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Fyza Yusuf Shaikh
Must fight cancer and ‘superbugs’ at the same time
By Dr. Cynthia L. Sears and Dr. Fyza Yusuf Shaikh
As two physicians who have devoted our lives to studying cancer, we’re thrilled with President Biden’s “Cancer Moonshot” initiative to halve the disease’s death rate within 25 years. But it won’t achieve that goal unless we act on a lesser-known health crisis.
For many cancer patients who die, their tumors aren’t solely responsible. Superbugs sicken these patients, who can’t fight off infections due to weakened immune systems — even with the help of antibiotics.
Reducing deaths from cancer requires an equally aggressive strategy for defeating drug-resistant infections.
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Cynthia L. Sears
It does not make sense to treat these two crises as separate. It’s already estimated that infections are a primary or associated cause of death in roughly 50% of cancer patients.
Without an effort to neutralize the threat posed by superbugs, these deadly infections will disrupt any progress we make in the fight against cancer.
Superbugs are bacteria and fungi that have developed antimicrobial resistance — a naturally occurring defense against the drugs used to kill them.
We’ve seen firsthand how cancer patients are vulnerable to these deadly infections. Time and again, we’ve watched as patients fighting cancer developed bacterial infections that were highly resistant to antibiotics.
Superbugs can prove fatal for our patients. The risk of someone with cancer dying from an infection is three times higher than the risk for an individual without cancer.
A drug-resistant infection may also force a cancer patient to halt their treatment. A young woman with a drug-resistant abdominal infection might not get the bone marrow transplant she needs to cure her leukemia. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, an infection can delay their treatment while the cancer continues to grow, leading to complications and worse health outcomes.
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Fyza Yusuf Shaikh
In short, for cancer patients, the superbug crisis isn’t some far-off threat — it’s a present mortal danger.
Unfortunately, the pipeline for new antibiotics is nowhere near what is needed. At present, there are 64 therapies in clinical development. To put that in perspective, there are more than 1,000 drugs in development for cancer.
Because antibiotics are meant to be used judiciously to preserve their effectiveness, it’s essentially impossible for companies to earn back the money they’ve invested in researching and developing those medicines using typical sales.
It’s for this reason that antibiotic startups have declared bankruptcy or left the industry in recent years.
This market failure demands reforms. The PASTEUR Act would create a system in which the government purchases a “subscription” for access to new antibiotics, instead of paying per dose. PASTEUR would pay for the value of these medicines rather than their volume, giving companies the return on investment they depend on.
The fight against cancer is poised to make enormous strides in the coming years. Yet without an equally energetic effort to beat back superbugs, too many cancer patients will still lose their lives.
Cynthia L. Sears is an infectious diseases physician and professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Fyza Yusuf Shaikh is an oncologist and assistant professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. This piece originally ran in the Baltimore Sun.
