Common mental health problem can shorten cancer survivors’ lives, study finds: ‘Critical issue’

Cancer survivors who feel lonely tend to have a greater risk of dying, research suggests.

The study, led by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN), found that cancer survivors with the highest levels of loneliness had the highest mortality risk, according to a press release.

Researchers analyzed 3,447 cancer survivors 50 years of age and older, pulling data from the 2008-2018 Health and Retirement Study.

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They used the UCLA Loneliness Scale to gauge levels of loneliness, ranging from none to severe.

"In this study, we found that elevated loneliness was associated with higher mortality risk among cancer survivors," study author Jingxuan Zhao, senior associate scientist, health services research at the ACS, told Fox News Digital in an email.

"Prior research has shown that loneliness is associated with higher mortality risk in the general population, and the results are generally as expected."

The researchers were somewhat surprised at the "robustness" of the findings and the fact that mortality risk was related to the degree of loneliness reported by survivors, Zhao noted.

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There are over 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S. and that number is expected to increase to 22 million by 2030, the release stated. 

"We need to address this critical issue now," Zhao said.

Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for more programs to screen for loneliness and to improve social support for cancer survivors.

"This study has important clinical implications for health care providers," Zhao said. 

"Our findings also highlight the importance of care coordination by cancer care clinicians and other specialty care providers and primary care to ensure that cancer survivors receive timely screening and effective intervention for loneliness."

Added Zhao, "This study is especially timely given the recent Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community by the U.S. Surgeon General, which highlighted the adverse effects of loneliness for individuals and also for public health." 

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Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the ACS’ Cancer Action Network, emphasized the importance of investing in "patient navigation services" to help with survivors’ social and emotional needs.

"No one should have to take on cancer alone, and having a patient navigator helps ensure no one has to by providing necessary support throughout a complex and confusing diagnosis," she said in the release.

Diana Santiago, a licensed clinical social worker and supervisor of the Older Adult Program at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, noted that the loneliness epidemic among older adults is "real and pervasive" — and not just among cancer survivors. 

"For many older adults, retirement, the death of friends and spouses, loss of mobility, pain, illness, cognitive decline and life changes contribute to the feeling of a lack of purpose, which can lead to or worsen depression," she told Fox News Digital. 

"All of these factors are isolating, and often older adults will limit their social interactions and activities because of illness, fatigue or physical limitations."

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Dr. Barbara Krantz, medical director of the Florida branch of Caron Treatment Centers, said she agreed that health care providers should screen for loneliness.

"Identification of these patients could diagnose, treat and enhance their life and give them hope for the future," she said.

There were some limitations of the ACS study, the researchers acknowledged.

"Cancer-related information, such as cancer type, stage at diagnosis and whether respondents were receiving cancer treatment at the time of the survey, was not systematically collected," Zhao told Fox News Digital.

"Understanding if these cancer-related factors can modify the association of loneliness and survival will be important for future studies."

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Breast cancer mammogram screenings should start at age 40 instead of 50, says health task force

Women should get mammograms every other year starting at age 40, according to updated recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

This is a significant change from previous guidelines, which said women should begin biennial mammograms at age 50, but could opt to begin as young as 40.

The task force also noted that there is not sufficient evidence to "assess the balance of benefits and harms" of additional breast cancer screenings — including ultrasounds and MRIs — for women with dense breast tissue who have had an otherwise negative screening mammogram. 

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The USPSTF previously released these recommendations in draft form in May 2023. 

Tuesday’s announcement makes the guidance official.

Other medical groups have already been recommending mammograms starting at younger ages.

The American College of Radiology recommends starting annual screenings at age 40 for women of average risk, with earlier screenings for high-risk patients.

The American Cancer Society states that women between 40 and 44 have the option to get annual mammograms, and officially recommends that women between 45 and 54 get them every year.

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The updated guidance is in response to cancer rates rising among young people and breast cancer rates rising in particular, experts say.

Between 1990 and 2019, cancer rates among people 50 and younger have risen by 79%, according to research published in BMJ Oncology.

Cancer rates for people under 50 are projected to rise by 31% by the year 2030, data shows. 

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society, with rates rising 2% each year since 2015.

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One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and each woman has a one in 40 chance of dying from the disease.

The earlier screening recommendation could save 19% more lives, the USPSTS stated.

Dr. Michelle Specht, a breast surgeon and co-director of the Avon Comprehensive Breast Evaluation Center at Mass General Cancer Center, said she is "thrilled" that the USPSTF has finalized its recommendations for earlier screenings.

"We have seen a rise in the incidence of breast cancer in women in their 40s over the last eight years and know that starting mammography at 40 will allow us to detect cancers at a smaller size and earlier stage," she told Fox News Digital. 

"Early detection not only leads to improved survival, but an improved quality of life. As a surgeon, I am able to do smaller surgeries — and my medical oncology colleagues can deescalate treatment — when cancers are detected early."

Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society in Virginia, said in a statement the decision is a "critical change concerning women’s health and the fight against breast cancer," and that it sends "a strong message to referring physicians and women that breast cancer screening should begin earlier than age 50."

"Mammography screening is the cornerstone of our strategy to find this potentially deadly disease early, when it’s easier to treat successfully," she said in the statement.

"We are encouraged that among the reasons for the USPSTF changes in their breast cancer screening recommendations include eliminating health disparities, especially among Black women, who are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer compared with White women and have a higher risk of aggressive breast cancers at all ages," Knudsen added.

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Dr. Nancy Chan, a medical oncologist at NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, shared her reaction to the updated guidelines.

"No significant difference was found in different screening methods, i.e., DBT (digital breast tomosynthesis) versus digital mammogram," she told Fox News Digital. 

"In patients with dense breast tissue, the addition of MRI may reduce cancer risk and false positive recalls."

In clinical practice, Chan said the majority of patients undergo annual screenings with mammograms, instead of once every two years.

"Practically, in the urban setting, most patients are already and will continue to have screening with mammogram with tomosynthesis (3D mammography)," she added.

"Each patient must consider the best screening method for their individual cancer risk, such as breast density and family history."

If a woman has a family history of breast cancer, she should meet with her doctor to have a breast cancer risk analysis performed, Specht said. 

"This risk analysis will allow their physician to tailor breast cancer screening," she noted. 

"A woman at high risk of developing breast cancer may begin prior to 40 and may do both mammograms every year, [along with] supplemental screening, such as a breast MRI."

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US health experts recommend less alcohol as new research challenges benefits of moderate drinking

It’s wine time. Beer Thirty. Happy hour. Five o’clock somewhere.

Maybe it's also time to rethink drinking?

