In 2019, 18-year-old Emily Bhatnagar's father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

"It was the worst. It was like reliving it every single night, like nightmares and panic attacks," Bhatnagar told CBS.

She got through that time by reading and decided to try and find a way to share the magic of books with others.

"I thought, 'It's hard enough for an adult to have cancer,' but, when you think about a kid having cancer, and it just broke my heart," she said.

So that's when Bhatnagar started "For Love and Buttercup," a book drive that began with messages on social media asking others to donate books so she could share them with sick children.

"I was expecting like two or three responses, and there were like hundreds and hundreds, and so many books by my door, and it was just really exciting," she told CBS.

The project helped her with multiple life challenges she said.

“I was struggling with an eating disorder and going through a really rough time," she told WJLA. “Eventually when I recovered, it was to cope with my dad's cancer."

Now she has thousands of books to give to pediatric patients. She says the experience of helping others has changed her life. Bhatnagar has distributed at least 9,000 new books to hospitals and schools, including the hospital where her father was treated for cancer.

She hopes to make the book drive a project that she carries with her for many years.

A new survey, conducted by U.K. company MIST, has shown that one in three British smokers have seen their pet fall ill as a result of their second-hand smoke.

As we know, tobacco smoke contains carcinogens, a group of chemicals that can cause cancer. Animals inhaling second-hand smoke are also at risk of contracting cancerous cells in the lungs, mouth and nose.

With an estimated 4 million pets living in smoking households across the U.K., the data shows that there are potentially over 1 million (1,356,864) animals living with second-hand smoke-related illnesses right now.

More specifically, the calculations estimate that there are 642,960 dogs, and 676,800 cats at risk of suffering ill health at the hands of their smoking owners.

Pets are particularly susceptible to picking up illnesses as they love to snuggle up with their owners and typically spend more time in the house lounging around on the furniture – which could also be covered in carcinogenic particles.

Pets then spend their time grooming themselves, resulting in the digestion of the harmful particles. It is believed cats are more at risk than other pets due to their cleanliness.

According to additional reports, dogs that have been exposed to second-hand smoke are susceptible to more eye infections, allergies and respiratory issues.

Dogs living in smoke-filled environments also have an increased incidence of nasal cancer. It is believed long-nosed dogs are at the highest risk, with their likelihood of catching the illness rising to 250%.

MIST's data has shown that a quarter of smokers are completely unaware of how their habit could be harming their pets.

As a result, three in five smokers reported that they would give up smoking if they thought it was harming their pet. However, one in five people said they would refuse to quit.

Founder and CEO of MIST, Fred Cassman spoke about the data, saying: "It’s astounding and upsetting to see the number of animals across the country who are adversely affected by their owners' second-hand smoke, and even more so when you consider it can lead to certain cancers."

"Judging from the survey data, there is a clear lack of awareness on this issue. We want to share the findings so we can encourage Brits to ditch cigarettes in 2022, and to learn more about the damage tobacco smoke causes not only to ourselves, but to our loyal and beloved pets."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A spokesman for Louie Anderson says the actor and comedian is being treated for cancer in a Las Vegas hospital.

Anderson's longtime publicist Glenn Schwartz says he was diagnosed with a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and "is resting comfortably."

Anderson, who lives in Las Vegas, won a 2016 Emmy for best supporting actor for the comedy series "Baskets."

Anderson received three consecutive Emmy nominations for his role as Christine Baskets, mom to twin sons played by "Baskets" star Zach Galifianakis.

The 68-year-old Anderson appeared on the big screen in 1988's "Coming to America" and in last year's sequel to the Eddie Murphy comedy.

He was also the host of the game show “Family Feud” when it was revived from 1999 to 2002, the Associated Press reported.

Anderson won two Daytime Emmy Awards for his role in the animated series "Life With Louie," which he created. The show ran from 1994-98, the news outlet reported.

Two NHL teams have combined to give ice hockey fan Nadia Popovici a $10,000 scholarship for medical school as a thank you for advising Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian "Red" Hamilton to get a mole behind his neck checked out.

Popovici was sitting behind Hamilton as she watched the Canucks play the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 23. Unsure if Hamilton was aware of the mole, Popovici banged on the glass window to catch his attention and showed him a message she had typed on her phone.

