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Sali Hughes on beauty: if your teen won't wear sunscreen, try tempting them with these products
Sali Hughes on beauty: if your teen won't wear sunscreen, try tempting them with these products

The Guardian

time21 hours ago

  • Health
  • The Guardian

Sali Hughes on beauty: if your teen won't wear sunscreen, try tempting them with these products

Since Covid, anti-science conspiracy theories have been circulated ever more widely on social media. The most worrying to dermatologists is a growing movement against sunscreen, the best and most evidenced precaution (beyond covering up with clothing or staying indoors) that we can take against skin cancers, including melanoma. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The conspiracy theorists claim that sunscreen causes cancer, rather than preventing it. Although there is no robust evidence to support this (and there is a mountain of clinical data showing the opposite), kids are inevitably most susceptible to the propaganda. Teen beauty brand Indu recently conducted a survey which found that 60% of teenage girls say they've been sunburnt on their face, but only 27% wear sunscreen daily. Teenage boys (including my own) are even less likely to wear SPF. So, while there's little we can do about the proliferation of online quackery, and the onus should be on social media platforms like TikTok, we can encourage our children to incorporate sunscreen into their daily routines. A non-greasy, quickly absorbed, makeup-friendly, high-protection SPF will help. Indu's own Everyday Hero SPF50 (£25) fits the bill. A lightweight synthetic sunscreen with a smooth, hydrated finish, it comes in a practical, backpack-friendly tube that should appeal to any gender. Bubble skincare is designed and marketed at teens and tweens, but I like its Solar Mate Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 (£19) myself. This is a physical sunscreen, using zinc (my own preference over titanium), that goes on almost clear and has a matt, but not chalky, finish. It will appease young people who have been (wrongly) convinced that mineral SPF is somehow superior to synthetics. It now comes in an additional tinted version (£19) that can easily substitute for light, school-friendly makeup. The unaffordability of sunscreens is a hot topic in beauty. There's no doubt that prohibitive VAT-liable SPF prices will negatively impact health for people on lower incomes. I admire the dermatologist-founded brand Altruist enormously for its mission to democratise UV protection. Its Oily Skin Cream SPF50 (£9.50) is terrific for teen skin. It combines mineral and synthetic ingredients, and has a dry-to-the-touch finish that sits nicely under makeup. At just shy of a tenner, it's a comparatively inexpensive way to slot an essential healthcare product into a child's routine. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Model: Scout Waddington. Photography assistant: Declan Slattery. Hair and makeup: Sarah Cherry

Shocking video reveals exactly why you need to wear SPF whenever you leave the house
Shocking video reveals exactly why you need to wear SPF whenever you leave the house

Daily Mail​

time2 days ago

  • Health
  • Daily Mail​

Shocking video reveals exactly why you need to wear SPF whenever you leave the house

A doctor has issued an urgent reminder to wear SPF whenever you leave the house after a viral video showed the devastating effects of skipping sun cream. The Austin Skin Clinic posted a TikTok, which has now been viewed over 2.5million times, showing the difference in skin colour between a man's arms, which were sun exposed for 70 years, and his legs which had been concealed beneath clothing. Reacting to the video Dr Dana Figura, a Los Angeles -based podiatrist, said on Instagram: 'Consider this your sign to wear sunscreen. This man never wore sunscreen on his hands and arms but he did wear pants every day which protected his legs. 'There is a huge difference here between ageing and skin cancer risk.' Not much is known about the the unidentified man, except that he has worked outside all of his life and never worn sun cream. His arms, which have been regularly exposed to powerful UV rays, are covered in patchy brown, deeply wrinkled skin, while his legs are pale and doughy in comparison. The doctor warns that this shows the effects of not wearing sun cream over a considerable period of time. Most sun creams carry an SPF—Sun Protection Factor—and a UVA rating which are measures of protection against the rays associated with skin damage and cancer. Going without sun protection has been shown to directly raise the risk of developing skin cancer. Around 15,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year—the UK's fifth most common cancer—with the incidence rate rising faster than any other common cancer. A recent study from Cancer Research UK found that an alarming 87 per cent of melanoma cases, the equivalent of 17,100 in the UK each year, are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, either directly from the sun or sun beds—meaning they could be avoided. This is because increased UV exposure can damage the DNA in skin cells, triggering mutations that become cancerous. From here, the cancer can spread to the blood vessels beneath the skin, getting into the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body. Last year, rates of cancer reached a record high in the UK, with new diagnoses increasing by almost a third in just a decade, according to the charity. According to the NHS website, people should apply sun cream to avoid burning and use 'at least factor 30'. 'Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn does not just happen on holiday. You can burn in the UK, even when it's cloudy,' the site reads. The health service also recommends avoiding the sun when it is at its strongest, between the hours of 11am and 3pm from March to November, and to cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses.

