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?

Liver injuries reported to US poison centres increased by nearly 400% between 2000 and 2024, with acetaminophen, sold under brand names such as Tylenol, the most frequently implicated substance, according to a study.

The study analysed poison-centre calls involving liver injuries linked to “xenobiotics”—foreign substances not naturally found in the human body. These include medications, food additives, alcohol and environmental pollutants.

Acetaminophen Among Leading Causes

Also read:‘Entirely Unverified Retatrutide’ Being Sold on Black Market: Lilly Sues 6 US Companies

Researchers identified 220,160 cases of xenobiotic-related liver injury over the 24 years. Population-adjusted exposure rates increased from 10.9 per million people to 52.9 per million.

More than 80% of the liver injury cases required inpatient care, with medications accounting for the majority of cases. Acetaminophen was the substance most frequently implicated.

“Liver injuries reported to poison centers have increased substantially over the past 25 years, with acetaminophen emerging as a growing contributor,” said Christopher P. Holstege of UVA Health.

Acetaminophen Exposure Trends

The study found that exposures involving acetaminophen-containing combination drugs decreased by 60%-85% after the US Food and Drug Administration capped the amount of acetaminophen allowed in combination prescription products.

However, potentially harmful exposures to acetaminophen alone increased steadily over the 24 years. The findings suggest that regulatory action reduced liver injuries linked to combination products, while acetaminophen alone remained a leading contributor to poison-centre-reported liver injuries.

Females had higher rates of acetaminophen-associated liver injury than males. Suspected suicide was the most common reason for exposure in both sexes.

Alcohol and Other Substances

Read More: What Trump’s Childhood Vaccine Order Means: When Will It Take Effect?

Alcohol was the second most common cause of liver injuries, although it was far less common than acetaminophen. Alcohol-related injuries were more frequent in men than women but increased in both sexes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers also identified increases in liver injuries linked to stimulants and street drugs, herbal and dietary supplements, and environmental toxins. However, these were much less common than injuries associated with acetaminophen and alcohol.

“Medications should always be taken as directed by clinicians and per pharmaceutical label instructions,” Holstege said. He also advised caution with emerging substances that are not regulated.

Why Tylenol Is Linked To Liver Injuries

"Acetaminophen is widely available without a prescription, and it’s contained in many combination medications — more than 600. It’s likely that many people taking acetaminophen do not realize they’re taking too much since, for example, you take acetaminophen tablets for the achy feeling that comes with a cold and also use a combination cough medicine that contains acetaminophen," Howard E. LeWine, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health said.

Tylenol and Autism Claims

The debate has also triggered legal action, as Texas sued Kenvue over alleged failures to warn pregnant consumers, and a US appeals court this month revived more than 500 private lawsuits making similar claims.

An immunity-enhancing peptide that has been used in more than 30 countries has gained attention as a possible treatment for Long COVID.

But in the US, the peptide, thymosin alpha-1 remains unapproved. The FDA raising concerns about how the synthetic peptide is developed, formulated and dosed.

Thymosin alpha-1, also known as Tα1 or thymalfasin, is a 28-amino-acid peptide originally derived from the thymus. It is designed to modify the immune response rather than simply suppress inflammation.

Research suggests it can enhance T-cell activity and antibody responses, which has made it particularly interesting in conditions involving immune dysfunction.⁠

Peptide And Long COVID Connection

Research has found that Tα1 may help restore aspects of immune balance in people with post-acute COVID-19.

A 2023 study found that the peptide improved immune homeostasis in blood cells from people with Long COVID. Its effects are particularly evident among patients with more severe initial disease and certain persistent symptoms.

The proposed idea is that rather than simply treating individual symptoms such as fatigue or brain fog, Tα1 could potentially correct some of immune abnormalities underlying them.

The Long COVID findings are still largely based on laboratory and early-stage research. They do not yet establish that injections of Tα1 improve Long COVID symptoms in a large, well-controlled patient population.

Also read: Diabetics Must Undergo Retinal Screening To Protect Eye Health: AIIMS Doctors

So Why Hasn’t The FDA Approved It?

Tα1 has been studied for several conditions, and it is approved in many countries. But FDA approval requires evidence for a specific product, formulation, dose, safety profile and effectiveness.

In the US, thymosin alpha-1 is not FDA-approved for Long COVID or another general medical condition.

The FDA has also raised specific concerns about compounded Tα1. In a 2024 review, the agency evaluated proposed injectable Tα1 products and highlighted concerns including product stability, concentration and the possibility of immune reactions caused by peptide aggregation.