Following her advice, Hamilton did get the mole checked out and it proved to be a malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

With the Canucks scheduled to play the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday, the Vancouver team posted a message on social media as they tried to track down Popovici so Hamilton could thank her personally.

"I'm trying to find a very special person and I need the hockey community's help," wrote Hamilton in a social media post.

"To this woman I am trying to find, you changed my life, and now I want to find you to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

"That evening Oct 23rd, and the message you showed me on your cell phone will forever be etched into my brain and has made a true life-changing difference for me and my family.

"Your instincts were right and that mole on the back of my neck was a malignant melanoma and thanks to your persistence and the quick work of our doctors, it is now gone."

'What wonderful news!'

It didn't take long for the internet to work its magic as Popovici's mother replied to the Canucks' original Facebook post.

"This was my daughter!!! We are the season ticket holders for the Kraken who sit behind the visitors bench at the Climate Pledge Arena. This was my daughter's first game and the Canucks have always been my team before the Kraken existed.

"She noticed the mole on the back of Red's neck and she wasn't sure he knew about it. So she typed the message on her phone and knocked on the glass window to get his attention. He finally looked at the message, nodded and smiled and continued working.

"She hasn't even seen this message yet as she worked graveyard shift at the suicide crisis center in Seattle so she's still asleep. She'll be shocked to see this message!

"She will be at the game tonight in the same seats. She'll be so happy and excited to know he got it checked! What wonderful news!!!! She just got accepted into multiple medical schools!"

In a video posted by the Canucks on Facebook, Popovici and Hamilton are shown together in an emotional meeting.

Both wearing masks, Popovici asks if Hamilton is OK with shaking hands or hugging, but they quickly opt for the hug given the moment's poignancy.

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Hamilton explained in the video that when Popovici knocked on the glass and showed him the message on her phone that he initially had been quite taken aback.

"The next day I woke up," continued Hamilton in the video. "I said to Jess [Hamilton's partner] ... 'It was your effort and your persistence ... the way you wrote it on your phone. I owe it to this person to get checked, if she went this far, I don't know her, I don't know anything about her.'

"I am fortunate we have doctors on the team who can help," added Hamilton.

It was during Saturday's game that a stunned Popovici learned about the $10,000 scholarship award.

Vancouver won 5-2, but as the Canucks tweeted a picturing of Hamilton and Popivici together taking a selfie, the tweet's caption said it all: "The biggest win tonight."

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CINCINNATI — A rash and joint pain may have saved Lily McBreen's life by getting her to the doctor in time for a breast cancer diagnosis. Although many other survivors choose implants after their mastectomies, she's adamant that she won't. Having almost lost her life once, she's worried the side effects of receiving breast implants could endanger it again.

“After breast cancer your biggest motivation is to survive and you know that to survive you have to become healthy and whole again," she said. "So the idea of putting something in your body that’s potentially going to make you sick again is something you’re not going to be willing, or want to do."

McBreen was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a few years ago. When she noticed rash and joint swelling in her wrists, she went to her doctor, who sent her to a rheumatologist to perform a full body scan. That’s when she saw it: a lump inside her breast. She was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer.

“I just started spinning mentally," said McBreen, a registered nurse. "I really honestly can’t verbalize. I just started bawling."

She started chemo within a week of the diagnosis and had her last round on her birthday in November.

“That’s either a gift or not a gift,” she said.

That was followed by a bilateral mastectomy a month later. Then came another big decision: Should she get breast implants?

“By now, I heard people tell plenty of just anecdotal accounts of implant syndrome,” she said.

It’s why she elected to instead have a flap surgery, which uses the patient's own tissue to reconstruct the breast.

“I wanted to avoid the rheumatological symptoms that have been out in the news for so many decades," she said. "There has been so many accounts of women complaining of problems with them."

Those symptoms, which women are calling “breast implant illness,” are among the many reasons the United States Food and Drug Administration could soon take extreme measures when it comes to educating the public about implants.

FDA investigates breast implants

In March 2019, at an FDA conference about breast implants, women, doctors and surgeons shared harrowing stories of complications connected to receiving implants after a mastectomy.

“I experienced extreme exhaustion, rapid weight gain, paralyzing brain fog,” Julie Elliot testified.

