Latest news with #BRCA1
Evening Standard
12 hours ago
- Health
- Evening Standard
Every baby in UK to have DNA mapped under NHS ‘genomics revolution'
Parents would be asked to give consent for the tests, but some children may grow up with knowledge of their genetic risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's or aggressive cancers. A recent study of 7,000 babies found 27 carrying the BRCA1 'Jolie gene', which is linked to a sharply increased risk of breast cancer.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Aruna Irani reveals she battled breast cancer twice, opens up about keeping it private: ‘Everything doubles'
Aruna Irani recently revealed that she battled breast cancer twice and chose to keep the news private. Stating that she was first diagnosed in 2015, the veteran actor said that she decided on medications and avoided chemotherapy before a resurgence in 2020. 'Yes. Not once but twice. Everything doubles,' she remarked. The 78-year-old recalled how she sensed something was amiss while at a shoot. 'Aise hi ek din shooting kar rahi thi, pata nahi mujhe kaise pata laga par maine bola 'Mujhe kuch lag raha hai' (One day, I was shooting as usual. I don't know how, but I just felt something and said, 'I feel like something's wrong'),' she said on the Lehren Retro podcast. While told that the lump was minor, she insisted on its removal and was operated upon. 'But I was at a shoot on the fourth day. Nothing happened. I was also hale and hearty. The doctor told me that I have to undergo chemotherapy clinically. Chemotherapy wasn't that advanced back then. So your skin turned black, and you would experience hair loss. I asked the doctor for another way, and he told me to take medicine daily. That went on for five years,' added Aruna, admitting that it was a mistake she realised after the cancer resurfaced in 2020. She also spoke about getting regular checkups done every six to eight months. 'That's how a lump was detected in 2020. It happened in the same spot on the breast. That time I got operated on. Meri hi wajah se…as pehle maine chemotherapy nahi lee thi. (Because of me…I did not opt for chemotherapy the first time. There was radiation,' continued the Laadla actor who underwent chemotherapy in 2020, just before Covid-19 pandemic. Although she did experience some hair loss, it grew back. 'Still, you lose a bit of your hair, but woh jaldi aa bhi jaate hai (it grows back quickly),' she added in the interview. In addition to cancer, she was also diagnosed with diabetes at 60. At one point, doctors even told her that her kidneys had failed, though she came back stronger. Let's understand all about breast cancer and its recurrence. Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast begin to grow abnormally and form a lump or mass. 'While no single known cause exists, certain risk factors can increase its likelihood. These include age, family history, genetics, obesity or being overweight, lack of physical activity, alcohol consumption, and hormonal changes over a lifetime,' said Dr Meghal Sanghavi, oncologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central. According to Dr Sanghavi, factors such as never having conceived or never having breastfed may also slightly raise the risk, as they influence the body's long-term exposure to hormones. 'In many cases, the exact cause remains unknown, but a combination of inherited traits and lifestyle factors can play a role,' said Dr Sanghavi. While the exact cause isn't fully understood, mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk for women, added Dr Jyoti Mehta, MD, radiation and clinical oncologist, Onco-Life Cancer Centre, Talegaon. 'It is possible that even after successful treatment, breast cancer can sometimes return, and this is called a recurrence,' said Dr Mehta. Does breast cancer come back if it is treated with medications in the first instance? If breast cancer is diagnosed early, it can often be treated effectively with medications such as hormone therapy or targeted drugs, said Dr Sanghavi. Dr Sanghavi said these medicines work by blocking the growth of cancer cells and preventing the spread of the disease. 'In some early-stage cases, medication alone may be sufficient. However, like with any cancer, there is always a possibility of recurrence even after what seems like complete treatment. This is why regular scans and follow-up check-ups are crucial. Rigorous follow-up, typically for up to 10 years, is recommended to monitor for any signs of the cancer returning,' said Dr Sanghavi. When breast cancer does come back, it may recur locally (in the breast area or nearby tissues) or spread to distant parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, or brain, elucidated 'Modern cancer treatments aim to minimize the risk of such recurrences as much as possible,' said Dr Vani Parmar, HOD, breast oncosurgery and surgical oncologist, KIMS Hospitals, Thane. Is chemotherapy always necessary? Dr Mehta noted that some early-stage cancers may be treated with surgery, hormone therapy, or radiation only and may not need chemotherapy. 