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.

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Health authorities of the United Kingdom have confirmed that there is a confirmed case of meningitis at the University of Surrey, where a student has been infected with it. Meningitis is one of the most dangerous diseases and containing it comes first for the health authorities.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working to provide preventative antibiotics and vaccinations for close contacts. The authorities are giving great importance to this because of the two earlier deaths in Kent this year.

Jaime Morgan, from UKHSA South East, said: "We understand that news of meningococcal infection can be concerning. However, meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread." She added, "We are working closely with partners and have provided public health advice to close contacts of the case."

Morgan also said that meningococcal disease is known not to spread easily among people, thus a larger possibility of public health loss is unlikely. She also urged the students at the university to be aware of symptoms and to seek medical advice if needed.

Also Read: Why Thousands Of Black Men In The UK Are Now Being Invited For Prostate Cancer Screening?

What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes around the spinal cord and the brain. It can become very serious if not treated or diagnosed in time. It is a consequence of bacterial or viral infection. Despite being a rare occurrence, the infection can spread through coughs, sneezes, a cold, or physical contact in the form of kissing.

Understanding the symptoms, causes, and treatment options is important for early diagnosis and timely medical care.

Symptoms Of Meningitis

Health officials urged the public to remain alert to the warning signs of meningococcal meningitis. Common symptoms include:

• Rash
• Headache
• Neck stiffness
• Fever
• Drowsiness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light

How is Meningitis Diagnosed?

Physicians diagnose meningitis using a combination of clinical presentation, laboratory examinations, and imaging tests. Important diagnostic tests are Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap), Blood Cultures, and Imaging (CT or MRI Scans).

Though Meningitis is not the only problem of the UKHSA now. Along with other global issues, the United Kingdom is also facing a certain rise in cases of botulism, which is a dreadful disease caused by bacteria and can cause difficulty in breathing, paralysis, and even death. According to the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), recently, two more people from Leeds have come forward with symptoms of this fatal disease.

Last week, a small number of people with symptoms of botulism presented to the National Health Service (NHS) around Leeds. These people observed botulism signs after aesthetic treatments involving botulinum toxin. After a sudden increase in patients of this dreadful disease, the authorities are on alert.

UKHSA urged people to take precautions when seeking cosmetic procedures and has advised medical staff to look out for possible botulism in people who have had recent treatments and have symptoms.

A team of UK scientists has identified 23 unique mutations in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, led by the Bundibugyo virus.

The findings, led by scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, are based on an analysis of 10 available Bundibugyo virus sequences from the Congo and Uganda associated with the current 2026 outbreak, according to Virological.org — an online discussion forum for pathogenic virus sequence data. The forum was launched in November 2014.

The sampled viruses appear to share a most recent common ancestor dating to early-to-mid March 2026, the researchers said.

"The sampled viruses are already genetically diverse. We identified 23 unique mutations across the 10 sequences," said Gina Cuomo-Dannenburg from Imperial College London and Mahan Ghafari from the University of Oxford.

"This level of diversity suggests that the sampled viruses do not represent the very beginning of transmission, but instead reflect an outbreak that had already been circulating, at least partly undetected, for several weeks before sequences became available," they added.

However, the authors noted that "this is an informal analysis and is not intended as a formal preprint or manuscript in its current form" and urged that the estimates "should be interpreted cautiously."

Ebola Cases Continue to Rise

Meanwhile, Congo said on Sunday that the number of confirmed Ebola cases had increased to 515 after 27 new samples tested positive in the previous 24 hours. The confirmed cases include 91 deaths, government data showed.

The Ministry of Health Uganda has confirmed 19 Ebola cases so far, including 14 imported from the DRC and five locally transmitted infections.

According to the World Health Organization, the latest outbreak has resulted in 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed infections, with as many as 133 deaths reported.

CDC Warns Outbreak Could Rival 2014 Epidemic

The Ebola outbreak spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda could become more devastating than the largest Ebola epidemic in history unless containment efforts improve, according to modelling released by the US CDC.

The models, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, showed that the current outbreak could rival the scale of the 2014 West Africa outbreak, which resulted in more than 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths.

"That scale is possible," said Jason Asher, director of the CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, during a press briefing.

The worst outcomes could be avoided if "a larger proportion of patients were identified, isolated, and treated," the agency said in its reports.

However, "the public health response to control this outbreak will likely need to be of similar magnitude to the response for the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak."

AI-Driven Drug Discovery

Also read: WHO Says Ebola Fight Is Catching Up; Expert Explains Science Behind Patient Recoveries

There are currently no approved treatments specifically for Bundibugyo ebolavirus, despite the existence of some antiviral therapies for other Ebola species. The rare strain is known to kill up to 40 percent of infected patients.

Scientists at the US' Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) have used AI-driven drug discovery platforms to rapidly identify and synthesize 23 antiviral candidates targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola strain currently affecting Congo.

The newly identified compounds are expected to undergo testing against the Bundibugyo virus in the coming weeks.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and deadly disease caused by a virus mostly found in Africa. The spread of the disease happens through contact with infected body fluids.

Some symptoms can indicate a possible infection. This includes fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Christian Eriksen is a well-known name in the football world and has a huge following. When he collapsed during a friendly match between Denmark and Ukraine, it caused massive concern among the fans of the sport. The Danish Football Federation ensured the fans in a social media post that the veteran player has regained consciousness.

The federation wrote in their X post, “Christian Eriksen ‌is conscious and is doing well under the circumstances.” They also informed that the friendly match between Denmark and Ukraine was called off after this incident.

The football match was well into the 20 minutes of the second half when the incident occurred, and the players from both sides made a circle around the collapsed player. The fans were also in a hush, and medics attended to him on the field. He was eventually able to walk to an ambulance.

Team doctor of Denmark, Morten Boesen, told Danish media, “Christian is doing well and walked from the field himself. As I see it, the pacemaker is working as it should. He was briefly gone, but very quickly regained consciousness, and we were quickly in contact with him.”

Notably, this was not the first time that the midfielder collapsed during a match, as Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest during a European Championship match in Copenhagen in 2021. He was saved by CPR ⁠treatment. Later, he got fitted with a special heart-starting device known as an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD).

What Is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood to the body, causing the brain and other organs to be deprived of oxygen. This ceases the function of the heart due to irregular heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias, which prevent the heart from functioning properly. Once the heart stops, blood flow to vital organs halts, leading to unconsciousness, respiratory failure, and, if not treated, can be fatal without treatment.

The condition is commonly referred to as a "silent killer" because it frequently occurs without obvious symptoms. When cardiac arrest happens, there is little time to react, and death can occur within minutes if emergency treatment, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation, is not immediately administered.

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency, and quick action is essential for survival. The first step in treatment is performing CPR to manually compress the chest and encourage blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. If a defibrillator is available, it can deliver an electric shock to the heart, potentially restoring its normal rhythm.

Also Read: Cholera Outbreak In Nigeria: Death Toll Crosses 39, Cases Exceed 4,200

Why Athletes Are Prone To Cardiac Arrest?

Though heavy running and physical activity are widely believed and proven to be healthy habits, overexertion can cause great harm and can lead to undiagnosed or underlying cardiovascular abnormalities. Though this also depends on the age. Young players often face this problem due to a genetic condition, while older players mostly face it due to acquired coronary disease.