“I was completely bedridden, waiting to die,” said Terry Diaz, who described herself as a breast implant survivor. “I couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs.”

The women said their implants caused these issues. Others experienced an even more serious complication: A rare form of cancer called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, or BIA-ALCL, in which lymphoma develops in the tissue around the implant.

“Life as I knew it ceased to exist,” Terry McGregor, a BIA-ALCL survivor, told the FDA panel. “Four years ago, I was diagnosed with ALCL from breast implants that were six years old. My diagnosis was stage four. The joy of life was cut short by a profit-driven, man-made cancer."

The FDA released more findings about BIA-ALCL in July, months after the conference. According to U.S. and global medical device reports, there have been 573 reports of BIA-ALCL. Thirty-three patients died.

Of those cases, the FDA said a majority are linked to a single pharmaceutical manufacturer, Allergan, and its textured BIOCELL implants. The company recalled the implants on July 24.

“Patient safety is a priority for Allergan," the company said in a news release announcing the recall. "Patients are advised to speak with their plastic surgeon about the risks and benefits of their implant type should they have any concerns.”

In October, the FDA proposed adding a black box warning to all breast implants warning patients about the potential side effects of breast implant illness and BIA-ALCL.

Spencer Platt

Women file class-action lawsuit against Allergan

By January 2020, women from 37 different states had signed onto a class-action lawsuit against Allergan, including one woman from Ohio and another from Kentucky.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Berger Montague PC, Sauder Schelkopf LLC and Mazie Slater Katz and Freeman LLC, accuses the company of negligence and claims it knowingly withheld information that the recalled implants were linked to cancer.

The lawsuit seeks to cover the cost associated with removing and replacing the patients' implants.

As part of the recall, Allergan said in a press release that the company would “provide Allergan smooth device replacements for free … As part of this program, Allergan will not provide surgical fee assistance to revision patients.”

“Our clients and the many women who have contacted us should not have to deal with the anxiety of living with a recalled breast implant," said plaintiffs’ attorneys Joe Sauder and Matt Schelkopf. "We look forward to fighting on their behalf in seeking a resolution that provides them with peace of mind.”

In a statement to WCPO, the company said it has followed FDA regulations and acted transparently: “Allergan has a demonstrated history of dedication to the health and safety of patients and a strong record of compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and requirements. Allergan has followed FDA regulatory reporting procedures and acted transparently with patients about textured breast implants.

"We paid close attention to reports of a link between textured breast implants and BIA-ALCL, shared reports of patient complaints with regulators, and worked with the FDA to determine that a BIOCELL textured implant product recall was an appropriate step. We’ve worked hard to keep patients and surgeons informed about the recall and continue to encourage a full dialogue between patients and their doctors about the benefits and risks of breast implants."

Doctors say implants are safe, for the most part

Several doctors in our region told WCPO that breast implants are safe — for the most part.

“Breast implants are one of the most-studied medical tools because we’ve had so many of them for so long,” said Dr. Neil Kundu, chief of plastic surgery at Mercy Health. “The real key is to make sure that there’s a good dialogue and expectations and understanding are made.”

Kundu said that when discussing BIA-ALCL, the numbers need to be put into context.

“We’ve had hundreds and thousands of breast implants," he said. "And these implants have been in for decades, and of the hundreds of thousands of implants, the FDA has only seen 530 some unique cases of this ALCL."

Kundu also noted that he rarely uses textured implants, which are most commonly linked to ALCL. Still, a handful of his patients have come in to have their implants removed because of the recent news.

“I’ve had three patients that I’ve removed implants on for concern of this," he said. Kundu explained that the numbers aren't higher "because not every patient needs to have them removed."

He believes the black box warning is key for education, which is necessary for anyone choosing to undergo a surgery.

“Breast implants are safe,” he said. "The most important thing is education, and before having any procedure, or any implanted device go into your body, you should have a thorough understanding of what the device does and the risk and benefits of every device that you have.”

University of Cincinnati assistant professor of plastic surgery Ryan Gobble echoed that sentiment.

“I think the idea is more transparency is better," he said. "And that making sure patients know that there are real risks associated with using implants."

As for women specifically choosing implants after surviving breast cancer, Mercy Health breast surgical oncologist Amy Moldem said the decision — and discussion — should be no different.