A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma
A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Health
  • Yahoo

A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma

'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention.' Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres knew she had a mole on the back of her leg for years, but didn't think much about it. 'I remember people talking to me about it,' she says. 'But because it was on the back of my leg, I would forget.' The Married to Me author finally decided to take action in 2019, when she spotted the mole and realized that it was bigger than ever. Although she was traveling at the time, she was concerned enough to make an appointment to see a doctor in Miami before heading back to her home in Los Angeles. Torres says her doctor was pretty sure it was skin cancer, but when the biopsy confirmed that she had stage 3 melanoma, she was shocked. 'I have two kids, and I was a single mom. It was tough,' Torres tells Yahoo. She had surgery on her leg to remove the mole, along with surrounding areas of skin, which left her with 77 stitches. She started radiation treatment and immunotherapy every 21 days for a year after that. Before her skin cancer diagnosis, Torrres says she didn't know anything about melanoma. After her experience, she decided to speak out about it, regularly sharing updates on her journey on social media. 'I wanted people to know and to understand,' she says. 'Each treatment, I would post a video just to keep people aware of what they should be looking for.' Torres participated in the Melanoma Research Foundation's 'Get Naked' campaign to encourage people to get their moles checked too. 'So many Latinos started doing appointments at their dermatologist because of me speaking out about it,' she says. 'It made me feel good.' The 50-year-old is now diligent about putting on sunscreen before leaving the house, especially on her arms and face. She's also partnered with Coolibar, a brand that makes sun-protective shirts. 'Back in 2019, during my treatment, I was always wearing Coolibar,' she says. Torres says she makes a point to wear a hat and sunglasses while outdoors, and makes sure that 'every product I put on my face has SPF too.' Torres urges other people to see a health care provider if they spot a suspicious spot. 'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention,' she says. 'You should pay attention to your skin. The earlier you detect it, the better the results.' Melanoma can be fatal Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, but it's highly treatable if it's caught early. According to the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), about 90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to UV (ultraviolet light). Getting five or more blistering sunburns between 15-20 years old can also raise your risk of getting melanoma by 80%, according to the MRA. There's also a genetic component. For some people, melanoma runs in their family, or they have certain traits, like fair skin and red hair, that raise the risk of getting this type of cancer. Also worth noting: Melanoma can crop up anywhere on the body, including the eyes, scalp, nails, mouth and feet, according to the Melanoma Research Foundation. If you've had melanoma once, you're also at a higher risk of having it again, with research suggesting an up to 10% chance of a second melanoma, Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a dermatologic and cosmetic surgeon in private practice in New York City, tells Yahoo. 'This risk underscores the importance of regular full-body skin exams and lifelong skin surveillance,' he says. It's also why Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, always tells his patients to be 'sun smart' by wearing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, along with a hat and sunglasses. 'You don't have to be a vampire, but you shouldn't be tanning intentionally,' he tells Yahoo. People who have had melanoma, like Torres, tell Yahoo that they're now conscientious about doing what they can to lower their risk of having cancer again — and they want to help others avoid going through the same thing. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma' As a college cheerleader whose team was sponsored by a tanning salon, Kelly McWhinney tanned regularly in her late teens and early 20s. Like Torres, McWhinney didn't know what melanoma was or that tanning was a risk factor for developing the cancer. She was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time in 2022, followed by a metastatic form of melanoma in 2023. 'The first sign I noticed was a mole on my body that started getting bigger,' she tells Yahoo. 'When I had my recurrence, I noticed a sharp pain in my left breast that was caused by the enlarged lymph node in my armpit.' McWhinney says she was shocked by her original diagnosis. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma and felt like I was left with no knowledge other than what the doctors told me, which at the time was very little,' she says. 'I reacted quickly by finding the best specialist in my area.' She originally had the mole surgically removed, but a year later started having persistent chest pain. The melanoma had spread to her lymph nodes, creating a lymph node 17 times the normal size. McWhinney had it removed and started 26 rounds of immunotherapy treatment, but she had a severe reaction that changed her health. 'The treatment triggered extremely rare autoimmune complications, causing my immune system to attack my organs and resulting in medically induced hypothyroidism and type 1 diabetes,' she says. 'The cascade of treatment-related complications continued even after completing immunotherapy in July 2024, requiring removal of my gallbladder and tonsils, causing heavy menstrual bleeding and ovarian cysts and ultimately forcing me to have tubal ligation, ending my hopes for having more children.' Now she uses sunscreen daily, rotating between Melan, Daily Shade, Sun Bum and Blue Lizard. McWhinney also wears sun-protective clothes by Watskin and Lands' End. 'I always aim for shade when outside,' she says. McWhinney has partnered with the Melanoma Research Alliance to spread awareness of the disease and urges other people to think of getting skin checks as a vital part of their health care. 'It is a necessity. It is equally as important as a Pap or a mammogram,' she says. 'I would also love for others to understand that melanoma will never 'just' be skin cancer. It is a cancer that is quick, sneaky and shows up everywhere, including large organs. Melanoma can change your life in every single way.' 'I started having difficulty breathing' It was Mother's Day when Juanita Taylor felt like something was wrong. 'I was sitting on the sofa and I started having difficulty breathing,' she tells Yahoo. Taylor has a history of heart issues, so she called 911. 'I went to the ER, and they couldn't find anything happening with my heart,' she says. But doctors also did a chest X-ray and discovered that there was a small shadow on the back of her chest. 'Eventually, they saw there was a mass,' she says. A biopsy revealed that she had melanoma. 'I had no outward signs. It's not normal, especially for a person of color,' Taylor says. 'The only thing I'd had previously was a cough.' (While it's not common, melanomas do start in the lungs on rare occasions.) Taylor, who was 61 at the time, had surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center to remove the mass, along with a portion of her lung. 'That was the only treatment I had,' she says. Even though her melanoma was internal, Taylor says she's had friends who have had melanomas on their skin. She's now diligent about sun protection as a result. 'I try not to go out at midday,' she says. 'I have a big sun hat that I wear, even in the wintertime. It covers the upper part of my body.' Taylor also makes a point to use a body lotion with SPF that's certified by the Skin Cancer Foundation. 'Know your own body,' Taylor says. 'When I had shortness of breath, I knew the body was telling me that something was amiss.' 'I've had melanoma four times' Nancy Stokes was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2008. She's had three more since then. Stokes tells Yahoo that she was warned she might develop melanoma after a dermatologist spotted and removed a precancerous lesion from her chest when she was in her 20s. 'I started having annual skin checks after that,' she says. While Stokes says her dermatologist has caught most of her melanomas, she spotted one on her ankle that her doctor initially cleared. 'I actually caught that one,' she says. Stokes says she's grateful that her regular skin checks have identified these cancers early. 'The worst one I had was very early stage, but on my temple. They were worried it was going to damage my temporal nerve and the whole side of my face,' she says, noting that she went to see specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for surgery. 'Luckily, somehow it didn't,' she added. Stokes says she's now strict about protecting her skin from the sun. 'For my daily routine, I use Elizabeth Arden Prevage face cream — that has sunscreen in it,' she says. Stokes also uses a tinted moisturizer with SPF. 'For my body, I just cover up,' she says. 'If I'm going to be in the sun, I wear a hat with an SPF liner.' Stokes also wears bathing suits with UPF sleeves (brands like Outdoor Research and Coolibar also make UPF sleeves you can wear with any outfit). And when she's at the beach, Stokes says her husband will set up an umbrella before she gets there to make sure she's in the shade as much as possible. Stokes is also diligent about seeing a dermatologist. 'Getting your skin checked is the name of the game,' she says. Solve the daily Crossword

A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma
A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Health
  • Yahoo