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.

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"Drinking less is a great way to be healthier," said Dr. Timothy Naimi, who directs the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

Guidelines vary a lot from country to country but the overall trend is toward drinking less.

The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Ireland will require cancer warning labels on alcohol starting in 2026.

"The scientific consensus has shifted due to the overwhelming evidence linking alcohol to over 200 health conditions, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and injuries," said Carina Ferreira-Borges, regional adviser for alcohol at the World Health Organization regional office for Europe.

From Dry January to Sober October to bartenders getting creative with non-alcoholic cocktails, there's a cultural vibe that supports cutting back.

"People my age are way more accepting of it," said Tessa Weber, 28, of Austin, Texas. She stopped drinking for Dry January this year because she'd noticed alcohol was increasing her anxiety. She liked the results — better sleep, more energy — and has stuck with it.

"It’s good to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol," Weber said.

That idea came from imperfect studies comparing groups of people by how much they drink. Usually, consumption was measured at one point in time. And none of the studies randomly assigned people to drink or not drink, so they couldn’t prove cause and effect.

People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, Naimi said.

"It turns out that when you adjust for those things, the benefits tend to disappear," he said.

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Another problem: Most studies didn’t include younger people. Almost half of the people who die from alcohol-related causes die before the age of 50.

"If you’re studying people who survived into middle age, didn’t quit drinking because of a problem and didn’t become a heavy drinker, that’s a very select group," Naimi said. "It creates an appearance of a benefit for moderate drinkers that is actually a statistical illusion."

Other studies challenge the idea that alcohol has benefits. These studies compare people with a gene variant that makes it unpleasant to drink to people without the gene variant. People with the variant tend to drink very little or not at all. One of these studies found people with the gene variant have a lower risk of heart disease — another blow to the idea that alcohol protects people from heart problems.

That depends.

Drinking raises the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, liver, breast and mouth and throat. Alcohol breaks down in the body into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can damage your cells and stop them from repairing themselves. That creates the conditions for cancer to grow.

Thousands of U.S. deaths per year could be prevented if people followed the government’s dietary guidelines, which advise men to limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer per day, Naimi said.

One drink is the equivalent of about one 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a shot of liquor.

Naimi served on an advisory committee that wanted to lower the recommendation for men to one drink per day. That advice was considered and rejected when the federal recommendations came out in 2020.

"The simple message that’s best supported by the evidence is that, if you drink, less is better when it comes to health," Naimi said.

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‘Liquid gold’ could bring new hope to multiple sclerosis patients, study suggests: ‘Profound benefit’

Researchers may have hit "gold" when it comes to the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

An experimental medication called CNM-Au8 — a drinkable liquid with gold nanocrystals — has shown promising results in clinical trials in terms of improvements in MS symptoms.

The "catalytically active" liquid, developed by Clene Nanomedicine in South Carolina, can cross the blood-brain barrier to help improve cellular energy and restore neurological function, according to researchers.

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Doctors at the University of Sydney presented the Phase 2 clinical trial findings at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting earlier in April 2024.

The clinical trials included 78 patients who had relapsing multiple sclerosis. 

The gold liquid suspension was found to have a "profound clinical benefit," with the patients experiencing physical improvements not achieved in prior trials.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, brain, spinal cord and optic nerve.

In people with MS, white cells called lymphocytes infiltrate the central nervous system and trigger inflammation.

That often causes them to feel off balance or lose their vision, according to Dr. Robert C. Sergott, chief of the neuro-ophthalmology service at Wills Eye Hospital and professor of ophthalmology, neurology and neurosurgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia.

The MS medications that are currently available work by addressing inflammation — but there is a subset of patients that continue to experience symptoms even without inflammation, he said. This is a condition called progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA).

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"This is a non-inflammatory component of the disease, where patients would worsen in vision and cognitive abilities," Sergott, who was involved in the clinical trial for CNM-Au8, told Fox News Digital.

Researchers suspected that something to do with mitochondria — parts of cells that are responsible for supplying those cells with energy — was causing these patients’ symptoms.

"The theory was that if we could give the mitochondria an extra boost, the neurons, axons and other cells in the central nervous system may work better," said Sergott.

"In other words, maybe these cells aren't dead, but they're hibernating."

Gold nanoparticles were originally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis many years ago, according to Sergott.

"Clene shaved the gold particles and [got] them to a very highly purified nanoparticle state — into very small particles, so they can get through the blood-brain barrier to the cells that need it to work better."

Among the 78 participants in the randomized clinical trial performed in Australia, two-thirds of them received the gold treatment and the other third received a placebo over a three-year period.

"We had hoped to enroll more patients, but COVID intervened," Sergott said.

Neither the patients nor the neurologist overseeing the trial knew who was receiving the actual medicine.

"Patients saw a clinical improvement in the function of their vision and their cognitive ability," Sergott reported.

Doctors also noted an improvement in the electrophysiology, he said — "the patients’ MRIs looked better, which is a special measure."

The patients who received the medicine had no decline in retinal thickness, but those on the placebo did see a decline, he said.

"This was a very significant result, and gives us a lot of hope that we may be able to help patients who have deficits from MS and have had progression independent of relapse activity — or maybe they had an attack and didn't get complete recovery from it," Sergott said.

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None of the trial participants reported any adverse side effects, he said.

"The safety profile is excellent," Sergott told Fox News Digital. "I can't say this doesn't have any side effects — but no patients discontinued the trial because of a side effect that was significant."

With the successful Phase 2 trials complete, researchers are now looking ahead to Phase 3 trials.

"We're very encouraged and we're ready to take the next step," said Sergott. "It's really going to help a lot of people."

Patients taking CNM-Au8 would still need to continue with the standard regimen of anti-inflammatory medications, the doctor noted.

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Looking ahead, there is the potential for the "liquid gold" medication to help treat symptoms of other neurological disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to Sergott — but the focus is on MS for now.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but there is plenty of information to support trying this in other diseases."

Damian Kunko of Arlington, Virginia, was one of the MS patients who participated in the trial. He had previously taken disease-modifying therapies that included Zeposia and Tecfidera. 

"These drugs reduced the risk of relapse, but had no effect on progressive symptom worsening," Kunko told Fox News Digital.

Kunko’s primary symptoms included heat intolerance, foot drop/limping, numbness, balance issues, double vision and minor decline of cognitive function and energy.

After four months of taking CNM-Au8, Kunko found that his walking speed was 14% faster.  

"I was also able to do short 5-10-yard jogs without falling, which was impossible prior to taking [the drug]," he said.

