The Daily Dose: Throat Cancer, ‘Disgusting Human Babies’ and 90210 Day

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Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters

Honoree Michael Douglas arrives for The Film Society of Lincoln Center's 2010 Chaplin Award Gala honoring him in New York City May 24, 2010. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT HEADSHOT)

Wall Street star Michael Douglas announced this week that he is one week into an eight-week course of chemotherapy and radiation for a Stage 4 tumor at the base of his tongue. The tumor was discovered about three weeks ago and is technically oropharyngeal cancer, which is cancer of the tongue, tonsils, surrounding tissue or throat. (The term used by Douglas — “throat cancer” — is colloquial and not an actual medical condition.) Douglas blamed his smoking and drinking habits, but said on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday night that he believes he has an 80% survival rate. There is an overall rise in oropharyngeal cancer in the United States, though smoking and drinking are generally not to blame. Rather, public health officials attribute it to a surge in HPV — the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, which can causes genital warts and cervical cancer — because it can develop into a cancerous lesion in the throat area. Look out for Douglas’ interview with People magazine on Friday.

Gunman James Lee, the “eco-terrorist” who was shot and killed on Wednesday after taking hostages at the Discovery Channel headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., railed against all parents in a manifesto published online, demanding that they stop procreating because it creates more mouths to feed, more energy consumption and a bigger ecological footprint. Said Lee, “Saving the Planet means saving what’s left of the non-human Wildlife by decreasing the Human population. That means stopping the human race from breeding any more disgusting human babies!” In fact, many actual environmentalists do abstain from parenting because they see children as too carbon costly. For a more measured argument, meet “GINK” advocate, Lisa Hymas.

As Hurricane Earl whips through the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it is important to note the health risks associated with storm survival. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution from fallen power lines, mosquito-borne illness from the pools of still water, heat exhaustion and mold spores as some of the dangers of waiting out a natural disaster.

Sick Chickens: Food Drug Administration investigators said they were focusing on hen feed as the source of the Aug. 16 egg recall due to salmonella contamination. On Wednesday, they visited a processing plant, Central Bi-Products, that turns dead livestock into bone meal, which is used as a mineral supplement. But the FDA was quick to point out that it does not blame the plant itself, denouncing instead the filthy conditions at the farms where the bone meal was mixed with grain.

Juice Remedy Expands Reach: Anyone who has suffered from a urinary tract infection knows that doctors often recommend cranberry juice to help ease symptoms like urgency and burning. But a new study from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute found that the antibacterial benefits of cranberries extend also to Staphylococcus aureus, the bug that causes what are known as Staph infections. This is significant because antibiotic-resistant strains of Staph are popping up in hospitals around the world, creating an ever-diminishing list of effective treatments. Though more research is needed, it could be as simple as a glass of juice.

Antipsychotic drugs are a source of controversy in pediatric psychiatry, according to an article published Thursday in the New York Times, which puts a human face on the dilemma of chemically altering a developing brain. Over half a million American children are now on psychotropic medication, with a huge trend among preschool-aged children. The article cites a Columbia University study that shows that drug prescriptions are increasing in this group, though mental health services are not.

Happy 90210 Day! So called because it is September (9) 2 (02), 2010 (10), people across the country are showing love for this prime-time soap opera, now in it’s second generation. The new 90210 is a lot more popular with mental health organizations for its portrayal of a main character’s struggle with bipolar disorder. The Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation partnered with 90210 producers to help develop a realistic portrayal of living with this disease. A previous generation of the show fell on the bad side of the National Alliance for Mental Illness because of a plot line involving a schizophrenic character, which NAMI said spread “misinformation” about available treatments for the condition.