“I think we would offer the same implants, whether or not it’s an augmentation versus a reconstruction,” she said. “I think the important thing is that we educate them. We can educate them that there is a black box warning when we do their consent but also relay that fact that this disease has never been associated with the implants that we’re going to use.”

Draft warning includes a patient check list

Currently,the black box warning exists only as a draft while the FDA continues to consider its implementation.

The draft warning outlines three main concerns.

First, “breast implants are not considered life time devices" and women may require more surgery if complications occur.

It also states that implants have been associated with BIA-ALCL.

“This cancer occurs more commonly in patients with textured breast implants than smooth implants, although rates are not well defined," the warning reads. "Some patients have died from BIA-ALCL.”

Finally, it describes how some patients have reported a variety of symptoms, including “joint paint, muscle aches, confusion, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disease and others.”

The FDA is also proposing a patient decision checklist, which would include situations in which the device should not be used, considerations for a successful breast implant candidate, risks of surgery, the importance of using an appropriate physician, the risk of BIA-ALCL and other symptoms and discussion of other options.

Still, some have said these proposals don’t go far enough, including Diana Zuckerman who is President of the National Center for Health Research. The center initiated the Breast Implant Working Group, which is made up of six experts including patient advocates and plastic surgeons.

“The FDA’s draft Black Box warning is too vaguely worded on BIA-ALCL and breast implant illness, and includes jargon that will not be understood by all patients,” the working group said in a statement. “The FDA draft Black Box states that 'breast implants have been associated with the development of a cancer of the immune system called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).' Association implies correlation rather than causation. In fact, the evidence is clear that breast implants can cause BIA-ALCL.”

FDA recommends a black box warning on all breast implants

What’s next?

It’s unclear when or if the FDA will decide on implementing the black box warning. The agency declined an interview with WCPO.

However, McBreen, who is now breast-cancer-free, has a warning of her own she is standing by.

“That black box warning means, ‘Hey, this could be really deadly. Take it seriously,’” she said.

And to women considering implants?

"Her health is so much more important," McBreen said. "And lymphoma is no joke. There isn’t one (cancer) that is a walk in the park.”

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Twelve-year-old Sam Sachs is a survivor.

"He is just an amazing kid. Sam does things I would never imagine," said Jenny Sachs.

About a year ago, Sam started feeling a little down in the dumps.

"I was really tired, really nauseous, really cold and had trouble breathing," said Sam.

"We were told if he didn’t get to the hospital soon, he might not make it through the weekend," said Jenny Sachs, Sam's mother.

After an abrupt doctor's visit and some blood work, Sam was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia.

"His white blood cell count was 10 times what it should have been," said Jenny.

Sam was rushed to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, where he'd spend several weeks.

"Well, I thought I was gonna die, and that's not fun," said Sam.

"It's your worst nightmare. I just wanted answers and told everything was gonna be OK," said Jenny.

The Sachs family of three clung together through the biggest fight of their lives.

COVID-19 presented challenges for visitation during Sam's time in ICU and the cancer ward.

"He was in constant pain. I have never witnessed that kind of pain," said Jenny.

But when Sam got better, he started roaming the halls. Sam says he noticed a common theme: children battling illnesses alone, unlike him.

"I started thinking I would do a lot to help these kids be with their parents, and I felt I wouldn’t be able to fight anymore if my parents were not there with me," he said.

That's how Sam's Warriors was born.

Sam gets people to take pies to the face while making a donation to help families be together during these lengthy hospital stays. He calls it the Pie Face Challenge.

"There may be people that can't get paid time off, so I am planning to use that money for that money for babysitting and for gas for them," he said.

Sam has raised close to $30,000 for his efforts.

"It makes me feel really good, like I am helping people," said Sam.

Sam says this has shown him it's not, "Why me? Why did I get cancer?" but now it's, "Why not me?"

"I feel like now I know why, and I can help other kids," he said.

He has the gratitude, compassion, empathy and the will not only to fight but to pay it forward.

For more on how you can help Sam's Warriors and participate in the Pie Face Challenge, click here.

This story was originally published by Chelsea Donovan at WTKR.

OMAHA, Neb. —

A mother and daughter from Blair, Nebraska, are in remission after their simultaneous battles with breast cancer.

