One of NBA’s most talented players, Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. In a statement released by his family, they asked for privacy and support as he focuses on his health. Collins, 46, is a prominent ambassador for the NBA and an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community as he was the first openly gay player in NBA history. However, that is not the only notable achievement he has under his belt.

In his 13-year career with several teams, including the Brooklyn Nets. While his best season averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds, his greatest impact came in 2013 when he publicly came out in a Sports Illustrated article. This made him the first openly gay male athlete to play in any of North America's four major professional sports leagues. His courage paved the way for other athletes to live openly.

Also Read: Scientists Behind Life-Changing Cystic Fibrosis Treatment That Extends Life By Decades Win Medical ‘Nobel’ Prize

Jason Collins Brain Tumor and Treatment

The statement was released on social media platform X, “NBA Ambassador and 13-year NBA veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor." Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being”

Sadly, brain tumor, like many other cancers, often develop slowly and quietly. It can take a long time for people to realize they have a tumor. But what is brain tumor and are there symptoms of it?

How Long Can A Brain Tumor Go Undetected?

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells inside or around the brain. Some are benign (non-cancerous) and grow slowly, while others are malignant (cancerous) and can spread quickly. A tumor's location and growth rate can affect everything from your symptoms to your treatment plan.

According to the Tisch Brain Tumor Center some brain tumors can exist for years without a person ever knowing, especially if they grow slowly or are in a part of the brain that doesn't control key functions. Symptoms often only appear once the tumor is big enough to press on surrounding brain tissue. For example, a fast-growing tumor like a glioblastoma might show symptoms within a few months, while a benign tumor like a meningioma can grow silently for years before causing any problems.

Can You Spot The First Signs of Brain Cancer?

While a symptom doesn't always mean you have a tumor, it's important to know the signs. The most common early symptom is a headache that:

• Gets worse over time.
• Is most painful in the morning.
• Doesn't get better with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Other early warning signs include:

• Nausea or vomiting for no clear reason.
• Changes in vision, like blurriness or double vision.
• Seizures, especially if you've never had one before.
• Confusion, memory problems, or personality changes.
• Weakness or numbness in parts of your body.

Can an MRI Miss a Brain Tumor?

An MRI is considered the best tool for finding brain tumors, especially when a special dye is used to highlight them. However, it's rare, but possible, for an MRI to miss a very small tumor or one located in a difficult-to-scan area. If your symptoms continue even after a clear MRI, your doctor might recommend more tests or follow-up scans.

If you have persistent symptoms like headaches, vision changes, or memory issues that aren't getting better, it's important to talk to your doctor. While these symptoms can be caused by many other conditions like migraines, strokes, or inner ear disorders, only a specialist can provide an accurate diagnosis. Your doctor can refer you to a neurologist who can use advanced imaging, like an MRI, to get a clear answer.

A recent, tragic case in Los Angeles is serving as a painful reminder of just how dangerous measles can be. A school-age child died from a rare brain disorder that developed years after they were infected with the measles virus.

Health officials are using this heartbreaking story to strongly urge everyone to get vaccinated. The child was too young for their first measles shot when they were originally infected, which highlights a key part of the problem: when not enough people are vaccinated, it puts the most vulnerable members of our community at risk.

Can Measles Complications Manifest Years Later?

According to the Los Angeles County health department, the child got measles as an infant, long before they could get their first measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot. While they seemed to recover from the initial illness, the virus remained in their system, leading to a fatal complication years later.

The child developed a rare and progressive brain disorder called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). This devastating condition can appear anywhere from 2 to 10 years after a measles infection. There is no known cure for SSPE. It can cause seizures, a loss of motor skills, and eventually leads to a coma and death. The risk of developing SSPE is especially high for infants who get measles, at about 1 in 600, compared to the general risk of 1 in 10,000.

Is Measles Still A Problem In US?

The United States is currently facing a serious resurgence of measles. With 1,454 cases recorded this year, we are seeing the highest number of infections since the disease was eliminated in 2000. This increase is happening because vaccination rates across the country have fallen below the 95% threshold needed to protect a community.