Local News
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Softball | St. Charles North rides big inning over Marist for Class 4A state title
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent The final game was in doubt until the late innings but, in the end, Marist came up short in its bid for a second consecutive state championship. St. Charles North (25-6) broke open a tied game by scoring five times with two outs in the bottom of the sixth,…
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Brown family legacy continues in world of Illinois boys volleyball
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Brown family’s legacy continues in the world of boys volleyball. Twins Chris and Eric Brown helped Oak Lawn finish fourth in the IHSA volleyball tournament in 1993, the second year the boys state tournament took place. Though the twins graduated that year, that season served as a springboard…
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Don’t sleep on grappling great | St. Rita grad Austin O’Connor starts MMA career with a win
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The “Irish Nightmare” was not about to be put to sleep. Austin O’Connor, a four-time IHSA state wrestling champion during his years at St. Rita, made his professional MMA debut on June 9; and despite some pre-match taunting from opponent Camden Fontenot — who claimed he would put O’Connor…
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Lyons Township Assessor saves taxpayers big money
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Property taxes. Just the mention of them can fire up a conversation quicker than you can start a nice one in a fire pit on a cool night. Many understand them, but some have no idea where their money is going. A lot of people think that the town, village…
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Oak Lawn police seize drugs, cash in raid on home
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Oak Lawn Police Department tactical detectives last week raided a home and recovered drugs and cash. At 8 a.m. on May 29, detectives executed a search warrant at 8825 S. Austin, assisted by the department’s Special Response Team. Detectives recovered more than 17 pounds of cannabis bagged for sale and…
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Few cicadas to bug us in Chicago Lawn
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Well, it looks like we escaped the big cicada invasion in Chicago Lawn. I know enough folks in other areas that did not, and it was almost unbelievable to see them all on the trees…
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Celebrating culture with smiles
Spread the love Four young dancers share smiles backstage at Hubbard High School last weekend, just before they performed onstage as part of the season-ending performance of Ballet Folklórico Estrella Del Mar. The West Lawn-based youth group celebrates traditional Mexican culture through song and dance. – Greater Southwest News-Herald photo by Kelly White
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Today is a day to fly Old Glory
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Fly the American flag proudly on Flag Day—Friday, June 14. This holiday commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States. Happy Father’s Day to all the men in the community on…
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School’s out, but learning is still in
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . School is out for the summer, but this does not mean that our youngsters have been idle. The Los Youth Organization will be unveiling their mural located at the West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd…
Neighbors
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Niego Real Estate salutes America again
Spread the love. Popular flag program underway . By Tim Hadac Clearing and Garfield Ridge residents who want to decorate their blocks in red, white and blue this Independence Day are encouraged to contact Niego Real Estate and reserve a supply of U.S. flags at no charge. The popular program to promote patriotism and community…
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Lyons Mental Health Commission pulls LeaderShop funding
Spread the loveExecutive director accused of harassment From staff reports The local nonprofit service community was jolted when nearly $300,000 in mental health funds was withdrawn by a Lyons Township agency from the Western Springs LeaderShop, a social service agency that has provided youth programs for nearly 40 years. The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission…
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Mount Carmel, Marist and Oak Lawn among 84 teams at Riverside-Brookfield shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent High school boys basketball does not stop in March and pick back up in late autumn. For many players, playing hoops is a year-round commitment. AAU ball is a big reason for, that there are summer camps, shootouts or other events at most schools during the summer. The…
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Dog lovers to celebrate ‘Fur of July’
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I’m starting out with some fun news. The West Lawn Dog Park Advisory Council will be hosting a Fur of July Pet Parade on Saturday, June 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at West Lawn…
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Fourth of July not happy for everyone
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Happy Fourth of July. Cannot believe I am already saying that, time sure goes. Hope it is safe and quiet for everyone and especially all of our house pets. For us its shutting…
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St. Rita’s transformation is worth a look
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . St. Rita of Cascia Church, 63rd and Fairfield, continues to undergo its transformation from the sunflowery/harvest golds and browns of the 1960s and 1970s to the calming pastels of the 2000s. Since the basilica-style church…
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Loss to Courage brings Red Stars’ winless streak to five games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars historic start to the season is all but forgotten. In the last five matches, the Red Stars have failed to win, with the latest setback being a 3-1 loss on the road to North Carolina on June 23 in an NWSL battle. The Red Stars…
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Summer League Basketball | Illinois powers compete at Riverside-Brookfield Shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent School’s out for the summer, but high school athletes across Illinois are remaining active during the summer sports season. This includes basketball players, who can be found at camps, open gyms, camps and even weekend tournaments. Among the more high profile hoops action in the area was the Riverside-Brookfield…
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Dana Rettke and Ryan Murphy heading to Paris Summer Games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area fans of the Summer Olympics will have extra reasons to cheer athletes from the United States in the upcoming Paris Games. Dana Rettke of Riverside is a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team and Palos Heights native Ryan Murphy will represent the country in swimming. Rettke, a…