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Brielle Benyon, Assistant Managing Editor for CURE®, has been with MJH Life Sciences since 2016. She has served as an editor on both CURE and its sister publication, Oncology Nursing News. Brielle is a graduate from The College of New Jersey. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, CrossFit and wishing she had the grace and confidence of her toddler-aged daughter.
From Sam Neill announcing his cancer diagnosis to Martina Navratilova stating that she is now cancer-free, here’s what’s happening in the oncology space this week.
“Jurassic Park” star announced that he was diagnosed with stage 3 blood cancer.
Sam Neill, who played Alan Grant in the 1993 movie, “Jurassic Park,” announced that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The 75-year-old actor wrote about his diagnosis in his upcoming memoir, “Did I Ever Tell You This?” noting that he will undergo monthly chemotherapy for the rest of his life.
"I can't pretend that the last year hasn't had its dark moments," Neill said in an interview with “The Guardian.” "But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends."
A study found that military pilots and crews experience a higher rate of certain cancers than the general public.
The Pentagon-conducted study of nearly 900,000 service members who flew on or worked on military aircrafts between 1992 and 2017 found that pilots had a 24% overall higher rate of cancer than the general public. Specifically, there was an 87% higher rate of melanoma, and a 39% higher rate of thyroid cancer. Men had a 16% higher rate of developing prostate cancer, while women experienced a 16% higher rate of breast cancer.
Regarding ground crews, these individuals had a 19% higher rate of brain and nervous system cancers; 15% higher rate of thyroid cancers; and 9% higher rate of kidney cancers. Women had a 7% higher rate of breast cancer. Overall, this group had a 3% increased rate for any cancer diagnoses than the general public.
However, findings from the study were not all negative. Results also showed that ground and air crews in the military had lower rates of lung cancer, and air crews had lower rates of bladder and colon cancer.
These findings, “proves that it’s well past time for leaders and policy makers to move from skepticism to belief and active assistance,” said retired Air Force Col. Vince Alcazar, a member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, in an interview with the Associated Press.
Professional tennis player Martina Navratilova announced that she is cancer-free.
Martina Navratilova, who was diagnosed with breast and throat cancer, recently announced in an interview with Piers Morgan that she is cancer-free and will undergo additional radiation and continue to monitor her health.
"As far as they know, I'm cancer-free," Navratilova said in the interview. "I still need to deal with the right breast, probably have radiation, but that's a couple of weeks. That doesn't even count. That's more preventative than anything else. Should be good to go. It's like 99% solvable. I'm definitely not missing any of my check-ups. I'll be very diligent. The prognosis is excellent, but you never know."
Navratilova, who is one of the most decorated female tennis players in history, also returned to her job with the Tennis Channel for coverage of the Miami Open.
Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber shared that his son, Nicholas, is “critically ill.”
Nicholas Lloyd Webber, the 43-year-old son of Andrew Lloyd Webber, who composed the score for many hit musicals, including “The Phantom of the Opera,” was diagnosed with gastric cancer 18 months ago.
“He is bravely fighting with his indomitable (humor), but at the moment my place is with him and the family,” Andrew Lloyd Webber said in a statement earlier this week.
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