Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, and go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the second most common cause of death globally, accounting for millions of deaths every year. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common among women. However, these are not necessarily the deadliest forms of cancer.

What makes cancer the deadliest depends upon how many people have it and what percentage of those people actually survive. Cancer researchers determine this on the basis of five-year relative survival. This is the percentage of people who are expected to survive the effects of a given cancer, excluding their risk of other possible causes of death, for five years past a diagnosis. It is also important to note that what makes cancer really deadly is that practically no cure for it. A cure for cancer would imply that there are no cancerous cells remaining in the body.

Here are the 5 deadliest cancers in the U.S., according to SEER five-year relative survival data for cases diagnosed between 2014 and 2020.

1. Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas, a gland in your abdomen that aids digestion, mutate and multiply out of control, forming a tumour. Major risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, certain genetic mutations and environmental chemical exposure.

2. Esophageal cancer develops in the oesophagus, which is the tube that connects your throat to your stomach.

3. Liver cancer and intrahepatic bile duct cancer originate in the liver or bile ducts, often linked to hepatitis infections, heavy alcohol use, obesity, and aflatoxin exposure.

4. Lung and bronchus cancer primarily caused by smoking, secondhand smoke, and environmental pollutants, affects the lungs and airways, making it the leading cause of cancer death in the US.

5. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive blood and bone marrow cancer that progresses rapidly, often linked to genetic mutations, radiation exposure, and certain chemicals.

ALSO READ: Why Are Lifestyle Factors Making Millennials Vulnerable To Cancer?

A city does not come to a standstill the moment one road narrows. First, traffic slows. Then detours become routine. People leave earlier, reach later, and modify their day around a problem that keeps getting worse.

The heart can face a similar bottleneck. A valve that should open freely may begin to narrow, forcing the heart to work harder to move blood forward. The change may feel gradual, so patients and families often adjust to it rather than question it. That is where delay begins.

Modern heart care has changed what can happen once the problem is recognized. TAVR has become an important option for many patients with severe narrowing of the aortic valve, offering a less invasive path than open-heart surgery for suitable candidates. The bigger challenge is often the myths that stop people from reaching the right evaluation at the right time.

Here are five myths about TAVR that modern heart care has outgrown, left, and what patients and families need to know before old beliefs turn into costly delays.

Myth 1: Heart valve treatment always means open-heart surgery

For many families, valve replacement still conjures a single image: a daunting operation, an extended hospital stay, and a recovery that seems hard to picture.

TAVR offers an alternative route for eligible patients. A replacement valve is delivered through a thin tube, most often through a blood vessel in the leg, and guided to the heart without opening the chest. Patients are also likely to spend less time in hospital after TAVR compared with surgical valve replacement.

Modern valve care may involve a less invasive procedure, a shorter hospital stay, and a more comfortable return to daily routine, depending on the patient’s condition.

Also read: Daraxonrasib: US FDA Approves Once-Daily Pill for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Myth 2: TAVR is only for very elderly or very high-risk patients

Many patients rule themselves out too early. Someone may feel too active, too independent, or “not sick enough” to ask about TAVR.

Modern valve care has moved beyond that narrow view. TAVR is now an established option for an expanded range of appropriately selected candidates with severe aortic stenosis.

Thus, TAVR should not be treated as a last-resort option. A timely valve evaluation can show whether TAVR, surgery, or continued monitoring is the right path.

Myth 3: Feeling okay means the valve problem can wait

A heart valve problem does not always announce itself clearly. Early signs can blend into ordinary explanations.

Breathlessness may be blamed on age. Fatigue may be blamed on stress. Dizziness may be managed as a blood pressure or sugar issue. These explanations can sound reasonable while valve disease continues in the background. Aortic stenosis can also worsen over time, even when symptoms are absent at first.

A new drop in stamina after 60 deserves attention. An echocardiogram can show whether the valve is narrowing and how well the heart is coping.

Also read: H1N1 Cases, Deaths Rise Across India: States Reporting Surge, Red Flags to Know

Myth 4: Recovery from heart treatment always takes months

Fear of recovery can become one reason families postpone care.

TAVR can offer a gentler recovery for many older adults. Shorter hospital stays reduce the burden on caregivers. Earlier mobilisation can reduce deconditioning and anxiety after prolonged bed rest. Recovery still varies, and every patient needs a guided plan for activity, medicines, follow-ups, and rehabilitation when needed.

Recovery after TAVR is carefully guided and often far less disruptive than most patients expect.

Myth 5: TAVR is a one-size-fits-all procedure

The best valve plan is never borrowed from another patient’s story.

A heart team evaluates anatomy, valve characteristics, vascular access, and the full clinical picture before recommending TAVR or surgery. Current valve care also looks ahead, since some patients may need another procedure years later, and long-term follow-up is necessary. A lifetime heart-team approach is especially important as valve durability, surveillance, and future treatment options are planned.

TAVR is personalized care. The right question is whether it fits the patient’s anatomy, health, goals, and future needs.

What Families Must Remember

Old myths can make modern care feel more frightening than it needs to be. A practical response begins with noticing change early. New breathlessness, chest pressure, dizziness, fainting, unexplained fever, or a sudden drop in energy must prompt medical advice.

Care does not end after treatment. Ongoing checkups, echocardiograms, medications, dental care, walking routines, and cardiac rehab all help safeguard recovery and long-term valve health.

Modern valve care has advanced and moved. Patients and families can move forward too by asking timely questions, seeking the right evaluation, and choosing treatments based on today’s possibilities, not yesterday’s assumptions.