The proposed 3 mg/mL formulation also differed from the 2 mg/mL concentration used in clinical studies reviewed by the agency.

Another crucial distinction is that the biological activity in a peptide does not mean that a particular manufactured product is safe and effective at a specific dose.

Also read: Early Trial Examines A One-Time Treatment That Could Replace Statins To Manage High Cholesterol: Study

Is The Peptide Truly Capable Of Treating Long COVID?

Some research regarding the peptide’s efficacy on Long COVID is encouraging, but the evidence remains limited. Studies of Tα1 in acute COVID-19 have also produced mixed results.

One clinical study found that it did not alter disease progression or mortality in non-severe COVID-19, although it shortened viral RNA shedding and hospital stay.

Other research has suggested potential benefits in severe disease, but these studies have limitations.

That uncertainty matters even more for Long COVID, where symptoms can vary dramatically between patients and the biological mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

The FDA’s decision does not mean research into Tα1 has been halted. A US clinical trial is currently evaluating thymalfasin as an immune-response enhancer given around COVID-19 vaccination, with the study assessing safety and whether it can improve

Retinal disorders are among the leading causes of irreversible vision loss. Doctors at AIIMS New Delhi said the growing burden of these conditions is being driven in part by diabetes, stressing the need for retinal screening to protect long-term eye health.

Speaking to HealthandMe, experts emphasized the importance of starting eye screening from the time of diabetes diagnosis.

Retinal diseases affect the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. One of the most common is diabetic retinopathy.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetic eye disease is a group of eye problems that can affect people with diabetes. These include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular oedema, cataracts and glaucoma.

What Happens In Diabetic Retinopathy?

In diabetic retinopathy, high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels in the retina, causing them to swell, leak fluid or bleed.

This can lead to blurred vision, dark spots or floaters, difficulty seeing at night and distorted vision. In advanced stages, abnormal blood vessels can develop, potentially causing severe vision loss or blindness due to complications such as macular oedema or retinal detachment.

Why Is Retinal Screening A Must?

“Every person who is newly diagnosed with diabetes, especially those with type 2 diabetes, should undergo mandatory eye screening at the time of diagnosis,” said Dr. Vinod Kumar, Professor of Ophthalmology at RP Centre, AIIMS.

“Type 2 diabetes is often detected at a relatively older age, which means a person may have had diabetes for a long time without knowing it. We do not know how long they have actually had the disease. That is why newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics should undergo mandatory eye screening,” he added

For young, insulin-dependent diabetics, the expert noted that diagnosis usually occurs when insulin dependence begins, meaning they are detected earlier.

“Therefore, they are not required to undergo eye or retinal examination at the time of diagnosis. It is recommended that after five years of their diagnosis, they should undergo eye screening to check whether they have diabetic retinopathy or not,” Dr Vinod said.

Are Eye Screening And Retinal Screening The Same?

No. A general eye or vision screening is a basic check of how well a person can see, while retinal screening uses specialized digital cameras to take detailed images of the retina at the back of the eye.

Are Retinal Diseases Rising In India?

As India is the diabetic capital of the world, retinal diseases are very common, the expert said. However, many people may not realize they have vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy because the disease progresses slowly.

“Even if you do not have symptoms, you should undergo eye or retinal screening so that diabetic retinopathy can be diagnosed and appropriate steps can be taken to correct the effects of vision loss,” Dr Vinod said.

Lack Of Retinal Specialists A Concern In India

Retinal disorders are among the leading causes of irreversible vision loss in India. The growing burden of these conditions, along with gaps in the availability of retina specialists and infrastructure, highlights the need to strengthen retinal care.

According to the Vitreo-Retina Society of India (VRSI), there are around 1,700 retinologists in the country, which is inadequate to address the burden of retinal diseases.

To address the shortage of trained retinal specialists, AIIMS, in collaboration with Roche, launched a customized Retina Training Program at the National Retina Skill Development Centre.

Developed with the Roche India Healthcare Institute (RIHI), the program aims to strengthen retinal care through hands-on training, research and innovation.

“The need for strengthening retinal care capabilities is underscored by gaps in specialized expertise,” said Dr. Radhika Tandon, Chief and Professor of Ophthalmology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS New Delhi.

The program will provide ophthalmologists with structured, hands-on training and advanced infrastructure to improve early diagnosis and appropriate management of retinal diseases.