Alex Singleton, American football linebacker has undergone a surgery on Friday to have a cancerous tumor removed from one of his testicles. He told this to his teammates and coaches in an emotional team meeting on Monday morning. His family and few of his close friends, including some team officials were the only ones who knew.

"Cancer is a scary word, still is, still freaks me out just saying it," he said to one of the local reporters, as reported by ESPN.

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How Was Alex Singleton Diagnosed?

His diagnosis came in ways one would not expect. Before the Houston Texans game on Wednesday, Singleton, 31, was to take the league-mandated random drug test, which showed that he had elevated levels of hormone hCG in his system. He said that he knew he was not taking hCG. This is what led him to make an appointment with a urologist and then he underwent several tests. He also underwent a CT scan and ultrasound scan and received the notice last Monday that a tumor on his testicle was cancerous. After this, his surgery was scheduled.

However, he told his doctors that he wanted to play in Thursday night's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

What Is Testicular Cancer?

As per the Urology Care Foundation and the American Urological Association, testicular cancer happens when cells in the testicle grow to form a tumor. Though this is rare, more than 90% of testicular cancers begin in the germ cell, which produce sperm.

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There are two types of germ cell cancers (GCTs). Seminoma can grow slowly and respond very well to radiation and chemotherapy. Non-seminoma can grow more quickly and can be less responsive to those treatments. There are a few types of non-seminomas: choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma and yolk sac tumors.

There are also rare testicular cancers that don’t form in the germ cells.

What Are The Common Symptoms Of Testicular Cancer?

Some of the symptoms of testicular cancer could be difficult to note at first, however, there are symptoms that one should note for:

• Painless lump in the testicle
• Swelling of testicles, with or without pain
• Dull ache or pain in the testicle, scrotum, or groin
• Tenderness or changes in the male breast tissue

The Urology Care Foundation notes that around 75 of 100 men who have swelling or a lump in their testicles have cancer. Most masses in the scrotum outside of the testicle are not cancer, however, you must tell your doctor if you do detect a lump.

The longer you wait the more chances are for the cancer to grow and spread.

Who Are More Prone To Testicular Cancer?

The risk of testicle cancer rises for men with

• Family history: If you had someone in your family, including your father or brother with testicular cancer
• Undescended Testicles: If your testicles did not drop before birth. This is also called cryptorchidism, when the testicles do not drop from abdomen into the scrotum before birth as it should. About 8 out of 100 of patients get cancer like this.
• GCINS: These are odd cells in the testicle called germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS) and they are typically found during an infertility test.

Can You Check For Lumps Yourself?

Yes, you can. The process is to first be relaxed, then to firmly roll each testicle between the thumb and forefingers to check for any lumps or if any of the testis feel larger than the other. See if you feel any lump or pain around the area. Make it a habit, and look for any changes in size, shape or texture.

Warning has been issued in Plymouth due to an increase in drug overdose which have been linked to substances like heroin or pregabalin. Naloxone Advocates Plymouth, also known as NAP issued the warning for people to take "extra care". NAP is a community interest company or a CIC, which is made of volunteers who work to reduce drug-related deaths in Plymouth.

Warning On Drug Overdose: What Is It?

On March 2, NAP shared a Facebook post, where the NAP spokesperson said: "A quick heads up for people in Plymouth/ We have recently seen more overdoses than usual linked to substances that slow breathing (such as heroin or pregabalin). We want people to be aware so they can take extra care."

Signs Of Someone Who Is Overdosing

• Being unconscious
• Slow breathing or not breathing
• Loud snoring
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Blue lips

NAP also said if someone becomes unwell, one must immediately call 999, and place the person in the recovery position if they are breathing.

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What To Do If Someone Has Overdosed On Drugs?

NAP also noted emergency antidote, as reported by Plymouth Herald too, in the event of an overdose of heroin or other opiated or opioids. NAP noted that even if you are unaware of what the unwell person has takes, the antidote "will not harm them, and sometimes drugs contain opioids even when they are not sold as such". NAP said one can administer naloxone as an antidote.

NAP also asked the person to stay with the unwell person for 20 minutes or until help arrives as the person could go back into overdose once naloxone wears off.

If the person is not breathing, one should immediately call 999 and start CPR, noted NAP.

What Is Naloxone? The Antidote That Works On Drug Overdose

As per the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, US, naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist. This means that it attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. But, naloxone has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system, and it is not a treatment for opioid use disorder.

It should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose or when an overdose is suspected. It could be administered through nasal spray or injected through the muscle, under the skin or into the veins.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that families and loved ones could carry naloxone with them if they know someone in their family struggles with drug abuse. However, they can ask pharmacists or health care provider on how to administer the antidote.

However one must not that it works in the body for only 30 to 90 minutes, whereas some opioids could stay longer than that. This is why it is important to call for help. Furthermore, people given naloxone must be observed and monitored even after the last dose of naloxone to make sure their breathing do not slow down.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that an unvaccinated person who traveled to the US from Europe spread measles to 17 others in the country last year.