If you look through the branches of Amanda Nelson's family tree, you'll find a long history of breast cancer. So it was no surprise to her when she found out she carries the BRCA-2 gene, which makes her more susceptible to the disease.

"I knew without a doubt just from that history that the risk was very high for me," said Nelson. "There really never was a question of if I would get breast cancer, it was just always a matter of when is it going to happen," said Nelson.

Nelson stayed on top of her breast health, scheduling annual mammograms and breast MRIs.

"So with that breast MRI, it does take a deeper dive so-to-speak out of that breast tissue, just to see what's going on," said Nelson. "It's a better picture from what you're going to get with a mammogram."

Then in 2019, that MRI caught a tumor deep in her breast tissue.

"I believe [the MRI] is what saved my life," said Nelson.

Things were already hard for Amanda, who was taking care of her mom, Terry Wulf, after she received a diagnosis of her own, a rarer form of breast cancer known as triple-negative.

"It was scary. It was really, really scary to get hers," said Nelson.

The mother and daughter's treatments were very different. Amanda underwent a double mastectomy, while her mom was put on several rounds of chemotherapy and intensive oral medications.

"That was probably so hard on my body, that is when I truly thought I wasn't going to live any longer, that that was going to kill me," said Wulf.

Dr. Katie Honz is a reconstructive surgeon with Methodist Health System. She followed the two on their journey and performed Amanda's reconstructive surgery. Honz and a team of doctors meet each week for a tumor conference. These experts analyze cancer masses and come up with options for each patient.

"These patients need a lot of care, even down to their physical therapy and support teams," said Honz.

Wulf's battle with cancer would continue. To her doctors' surprise, Wulf was diagnosed with another form of cancer in her fallopian tube. But, with her daughter by her side, they never gave up, and after long, arduous battles, they both went into remission.

Now, Terry and Amanda both ask others to keep a close eye on their breast health. Amanda hopes women can find groups for support and the right doctor to make everything more manageable.

"I just want to think, 'I made it through it. And now I just want to live my life,'" said Wulf.

The entertainment world is still reeling from the loss of Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday at the age of 43. Boseman had reportedly been privately fighting colon cancer since 2016, meaning some of his most iconic roles — including those in films like Black Panther, Marshall and 21 Bridges — were likely filmed between grueling chemo treatments.

In the face of such an insurmountable loss, doctors and medical professionals hope that Boseman's cancer battle can shine a light on the dangers of colon cancer in young and middle-aged people and encourage them to undergo annual screenings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colon cancer is currently the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. In 2017, more than 50,000 people died of the disease.

And while colon cancer is most common in people 50 years and older, researchers say cases among younger people are on the rise.

Researchers say that doctors have been able to catch the disease early in older people because of a push for increased screenings, but they're still at a loss for why the disease is increasing in young people — though rising rates of obesity may be a factor.

Furthermore, Boseman's death is highlighting the rates of colon cancer in Black Americans — according to the American Cancer Society, Black people have the highest rates of colorectal cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S.

But what are the symptoms of the disease?

According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer typically presents with:

• Change of bowel habits
• Feeling the need to go, but not feeling relief after
• Rectal bleeding with bright red blood
• Blood in the stool making it look dark brown or black
• Cramping or abdominal pain
• Weakness or fatigue
• Unintended weight loss

While those symptoms don't necessarily guarantee a cancer diagnosis, the American Cancer Society recommends anyone with those symptoms visit a doctor.

The Mayo Clinic adds that the following could leave a person with a higher risk of colon cancer:

• Old age (50 and above)
• Race factors (Black men are 24% more likely to develop colon cancer than white men, and Black men die 47% more likely to die of the disease than white men)
• History of colon tumors or polyps
• Inflammatory intestinal conditions, like ulcerative colitis or Chron's disease
• Family history of colon cancer
• A diet low in fiber and high in fat
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Smoking/alcohol use
• History of radiation treatments in the abdomen

At Claire Monahan's grandparents' farm in Union, Kentucky, a spooky site will take over the grounds Saturday night.The 14-year-old decided to make a haunted trail. It twists and turns through cornstalks, a forest and a hay maze.Eighteen of her close friends will be helping scare people along the way.But then she had a better idea: to turn it into a fundraiser to help folks with cancer.Claire's grandma, Mimi, has had a rough go of it the last several years fighting mouth and throat cancer, and now she's recovered."It meant a lot to Mimi, definitely. She's been really excited for this. She's like, 'are all your little friends coming over to do this?' I'm like, 'Yeah! My friends are going to come over and do this for people like you who had cancer,'" said Monahan.Claire is hoping to raise $1,000 for the American Cancer Society. If you'd like to donate: click this link. To learn more information or go through the trail, visit this Facebook event page.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

It’s estimated that by the end of this year, approximately 30% of new cancer diagnoses for women will be for breast cancer.