"I also experienced improved visual acuity, less severe double vision, zero cognitive fog issues and increased energy levels."

Later in the trial, Kunko was able to withstand high heat and humidity for several hours and did not experience any double vision, foot drop, excessive numbness or fatigue issues. 

"It was nice to be able to go up and down stairs without having to hold the railing," he said. 

The patient said he did not experience any negative side effects or adverse reactions.  

"The best ‘side effect’ was knowing that this drug will fix my MS issues," Kunko said.

"I am very disappointed that this therapy is not yet commercially available for those who need to restore function and alleviate MS symptoms," he added. 

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the drug’s development but commented on the potential of gold therapies.

"Gold-containing analogies have long been treatments for rheumatoid arthritis — what is known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs," he told Fox News Digital.

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"And now gold-containing agents are being studied in MS and ALS."

While the latest study is small, Siegel said, it "looks promising in terms of modifying disease and improving thinking and vision, which can be affected in the early stages of MS."

He added, "More research with larger numbers needs to be done to be conclusive." 

Dr. James Kuo, vice president of R&D at Silo Pharma in New Jersey, was also not involved in the drug’s development but said the trial results are "encouraging."

"These new long-term results from the Phase 2 clinical trial support the therapeutic hypothesis that CNM-Au8 is remyelinating nerve cells in MS patients," Kuo told Fox News Digital. 

"What is further encouraging is that both the primary and secondary endpoints showed continued improvement," he added. "There was physiological enhancement in the visual neural pathway, a biomarker of nerve health. Further MRI measurements support remyelination occurring."

"If further clinical data supports these initial findings, MS patients could well have a new, well-tolerated oral therapy that is not based upon immune system modulation."

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Cancer immunity gets a boost from one common nutrient, study finds: ‘Intrigue and optimism’

Vitamin D could be a surprise weapon against cancer, new research suggests.

A study of mice published in the journal Science last week found that eating a diet rich in vitamin D changed the gut microbiome in a way that boosted cancer immunity.

The micronutrient increased levels of the bacterium Bacteroides fragilis, which has been shown to improve cancer immune response.

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The mice that received vitamin D showed improved responses to cancer immunotherapy and greater immunity to new tumor development, according to researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Aalborg University in Denmark.

"What we’ve shown here came as a surprise — vitamin D can regulate the gut microbiome to favor a type of bacteria that gives mice better immunity to cancer," said senior study author Caetano Reis e Sousa, head of the Immunobiology Laboratory at Crick, in a press release.

"This could one day be important for cancer treatment in humans."

The researchers aren’t yet sure why vitamin D seems to foster a "good" microbiome.

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"If we can answer this, we might uncover new ways in which the microbiome influences the immune system, potentially offering exciting possibilities in preventing or treating cancer," said co-author Evangelos Giampazolias, former postdoctoral researcher at the Crick and now group leader of the Cancer Immunosurveillance Group at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, in the release.

Shama Farooq, M.D., a neuro-oncologist at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, was not involved in the study but shared his comments on the findings.

"As a doctor who treats patients with cancer, my initial reaction to this study was one of intrigue and optimism," he told Fox News Digital. 

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"The findings suggest a potential link between vitamin D levels, the microbiome and cancer immunity, offering potential new avenues for improving cancer treatment and prevention strategies."

Continued research into improving the body’s immunity against cancer is "crucial," Farooq noted.

"Cancer is a complex disease with diverse mechanisms of evasion," he said. 

"By exploring new ways to boost the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells, researchers can develop more effective and targeted treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes and survival rates."

Based on the findings of this study, Farooq said he recommends people make sure their vitamin D levels are adequate, "as part of a comprehensive approach to potentially lowering their risk of cancer."

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"While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship, maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D is generally beneficial for overall health and may contribute to reducing cancer risk," he added.

Studies in humans are needed to learn more about the link between vitamin D and cancer immunity, the researchers acknowledged.

"More work is needed before we can conclusively say that correcting a vitamin D deficiency has benefits for cancer prevention or treatment," said Sousa.

Farooq echoed the need for more research.

"Moving forward, I would like to see further research delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying the interaction between Vitamin D, the microbiome and cancer immunity," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

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Cancer trends revealed, including most common types of the disease and biggest risk factors

Almost 40% of Americans will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime — but certain types are more common than others, statistics show.

USAFacts, a Washington-based nonprofit that compiles government data and reports on it, took a deep dive into the latest cancer data to identify trends — and shared the results with Fox News Digital.

Of the 1.96 million new cancer cases in 2023, half were made up of five types: breast cancer (15%), prostate cancer (15%), lung and bronchus cancer (12%), colorectal cancers (8%) and all other types (50%).

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Among the 609,820 cancer deaths in 2023, nearly half were made up of lung and bronchus cancer (21%), colorectal cancers (9%), pancreatic cancer (8%) and breast cancer (7%). 

The remaining 55% of deaths were attributed to other cancers.

While cancer cases have risen overall due to a growing population, the share of people getting diagnosed and dying from the disease has decreased.

"Between 2000 and 2019, the incidence rate — or the rate of new cancer cases per 100,000 people — declined by 5.4%, while the annual mortality rate fell by more than 26%," the report stated.

"This suggests improvements in cancer prevention, detection and treatment," Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Osborn was not involved in the report, but commented on the findings.

Here are five standout observations.

As of 2019, men were about 15.4% more likely to receive a new cancer diagnosis and 37.5% more likely to die from the disease than women.

That gap has narrowed since 2000, however, when the cancer incidence rate was more than 37% higher for men.

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For men, the most common cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal cancers, the USAFacts report stated. 

Those types made up 50.8% of new cancer cases and 45.9% of cancer deaths in 2023 among males. 

Among women, the most prevalent types are breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. 

Those three types comprised 54.6% of new cancer cases and 50.1% of cancer deaths in 2023 for females.

White Americans have the highest rate of new cancer diagnoses, followed by non-Hispanic Black Americans, the report stated.

Among cancer deaths, however, non-Hispanic Black Americans are at the highest risk.

SOME BREAST CANCER PATIENTS COULD BE AT RISK OF ANOTHER TYPE OF CANCER, STUDY REVEALS

Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Americans have the lowest risk of diagnosis and mortality. 

Overall cancer incidence rates have dropped between 2000 and 2019 for every group except American Indian/Alaska Native people, who experienced a nearly 35% increase in diagnoses.

"While the reason behind these disparities is hard to pin down, contributing factors include access to health care, environmental conditions, lifestyle behaviors and genetics," the report states.

The five-year cancer survival rate has risen, going from 63.5% in 2000 to 68.4% in 2015 — and is expected to continue its upward trend.

