Conservatives and allies of President-elect Trump are dismantling a narrative put forth by Democratic lawmakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren that Republicans blocked funding for childhood cancer research in the spending bill, pointing to a stand-alone bill that had languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate for months. 

Congress passed a pared-down spending bill early Saturday morning as the government careened toward a prolonged shutdown. The bill’s passage followed tech billionaire Elon Musk and other Trump allies slamming a more than 1,500-page piece of legislation earlier last week as "outrageous" and "​​full of excessive spending, special interest giveaways and pork barrel politics," demanding lawmakers return to the negotiation table. 

The Senate advanced a third version of a short-term funding bill on Saturday morning, following negotiations that whittled down the legislation to not include measures such as providing lawmakers a pay raise. 

As negotiations were hashed out, Warren and other Democrats attempted to slam Republicans for allegedly blocking funding for childhood cancer research in the bill. 

TRUMP SET TO DELIVER FIRST RALLY-STYLED SPEECH SINCE DECISIVE ELECTION WIN: 'BIGGEST CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT'

"We actually are now getting our first taste – this is it live and in living color – about what it means to have this DOGE," Warren said on CNN as the government prepared to shut down on Friday evening. 

LAWMAKERS REACT TO STOPGAP FUNDING AND AVERTING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, is an upcoming presidential advisory committee that will be led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to cut excessive government spending and slash the size of the government under Trump’s second administration. 

"Right out here, and what that's going to mean. And that's where Elon Musk's fingerprints are all over this. Because, for example, what this bill says is all, let's get rid of funding for research on pediatric cancer. Let's get rid of funding for research on early detection of cervical cancer and breast cancer. Let's get rid of funding for research on children with Down Syndrome and on sickle cell anemia. Let's get rid of those things so that we could make way for tax cuts for billionaires, that is Elon Musk's notion of efficiency," she continued. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS STOPGAP FUNDING BILL INTO LAW, NARROWLY AVERTING SHUTDOWN

While the Democratic Party’s war room published a press release declaring: "Trump and his MAGA minions in Congress have decided to threaten a government shutdown for his political gain – and now they’ve stooped as low as cutting child cancer research."

"​​Lyin’ Liz Warren aka Pocahontas," Musk shot back in response to Warren’s comments, referring to Trump’s common taunt against Warren. 

Other conservatives and Trump allies slammed the narrative that the GOP blocked funding for childhood cancer research, pointing to a stand-alone bill that passed in the Republican-led House in March, and had for months languished in the Democratic-led Senate. 

WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN

"Elizabeth Warren repeats the lie that @elonmusk and Republicans blocked funding for child cancer research. A stand alone bill for child cancer research funding passed the Republican controlled House in March and got held up in the Democrat controlled Senate," popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted in response to Warren’s CNN interview. 

"Democrats blocked funding for child cancer research."

The House passed a stand-alone bill on March 5, at a vote of 384-4, that allocated millions of dollars per year for pediatric research through 2028. The bill was delivered to the Senate on March 6, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had not taken action on the legislation, sparking condemnation from conservatives months later that Democrats used the research funding as a "bargaining chip." 

TRUMP-BACKED SPENDING BILL GOES DOWN IN FLAMES AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS

"Democrats are using children with cancer as political shields in the shutdown game to blame Republicans after using them as political shields to help defend all the slop Democrats wanted included in the bill. If this funding is so important, it can be passed on its own as a stand-alone bill. You know, like how the government is supposed to work, instead of cramming hundreds of useless proposals into the same bill as pediatric cancer research funding in a 1,500-page mess that no one actually reads so that you can attack anyone who doesn’t support the useless stuff by claiming they hate children with cancer," an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner outlined. 

A review of the legislation shows that on Friday​​ evening, the Senate passed the legislation by a voice vote, following condemnation targeting the GOP for allegedly blocking funding for the research.

The legislation extends $12.6 million a year in cancer research funding through 2031. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Warren’s office for additional comment Sunday morning, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

A doctor in federal prison for chemotherapy fraud was among the recent recipients of clemency from President Biden, a stark contrast given the president's longtime advocacy for cancer patients and survivors.

