Cancer

Iowa’s House and Senate leaders said Thursday they need more time to review an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that aims to increase the supply of glyphosate-based weedkillers in the U.S. It comes as the state Legislature decides whether to shield pesticide companies from certain lawsuits.

A report published this week by Investigate Midwest dives into the connection between pesticide use and rising cases of cancer for those in farming communities nationwide. Editor in Chief Ben Felder details the findings, and we hear from two Iowans that recently fought cancer who are featured in the article. Later in the episode, Luther College junior Mansur Kasali led a student initiative focused on making the federal budget and national debt a matter of shared civic responsibility, rather than abstract politics.

As Iowa officials drill down on their fight to understand and address high cancer rates in the state, a mapping tool developed by University of Iowa researchers is informing their and other states’ work — and the network is set to keep growing.

The Big Beautiful Bill brought some changes to federal taxes. An ISU Extension financial educator shares the changes you should know before you file and resources that can help. Then, University of Iowa researchers talk about the Cancer Analytics & Maps for Small Areas map (CAMSA), a new tool they’ve developed that maps cancer risk down to your ZIP code, and how this tool could be an asset to public health officials, advocates and others. Finally — the Trump administration is rewriting the safety rules for nuclear power. An NPR reporter discusses these changes and what they could mean for Iowans.

University of Iowa researchers are about a fourth of the way through a state-funded research project examining why Iowa has some of the nation's highest cancer rates.

As survivorship increases for most cancers, the rate of uterine cancer survivorship is lower than it was in the 1970s. It's also the sixth most common cause of death among women in the United States. The preferred treatment is a hysterectomy, and young women who want to have children have to choose between becoming infertile or being at a higher risk of recurrence. On this Talk of Iowa, Charity Nebbe speaks with a survivor of endometrial cancer who was able to conceive her first child after undergoing hormonal therapy. Then, Nebbe is joined by a gynecologic oncologist, Dr. Megan McDonald, as well as researcher Kristina Thiel and a Ph.D. candidate in her lab, Katie Colling, who share their research into hormonal therapies.

More Iowans are surviving cancer due to advancements in treatments and screenings, but up to a third of survivors experience mental health challenges.

The six leading corn-producing states have a cancer rate for young adults that is about 5% higher than the rest of the nation. We speak with two women who were diagnosed with cancer in their 30s about how the disease and treatment has effected their lives.

Iowa has one of the highest cancer rates in the U.S., but advancements have led to more survivors.

Many people are concerned that Iowa’s high cancer rates are tied to the state’s large agricultural industry and all the chemicals farmers use to grow crops and kill weeds. But researchers say making that connection is hard.