When vaccination rates drop, the virus can spread easily, making it a persistent threat to everyone who is not protected. The danger is very real; this year, two unvaccinated children and an unvaccinated adult died from measles, marking the first U.S. deaths from the virus in a decade. Health officials stress that vaccination is a community effort that protects everyone, especially those who are too young or unable to get vaccinated themselves.

Measles is an extremely contagious virus that spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can live on surfaces and in the air for many hours. People can spread the virus even before a rash appears. Common symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body.

What Is The Best Protection To Measles?

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the safest and most effective way to prevent the disease. Children typically get their first dose between 12 and 15 months of age, and a second dose at ages four to six. Infants between six and 11 months old should get one dose if they are traveling internationally.

Since infants younger than six months can’t be vaccinated, they rely on the immunity of the community to stay safe. By getting vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but also help shield the most vulnerable people in our communities, including babies, pregnant people, and those with weak immune systems. The health department encourages all residents to take these steps:

Check Your Records

Make sure everyone in your family has received the measles vaccine. If you aren't sure if you or a family member is protected, contact your doctor to check your medical records.

Watch for Symptoms

If you or someone in your family develops measles symptoms—such as a fever, cough, runny nose, or a rash—stay home. Avoid going to work, school, or any public gatherings to prevent the virus from spreading.

Call Your Doctor

If you think you have been exposed to measles or are starting to feel sick, call a healthcare provider right away. Do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first. This simple action can help protect others from getting infected.

Get Vaccinated

The measles vaccine is the best way to prevent the illness. It's covered by most health insurance plans. If you don’t have insurance, free or low-cost vaccines are available through public health programs.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously referred to as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has gone on undetected to become one of the most prevalent liver diseases on the planet. Currently, over 30% of the world's population is believed to be afflicted with MASLD, a condition that may present no symptoms until late stages. Largely caused by obesity and type 2 diabetes, MASLD is a silent epidemic that develops slowly and quietly until it leads to scarring, inflammation, or cirrhosis.

While common, effective treatments have been elusive. Lifestyle modifications like weight reduction, healthy eating, and physical exercise are still the mainstay of management. But today, a new find by a South Korean research team may revolutionize how we approach treatment—and it all hinges on a familiar vitamin most of us have heard of but don't often link to liver health: vitamin B3 or niacin.

What is miR-93 and Its Function in Liver Injury?

At the heart of this finding is microRNA-93 (miR-93), a tiny molecule found in the liver. Under normal circumstances, RNA molecules act to control how our genes function, but when they malfunction, they can cause disease.

Researchers discovered that MASLD patients and animal models of fatty liver disease contained unusually high levels of miR-93. Why care? Because miR-93 represses SIRT1, a gene that is necessary for the breakdown of fats in liver cells. When SIRT1 is inhibited, fats start to build up, leading to inflammation, fibrosis, and escalating liver damage.

In lab tests, mice that had been genetically modified to overexpress miR-93 suffered from advanced fatty liver disease. But when scientists used gene editors to knock down miR-93, the outcome was dramatic: fat accumulations decreased, insulin sensitivity increased, and markers of liver function normalized.

This discovery put the spotlight on miR-93 as a potent cause of MASLD—and a potential therapeutic target.

Which Vitamin Reverses Liver Damage?

After miR-93 was found, the logical question was straightforward yet important, could it be blocked? The research team tested 150 FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to determine whether any of them could reverse miR-93. The surprise winner was niacin (vitamin B3).

Niacin, which has been used for decades as a treatment for lowering cholesterol, suppressed miR-93 in this study and enhanced the activity of SIRT1. The outcome was restored normal lipid metabolism in the liver, decreased fat accumulation, and enhanced overall liver function.

Mice that received niacin experienced noteworthy decreases in miR-93 and distinct improvements in liver function markers. Since niacin is already deemed safe and readily available, scientists suspect that this finding may become human therapies much quicker than new drugs.

The potential is staggering. MASLD strikes almost a third of the world's population, but until today, no specific therapy has been developed. By taking a low-cost vitamin and adapting it, researchers may have identified a way to slow down—and even reverse—the disease.

Study leader Professor Jang Hyun Choi highlighted its importance:

This research clearly identifies the molecular cause of MASLD and shows the therapeutic potential for repurposing a previously approved vitamin molecule to control this pathway, which holds strong translational clinical application."