In a paper published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the CDC highlighted the case of an unvaccinated traveler who arrived at the Denver International Airport in Colorado in May 2025.

The person traveled with a fever, persistent cough, cold-like symptoms, and conjunctivitis (“pink eye”). He stayed overnight in a hotel and then boarded another flight to North Dakota. A day later, the person developed a rash.

“The index case was in an unvaccinated adult. Aircraft contact investigations identified 135 exposed domestic travelers. Fifteen secondary cases were identified among people exposed during the international (5) and domestic (3) flights, and at the airport (7),” the CDC said in the paper.

“Two tertiary case-patients were also identified. Five of the secondary case-patients had at least one documented prior measles vaccination,” it added.

The 2025 US Measles Outbreak

While measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, and sporadic outbreaks were controlled quickly, falling vaccination rates, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, raise the risk of larger, harder-to-contain outbreaks.

This was further compounded by the anti-vaccine stance of President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

As per the CDC, a total of 2,281 confirmed measles cases were reported in the US in 2025. In 2026, the agency reported 10 new outbreaks, with more than 1,000 measles cases confirmed to date. More than 90 percent cases each year occurred in the unvaccinated.

Air Travel Increases Measles Spread

Recently, two passengers from India infected with measles landed in Auckland, New Zealand, via Singapore Airlines.

The Straits Times quoted Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian, group director of the Communicable Disease Agency’s (CDA) Communicable Disease Program, who noted that the individuals developed symptoms only while onboard the flight from Singapore to Auckland.

“Measles transmission may occur during travel. Travelers with fever and other overt signs of transmissible illness, such as coughing or malaise, should be strongly encouraged to delay travel while symptomatic,” the US CDC said.

Vaccination Key To Tackling Measles

Measles is a highly infectious disease characterized by the three Cs:

• Cough
• Coryza or runny nose
• Conjunctivitis or red and watery eyes

It easily spreads from one infected person to another through breaths, coughs, or sneezes and could cause severe disease, complications, and even death.

Even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available, in 2024, there were an estimated 95,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of 5 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The CDC recommends that all travelers aged 6 months or older get vaccinated before international travel.

Sacred Games actress Rajshri Deshpande today informed of being diagnosed with grade 1 breast cancer and shared her journey of recovery.

In an Instagram post, the 43-year-old actress announced being diagnosed with the Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS) -- the most common breast cancer type, accounting for roughly 80 percent of cases.

Importantly, the actress known for her work in Trial by Fire and Manto said that the deadly disease was detected during routine screening, initiating the road to early recovery.

“As you’re reading this, it means I’ve finally found the courage to tell my parents that I have been diagnosed with Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS), a grade 1 Breast cancer. Now it’s time you all know,” the Instagram post read.

“We fortunately caught this early in a routine checkup, which gave us a fighting chance,” she added.

Rajshri called her treatment with ‘tons of tests and surgery” “a rollercoaster ride”.

“Trust me, it was everyone’s love and warmth that carried me through,” she said, while thanking her fans and her parents whose “faces after surgery melted my fears into unbreakable strength”.

“With everyone’s support, I feel am ready to take on the world,” Rajshri said, adding that she “is recovering beautifully and soon heading home from the hospital”.

What Is Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC)

Also known as Invasive ductal carcinoma, the cancer occurs when abnormal cells growing in the lining of the milk ducts change and invade breast tissue beyond the walls of the duct.

Breast ducts are the passageways where milk from the milk glands (lobules) flows to the nipple.

Common symptoms of IDC include

• A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit area
• Changes in the size, shape, or appearance of the breast
• Nipple changes, such as inversion, discharge, or scaling
• Breast pain or discomfort
• Skin changes on the breast, like redness or dimpling

Key risk factors of IDC include

• Genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, and a family history of breast cancer
• Higher levels of estrogen
• Prolonged exposure to ionising radiation
• smoking
• excessive alcohol consumption
• obesity
• a sedentary lifestyle

Rising Early-Onset Cancers in women

The recent The Lancet Oncology study mentioned a rise in new cases in women aged 20-54 years (up 29 percent) since 1990.

Recently, American actress Christy Carlson Romano announced a positive cancer screening test.

Cancer is everywhere, said Romano, 41, in a tearful video on social media platform Instagram.

A 2025 study by Duke Cancer Institute in the US revealed that for women younger than 50, the risk of developing cancer is 82 percent higher than that of men, up from 51 percent in 2022.

The 2025 annual report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) also showed that cancer rates in young and middle-aged women are rising past those of men in the same age group, but especially among women under age 50.

Importance of Early Screening

As with Rajshri, catching cancer in its early stages can help individuals experience less severe symptoms, minimize discomfort, and improve overall quality of life.

Detection of cancer at an early stage can boost survival rates. It can increase the chances of successful treatment.

Common screening methods include

• Physical examination of your breasts by your doctor
• Mammography
• Breast ultrasound
• Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)