Biden's sweeping clemency actions last week included sentence commutations of nearly 1,.500 prisoners, including Meera Sachdeva, a Mississippi oncologist who was senteced to two decades in prison after she pleaded guilty to chemotherapy fraud. Sachdeva gave her patients only partial doses of their prescribed cancer treatment while billing them for the full amount. 

Sachdeva pleaded guilty in 2012 to the federal charges, which included defrauding health insurance providers and Medicare by submitting false claims on behalf of the patients she was treating. In addition to the prison time, she was also ordered to pay nearly $8.2 million in restitution.

U.S. prosecutors said that between 2007 and 2011, Sachdeva's patients believed that they were receiving an amount of chemotherapy equal to the amount being billed to their respective health care benefit programs, but that patients were instead receiving reduced dosages, lower than the prescribed and billed amount of chemotherapy drugs.

A U.S. district court judge in Jackson, Mississippi, said he was "appalled" by Sachdeva's treatment of her patients at a vulnerable time in their lives. 

BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE'S HOW OTHERS PRESIDENTS RANK

"It's a very small thing to send this woman to jail for the next 20 years when you compare it to the damage she has done," U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said in court. 

"The health care fraud perpetrated by these defendants was an abuse of public trust motivated by greed," U.S. attorney Gregory K. Davis said in a statement announcing the original prison sentence for Sachdeva in response to her guilty plea.

"We remain committed to protect the integrity of our health care system and will continue to strictly enforce our federal health care laws."

The news comes as certain names on Biden's clemency list have come under heightened scrutiny. Among those whose sentences were commuted or pardoned are Toyosi Alatishe, who abused his position as patient caretaker for individuals with severe mental deficiencies and physical disabilities by using their personal information to file fraudulent tax returns, and former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan, who was convicted in 2011 for his role in a "Kids-for-Cash" scheme, in which children were sent to for-profit detention centers in return for millions of dollars of kickbacks from the private prisons. 

BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: 'WHERE'S THE BAR?'

Biden's clemency in Sachdeva's case stands out in part from his history of advocacy on behalf of cancer patients. 

In 2016, then-Vice President Biden launched the Cancer Moonshot, aimed at bringing together cancer researchers and accelerating scientific discovery in cancer research. The initiative was announced shortly after Biden's son, Beau Biden, died from a rare form of brain cancer. 

In a statement last week announcing the new clemency actions, Biden said America "was built on the promise of possibility and second chances."

"As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for nonviolent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses," Biden said.

NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss revealed to fans in an Instagram livestream Friday he was diagnosed with cancer. 

During the livestream, Moss said he's a "cancer survivor," adding he spent six days in the hospital and underwent surgery. He thanked his team of doctors and all those who prayed for him.

"I am a cancer survivor," Moss said. "Some trying times, but we made it through."

Moss said doctors found cancer in his bile duct "right between the pancreas and the liver."

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"I didn't think I would ever be in this position, as healthy as I thought I was."

Moss stepped away from his role as an analyst on ESPN’s "Sunday NFL Countdown" Dec. 6.

"As soon as I get healthy to get back out with guys, I will be on set. ... Hopefully I can be with you guys soon," Moss said.

"My goal is to get back on television with my team."

NFL LEGEND RANDY MOSS STEPPING AWAY FROM ESPN FOR ‘EXTENDED TIME’ DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES

Moss was revealed to be stepping away from ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge earlier in December in a statement from ESPN.

"(Moss) briefly addressed the matter at the start of the show on Dec. 1. For nearly a decade, Randy has been an invaluable member of the team, consistently elevating ‘Countdown’ with his insight and passion. He has ESPN’s full support, and we look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready," ESPN’s statement said. 

Moss revealed last week he was battling an illness.

"I just wanted to let the viewers know that me and my wife and my family are battling something internally. I have some great doctors around me. I couldn’t miss the show. I wanted to be here with you guys," Moss said during last week's ESPN’s "Sunday NFL Countdown."

"I feel great. But if you see me with these ‘Michigan turnover glasses’ that I have on, it’s not being disrespectful because I’m on television. It’s because I’m battling something. I need all the prayer warriors. God bless you all. Thanks for the prayers."