'The expert will design the line of treatment per the woman's stage and location of the cancer,' said Dr Mehta. According to Dr Sanghavi, chemotherapy depends on the type, size, stage of cancer, and how quickly it grows. 'If the cancer is fast-growing or widespread beyond the breast, chemotherapy will be recommended. But if it is slow-growing and small, surgery or hormone therapy can be more appealing options,' said Dr Sanghavi. For example, postmenopausal women with very small, low-grade, hormone receptor-positive tumors may be effectively treated with surgery and hormone therapy without needing chemotherapy. Dr Parmar shared that chemotherapy is usually advised for younger women with triple-negative breast cancers or HER2-positive cancers because of their more aggressive nature. 'In cases where cancer has spread to lymph nodes, chemotherapy is often recommended, although the decision also depends on how many nodes are involved and other individual factors,' said Dr Parmar. Every breast cancer diagnosis is individual, and so is treatment. The key is to remain informed, follow treatments to the letter, and keep up with current screening and follow-up visits. With timely treatment and follow-up, many stay healthy and productive despite breast cancer. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kara Tointon pays tribute to her fiancé Marius Jensen on Father's Day after undergoing a double mastectomy
Kara Tointon paid tribute to her fiancé Marius Jensen on Father's Day as she shared a series of adorable photos. The former EastEnders actress, 41, who recently revealed that she's undergone a double mastectomy, said her children were 'incredibly lucky.' Despite rumours in 2022 that she had split from Marius, the pair have put their troubles behind them and last year quit the UK for the peaceful Nordic countryside with their sons Frey, six, and Helly, four. In the update shared to Instagram, Kara included photos of her partner swimming with Frey and Helly and enjoying the outdoors. She wrote: 'Deserves his own late post… The boys are so incredibly lucky to have you for a Pappa.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Kara recently revealed that she's undergone a double mastectomy after learning that she carries the deadly BRCA1 gene. The actress shared an emotional post to Instagram detailing her decision after losing her mother to ovarian cancer in 2018. She announced that she has undergone a double mastectomy and had her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure. Kara's operation comes just six years after her mother Carol passed away following her own battle with the disease. As an ambassador for the Eve appeal, a charity that raises awareness of gynaecological cancers, the actress opened up to her followers about the journey that led to her discovery that she carries the BRCA1 gene. Speaking ahead of the charity's Get Lippy campaign to highlight the causes and symptoms of various gynae cancers, Kara revealed that after she losing her mother to ovarian cancer in 2018, she underwent genetic testing which revealed that she is predisposed to the disease. She said: 'You may have heard of the BRCA genes type 1 and 2 and as a carrier it means that I am at a greater risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. 'Back in 2018 when my mum was undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, I was asked to take a genetics test.' In the update shared to Instagram, Kara included photos of her partner swimming with Frey and Helly and enjoying the outdoors She added: 'There is a history of both cancers in my family but for various reasons including generational trauma of which I'll talk more about another time, we hadn't looked into it until that point. 'But it was put to us, we took the test and it was confirmed that my mum and I both carried the gene.' As a mother-of-two, Kara told how her family were her main consideration in her decision making. She said: 'I was pregnant with my first child at the time, knew I wanted more children if possible so over the next couple of years I was invited to various meetings by the NHS to really become informed and to understand all my options. 'Last year having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries. The actress paid tribute to her late mother in a moving Instagram post (pictured), shared shortly after her death in 2019 'The first a double mastectomy and the second a two part protector study, a trial. 'They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes so by removing them first checking out you can remove the ovaries later.' Tointon, a former Strictly Come Dancing winner, revealed that after having several medical investigations, she decided that surgery was the best option. 