One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes. But there are also nearly 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, which means breast cancer can be treated and managed if it’s caught early.

Dr. Lori Frederick with Oklahoma University's Health Breast Health Network said women should get yearly mammograms starting at age 40, regardless of family history.

"We know that breast cancer is most commonly not related to your family history, so that’s kind of a misconception out there," she said.

She recommended 3D mammograms whenever possible.

"It helps us identify cancer that may be hidden – with the 3D imaging," she said.

Men can also get breast cancer, although it is much rarer. The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates about 2,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

Although we are still in a pandemic, it’s important not to neglect yearly screenings. Frederick said she is seeing things pick back up.

"I think the word got out that you need to come in and get this done," she said.

It could save your life.

OMAHA, Neb. —

It’s news every parent dreads. Doctors diagnosed 15-year-old Devin Meier with cancer this summer. As childhood cancer awareness month begins, Meier's parents encourage everyone to take preventative measures, like getting an annual check-up.

“It was a shock to find out that it was cancerous, obviously,” said Megan Meier, Devin’s mom.

Meier was getting ready to kick off his freshman year at Elkhorn South High School, located about 20 minutes outside of Omaha, when his pediatrician found a lump in his throat. It was thyroid cancer.

“He had no symptoms at all with this and just was literally going in just so he could play football for the school,” said Megan Meier, who explained that the cancer may have gone undetected if not for a physical Devin had to get before football season. “We wouldn’t have known anything otherwise.”

Playing football is what Devin lives for. Two weeks after surgery, he has been cleared to get back on the field.

“He does the right thing, he’s the first one in, first one out of the weight room, picking up after kids, and he leads by example,” said freshman coach Jeff Hunter.

Devin’s parents are optimistic their football fanatic will tackle cancer as easily as he does the opposing team.

“He’s generally a positive, tough kid and he seems like he’s staying positive and tough and I’m sure he’ll beat this as well,” said Devin’s dad, Ken Meier.

The Meiers’ message: get regular checkups to catch cancer before it enters the red zone.

Doctors will determine if Devin’s cancer has spread in about a month.

Watch the video above for more on this story

Scientists believe they've developed a way to treat skin cancer more efficiently and without surgery.

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine developed an injection of nanoparticles and a chemotherapy agent that goes directly into the cancerous cells.

Dr. Michael Girardi says the breakthrough would allow doctors to treat multiple skin cancers at once.

An injection treatment could benefit health care systems and lower costs for patients.

Girardi says one of the most important parts in this possible treatment is how it targets the skin cancer.

“We load the anti-cancer agent within and that will slowly release over time. It keeps a lot of the anti-cancer drug right there within the skin cancer, so it can work long after the injection,” said Girardi.

Work on the treatment started more than three years ago. Researchers wanted to develop a method that concentrated on its intended target, but is also compatible with treatments that stimulate the immune system.

So far, they say the nanoparticles combined with the chemotherapy agent have been successful in clinical models.

“We have a special coating on these particles that allows it to be very sticky. So, when we put it into the tumor, it binds to proteins that lets it stay within the tumor matrix, which is a complex of proteins around the cancer,” said Girardi.

Girardi says the hope is each skin cancer would need just one injection, but it could take more than one depending on the severity and the patient. That is something that will be determined in human trials.

human trials are still a few years away, because they need to secure funding and partnerships.

The FDA could approve vaccine booster shots for some of the most vulnerable Americans within weeks. 

According to multiple reports, in the next week or so, the FDA is planning to review CDC data on additional doses for the immunocompromised.

That includes people who have gotten organ transplants, are being treated for cancer, or have HIV, just to name a few. 

This story was originally reported by Kamil Zawadzki on Newsy.com