A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma

'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention.' Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres knew she had a mole on the back of her leg for years, but didn't think much about it. 'I remember people talking to me about it,' she says. 'But because it was on the back of my leg, I would forget.' The Married to Me author finally decided to take action in 2019, when she spotted the mole and realized that it was bigger than ever. Although she was traveling at the time, she was concerned enough to make an appointment to see a doctor in Miami before heading back to her home in Los Angeles. Torres says her doctor was pretty sure it was skin cancer, but when the biopsy confirmed that she had stage 3 melanoma, she was shocked. 'I have two kids, and I was a single mom. It was tough,' Torres tells Yahoo. She had surgery on her leg to remove the mole, along with surrounding areas of skin, which left her with 77 stitches. She started radiation treatment and immunotherapy every 21 days for a year after that. Before her skin cancer diagnosis, Torrres says she didn't know anything about melanoma. After her experience, she decided to speak out about it, regularly sharing updates on her journey on social media. 'I wanted people to know and to understand,' she says. 'Each treatment, I would post a video just to keep people aware of what they should be looking for.' Torres participated in the Melanoma Research Foundation's 'Get Naked' campaign to encourage people to get their moles checked too. 'So many Latinos started doing appointments at their dermatologist because of me speaking out about it,' she says. 'It made me feel good.' The 50-year-old is now diligent about putting on sunscreen before leaving the house, especially on her arms and face. She's also partnered with Coolibar, a brand that makes sun-protective shirts. 'Back in 2019, during my treatment, I was always wearing Coolibar,' she says. Torres says she makes a point to wear a hat and sunglasses while outdoors, and makes sure that 'every product I put on my face has SPF too.' Torres urges other people to see a health care provider if they spot a suspicious spot. 'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention,' she says. 'You should pay attention to your skin. The earlier you detect it, the better the results.' Melanoma can be fatal Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, but it's highly treatable if it's caught early. According to the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), about 90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to UV (ultraviolet light). Getting five or more blistering sunburns between 15-20 years old can also raise your risk of getting melanoma by 80%, according to the MRA. There's also a genetic component. For some people, melanoma runs in their family, or they have certain traits, like fair skin and red hair, that raise the risk of getting this type of cancer. Also worth noting: Melanoma can crop up anywhere on the body, including the eyes, scalp, nails, mouth and feet, according to the Melanoma Research Foundation. If you've had melanoma once, you're also at a higher risk of having it again, with research suggesting an up to 10% chance of a second melanoma, Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a dermatologic and cosmetic surgeon in private practice in New York City, tells Yahoo. 'This risk underscores the importance of regular full-body skin exams and lifelong skin surveillance,' he says. It's also why Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, always tells his patients to be 'sun smart' by wearing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, along with a hat and sunglasses. 'You don't have to be a vampire, but you shouldn't be tanning intentionally,' he tells Yahoo. People who have had melanoma, like Torres, tell Yahoo that they're now conscientious about doing what they can to lower their risk of having cancer again — and they want to help others avoid going through the same thing. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma' As a college cheerleader whose team was sponsored by a tanning salon, Kelly McWhinney tanned regularly in her late teens and early 20s. Like Torres, McWhinney didn't know what melanoma was or that tanning was a risk factor for developing the cancer. She was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time in 2022, followed by a metastatic form of melanoma in 2023. 'The first sign I noticed was a mole on my body that started getting bigger,' she tells Yahoo. 'When I had my recurrence, I noticed a sharp pain in my left breast that was caused by the enlarged lymph node in my armpit.' McWhinney says she was shocked by her original diagnosis. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma and felt like I was left with no knowledge other than what the doctors told me, which at the time was very little,' she says. 'I reacted quickly by finding the best specialist in my area.' She originally had the mole surgically removed, but a year later started having persistent chest pain. The melanoma had spread to her lymph nodes, creating a lymph node 17 times the normal size. McWhinney had it removed and started 26 rounds of immunotherapy treatment, but she had a severe reaction that changed her health. 'The treatment triggered extremely rare autoimmune complications, causing my immune system to attack my organs and resulting in medically induced hypothyroidism and type 1 diabetes,' she says. 'The cascade of treatment-related complications continued even after completing immunotherapy in July 2024, requiring removal of my gallbladder and tonsils, causing heavy menstrual bleeding and ovarian cysts and ultimately forcing me to have tubal ligation, ending my hopes for having more children.' Now she uses sunscreen daily, rotating between Melan, Daily Shade, Sun Bum and Blue Lizard. McWhinney also wears sun-protective clothes by Watskin and Lands' End. 'I always aim for shade when outside,' she says. McWhinney has partnered with the Melanoma Research Alliance to spread awareness of the disease and urges other people to think of getting skin checks as a vital part of their health care. 'It is a necessity. It is equally as important as a Pap or a mammogram,' she says. 'I would also love for others to understand that melanoma will never 'just' be skin cancer. It is a cancer that is quick, sneaky and shows up everywhere, including large organs. Melanoma can change your life in every single way.' 'I started having difficulty breathing' It was Mother's Day when Juanita Taylor felt like something was wrong. 'I was sitting on the sofa and I started having difficulty breathing,' she tells Yahoo. Taylor has a history of heart issues, so she called 911. 'I went to the ER, and they couldn't find anything happening with my heart,' she says. But doctors also did a chest X-ray and discovered that there was a small shadow on the back of her chest. 'Eventually, they saw there was a mass,' she says. A biopsy revealed that she had melanoma. 'I had no outward signs. It's not normal, especially for a person of color,' Taylor says. 'The only thing I'd had previously was a cough.' (While it's not common, melanomas do start in the lungs on rare occasions.) Taylor, who was 61 at the time, had surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center to remove the mass, along with a portion of her lung. 'That was the only treatment I had,' she says. Even though her melanoma was internal, Taylor says she's had friends who have had melanomas on their skin. She's now diligent about sun protection as a result. 'I try not to go out at midday,' she says. 'I have a big sun hat that I wear, even in the wintertime. It covers the upper part of my body.' Taylor also makes a point to use a body lotion with SPF that's certified by the Skin Cancer Foundation. 'Know your own body,' Taylor says. 'When I had shortness of breath, I knew the body was telling me that something was amiss.' 'I've had melanoma four times' Nancy Stokes was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2008. She's had three more since then. Stokes tells Yahoo that she was warned she might develop melanoma after a dermatologist spotted and removed a precancerous lesion from her chest when she was in her 20s. 'I started having annual skin checks after that,' she says. While Stokes says her dermatologist has caught most of her melanomas, she spotted one on her ankle that her doctor initially cleared. 'I actually caught that one,' she says. Stokes says she's grateful that her regular skin checks have identified these cancers early. 'The worst one I had was very early stage, but on my temple. They were worried it was going to damage my temporal nerve and the whole side of my face,' she says, noting that she went to see specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for surgery. 'Luckily, somehow it didn't,' she added. Stokes says she's now strict about protecting her skin from the sun. 'For my daily routine, I use Elizabeth Arden Prevage face cream — that has sunscreen in it,' she says. Stokes also uses a tinted moisturizer with SPF. 'For my body, I just cover up,' she says. 'If I'm going to be in the sun, I wear a hat with an SPF liner.' Stokes also wears bathing suits with UPF sleeves (brands like Outdoor Research and Coolibar also make UPF sleeves you can wear with any outfit). And when she's at the beach, Stokes says her husband will set up an umbrella before she gets there to make sure she's in the shade as much as possible. Stokes is also diligent about seeing a dermatologist. 'Getting your skin checked is the name of the game,' she says. Solve the daily Crossword