'We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and most people believe in surveillance, but after doing this for a couple of years, having MRIs, waiting for biopsy, we decided that this was the right decision for me and my family,' she said. 'I wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made and I can now with hindsight talk about it properly.' Tointon is not the only woman in the public eye to talk openly about her procedure. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie also had a double mastectomy as well as having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, after she was found to have a 50 per cent risk of developing ovarian cancer.' Tointon raises two sons Frey and Helly with her Norwegian partner Marius, a chiropractor. The family divide their time between Britain and Norway where Kara's sister Hannah and her father still live. Her own mother died of ovarian cancer in 2019, months after the actress revealed she had been struggling with poor health. Speaking to HELLO! in 2018 about her plans to marry Jenson, she said: 'We are hoping next year, perhaps in Norway or maybe in London. 'My mum hasn't been too well over the last year or so and I want her to be able to enjoy it. 'Seeing her with Frey and dealing with everything she has to right now is overwhelming and I couldn't be more proud. I just want her to be back to herself again. That's our priority.' What is the BRCA gene and how does it affect people's risk of cancer? Having a mutated BRCA gene - as famously carried by Angelina Jolie - dramatically increases the chance a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, from 12 per cent to 90 per cent. Between one in 800 and one in 1,000 women carry a BRCA gene mutation, which increases the chances of breast and ovarian cancer. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce proteins to suppress tumours. When these are mutated, DNA damage can be caused and cells are more likely to become cancerous. The mutations are usually inherited and increase the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer significantly. When a child has a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes they have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutations. About 1.3 per cent of women in the general population will develop ovarian cancer, this increase to 44 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Laura Nolan Horgan: 'A tablecloth makes people sit longer at the table'
When Laura Nolan Horgan started LNH Edit online four years ago, she thought she had bought enough stock to last for an entire season, but then sold out over a weekend. It was the start of her fast becoming the leading light in Irish tablescaping textiles for all of us interiors aficionadas who unleash our creativity on the blank canvas that is our kitchen table. Since then, her tablecloth and napkin designs have evolved into cushion covers and removable lampshade covers to add an injection of colour, but are easily changed when you redo your décor. They're eye-catching, as are her conversation-piece accessories and a nightwear range, the latter having just been picked up by Brown Thomas. 'We have a vision board and BT was on it, but it's now ticked off,' says Laura, who recently dispatched her 20,000th order, having had a booming Easter. 'This year, we couldn't keep up with tablecloth orders. I think there's less pressure at Easter than Christmas as there are no gifts, so there's more time to decorate.' Given the age of the business, you might imagine it was lockdown inspiration which launched it, like it was for so many others, but it actually grew out of personal adversity when Laura discovered she carries the BRCA1 gene mutation. With its heightened risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, she underwent a mastectomy and hysterectomy in her early 30s while raising three young children. It was during the course of her recovery that lockdown started. 'My husband encouraged me to launch during covid,' she says. 'It gave me something to think about other than my health, but my health has also made me shape my priorities and be more in tune with the smaller things in life now. 'I work between 9am and 2pm, and then I'm mom. When they're in bed, I do a few more hours, and I'm growing the team, so I'll get a bit more time.' It's also informed her wider ethos focusing on sustainability and ethical practices, including her relationship with two artisan families in India who make all her fabrics, a place which has also proved to be a source of design inspiration. 'When we're there, we stay at the Khoti guest house in Jaipur,' says Laura. 'It's a home from home for us, our hub, and it's where the inspiration for one of our designs came from. The headboard in my bedroom has a vintage palm tree design, and it's now in one of our summer designs.' Laura's love of tablescaping with vintage tomato, olive and drinks cans and bottles has become a range of ceramic vases, planters and cutlery holders; from €9.50. Back at home in Dublin, she launched the palm tree design this week, along with a second one featuring bold stripes with a crab motif printed from a mango wood carving. It's all about summer entertaining or just making al fresco dining a bit more special. Both looks are the latest in what are four main collections annually. 