"This improvement is credited to better prevention, early detection and advancements in treatment," according to Osborn.

Survival rates vary by cancer type.

The cancers with the highest five-year survival rate are thyroid (98.8%), prostate cancer (96.5%), testicular cancer (95.7%), skin cancer (93.6%) and breast cancer (91.0%).

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"It should be noted that estimated cancer deaths in 2023 do not reflect the five-year survival rate between 2015 and 2020, as deaths in 2023 may result from cancer cases diagnosed prior to the five-year window," the report stated.

Age is the most prevalent risk factor for a cancer diagnosis, according to the report.

Diagnosis rates rise steadily for each decade of life.

The average age of diagnosis is 66 and the average age of death is 72, according to data gathered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) between 2016 and 2020.

The disease can occur at any age, however — which is why experts recommend early screenings to reduce mortality rates.

Despite the improvements in cancer incidence and mortality rates, Osborn warned that Americans "should not be lulled into complacency."

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"According to 2024 data from the American Cancer Society, the incidence of six of the most common cancers – namely those related to excess body weight, such as endometrial, liver, kidney, pancreas, colorectal and breast – are on the rise and may temper the declining mortality rate in the future," he warned.

Rising obesity rates in the U.S. are a direct cancer driver, Osborn indicated.

"It is estimated that more than two in five adults (42.4%) have obesity – a gateway disease to cancer — according to recent data from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases," said Osborn. 

"Unless the tide is turned and the obesity epidemic is addressed, the observed reduction in the annual rate of new cancers and associated mortality will slow and potentially be extinguished," he continued. 

"One can only hope that we are not headed in the wrong direction."

USAFacts compiled its report using data from the NCI, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Health weekend roundup: Bird flu, stroke risks, a mother's heartbreak and more

Fox News Digital publishes health pieces all week long to keep you in the know on a range of wellness topics: health care access, innovative surgeries, cancer research, mental health trends and more — plus, personal stories of people and families overcoming great obstacles.

Check out some top recent stories in Health as your weekend continues — and prep for the week ahead.

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These are just a few of what's new, of course. 

There are many more to see at http://www.foxnews/health. 

Bird flu fragments have been detected in retail samples of milk, leading some to wonder if it's safe to drink.

Experts chime in on whether pasteurized milk poses any risk. Click here to get the story.

One in five women between ages 55 and 75 will experience a stroke in their lifetime. 

A physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist shares five tips for women to reduce their risk. Click here to get the story.

Keeping your teeth bright and white can be a challenge, with various factors causing discoloration. 

Two dental health experts revealed do's and don'ts for a pearly-white smile. Click here to get the story.

Robin McFadden of New York discussed with Fox News Digital the surprising factor that she believes led to her 23-year-old son's suicide. 

Here's what she wants other parents to know. Click here to get the story.

Patients who are treated by female physicians could have an advantage in terms of longevity and recurring hospitalizations, research has found. 

Both male and female doctors weighed in on the findings. Click here to get the story.

Public health officials issued an official health alert about reports of fake Botox injections that have landed some patients in the hospital. 

Learn more about the symptoms and how to ensure safety with aesthetic procedures. Click here to get the story.

Longevity experts are warning about behaviors that cause "cellular damage" — and sharing ways to move forward.

From sun exposure to smoking, here are the eight behaviors to avoid. Click here to get the story.

GE HealthCare has developed an artificial intelligence tool that predicts the safety and effectiveness of immunotherapy for certain cancer patients. 

Here's why doctors are calling this an "exciting time in medicine." Click here to get the story.

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Daily showers could be harmful for skin health, some experts claim

Daily showers aren’t necessary and may not have any health benefits, according to some experts.

Proponents of less frequent showers claim that most people take them every day — or multiple times a day — only because this has become a societal norm.

"Why are we washing? Mostly because we’re afraid somebody else will tell us that we’re smelling," environmentalist Donnachadh McCarthy said in an interview with the BBC.

McCarthy said he only showers once a month, freshening up with sink washes in between.

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Approximately two-thirds of Americans shower every day, according to Harvard Health.

Some of the most common reasons are to prevent body odor, freshen up after working out and get help in waking up.

Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., senior faculty editor of Harvard Health Publishing, noted in an article for Harvard Health that frequent hot showers remove the healthy oils and "good" bacteria from the skin.

As a result, the skin can become dry, itchy or irritated, he noted. 

ARE THE BENEFITS OF COLD SHOWERS WORTH THE DISCOMFORT? EXPERTS WEIGH IN

The skin may also become more susceptible to infections and allergic reactions, as harmful bacteria and allergens are able to enter through dry, cracked areas.

Daily showers could also weaken the immune system, Shmerling warned.

"Our immune systems need a certain amount of stimulation by normal microorganisms, dirt and other environmental exposures in order to create protective antibodies and ‘immune memory,’" he said.

"This is one reason some pediatricians and dermatologists recommend against daily baths for kids. Frequent baths or showers throughout a lifetime may reduce the ability of the immune system to do its job."

5 TIPS FOR RAMPING UP YOUR SKIN CARE ROUTINE THIS SPRING FROM A BEAUTY EXPERT

Risks could also arise from exposure to chemicals in water — including salts, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride and pesticides — and in shampoos, conditioners and soaps.

"Overcleaning your body is probably not a compelling health issue," Shmerling wrote. 

"However, daily showers do not improve your health, could cause skin problems or other health issues — and, importantly, they waste a lot of water."

While some dermatologists recommend showering every other day or just two or three times per week, according to Healthline, the frequency of showers comes down to personal preferences, routines and lifestyles.

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There are some risks associated with not showering enough, experts say, including unpleasant body odor, skin infections, discoloration of the skin, acne, and flare-ups of eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis in people who have those conditions.

"While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty or have other reasons to shower more often)," said Shmerling in the Harvard Health article. 

"Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice."

Fox News Digital reached out to Shmerling for additional comment. 

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'Vampire facials' at unlicensed spa likely resulted in HIV infections: CDC

Three women likely contracted HIV after receiving so-called "vampire facials" at an unlicensed spa in New Mexico, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The shocking findings would make them the first known cases of the virus being transmitted during a non-sterile cosmetic injection procedure, the CDC says. 

A "vampire facial," according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, is a procedure where blood is drawn from the arm, placed into a machine which "separates the platelets from the rest of your blood," then is "re-injected into you (only the part of your blood that contains a high concentration of platelets)."

