In recent years, the conventional wisdom has been that patients at risk for suicide after being diagnosed with cancer usually were older white males with advanced or poor-prognosis cases.
Suicide Risk Higher in Active-Duty Army Servicemembers Who Carry Weapons
Among U.S. Army servicemembers who own firearms, carrying them, as well as other weapons, and storing them unsecured are associated with greater risk of suicide, according to a recent study.
Renal Cell Carcinoma Trends in California Reflect Changing Therapies, Risk Factors
PALO ALTO, CA – Despite its importance, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tends to be understudied in the United States, according to a new study. A report in Lancet Regional Health – Americas suggested that California, with its large, racially and socioeconomically diverse...
Rates of CVD Rising in Metastatic RCC Patients, Especially Males
MIAMI BEACH, FL – Cancer-specific outcomes have been significantly improved by therapies treating advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with distant metastasis. Those patients remain at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related events, however. A new...
PTSD Symptoms Reduced by Adding Stellate Ganglion Block to CPT
In military personnel and veterans, adding a stellate ganglion block to cognitive processing therapy significantly reduced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and helped these individuals recover more quickly, according to a recent study.
Higher Liver Cancer Rates in U.S. Women Driven by Rising ICC Incidence
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), the second most commonly occurring liver cancer after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is becoming an increasingly important contributor to liver cancer incidence in the United States, and the increases are most notable in females, according to a new study.
Female and Older Veterans Face Unique Cardiovascular Challenges
Women veterans face a constellation of cardiovascular risks that diverge sharply from their civilian counterparts, and older male veterans carry their own burdens of frailty, social isolation, and service-connected exposures that complicate cardiac care.
Gambling Issue Linked to Other Adverse Behavioral Health Outcomes in Military
Although gambling screening in the U.S. military was mandated in 2019, few studies have assessed the prevalence of experiencing gambling problems or its association with adverse behavioral health concerns.
Suicide of Patient Shines a Spotlight on Traumatic Brain Injury Care at VA
Investigators have linked recent incidents of VA patients dying by suicide to inadequate TBI care, leaving legislators concerned that veterans with traumatic brain injuries are falling through the cracks.
VA OIG Expresses Concerns About Clinical Use of Artificial Intelligence, Patient Safety
While VA’s investment in artificial intelligence is growing year over year, a preliminary report from the department’s Office of the Inspector General raises concerns about the agency’s ability to ensure patient safety.
Veterans With Spinal Cord Injury Fare Worse Without Cystometrogram
The VA should reexamine systemwide policies to increase the use of cystometrography (CMG ) for veterans with supra-sacral spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D) , as recommended in many global guidelines.
How Has the Epidemiology of CKD Changed Among Veterans, Others?
The prevalence of kidney disease is higher among older, female, non-Hispanic Black adults and those with diabetes or hypertension, according to survey data.
Veterans With CKD Survived Longer With Telenephrology Care
Has providing access to nephrology specialists improved care for veterans with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in remote areas?
The Interplay of Military Exposures, Diagnostic Delay and Precision Medicine in CRC
Care for a veteran with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer in 2025 reflects a treatment algorithm that is more precise, more individualized, and more effective than anything available 10 years ago.
Colorectal Cancer in Veterans: Keeping Pace With a Rapidly Changing Disease
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is, at first glance, a public health success story. Incidence among adults over 50 has fallen nearly 50% since the mid-1980s, driven by the steady expansion of colonoscopy screening and the removal polyps before they can progress. Mortality rates in the over-50 population similarly have declined.
Percentage Rates for Veteran Suicide Up, But New Report Also Underscored Areas of Improvement
A report released by VA shows the veteran suicide rate is the highest it has been since 2018, despite the intense focus the federal government has put on prevention in recent years.
Thyroid Hormone Over- or Under-replacement Associated With Incident Heart Failure in Adults
In adults treated with thyroid hormone, both under-replacement and over-replacement with thyroid hormone are associated with increased incident heart failure, according to a recent veteran study.
Funding Sought for Non-VA Providers to Provide Veteran Care Outside Community Care System
Congress is considering several pieces of legislation that would create new funding opportunities for non-VA providers to provide care to veterans outside the community care system.
VA Quietly Reinstated Almost Total Ban on Abortion Late Last Year
In the waning days of 2025, VA quietly reinstated its near-total ban on abortion care and counseling. The ban was implemented following a memo from the Department of Justice stating that their revised interpretation of federal law prohibits the department from providing abortion services to veterans and their families.
VA OIG Report: VA Audiology Clinics Rarely Screen Tinnitus Patients for Suicide Risk
VA’s audiology clinics see more than 447,000 new patient appointments annually. For many of these veterans this is the one contact they have with VA throughout the year.
Social Determinants Drive Suicide Risk Among U.S. Veterans
Suicide is a pressing public health challenge in the United States, and veterans bear a disproportionate share of this burden. Although they represent less than 7% of the U.S. adult population, veterans account for about 14% of suicide deaths nationwide.
Options Multiply for Treating Veterans With Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma (MM) remains treatable but not curable; however, the therapeutic landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Duration-Based Lung Cancer-Screening Criteria Might Improve Equity Among Diverse Populations
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and early detection through screening is one of the most effective ways to reduce mortality. Yet despite expanded eligibility criteria, racial and ethnic disparities in lung cancer screening persist.
VA OIG Office: Polypharmacy Doesn’t Necessarily Mean That Veterans Are Receiving Poor Care
Recent reporting by the Wall Street Journal has raised concerns about VA treating patients with multiple central nervous system medications, a mixture some veterans referred to in the article as “combat cocktails.”
What Are the Key Drivers of Increased Cases of Post-COVID-19 Dysautonomia in Active-Duty Servicemembers?
Because a significant proportion of patients presenting with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) have met diagnostic criteria for certain disorders of the autonomic nervous system, a study team set out to evaluate demographic and medical factors associated with PASC dysautonomia in active-duty U.S. servicemembers (ADSM).
Extreme Heat Events Linked to Increased Mortality Risk in California Veterans With Cardiometabolic Diseases
When evaluating the effects of extreme heat events, California veterans with common cardiometabolic diseases have increased risk of mortality, particularly those who reside in lower socioeconomic status neighborhoods or are experiencing homelessness, according to a recent study.
Hepatitis B Treatment Gaps Leave Many Patients at Risk
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to pose a significant public health challenge in the United States, even though effective antiviral treatments are available and known to slow disease progression, prevent liver failure and reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Mapping the VA Dermatology Workforce: Where Veterans Have—and Lack—Access to Skin Care
The VA is one of the largest integrated healthcare systems in the United States, serving nearly 8 million enrolled veterans. Yet, despite veterans’ elevated risk of skin disease and skin cancer, few national studies have examined who VA-affiliated dermatologists (VADs) are or where they practice.
Bispecific Antibodies and BiTEs in Blood Cancers: Expanding Options for an Aging Veteran Population
As the veteran population continues to age, bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) are emerging as an important therapeutic class for blood cancers that disproportionately affect older adults and especially older veterans.
A Combo of Genomics, AI Improves Lower Respiratory Diagnoses, Reduces Unnecessary Antibiotic Use
A new study suggests a way to curb the overuse of antibiotics by using both genetic information and artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately diagnose pneumonia.
