All articles tagged with #mortality
Former Nebraska senator Ben Sasse discusses his metastasized Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and other cancers in a candid interview, saying he has months to live but intends to redeem the time. He’s taking the experimental drug daraxonrasib, which has reduced tumor volume by about 76% though some tumors remain, and continues working and hosting his podcast while prioritizing time with his family amidst his health struggles.
A UK Biobank study of 340,924 adults (2006–2022) found that moderate wine drinkers have about a 21% lower risk of dying from heart disease than non-drinkers, while light beer, cider, or liquor showed no such benefit and may increase heart-disease mortality with some consumption. Heavy drinking raised risks across all-cause mortality (24%), cancer (36%), and heart disease (14%). Possible explanations include compounds in red wine and the tendency to drink with meals, but limitations include self-reported intake and a healthier study population, limiting generalizability. The findings suggest beverage type and lifestyle factors influence alcohol-related health risks more than amount alone.
UK cancer deaths fell to a record low between 2022 and 2024 (about 247 per 100,000 per year), down roughly 29% since 1989, thanks to long‑term investments in prevention, screening (notably cervical cancer) and vaccines, plus advances in treatments such as targeted therapies, hormone therapy and immunotherapy. Cervical cancer deaths have dropped dramatically due to HPV vaccination and screening; other cancers show mixed trends. While deaths are lower, total cancer deaths can still rise with an aging population, underscoring the need for continued investment in prevention, screening and research to push mortality lower.
A UK Biobank analysis of more than 340,000 adults followed for about 13 years finds that moderate wine consumption is associated with a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death, while low intake of beer, cider or spirits shows roughly 9% higher mortality; heavy drinking increases risk across the board. The authors caution that the study is observational and lifestyle factors may influence results, and randomized trials are needed for clearer cause-and-effect conclusions.
A UK Biobank analysis of over 340,000 adults found that while high alcohol intake raises risks of death from all causes, cancer, and heart disease, moderate wine consumption is linked to a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared with never/rare drinkers. Researchers suggest polyphenols and antioxidants in wine, plus the healthier meals often paired with wine and other lifestyle factors, could explain the benefit, though causality isn’t proven and drinking type and patterns matter.
New data from Cancer Research UK show UK cancer deaths between 2022–2024 fell to a record low (about 247 per 100,000), down from a 1989 peak of 355 per 100,000, a ~29% decline. The drop reflects sustained investment in research, prevention, and treatments, with major gains in stomach, lung, ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers. Cervical cancer deaths have fallen 75% since the 1970s largely due to national screening and the HPV vaccine. Screening programs (cervical, breast, colorectal, PSA testing) and advances like targeted therapies and immunotherapy have improved early detection and survival. However, total deaths may still rise as the population ages. Some cancers are increasing (skin, liver, kidney) and others remain stable, but experts forecast further decreases with continued investment and screening expansion.
A Yale-led analysis of the National Cancer Database covering 2011–2021 found that women with breast cancer who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) had notably higher five-year mortality than those receiving conventional treatment; CAM-only users faced more than a threefold increase in death risk, and CAM plus traditional treatment still carried about a 45% higher death risk than traditional therapy alone. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, suggest delaying or substituting standard care can be dangerous and highlight the need for doctors to discuss CAM use with patients.
A large US study of 5,472 women (mean age ~78.7) found that higher muscle strength—especially grip strength—is tied to a 33% lower mortality risk for the strongest vs weakest groups, and faster chair-stand performance is linked to a 37% lower risk. The association persisted even among women not meeting the 150 minutes/week of aerobic activity, suggesting grip strength as a practical aging marker. The study is observational and limited to females, so it cannot prove causality, and it estimates muscle mass rather than directly measuring it.
A Healthline-backed study of over 24,000 adults in southern Italy found that cancer survivors who consumed the highest share of ultra-processed foods (by weight) had about 48% higher all-cause mortality and 57% higher cancer-specific mortality than those with the lowest intake. The researchers cite increased inflammation and resting heart rate as possible mechanisms, and they urge focusing on fresh, minimally processed foods, though the study is observational and cannot prove causation.
A Lancet analysis finds that just 5 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity can cut mortality for the most sedentary by up to 6%, and about 10% for the broader population. Reducing daily sedentary time by 30 minutes is linked to roughly 3% fewer deaths among high-risk groups and about 7% fewer deaths overall, showing that small, regular movement—like a walk around the block—can meaningfully extend life without requiring Olympian workouts.
A BMJ Medicine study analyzing data from over 111,000 adults across 30 years found that those who varied their exercise types had about a 19% lower mortality risk than those with less variety, with higher total activity offering benefits up to a plateau around 20 hours per week. The results show association, not causation, and note limitations like self-reported activity and limited demographic diversity.
One year after the Trump-era dismantling of USAID, a Lancet study projects that ongoing global aid cuts could cause about 9.4 million more deaths by 2030 (about 2.5 million under age 5) vs maintaining 2023 funding; deeper cuts could raise deaths to 22.6 million. Using data from 93 low- and middle-income countries, the analysis credits overseas aid with major declines in child mortality and infectious diseases, while warning that current and planned cuts are already weakening health systems as clinics close and mortality data gaps emerge. Some donors argue for reform of the aid system and route funds through recipient governments; the study notes it doesn’t fully account for philanthropic or national countermeasures that could mitigate harms.
A Lancet Global Health modelling study links abrupt official development assistance (ODA) cuts to up to 22.6 million excess deaths by 2030 under severe defunding, including about 5.4 million among under-fives, with milder defunding causing about 9.4 million more deaths. The analysis—covering 2002–2021 data and projecting three scenarios—says the US, UK and other donors’ reductions could reverse decades of gains against infectious diseases and malnutrition, risking the collapse of health systems in some countries.
In over 19,000 older adults followed for about a decade, low-dose aspirin did not reduce cancer incidence and was linked to higher cancer mortality (overall hazard ratio ~1.15). In the ASPREE extension, cancer incidence and mortality were similar between aspirin and placebo, though aspirin users had fewer melanomas and a small, early-in-follow-up rise in brain cancer; some rare cancer deaths were also more common. The findings are not definitive, and longer follow-up is planned to clarify aspirin’s effects on cancer outcomes in older people.
The CDC reports that U.S. life expectancy reached a new all-time high in 2024, signaling a rebound from pandemic-era declines.