CLOSED NEW MEXICO SALON WHICH GAVE 'VAMPIRE FACIALS' LINKED TO NEW HIV CASES: OFFICIALS

The procedure is also known as "platelet-rich plasma" and is considered to be a more affordable and less invasive option than getting a facelift.

Kim Kardashian is among those to have undergone the treatment. She posted an image of her bloody face after undergoing the process in 2013 but has since come out against the procedure.

The CDC’s investigation states that a woman in her 40s tested positive for HIV while traveling abroad in 2018.

The patient reported no injection drug use, recent blood transfusions, or recent sexual contact with anyone other than her current sexual partner, who received a negative HIV test result after the patient’s diagnosis. However, the patient did report exposure to needles during a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) microneedling procedure in spring 2018 at spa A in New Mexico.

Another person tested positive for the virus during routine tests for life insurance in 2018, while a third did not find out she had HIV until last year, when hospitalized with an "AIDS-defining illness."

CDC ISSUES HEALTH ADVISORY WARNING OF 'ADVERSE EFFECTS' FROM FAKE BOTOX INJECTIONS

"This investigation identified an HIV cluster associated with receipt of cosmetic injection services at an unlicensed facility that did not follow recommended infection control procedures or maintain client records," the CDC states. 

While the CDC report did not name the spa, referring to it as "Spa A," last year a spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was linked to several new HIV cases and the New Mexico Department of Health reached out to its former clients stating that there was a risk they may have contracted HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C infection.

The spa, VIP Beauty Salon and Spa, closed in September 2018 after a multi-state agency "identified practices that could potentially spread blood-borne infections, such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C to clients."

In June 2022, the spa's owner, Maria Ramos De Ruiz, pleaded guilty to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license, according to KRQE. She was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison. 

However, the source of contamination remains unknown, the report states. 

"Although the investigative team was not permitted to collect specimens from spa A, evidence from this investigation supports the likely transmission of HIV through poor infection control practices."

Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report. 

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Amid bird flu spread, experts reveal if it's safe to drink milk: 'Indirect concern'

Traces of bird flu have been detected in pasteurized milk — leaving many people wondering if it’s safe to drink.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a notice on Thursday stating that one in five retail samples of commercial milk tested positive for fragments of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu or avian flu.

The share of milk with viral remnants was higher in areas where herds of cattle had been infected.

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The presence of the virus in the milk doesn’t necessarily mean there is a risk to consumers, however, the FDA noted.

"Additional testing is required to determine whether an intact pathogen is still present and if it remains infectious, which would help inform a determination of whether there is any risk of illness associated with consuming the product," the agency stated.

"Although bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans, sporadic human infections have occurred," the FDA stated in the alert.

Before milk can be sold commercially, government regulations require that it is pasteurized.

During the pasteurization process, raw milk is heated to a certain temperature for a brief period of time and is then chilled again, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) website.

This process kills any pathogens and ensures that milk is safe to drink.

BIRD FLU VIRUS FOUND IN GROCERY STORE MILK, BUT NO RISK TO CUSTOMERS, FDA SAYS

Dr. Scott Pegan, professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside and a biochemist for the United States Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, said the FDA’s finding does not mean there is any direct risks to consumers.

"In the U.S., commercial intrastate sold milk is required to be pasteurized," he told Fox News Digital. "This process is geared to kill viruses like H5N1 and other bacteria that can pose a threat to human health."

"Milk that has been pasteurized is safe and there is no current reason to avoid it or other pasteurized milk products based on the FDA’s findings," Pegan went on. 

"However, there is a substantial risk of consuming unpasteurized milk and products of that milk."

Even after viruses and bacteria have been killed in pasteurized milk, remnants can remain in the milk, he said — but they are not dangerous.

RARE HUMAN CASE OF HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS BIRD FLU CONFIRMED IN TEXAS

Edward Liu, M.D., chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, agreed that there is not a risk associated with drinking pasteurized milk.

"The pasteurization is the key — the heat treatment kills off the viruses," he told Fox News Digital. "Although the FDA’s testing picked up fragments [of the virus], the heating process destroyed it, so it’s not able to infect people."

The fragments alone are not enough to cause any kind of infection, he confirmed.

"I think the key word is ‘fragments.’ Just like with COVID, if you do a PCR test a month later, we'll detect little fragments of the virus, but it's not active anymore," Liu said. 

"So if the virus isn’t entirely intact, it shouldn't be able to infect you."

Any sporadic cases of human infection would likely occur when a farmer is handling birds directly, Liu said.

"There are some people who like to go all natural, but pasteurization has been used for decades for safety," he said. "Some degree of processing is actually better and safer for us."

The "indirect concern" within the scientific and medical community involves the increased risk of "spillover" to humans from animals with the H5N1 virus, said Pegan. 

"Prior to the outbreak in dairy cattle, this concern principally revolved around the risk of transmission to humans from wild birds or poultry," he told Fox News Digital.

"The presence of H5N1 avian flu in the milk of these cattle shows that cattle may be able to provide a new reservoir for this virus, increasing the odds of exposure to those in direct contact with the infected cattle."

The more animals that are infected, the higher chance that humans may come in direct contact with the virus — which likely would lead to a greater number of human cases, said Pegan. 

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"The case of cattle-to-human transmission seen in Texas is in line with this concern," he noted. 

"Also, the more mammals infected increases the chances that the virus will adapt to other mammals, such as humans."

The FDA restated its "long-standing recommendation" that consumers avoid drinking raw milk that has not been pasteurized. 

The agency also recommends that companies refrain from manufacturing or selling raw milk or raw milk products made with milk from cows that tested positive for bird flu, were exposed to the virus or showed symptoms of illness.

"Over the past few years, there has been an increased consumer demand for these unpasteurized products," Pegan said. 

"While not allowed to be sold via interstate brands, some states have relaxed local sales of these products at farmer's markets and similar outlets," he said. 

"Individuals may want to avoid those unpasteurized products until more information is obtained about this H5N1 avian flu outbreak in dairy cattle."

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The FDA also urged producers to "take precautions" when discarding milk from affected cows, "so that the discarded milk does not become a source of further spread."

So far, only one person has been confirmed to have contracted the virus after exposure to infected cows, the FDA stated.

"The CDC says the risk to the general public remains low," the agency said.

"The FDA and USDA continue to indicate that, based on the information we currently have, our commercial milk supply is safe."

Fox News Digital reached out to the National Milk Producers Federation, the American Dairy Association and the International Dairy Foods Association for comment.

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‘Sleep disorder drove my son to suicide,’ New York mother says: ‘Broke my heart’

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Chronic lack of sleep can cause a long list of physical and mental issues — and for one young man, his mother believes it led to his death.