During FOX NFL Sunday, several of Moss' ex-New England Patriots teammates, including Tom Brady, shared their support for Moss. 

"One of the all-time great teammates and friends, in touch to this day," Brady said during FOX's broadcast. "Our heart obviously is with you, our prayers, all our positive energy.  We love you so much, man."

Rob Gronkowski added: "We're thinking about you, Randy. We love you, man."

The 47-year-old Moss was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018 after playing 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004, 2010), Oakland Raiders (2005-06), New England Patriots (2007-10), Tennessee Titans (2010) and San Francisco 49ers (2012).

Moss is second in NFL history with 156 touchdown catches and had an NFL-record 23 TD receptions in 2007 for the Patriots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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• Colon cancer rates for people under age 50 are going up across countries both rich and poor.
• In the US, rates for older adults are declining, while early-onset colon cancer is on the rise.
• Scientists are starting to uncover clues about how modern diets and lifestyles play a role.

Colon cancer is quickly becoming a young person's disease in countries around the world.

A new study released Wednesday in the Lancet Oncology documents rising rates of early-onset colorectal cancer across rich, highly-industralized parts of North America and Europe, and in middle-income areas worldwide.

"We found this trend is not just about high-income, Western countries," lead study author and cancer researcher Hyuna Sung told Business Insider. "It reaches the parts we didn't see before, such as South America and Asia."

During the 5-year period from 2013 to 2017, colon cancer rates in young people went up in 27 of 50 countries Sung's team examined worldwide. Though the study only includes one country in Africa (Uganda), it is still some of the most recent, comprehensive data available on colon cancer rates around the globe. And it shows colon cancer rates spiking in young people living in countries like Turkey, Ecuador, and Chile.

The trend is not hitting all countries equally, though. While in the US, early-onset colon cancer rates continue to rise to unprecedented levels, there are outliers in the data, like Italy, Spain, and Latvia, where the rates appear relatively unchanged year over year.

"This study is quite expected," associate professor Ganesh Halade from USF Heart Health Institute, who was not involved in this study, told BI, while poring over the new data, and noting the rising rates across several continents. "Fundamentally, our diet is changed"

Halade's own colon cancer research, published earlier this week, identified how ultra-processed foods can fuel colon cancer, wreaking havoc on the immune system, and worsening inflammation.

"It's very obvious the way that this disease trend is going on right now," he said. "We need to go back and consider our diet, sleep, and exercise."

Why colon cancer is striking younger people in richer countries

It still seems to be the case that the richer a country gets, the more young people are at risk of developing colon cancer. Countries with some of the steepest gains in under 50 colon cancer cases in recent years include Australia, New Zealand, the US, South Korea and Japan.

"Children and adolescents in these highly industrialized and urbanized countries were probably among the earliest to uptake detrimental dietary exposures and sedentary lifestyles associated with economic wealth," the study authors wrote.

In other words, driving around in a car, sitting at a desk, and eating more convenience food every day for decades on end may not be great for our overall health, and might have some connections to these cancer trends. Once inflammation skyrockets, Halade said, cancer has an easier time both sprouting and thriving. His anecdotes? More sleep, movement, and home-cooked food.

There seems to be a pronounced uptick in the incidence of early-onset colon cancer among people born after 1950, suggesting that there are lifestyle and environmental exposures impacting Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z in ways their baby boomer parents and predecessors like the Greatest Generation didn't experience.

At the same time, thanks to more cancer screenings and less smoking, colon cancer rates in older adults are going down in many rich countries around the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, South Korea, and Israel.

What we eat and how we live matters, it seems

Scientists are still endeavoring to untangle exactly what is driving the early-onset colon cancer risk, but there seem to be some clear signals in the data about the food system we live in. Another new study released earlier this week suggested that our modern diets, filled with candy, sugary drinks, and processed foods, don't have enough of the healthy fats and nutrients our bodies need to keep cancer-driving inflammation in check.

Foods rich in omega-3, like leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts and seeds can help prevent the inflammatory processes that over time lead to cancer. But sweets, chips, sausages, and packaged cakes seem to fuel tumors, while also crowding out more unprocessed, healthier choices in our diets.

