in BRCA carriers with breast cancer

Women diagnosed with breast cancer who carry particular BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic variants are offered surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes as this dramatically reduces their risk of ovarian cancer.

8 May 2025

Teen drivers face higher risks in older vehicles

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Newer vehicles and driver assistance technologies show promise in reducing crashes and injury severities.

7 May 2025

New predictive algorithms improve early detection of undiagnosed cancers

Two new advanced predictive algorithms use information about a person's health conditions and simple blood tests to accurately predict a patient's chances of having a currently undiagnosed cancer, including hard to diagnose liver and oral cancers.

7 May 2025

Progesterone-only contraceptive pill linked to increased asthma attacks in some women

A major study of around 260,000 women shows that taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill can increase asthma attacks in some women.

7 May 2025

Gastrointestinal cancer patterns vary across diverse Asian and Pacific Islander populations

The incidence of gastrointestinal cancers varies across Asian American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander communities, according to a study published March 15 in the journal Gastro Hep Advances.

7 May 2025

Anal cancer rates increasing among older white and Hispanic women in the U.S.

Anal cancer has been steadily increasing in the United States, with the biggest jumps among older women, especially white and Hispanic women - a shift that challenges assumptions about high-risk groups and who should be screened, according to a study to be presented today at Digestive Disease Week 2025.

5 May 2025

COVID-19 restrictions linked to better birth timing but worse mental health

A global review reveals that while lockdowns helped reduce early births in some regions, they also worsened maternal mental health, highlighting the need for more tailored support during future health crises.

1 May 2025