Derek McFadden was just 23 when he took his own life on Aug. 17, 2018, in Tucson, Arizona.

His mother, Robin McFadden, who lives in Tuxedo Park, New York, said she believes her son’s insomnia was the "only driver" of his suicide.

SLEEP DISORDERS AND SUICIDE: A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT REVEALS THE CONCERNING LINK

Derek McFadden was an "extremely funny kid" who loved swimming, snow-skiing and cuddling, his mother said — but for most of his life, he struggled with debilitating insomnia.

At around 8 years old, he started taking small doses of sleeping medication, which helped for several years.

Around the time he turned 18, during his senior year of high school, the medication stopped working, McFadden said.

"He never got a good night's sleep, but he soldiered through his school day and then would come home and lie down on his bed, exhausted, but couldn't fall asleep," she told Fox News Digital in an interview.

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McFadden took her son to multiple doctors and they tried different medications — none of which worked, she said. 

"Derek would just lie there at night, and he was so tired, but he couldn't fall sleep," she said.

Amid the sleep struggles, her son managed to graduate from high school — but things got even worse when he left for college at the University of Arizona.

He’d chosen Arizona because he was an "avid outdoorsman" who loved fly-fishing, going off-roading in his Jeep and spending time with his dog, which he'd adopted for emotional support.

"Our hope was that with Derek being in Arizona, the sunshine during the day would stimulate his brain to wake up so he could go to sleep at night, but it just didn't work," McFadden said.

The doctor’s visits continued, but none of the experts could figure out what was causing the insomnia. 

"Every doctor would assume it was sleep hygiene, and that he was doing something wrong," McFadden said.

AMERICANS NEED MORE SLEEP, LESS STRESS, EXPERTS SAY, AS GALLUP POLL REVEALS TROUBLING FINDINGS

"They assumed that because he was 18, 19 or 20 years old that he was playing video games all night."

She added, "But Derek knew sleep hygiene. He had done so much research on his own. There was something wrong in his brain that was preventing him from sleeping." 

The family looked into holistic approaches, including hypnosis, acupuncture and "brain training," but "nothing seemed to work," McFadden said.

Many nights, he would go the entire night without sleeping — sometimes up to three days in a row, she said.

"It was really, really bad," McFadden said.

As the months went by and sleep continued to elude her son, McFadden said it began to take a toll on his immune system.

After consecutive nights without sleeping, he developed bruises all around his eyes.

SUICIDE RATES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH IN US, PER CDC DATA

"Derek was constantly getting sick, and that made him feel like he was not a normal kid," she said. "He just couldn't fight anything off. He was always at Urgent Care."

Her son developed severe acid reflux and stomach pain, to the point where it became difficult for him to eat.

"Sometimes his insomnia got so severe that he couldn't keep any food or fluids down at all," McFadden said. 

Multiple times, he ended up in the emergency room with dehydration and severe cramping, she said.

The lack of sleep also changed her son’s demeanor and personality, McFadden said.

"Derek had tremendous mood swings — he became anxiety-ridden and depressed," she recalled.

"He would have hallucinations, and was constantly losing things. He couldn't think clearly."

On the rare occasion that her son had a good night’s sleep, McFadden said, he was "a completely different person, as happy as could be."

IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP BY OPTIMIZING 6 BIOMARKERS: ‘INTEGRAL TO HEALTH’

"It broke my heart, because he was such a happy, funny, huge-hearted person, and it was really sad to watch his decline."

Unable to keep up with his studies, her son had to drop out of college.

"He couldn't even hold a job because he couldn't sleep at night," McFadden said. 

In July 2018, when her son came home from Tucson for the summer, McFadden knew something had shifted.

"We were sitting on the sofa and he said to me, ‘Mom, I'm gonna die young,’" she recalled. 

"And I said, ‘Derek, why do you say that?’ And he said, ‘Because my mind and body can't take the sleep deprivation.’"

Her son had also expressed that he didn’t want to have children because he didn't want to pass on the disorder, McFadden said.

"He saw there was no cure, no future, and he just didn't see a point in going on," she said. "Physically, he was starting to fall apart, and mentally, his cognitive ability was going."

Four weeks later, McFadden got an early-morning call from the Tucson Police Department notifying her that her son had taken his life.

After the tragedy, McFadden realized that her son had likely been planning his suicide in recent weeks.

FOR QUALITY SLEEP, TIMING IS EVERYTHING, EXPERTS SAY: HERE’S THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL SLUMBER

"He had contacted some old friends, and in his text messages and phone calls, he sounded very serene, relieved and calm," she recalled. "I truly believe Derek had made the decision. He just saw no future for himself."

Studies have suggested a likely connection between sleep and suicide.

Research published in the journal Current Psychiatry Reports found that treating insomnia and nightmares, or addressing the source of those issues, could help prevent "the rising threat of suicide."

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert with the firm Senolytix, said there is a "significant body of research" suggesting a link between sleep deprivation and an increased risk of suicide. 

"Sleep is crucial for emotional and psychological balance," he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"Lack of sleep can lead to mood disturbances, irritability and decreased stress tolerance, all of which can worsen feelings of despair or depression — potentially leading to suicidal thoughts."

Sleep deprivation can also affect cognitive functions, the doctor continued. 

"This impairment can make it harder for individuals to see alternative solutions to problems or seek help, potentially increasing the risk of suicidal behavior," he said.

LACK OF SLEEP COULD BE A FACTOR IN A ‘SILENT EPIDEMIC,' EXPERTS WARN

Sleep problems are also commonly associated with psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, which are themselves significant risk factors for suicide, according to Osborn.

"Insomnia and disrupted sleep patterns are particularly prevalent in these conditions," he warned. "This can be a source of diagnostic confusion and resultant treatment errors."

Sleep also affects various biological processes, Osborn noted — "including the regulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin (which is involved in mood regulation) and stress hormones like cortisol."

"Chronic sleep deprivation may lead to dysregulation in these systems, which could contribute to depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation."

While the majority of insomnia patients respond to lifestyle changes and/or medications, Osborn noted, there is a subset of patients who are "more difficult to manage."

"Often, there are underlying medical problems, like reflux, that fly under the radar and predispose the individual to insomnia," he told Fox News Digital. 

"Another issue is the potentially reciprocal relationship between depression and anxiety," Osborn said.

"Sleep pathology is extremely complex and challenging, because sleep itself is poorly understood," he continued. "A multimodal, interdisciplinary approach — involving a psychiatrist and a sleep specialist — is always best."

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Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, agreed that there is a proven link between insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression.