Still, food can't be the whole story. It's clear that a family history of colon cancer, as well as the unique dance your genetics and your environment play, have key roles in your personal level of colon cancer risk. Experts are looking into environmental factors like air pollution, microplastics, and more sedentary lifestyles for clues about what else may be driving the increase in young colon cancer.

• Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner revealed that he was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer this year.
• Turner and Theresa Nist announced their plan to divorce in April.
• Turner said his diagnosis affected his decisions, but Nist said it wasn't a factor in their breakup.

Months after announcing their divorce, "The Golden Bachelor" exes Gerry Turner, 72, and Theresa Nist, 71, are talking about a health diagnosis that affected their relationship.

In a new interview with People magazine published on Wednesday, Turner revealed that he was diagnosed with an incurable form of bone marrow cancer around the time that he and Nist were figuring out the details of their future together.

Turner said that he chose to speak out about his cancer diagnosis now "because it probably will clear up a lot of mystery around what happened back in February, March, and April."

"As Theresa and I were trying very hard to find our lifestyle and where we were going to live and how we were going to make our life work, I was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer," he said.

Turner told the publication that he injured his shoulder three years ago but didn't get around to having it checked out. Once he finally visited an orthopedic surgeon, Turner learned that he had "unusual blood markers." That led to meetings with more doctors, and eventually being diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, an incurable, slow-growing cancer in which white blood cells turn into cancer cells and build up in the bone marrow.

Turner, a widower and father to two daughters, won over Bachelor Nation when he was tapped to star in the inaugural season of "The Golden Bachelor," the first show in the long-running franchise to focus exclusively on older men and women looking for love.

Turner and Nist, his final pick, got engaged in Costa Rica during the finale, which aired in November 2023. They later married in early January during a live televised ceremony called "The Golden Wedding."

But three months later, the couple appeared on "Good Morning America" and announced their plan to divorce after having "a number of heart-to-heart conversations." The couple also said that they couldn't agree on where to live together, as Turner is based in Indiana and Nist is in New Jersey.

Turner said that he told Nist about his diagnosis in mid-March and she was "a little bit awestruck by the news."

The reality TV star said that he wanted to maintain a sense of normalcy in his life, "and that led me to believing that as normal as possible more meant spending time with my family, my two daughters, my two son-in-laws, my granddaughters."

"The importance of finding the way with Theresa was still there, but it became less of a priority," he said.

Turner said that he hoped that people who were critical of his and Nist's split could understand that his diagnosis "had a huge bearing on my decisions and I think probably Theresa's as well."

Nist spoke to People magazine in a separate interview and said that she was "extremely upset" about the diagnosis, but it "wasn't a factor in the ending of the relationship, at least not for me."

"If that was something on his part, maybe, I don't know. But no, that didn't factor into ending the relationship," she said. "Part of it was the distance, but that wasn't the only part. That's really all I will say."

Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg announced Tuesday that the prostate cancer he defeated earlier this year has returned.

The Chicago Cubs legend wrote in an Instagram post that the cancer, which he thought had been eliminated by radiation, has spread. 

"Unfortunately, we recently learned the cancer has relapsed, and it has spread to other organs," he wrote Tuesday. "This means that I’m back to more intensive treatment. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my family."

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"Ryne is an inspiration to cancer survivors everywhere," Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement Tuesday. "I know all Cubs fans join my family and me in sending positive thoughts to Ryne and keeping him and his family in our prayers as he faces this next round of treatments to defeat cancer. Ryne has the heart and soul of a champion and that will serve him well in this challenge."

Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 16 seasons in the majors. He made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and appeared in 13 games with the Phillies before he was traded to the Cubs in January 1982.

METS GAVE JUAN SOTO FREE SUITE FOR FAMILY WHILE YANKEES 'WOULDN'T BUDGE' ON DOING THE SAME: REPORT

Sandberg turned into one of the majors’ top players with the Cubs. He made 10 MLB All-Star teams and won nine Gold Gloves. He also was the NL MVP in 1984.

He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

Over the summer, the Cubs immortalized Sandberg with a statue that depicts him crouched and waiting for a grounder. It stands next to bronze tributes to fellow Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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• A new study offers more evidence linking cancer to inflammation from diets high in processed foods.
• Analysis found tumors were fueled by inflammatory compounds and a lack of compounds linked to healing.
• Researchers are looking to foods like leafy greens and fish to pinpoint disease-fighting molecules.