Woman thought she had a pulled muscle working out. It was a rare cancer.
Woman thought she had a pulled muscle working out. It was a rare cancer.

Yahoo

time5 days ago

  • Health
  • Yahoo

Woman thought she had a pulled muscle working out. It was a rare cancer.

Jennifer Frederick was in the best shape of her life in 2023, so when she felt a small lump in her groin area after a week of workouts. She thought it was just a pulled muscle, but a month later, the lump was still there. Four months later, the lump was growing. Frederick went to a dermatologist and testing found more lumps in her leg. She scheduled a biopsy. On December 14, surgeons cut into her leg and removed the largest lumps. A week later, she had a diagnosis: Metastatic malignant melanoma. The disease is usually heralded by a mole on the skin, but Frederick never had one. More tests showed the cancer wasn't just in her leg. One scan found four lesions on her lungs. Another found five lesions on her brain. The results were shocking, Frederick said. "I never had a migraine, headache, blurry vision, never had problems breathing, never had a cough," Frederick, 50, said. "I never felt off at all." What is metastatic malignant melanoma? Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Metastatic melanoma is any time of cancerous melanoma that has spread from one location to another, said Dr. Michael Postow, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering, who was not involved in Frederick's treatment. Metastatic malignant melanoma refers to late-stage metastatic melanoma. "Melanoma is a kind of cancer that can spread pretty widely throughout the body," Postow said. "It's one of the cancers that frequently involves the brain, so spread from melanoma to the brain ... can be quite a common occurrence. The lung is also a common site of metastatic melanoma." Typically, melanoma is recognized by a brown or black mole on the skin. Postow said it's unusual but not unheard of for a patient to have no mole or a "microscopic" one. He said that in addition to keeping an eye out for a new mole or an existing mole that changes color, size or texture, people should watch for lumps under the skin like the one Frederick had. Any concerns should be brought to a dermatologist, Postow said. The five-year survival rate for patients with advanced metastatic melanoma is about 35%, according to the American Cancer Society. Postow said clinical trials show that for patients who receive certain immunotherapy treatments, that number rises to 50%. Just a decade ago, the five-year survival rate was closer to 10%, he said. Immunotherapy was what Frederick's doctor, Cleveland Clinic medical oncologist Dr. Lucy Boyce Kennedy, recommended. The two talked over the options and decided to go with an intensive treatment that would combine gamma knife radiation and two immunotherapy drugs. Kennedy described the treatment protocol as "fairly high risk" and warned it could lead to the immune system attacking other organs. Frederick was undeterred. "She explained what this was going to look like. And I looked at her and I said, 'I don't care what it is. If it's the most aggressive treatment, I'm willing to do whatever it is,'" Frederick said. "I just wanted to be my healthy Jen Frederick again so I can get back to a normal life." A difficult treatment Frederick underwent gamma knife radiotherapy on January 7. The treatment uses precise gamma rays to target cancer tumors. Frederick said that it went well, but when she started receiving the biweekly immunotherapy medications on January 17, she began feeling "bad side effects," including "flu-like symptoms, rash, nausea," and high fevers. As she continued the treatment, the side effects expanded to include vomiting, chills and problems with her stomach and eyes. She was using the bathroom "25 plus times a day," Frederick said. She was hospitalized and spent a month in and out of the hospital. There was significant inflammation in her colon. She weighed only 95 pounds. "They would release me. I would go home. I'd be home 24 hours, and have to go back because I would just start vomiting again. I couldn't hold any food down," Frederick said. She had to take two months off from the immunotherapy to take steroids, antibiotics and other medications to treat the side effects. After recovering, she resumed treatment. When Frederick underwent her first PET scan since starting treatment, it showed "major, major improvement," she said. That made the months of pain, discomfort and illness worth it. A second scan several weeks later showed things were continuing to move "in the right direction," Frederick said. The immunotherapy was reduced to every three weeks, then every four weeks as she continued to improve. "My doctor said that I'm a Stage IV miracle," Frederick said. "Cancer does not have me" After 18 months of treatment, Frederick has not seen any progression of her cancer and continues to improve, her care team said. Kennedy believes that she has "a really excellent chance of having really long-term survival." Clinical trial patients who received the same treatment Frederick did are still doing well 10 years after the study, according to a recent update, Kennedy said. She believes Frederick will have a similar journey. "I only use the 10-year number because that's just as old as the drugs are. I think those patients will have responses that last beyond that, potentially indefinitely," Kennedy said. Frederick will continue her treatment until December 2025, Kennedy said. Then, she will start undergoing regular screening scans to make sure her cancer is not returning. Frederick said that once she is done with active treatment, she wants to share her story and make sure people know the importance of early screening. She has begun mentoring other cancer patients through the Cleveland Clinic's 4th Angel program. "I want people to know it gets harder before it's easier," Frederick said. "My saying has always been 'I may have cancer, but cancer does not have me.' And I want people to feel that way, because it isn't a death sentence." Wall Street Journal reports Trump sent "bawdy" birthday letter to Epstein, Trump threatens to sue Medical expert on Trump's chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis Americans on whether the U.S. should return to the moon, travel to Mars Solve the daily Crossword

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