"Since suicide is a manifestation of severe depression, I think there is a link there, too, though insomnia wouldn't be the entire cause," he told Fox News Digital.

Siegel refers to it as a "cycle of worry."

"Anxiety interferes with sleep, which then makes you more anxious and more sleepless, especially if you add caffeine to combat the grogginess," he said.

During sleep, the brain relaxes and "cleanses" itself, Siegel said.

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"Waking up refreshed can improve mood, especially when accompanied by exercise," he noted. 

For those with severe insomnia, Siegel recommends undergoing a full sleep study/evaluation — typically with an EEG or video monitoring — to help determine the causes.

"Severe, resistant cases require evaluations by sleep specialists, neurologists and psychiatrists," he added.

The most "disheartening" part of her son’s tragedy, according to McFadden, was a lack of support from the health community, in her view.

"Other than sleep apnea and bad sleep hygiene, the medical community does not seem to believe that severe insomnia really exists," she told Fox News Digital. 

"And that just infuriates me."

Today, McFadden’s goal is to raise awareness of chronic insomnia — "because there are so many people in this world who are suffering from this."

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To keep your teeth white, bright and healthy, follow these 7 tips from dental experts

Dental hygiene is important — as is taking pride in your "pearly whites."

But keeping your teeth bright and white can be a challenge, with various factors causing discoloration.

Dr. Ronald Santana, head of science and development at Oral Biolife in Pennsylvania, noted that tooth discoloration refers to the "staining or darkening of teeth" from internal or external factors.

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"Extrinsic discoloration is caused by color changes of the tooth enamel by external factors such as smoking, foods or beverages, including coffee, tea and red wine," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Intrinsic discoloration affects the tooth dentin and is caused by some medications taken during childhood (tetracyclines), dental trauma and certain diseases (liver disease)."

Dr. Erin Fraundorf, owner of BOCA Orthodontic and Whitening Studio in Ladue, Missouri, agreed that numerous factors can cause the discoloring of teeth.

While there is "no way to know the cause without being evaluated and diagnosed by a professional," the expert said that diet, smoking, medications, trauma, genetics, thin enamel and the wearing down of teeth via grinding and chewing can all lead to discoloration.

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"A good general rule of thumb is that if it can stain a white T-shirt, it can stain your teeth," she told Fox News Digital.

Santana and Fraundorf offered seven tips on how to get your teeth whiter and brighter.

Fraundorf recommended brushing at least twice a day with an electric toothbrush and using toothpaste with fluoride or nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA).

"Avoid using charcoal or other abrasive toothpastes, as they damage enamel over time, making teeth darker," she said.

THESE ARE THE WORST DENTAL MISTAKES YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOUR TEETH

"Transform mundane oral care into a self-care ritual to make it an experience," she added.

While some people might feel inclined to try at-home teeth-whitening remedies, Santana stressed that "care should be exercised in selecting a safe and effective at-home approach for tooth whitening."

"Avoid trying at-home approaches before seeing a dentist, because some substances may damage the tooth enamel," he warned.

"Adequate" toothbrushing is an "effective" way to reduce the discoloration of your teeth, according to Santana.

PRACTICE GOOD ORAL HYGIENE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST PERIODONTITIS

"Tooth brushing with a correct brushing technique, employing a whitening dentifrice and using an electric toothbrush are effective resources to reduce tooth discoloration."

Fraundorf added that flossing with toothpaste, using a water flosser to remove plaque and using a tongue scraper daily to decrease bacteria can also promote whiter teeth.

Water is "the best thing you can drink to keep your teeth healthy and white," according to Fraundorf.

"Next time you have that cup of coffee or glass of red wine, take a swig of water in between sips and briefly swish around," she advised. 

"Water will not only prevent the staining particles from clinging onto your teeth, it will also help neutralize the acidity of the beverage."

Fraundorf also recommended choosing flat water rather than sparkling.

"Drink and swish with it frequently to neutralize your oral environment and fight stains," she suggested.

Studies suggest that cavities are "significantly lower" in patients who chew sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after a meal, Fraundorf noted.

DENTISTS REVEAL WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BRUSH YOUR TEETH IN THE SHOWER

"Chewing sugar-free gum increases salivary flow by stimulating mechanical and taste receptors in the mouth," she told Fox News Digital. 

"Saliva helps wash away food particles as well as dilute and neutralize acids produced by plaque bacteria on teeth, leading to a reduction in cavities and stains."

Using a straw, especially when drinking dark, acidic or sugary beverages, can help decrease the contact these substances make with your teeth.

"For extra credit, try drinking beverages more quickly to reduce the amount of time your oral environment is exposed to a lower pH, therefore decreasing the amount of enamel damage," Fraundorf said.

Certain foods and drinks — such as red wine, soda, soy sauce, curry, balsamic vinegar and coffee — may stain your teeth and should be avoided, Santana said.

ASK A DOC: 'WHY DO MY GUMS BLEED AFTER I BRUSH MY TEETH, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT?'

"Moreover, although the scientific evidence is limited, consumption of a balanced, healthy diet — containing strawberries, grapes, apples, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, cheese, celery, carrots, broccoli and almonds — may limit tooth staining," he noted.

Fraundorf agreed that "superfoods may be one of the best (and tastiest) ways to whiten your teeth naturally."

"Strawberries, apples and watermelon all contain a lot of malic acid, which helps whiten your smile by removing surface stains and increasing saliva," she said.

Other superfoods that can help whiten teeth include celery and leafy greens, since their "fibrous textures act like a natural toothbrush, exfoliating plaque off your teeth," Fraundorf added.

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"Dark, leafy greens also contain calcium, counteracting the effects of acids, and an abundance of folic acid, which is essential to gum tissue cell growth."

"Maintaining excellent oral health is the most important thing you can do to achieve a bright smile," Fraundorf told Fox News Digital.

"Set a calendar reminder to get regular check-ups and cleanings with your general dentist."

Santana added, "Your dentist can prescribe safe and customized resources for tooth whitening tailored to your specific needs."

Although being diligent about oral care can help keep teeth bright, Fraundorf suggested that professional teeth whitening could be necessary to "take your smile to the next level." 

"Whitening treatments are not one-size-fits-all, so it is important to seek customized care," she said. 

"The most ideal whitening treatment is one specific to you, crafted based on your unique smile goals, teeth composition, diet, sensitivity level and lifestyle."

She added, "A multitude of factors go into a proper diagnosis and customized treatment plan for teeth whitening to ensure the best, most comfortable, beautiful results."

Artificial tooth structures, like crowns, veneers and composites, won’t whiten, according to the expert — which means whitening these teeth will require extra restorative work.