By Dr Maulik Parekh, Head – TAVR and Structural Heart Programme, Section Coordinator

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rasonque (daraxonrasib), a once-daily pill, for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, offering a new treatment option for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Rasonque is a once-daily tablet that targets multiple forms of a protein called RAS, a key driver of tumor growth in most patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which arises from cells lining the ducts of the pancreas.

The approval is for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have received at least one prior systemic therapy or are not candidates for multiagent systemic therapy.

“Today’s approval provides a critical new option for patients facing an extraordinarily difficult and historically hard-to-treat cancer. It is our fundamental duty to deliver more cures and meaningful treatments to patients as quickly as possible,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, JD.

Pancreatic Cancer Remains Difficult To Treat

Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer has long been one of the toughest challenges in oncology. The five-year survival rate is around 13%, while recurrence rates approach 80% after treatment.

Approximately 90% to 95% of the 67,000 new pancreatic cancer cases diagnosed in the US each year are pancreatic adenocarcinoma, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Although pancreatic cancer represents roughly 3.2% of all cancer diagnoses, pancreatic adenocarcinoma accounts for a disproportionately high share of cancer deaths because of its typically late detection, aggressive disease course and historically limited treatment options.

However, daraxonrasib, developed by US-based late-stage clinical oncology company Revolution Medicines, has shown promise in improving survival among patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

What Is Daraxonrasib?

Daraxonrasib is a once-daily oral pill that demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with standard intravenous chemotherapy.

The drug is described as a multi-selective inhibitor of RAS(ON) proteins and is the first approved drug in this new class of RAS inhibitors designed to target a broad spectrum of cancer-causing RAS mutations.

Daraxonrasib works by blocking KRAS signaling proteins that drive tumour growth. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most RAS-driven cancers, with more than 90% of patients carrying tumo\rs driven by RAS protein mutations.

Who Can Take Daraxonrasib?

Read More: New Pancreatic Cancer Drug Daxaronrasib May Benefit Patients With Lung And Ovarian Tumors Too

The FDA approval is specifically for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma in two situations:

• Patients who have received at least one prior systemic therapy.
• Patients who are not candidates for multiagent systemic therapy.

Daraxonrasib Clinical Trial

In the Phase 3 clinical trial, including 500 adults, daraxonrasib led to a median overall survival of 13.2 months, compared

with 6.7 months with chemotherapy.

Daraxonrasib also significantly improved progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy. Similar RAS-targeting drugs are now being developed by other companies for pancreatic, lung and colon cancers.

What Are The Side Effects?

According to the company, daraxonrasib was generally well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile and no new safety signals. Prior studies with daraxonrasib have shown that rash is the most common side effect. Mouth sores, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting have also been reported.

Pancreatic Cancer: Know The Warning Signs

Pancreatic cancer typically begins in the ducts of the organ and can rapidly spread to other parts of the body. Early-stage pancreatic tumours may not show up on imaging tests, making the disease difficult to diagnose until it has spread to other organs.

Prevention and early detection remain vital. Pancreatic cancer can often resemble common ailments, potentially delaying diagnosis.

Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored

• Abdominal or back pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• Jaundice
• Changes in urine or stool
• New-onset diabetes
• Persistent fatigue.

Malaria Alert in Germany: Frankfurt Airport Worker Dies After Suspected ‘Mosquito Arrives on Plane’; 5 Infected

In an unusual case, an employee at Germany’s Frankfurt Airport has died from malaria, while five others have contracted the potentially serious infection after mosquitoes suspected of arriving on an aircraft were found at the airport.

The airport operator, Fraport, confirmed the employee’s death and said the five other infected people are receiving medical treatment.

Authorities have installed mosquito traps at the airport. Captured mosquitoes will be analysed in laboratories to determine their species and, where possible, establish their origin.

Fraport said its focus is now on information and prevention. Employees have been advised to seek medical attention if they develop malaria-like symptoms and to inform doctors that they work at the airport.

“Sadly, we must confirm that one employee has died as a result of the infection,” a Fraport spokesperson told the BBC.

The company said it had provided information to employees and urged them to consult a doctor if they develop symptoms.

What Happened?

According to Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI), four airport employees developed malaria between 4 and 6 July. The institute said mosquitoes were brought to the airport by aircraft from a malaria-endemic region in July.

Malaria transmission within Germany is extremely rare. The RKI says malaria cases in the country almost exclusively occur among people who have travelled to malaria-endemic areas.

The absence of a travel history can make diagnosis more difficult. A delayed diagnosis can increase the risk of severe disease.

The RKI also noted that the last airport-associated malaria case in Germany occurred at Frankfurt Airport in 2023.

What Is Malaria?

Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Common symptoms include fever, chills and headache. More severe malaria can cause confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing and other life-threatening complications.

Symptoms generally begin around 10–15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, although the timing can vary.

People at increased risk of severe malaria include young children, pregnant women, travellers without immunity and people with HIV/AIDS.

Malaria is not normally transmitted directly from person to person. However, transmission can occur through infected blood, including in rare circumstances through blood transfusion or contaminated needles.

Global Malaria Burden

According to the World Health Organization's World Malaria Report 2025, an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths occurred worldwide in 2024 across 80 malaria-endemic countries.

The WHO African Region accounted for approximately 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of malaria deaths in 2024.

WHO estimates that malaria-prevention tools, including recommended vaccines and other interventions, helped avert approximately 170 million cases and 1 million deaths in 2024.

The report noted that WHO approved the world’s first malaria vaccines in 2021, and 24 countries have now added them to their regular immunisation schedules.

Despite the setbacks, there have been encouraging developments. So far, 47 countries and one territory have received malaria-free certification from WHO. Cabo Verde and Egypt were declared malaria-free in 2024, followed by Georgia, Suriname, and Timor-Leste in 2025.