'To brighten up the patio we also have cushion covers so you can match your cushions to your tablecloth,' says Laura, who also practices what she preaches, always having tablecloths as a feature of daily family life and one that seems to have a positive impact on her family, including Elizabeth, 11; Hugo, 10, and Toby, seven. 'We use a tablecloth every night, but my husband and I noticed that when one time I didn't use a cloth that the children got up quickly from the table,' she says. 'A cloth makes people sit longer at the table, I think.' Blue and white are summer fabric colours ideal for a picnic or a relaxed lunch on the deck; Blue Crab tablecloth, from €79.50, with napkins, €39.50 for four, Maybe it's the sense of effort and ritual, something she may have picked up from her mother, who she speaks of having an 'amazing eye', and how she always had a beautiful table. Fabric is probably in her DNA, too, as her mother is Fran Nolan of the fashion retailer, Fran & Jane. It's here Laura's career started and where she became creative director, and later a buyer for Penneys. The skills and experience she acquired no doubt transferred to LNH Edit to create a curation of covetable home textiles and wares reflecting her personal taste rather than the vagaries of trends. The Red Crab tablecloth with napkins injects subtle fun to a summer tabletop; tablecloth from €79.50, napkins, €39.50 for four. 'I don't follow trends, but I have a style,' she says. 'I adore colour, slightly boho, eclectic, English country garden meets Long Island, The Hamptons, New England vibe. Bits of happiness, and if you can add a little of this into your home, how bad.'
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Urologist shares common health problems in Indian men over 50 and how to prevent them: ‘Early detection is crucial'
Men's health after 50 is often overlooked, yet millions in India face hormonal shifts, rising prostate cancer risks, and sexual health issues. Dr. Manohar T, Chief of Urology Services, Uro-oncology, and Kidney Transplantation at Apollo Hospitals Bangalore, shared with HT Lifestyle the changes that come with age, how to spot warning signs early, and what men can do to lead healthier, stronger lives well into their later years. (Also read: Invisible weight of fatherhood: 5 practical ways for dads to acknowledge, share and cope with their mental load ) India's population stands at approximately 1.46 billion (146 crore), and around 15.2% of that, nearly 22.5 crore are men above the age of 50. This group is particularly vulnerable to a range of health concerns, many of which often go unnoticed or untreated. Nearly 50% of men above 50 report issues such as urinary problems and sexual dysfunction. Many also experience symptoms associated with andropause, which is similar to menopause in women. This is largely due to declining testosterone levels, while testosterone peaks around age 30, it begins to decrease by about 1% per year thereafter, leading to more significant dysfunction by the age of 55 to 60. Prostate problems are also a growing concern. Many men tend to ignore symptoms due to work pressure, frequent travel, and chronic stress, but ignoring early signs can lead to more serious outcomes. Testosterone typically peaks in the early morning. Engaging in morning physical activity triggers a surge of hormones such as cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), adrenaline, and growth hormones. These hormones help men cope with stress and improve mental and physical well-being throughout the day. Prostate cancer rates in India are rising, currently estimated at 11–19 cases per 1 lakh men (compared to 9–11 previously). Age remains the most significant risk factor, especially as India's average life expectancy has increased to 72 years (as per the 2021 census). Other risk factors include family history, genetic mutations (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2), and lifestyle habits. Patients typically present with urinary symptoms such as poor stream, delayed emptying, or sudden retention. In advanced cases, symptoms may include bone pain, weight loss, and appetite loss. Diagnosis often involves a clinical exam and a simple blood test (Total PSA). In some cases, an MRI and a prostate biopsy are required for confirmation. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease: Dr. Manohar emphasizes that early detection is crucial, as survival rates drop significantly in more advanced stages (as low as 35% in stage two). These simple lifestyle habits can go a long way in preventing or managing health challenges that men commonly face after the age of 50. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