In simpler terms, this isn't merely a scholarly advancement. It's a move toward practical, real-world treatments.

What Is Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease?

MASLD results when there is fat accumulation in the liver in individuals consuming little or no alcohol. It is normal to have some fat in the liver, but increased fat leads to inflammation and scarring. This can eventually advance to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis, or liver cancer.

Symptoms may not occur until the disease is well underway. Some individuals experience weakness, belly pain, unexplained weight loss, or jaundice. For others, the first hint comes when blood tests or imaging studies are done as part of a normal checkup.

Notably, MASLD is not alcohol-related—although alcohol consumption can cause the disease to dramatically worsen.

Can MASLD Be Reversed?

The good news is: yes, in most instances. If caught early, MASLD can usually be reversed with weight reduction, better diet, regular exercise, and close control of blood sugar and cholesterol levels. But after it develops into cirrhosis, the damage is largely irreversible.

This is why the discovery of vitamin B3 is so promising. By targeting the molecular cause of the disease—miR-93—it may be a means to treat MASLD more efficiently, even in those who have difficulties with lifestyle modification alone.

However, that the niacin already has FDA approval is a huge leg up. Rather than having to develop it from scratch, scientists can move forward based on decades of safety data, potentially accelerating its use in MASLD patients.

Deadly falls among seniors have nearly tripled in the last 30 years and experts say certain common prescription drugs may be to blame.

As you get older, many activities we took for granted, whether it was moving at a fast pace, good digestion and even our ability to tolerate heat, all of these and more become difficult. However, there has been an alarming rise in the number of elderly people who are having fatal falls.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 14 million elderly falls are reported every year and 37% of these falls result in medical treatment. What’s surprising is that fall death rate, that used to be 55.3 per 100,00 older adults in 2012 has become 78 per 100,000 older adults in 2021. The CDC attributes the rise of number to medicines that may increase fall risk or poor strength and balance, and this may hold more truth than you realize.

Some experts believe that a rise in a specific category of drugs, known as fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), may be to blame for the increase in deadly falls among older adults. In a recently published paper in JAMA, public health expert Dr. Thomas Farley writes that lifestyle changes alone can't explain why fall-related deaths in seniors have tripled over the past 30 years, and he points to the growing use of these prescription medications.

What Are These Medications That Increase Fall Risk?

FRIDs are medications that can increase a person's risk of falling by causing side effects that affect their body and mind. These drugs can make you feel sleepy, dizzy, or unbalanced, which makes it much easier to lose your footing and fall. The most common and concerning FRIDs are those that act on the brain and nervous system, including

• Opioids (for pain)
• Benzodiazepines (for sleep and anxiety)
• Gabapentinoids (for nerve pain)
• Antidepressants

Can Medicine Really Increase Risk Of Falling?

To see how FRIDs affect elderly safety, a 2024 study published in the BMC geriatrics followed 2,157 healthy adults aged 70 and older for three years. At the start, researchers checked if the participants were taking any FRIDs. They then kept track of how many falls each person had over the three-year period, including those that caused an injury. They also looked at if people were taking just one FRID or multiple ones. The results showed a clear link between taking FRIDs and an increased number of falls.

Higher Risk with Just One Drug: Seniors taking at least one FRID were 13% more likely to fall, and 15% more likely to have a fall that resulted in an injury.

Risk Doubles with Multiple Drugs: The risk was much higher for those taking two or more FRIDs. They were 22% more likely to fall and an even more serious 33% more likely to have an injurious fall.

The study concluded that even among healthy older adults, taking these medications is linked to a higher risk of falling, which can lead to serious injuries.

How Can We Lower the Risk Of Fall-Related Deaths In The Elderly

In the paper, Dr. Thomas Farley recommends that doctors avoid prescribing many of these high-risk drugs to older adults. The medical community needs to make a larger, more organized effort to stop inappropriate and dangerous prescribing.

This includes doctors reviewing their patients' medications and using new technologies to identify those who are on FRIDs. By taking this problem seriously and making changes, experts believe that at least two-thirds of the more than 25,000 preventable fall deaths that happen each year can be avoided.