Sharing your cancer stories can provide a ray of hope and reassurance to others. Make a difference.
A new study suggests that mental health may have a big impact during a patient’s battle against cancer. Patients who suffer from symptoms of depression are more likely to die than those with normal mental health, according to researchers. Depressed cancer survivors are twice as likely to die prematurely than those who do not suffer... [Continue Reading]
While mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are most commonly known to cause breast and ovarian cancer, they are also linked to cancers of other organs, including the prostate and lung. A new study has shown that a particular drug can limit the progression of non-breast cancers in carriers of the mutant genes. In... [Continue Reading]
So May is skin cancer awareness month. No time like the present to come out with the news: I have been diagnosed with skin cancer. There really isn't much special about that, since it is a distinction I share with over 2 million Americans who have a skin cancer removed every year. Show More Summary
Scientists have discovered that cancer cells send a signal that causes the lymphatic system to change, making the spread of tumors easier. Upon receiving the signal, lymphatic vessels add a protein to their surface, increasing the ability of cancer cells to stick to them during metastasis. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School... [Continue Reading]
Mothers can play a key role for those struggling with the emotions and stress of living with cancer.
Coming to an office near you: a new test that can "confidently" predict whether or not you need to have aggressive therapy for your newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Really? That's what the press reports would lead you to believe. And...Show More Summary
Aerobic exercise has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, but why this is the case has been unknown. New research suggests that exercise changes the way estrogen is processed in the body, which may explain the effect. Changes in estrogen breakdown, or metabolism, may be one of the mechanisms by which aerobic... [Continue Reading]
Among breast cancer patients, women with denser breasts tend to have a higher level of metastasis. Researchers have now discovered a key reason for this difference. A protein on cancer cells interacts with collagen in the breast, which occurs more frequently in dense breast tissue. Show More Summary
National Cancer Survivors Day celebrations honor those whose lives have been touched by cancer.
Mindful eating is a way of being present during eating by relaxing and taking time to taste, savor and celebrate food and nutrition.
Chemotherapy can cause hand-foot syndrome, a skin reaction on the hands and feet.
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is most well-known for causing ulcers, but it is also a significant risk factor for stomach cancer as well. A new study has shown that the bacteria, particularly when combined with a diet high in salt, strongly increase the risk of the disease. Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown that a diet... [Continue Reading]
Sequencing the genomes of patients has revealed mutations in two genes that are linked to a particular type of childhood brain cancer. The cancer is successfully treated in only a minority of cases. The new research is helping scientists better understand the disease, which will allow the development of more effective therapies. The St. Jude... [Continue Reading]
April is National Minority Health Month. That's the "dry" statement. The impact statement is that-unfortunately-for many in this country, this is more than a phrase. It's a reality that their health and their health care are in crisis. Show More Summary
A streamlined process for diagnosing breast cancer could help save the lives of women in developing countries. The new method is simpler and better adapted for communities with limited resources. Radiologists are a step closer to implementing a program in an underserved region of Uganda for diagnosing and treating women with palpable breast masses. The... [Continue Reading]
Aromatherapy may help cancer survivors lower anxiety, relieve stress and improve mood.
Four proteins on the surface of breast cancer cells mark the brain as their final destination, researchers have discovered. Scientists have found that when cells marked with these proteins can be found circulating in the blood, they will eventually find their way to the brain. Some breast tumor circulating cells in the bloodstream are marked... [Continue Reading]
Certain types of breast cancer remain resistant to current treatments and are poorly understood by scientists. A new study has discovered a group of molecules that regulate the metabolic processes of one of these difficult-to-treat cancers, suggesting new approaches to the development of effective therapies. Show More Summary
Is our evolution becoming a revolution? Am I in danger of becoming a victim of the same "hope and hype" that I derided as a young oncologist in the 1970's and 80's and is currently the focus of some vocal critics of recent glowing media...Show More Summary