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Some patients who see female doctors could live longer, study suggests: ‘Higher empathy’

Patients who are treated by a female physician could live longer and have a reduced risk of hospitalization, new research has found.

These benefits were seen more in female patients compared to males, according to the study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Among older adults hospitalized for a medical condition, mortality and readmission rates were lower for patients treated by female physicians than those cared for by male physicians — and the benefit of receiving treatment from female physicians was greater for female patients than for male patients," lead study author Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told Fox News Digital.

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The study included 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age and older who had been hospitalized between 2016 and 2019. 

The mortality rate was 8.15% for female patients treated by female physicians — compared to 8.38% for those treated by male physicians, according to a press release from UCLA Health.

Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, who was not involved in the research, noted that the findings are "clinically significant," as the difference translates to an additional 1,053 female patient deaths.

Male patients also had lower mortality rates when treated by female physicians, but the difference was smaller.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the study but called the findings "fascinating."

"Women tend to have a higher empathy quotient, which can impact patient care and diagnosis and treatment directly," he told Fox News Digital. 

"There has been a patriarchy in medicine for a long time, and there still may be some residual discounting of women's health issues or [doctors] seeing them as emotionally based," Siegel added.

ASK A DOC: ‘HOW CAN I GET RID OF A COLD SORE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE?’

There is a "growing awareness" that doctors are more sensitive to health issues when they can relate directly to their patients, the doctor noted.

"This applies to screening, diagnosis and treatment," he said. 

The findings were not surprising to the researchers, they said.

"Previous studies have shown that female patients treated by a female physician (versus female patients treated by a male physician) are less likely to experience underappreciation in symptom/illness severity assessment and communication challenges," study co-author Atsushi Miyawaki, M.D., PhD, senior assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Research at the University of Tokyo, told Fox News Digital.

"Also, female physicians may help alleviate embarrassment, discomfort and sociocultural taboos during sensitive examinations and conversations [with] female patients," he said.

Other research has shown that female physicians are more likely to "adhere to clinical guidelines" and spend more time listening to patients compared to their male counterparts, which are "indicators of high-quality care," added Tsugawa.

Johnson agreed, pointing out that prior studies have found male physicians may underestimate pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and heart symptoms when experienced by women. 

"For instance, if a male and a female presented to the emergency room with upper stomach pain, the male would be checked for a heart attack and given medication for an upset stomach," she told Fox News Digital.

"The woman, however, may only be given medication for an upset stomach."

The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

"Due to limited clinical information available in our data, we could not identify the specific mechanisms underlying better outcomes for female patients treated by female physicians," Tsugawa told Fox News Digital.

Miyawaki also noted that the study focused on older patients admitted to hospitals for medical conditions.

"Hence, our findings may not be generalizable to younger patients, commercially insured patients, those treated by other specialists or patients receiving care in an outpatient setting," he told Fox News Digital.

More research is needed to better understand the differences between female and male physicians, Tsugawa said. 

"Those include guideline concordance and communication style, which lead to better patient outcomes for female physicians."

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Johnson also noted that while the study is of "good quality," there are "inherent limitations to the study design."

She said, "With a retrospective review, unmeasured factors can affect and skew the results. The findings do align with other research in the area, however."

At the society level, Miyawaki said, the research suggests that increasing the number of female physicians could benefit women’s health.

"At the individual level, patient-physician interactions, rather than physician gender itself, are important for patient outcomes, our study suggests," he said. 

"Thus, individuals may focus on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship rather than on whether to choose a female doctor."

Tsugawa agreed, noting, "It is important to consider multiple factors about physicians, such as their clinical experience and training, your prior experiences with them, and their communication style, rather than focusing solely on the physician's sex."

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Bird flu virus found in grocery store milk, but no risk to customers, FDA says

Samples of pasteurized milk on grocery store shelves have tested positive for remnants of the bird flu virus that has already infected herds of dairy cows, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday.

The FDA stressed that the material is inactivated and that the findings "do not represent [an] actual virus that may be a risk to consumers." Officials added that they're continuing to study the issue.

Bird flu virus, known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or H5N1, is a disease that is highly contagious and often deadly in poultry. 

Infection with the virus causes decreased lactation, low appetite and other symptoms in affected cattle, the FDA says.

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The FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that commercial milk supply is safe because of the pasteurization process.

The pasteurization process involves killing harmful bacteria and viruses by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time to make milk safer. Federal regulations require milk that enters interstate commerce to be pasteurized.

"The pasteurization process has served public health well for more than 100 years," the FDA said. "Even if [the] virus is detected in raw milk, pasteurization is generally expected to eliminate pathogens to a level that does not pose a risk to consumer health."

"To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe."

Pasteurization is different from complete sterilization, which extends shelf life but is not required to ensure milk safety, the agency said. 

Officials with the FDA and the USDA had previously said milk from affected cattle did not enter the commercial supply. Milk from sick animals is supposed to be diverted and destroyed. 

FDA officials did not indicate how many samples they tested or where they were obtained. The agency has been evaluating milk during processing and from grocery stores, officials said. Results of additional tests are expected in "the next few days to weeks."

The PCR lab test the FDA used would have detected viral genetic material even after a live virus was killed by pasteurization or heat treatment, Lee-Ann Jaykus, an emeritus food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University told the Associated Press. 

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"There is no evidence to date that this is [an] infectious virus and the FDA is following up on that," Jaykus said.

Scientists confirmed the H5N1 virus in dairy cows in March after weeks of reports that cows in Texas were suffering from a mysterious malady. 

The FDA says HPAI has now been confirmed in domestic livestock in 33 herds across eight states: Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, and North Carolina.

While the virus is lethal to commercial poultry, most infected cattle seem to recover within two weeks, experts say.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) echoed the FDA’s assertions that pasteurization is effective against HPAI and that commercial milk supply is safe.

"Viral fragments detected after pasteurization are nothing more than evidence that the virus is dead; they have zero impact on human health," the NMPF said in a statement. 

"Further, the federal PMO prohibits milk from sick cows from entering the food supply chain. Milk and milk products produced and processed in the United States are among the safest in the world."

The news comes after a goat in Minnesota tested positive HPAI in February, which marked the first U.S. case of bird flu in domestic cattle, sheep, goats or their relatives.

The positive juvenile goat was residing on a Stevens County farm that already had bird flu infected poultry, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. 

To date, two people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu. A Texas dairy worker who was in close contact with an infected cow earlier this year developed "eye redness" and has recovered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program caught it while killing infected birds at a Colorado poultry farm. His only symptom was fatigue and he also recovered.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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