Ultra-processed foods may be fueling a rise in colon cancer cases — but healthy foods could unlock new ways to prevent or treat the disease, new research suggests.

Researchers from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed more than 100 tumor samples from patients. They were looking for compounds called bioactive lipids, molecules that can increase or decrease inflammation in the body.

The research team found that tumor samples contained a high proportion of these inflammation-causing compounds compared to healthy tissue.

Previous evidence has linked increased inflammation to diets high in processed food like chips, sausages, packaged desserts, and refined carbs.

Processed food shows up almost everywhere in our diets, and evidence increasingly suggests it's a factor in worsening health. At the same time, colon cancer cases are on the rise in younger people, and it's now the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the US.

The researcher team also noted that the tumors were lacking in molecules associated with healing and lowering inflammation.

The inside look at the tumors could give scientists the tools to fight cancer by trying to balancing the body's immune response, slowing or stopping tumor growth by cutting back on inflammatory compounds and boosting healthy ones.

One source of these kinds of molecules is our diet, from foods like leafy greens and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

"If the molecules are coming from processed food products, they directly imbalance the immune system and drive chronic inflammation," Ganesh Halade, co-author of the study and professor at the University of South Florida Health Heart Institute said in a press release. "Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume."

Fighting cancer with fish oil

The study, published December 10 in the journal Gut, is the first from a project funded by a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The results are helping researchers better understand how food may influence cancer risk, Dr. Timothy Yeatman, senior author of the study and professor of surgery at the University of South Florida, said in a press release.

Cancer is like a "chronic wound that won't heal," and a daily diet of ultra-processed foods can make it harder for the body to fight off tumors because of the increased inflammation, Yeatman said.

While it's not news that spinach and seafood is better for you than doughnuts and soda, pinpointing the link between food and inflammation unlocks more effective strategies to stave off disease in the future.

For example, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has conducted early trials of a modified form of fish oil with promising results for reducing inflammation, according to the press release.

"This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes," Yeatman said. "It's a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."

In the meantime, there's evidence that your best bet for a longer, healthier life is sticking to a diet of mostly whole, unprocessed foods like veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and whole grains.

A U.S. breast-screening program claims to demonstrate the potential benefits of using artificial intelligence (AI) in mammography screening, with women who paid for AI-enhanced scans 21% more likely to have cancer detected. DeepHealth, an AI firm owned by radiology giant RadNet, presented its findings at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America […]

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In 2013, researchers reported an eye-opening case of a healthy pregnant woman with a puzzling prenatal test result. A routine genetic screen using cell-free DNA—a highly accurate blood test—suggested her fetus had an extra copy of chromosome 13 (Patau syndrome) and only one copy of chromosome 18. These results are devastating; both conditions can cause severe abnormalities. Those with Patau syndrome often only survive a few days or weeks after birth. But, when doctors looked at scans and did additional pregnancy testing, all they found was a healthy fetus developing normally. The woman carried on with her uncomplicated pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby.

The alarming genetic results may have been written off as a freak testing flub. But soon after giving birth, the otherwise healthy 37-year-old mother of two reported severe pelvic pain. Imaging revealed what looked like multiple bone tumors, and she was subsequently diagnosed with metastatic small cell carcinoma of vaginal origin. Tragically, she has since died.

Testing of one of her tumors found that the cancerous cells had an increased number of chromosome 13 relative to chromosome 18. Her prenatal test had picked up her deadly cancer.

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• Late YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki wrote a blog post weeks before her death about her cancer diagnosis.
• She wrote that the most important lesson she learned from the disease was to "enjoy the present."
• Wojcicki was part of the 20% of lung cancer patients with no smoking history.

The late YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has published a posthumous blog sharing more details about her lung cancer diagnosis at 56 years old.

Wojcicki, who died in August 2024 after nearly a decade leading the company, wrote the blog a few weeks before her death and planned to publish it herself.

A spokesperson for YouTube told Business Insider that after her death, her family and the company decided to publish it on the YouTube blog in November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. YouTube also worked with Stand Up To Cancer on a microsite with information and resources for lung cancer.

