Health studies highlight antibiotic resistance and cancer risk drivers

A three-year study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) across 20 tertiary-care hospitals in India has highlighted the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Analyzing over 150,000 patients, researchers found that resistance to carbapenem antibiotics—often used as a last resort for Gram-negative bacteria—is significantly increasing patient mortality rates and treatment costs.

The study focused on four major pathogens: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As these bacteria become resistant to carbapenems, clinicians are left with fewer therapeutic options to treat infections such as pneumonia, sepsis, and bloodstream infections.

In a separate health study, researchers from the University of Aberdeen and Keele University identified why men with cardiovascular disease (CVD) face a higher lifetime risk of developing cancer compared to women. Based on data from the EPIC-Norfolk study, the research indicates that smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption are the three primary drivers behind this increased risk, particularly for lung, esophageal, gastric, and bowel cancers.