In the blog, Wojcicki shared that she was surprised by the diagnosis, as a non-smoker who ran a few miles a day. She was diagnosed in late 2022, with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer. Many patients also miss the early signs — about 80% get diagnosed in later stages.

The most important lesson she learned from living with the disease was "to just focus and enjoy the present."

"Life is unpredictable for everyone, with many unknowns, but there is a lot of beauty in everyday life," Wojcicki wrote. "My goals going forward are to enjoy the present as much as possible and fight for better understanding and cures for this disease."

Wojcicki said she was able to live "an almost normal life," with the disease, serving on corporate and nonprofit boards like Salesforce, Waymo, and the Environmental Defense Fund. After she resigned in February 2023 to focus on "family, health, and personal projects," she dedicated most of her time to cancer research, she wrote.

She hoped to rally attention for a disparity in funding.

Prior to her diagnosis, she and her husband, Dennis Troper, had already been active supporters of cancer research and technologies like genetic sequencing.

"After my diagnosis, we stepped up our efforts as we quickly learned lung cancer was under researched and misunderstood," Wojcicki wrote. They donated millions toward research in areas like immunotherapy and early detection.

"I plan to raise awareness and fight for more resources for lung cancer patients overall," Wojcicki wrote.

The early stages often don't have symptoms

Wojcicki, who was Google's 16th employee and rented her garage to Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they built the company, said "life changed dramatically" after her diagnosis.

Dr. Eric Singhi, a thoracic medical oncologist and medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association, told Business Insider that many people don't experience any symptoms of non-small cell lung cancer in its early stages.

By stages three or four, they might have a persistent cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath, which could be confused with everything from asthma to anxiety.

"About 40 to 50% of patients will already be stage four" when they first book an appointment with him, he said.

Non-smokers don't always know they're at risk

Singhi said about 20% of people diagnosed with lung cancer have no smoking history, like Wojcicki.

"The face of lung cancer has changed over the last 15 years and we're learning why," he said, noting that exposure to radon gas, air pollution, asbestos, diesel exhaust, and silica are a few of the potential causes of lung cancer.

Because lung cancer is so heavily associated with tobacco use, he said many people might not get screened. Women, whose highest cause of cancer death is lung cancer (as opposed to breast cancer) might also be unaware of the risk factors.

"Anyone with lungs is at risk for lung cancer," Singhi said.

Lung cancer research is underfunded

Singhi said Wojcicki's blog post is an important rallying cry. It's "wild" to him that lung cancer is so under-researched, given that it's also the biggest cause of cancer death worldwide. "That discrepancy just doesn't make sense," he said.

Singhi said that there have been many advancements in precision medicine, which uses genetic sequencing to create personalized treatment. By identifying genetic mutations in the tumor itself, patients are given targeted therapy, as opposed to chemotherapy, which damages cancer cells and healthy body tissue.

"We've really changed how we're treating stage four disease," he said.

You can read the full blog post here.

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables' wife Julie is fighting another bout with cancer. 

The Venables family initially learned of Julie's cancer diagnosis in 2023. She underwent two procedures, one in August and another in November.

During his weekly coach's show, Venables revealed Julie's cancer returned several months ago. Julie has spent time in Norman, Oklahoma, and New York since May. She underwent surgery to remove a tumor, but Venables noted that she is doing "amazing."

Julie spoke with The Oklahoman earlier this year and prior to her second diagnosis and said she had "zero cancer" and felt she was in good health.

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Venables praised Julie for her strength and said she has the support of "a great team."

"Her spirit and her strength is nothing short of amazing," Venables said. "We've got a great team and great faith. It's in God's hands. A big part of the battle was her wanting to just fight and keep swinging, and that's what she's doing."

Prior to Oklahoma's game against the UCF Golden Knights in October 2023, the Sooners' home field underwent some special upgrades in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Pink ribbons were painted in both end zones, and Sooners players and coaches wore pink as they walked to the stadium. Brent and Julie Venables have been married 27 years and have four children.

Oklahoma entered Week 13 with a 5-5 record. The Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Memorial Stadium Saturday.

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