Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. Because of this, prostate cancer research has been an ongoing process of looking into causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease. But with hundreds upon hundreds of published studies out there, how can patients keep up with what’s new? Since September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a great time to discuss the new developments that are being made in prostate cancer treatment.
September is National Gynecologic Awareness Month -- a nationally recognized time established by the Foundation for Women’s Cancer in 1999. The month provides an opportunity to draw attention to the cancers that can develop in a woman’s reproductive system. Being informed is the first step you can take to help yourself and/or the other women in your life. Below are 5 facts you should know about gynecologic cancers that affect tens of thousands of women each year.
It’s no secret that cancer treatment takes an emotional and physical toll on patients. According to the American Cancer Society, the goals of cancer treatment include shrinking cancerous tumors to make them easier to remove surgically, killing cancer cells in the body, and/or controlling cancer so it does not grow and spread. Chemotherapy, steroid medications, and hormonal therapies used to achieve these goals sometimes have unwelcome side effects in cancer survivors, including osteoporosis.
If you’ve had a mammogram and were told you have dense breast tissue, you may be wondering what that means. While having dense breasts is normal and common, many women are left feeling uncertain regarding whether there is anything they should do differently or how it affects the risk of getting breast cancer.
Breasts contain glandular, connective, and fat tissue. Breast density is a term that describes the relative amount of these different types of breast tissue as seen on a mammogram. Dense breasts have more glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue and than fatty breast tissue. Dense breasts can be inherited.
From its beaches to its mountains and everything in between, the Pacific Northwest provides a wonderful backdrop for many outdoor summer activities. August is Summer Sun Safety, and with so many opportunities to get outside around the Portland-Vancouver metroplex, it’s important to keep your skin protected from the harmful rays of the sun.
As a cancer survivor, your goal is probably to resume your familiar lifestyle as quickly as possible. You may be feeling more like your old self again with a growing appetite and the ability to enjoy the flavors in food once again. If also enjoyed an alcoholic beverage before cancer, you may be wondering if that’s acceptable after cancer treatment. You may be right to think twice about drinking alcohol after cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer states that cancer cases are likely to increase by 67% from 14.1 million in 2012 to 23.6 million worldwide by 2030. What you may not realize, however, is that many cancers could be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices.
What changes could you make to your life to reduce your risk of getting cancer? Here are the most recent top 10 cancer prevention recommendations published by the World Cancer Research Fund.
July is known as UV Safety Month; therefore, it’s a great time to learn more about safe sun exposure, including what the UV index means, when you should avoid being in the sun, and how it can play a role in the development of skin cancer. For most people, summer fun includes summer sun. As you soak up those warm rays, however, keep in mind that prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun can be harmful to your skin.
When you were being treated for cancer, you probably experienced some unpleasant side effects of the medications and therapies prescribed to treat your cancer. These side effects probably weren’t entirely shocking because you were told to expect them.
As you transitioned to being a cancer survivor, you probably expected the unpleasant side effects to go away. Fortunately, many of them probably did. One side effect that often continues to affect cancer survivors (or that may develop as a brand-new symptom after cancer treatment is complete) is a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders in cancer patients are most common after chemotherapy. While sleep disturbances usually improve for cancer survivors, lingering sleep problems sometimes last for years after cancer treatment ends.
As a cancer survivor, it’s probably safe to assume that during your journey you’ve developed a true appreciation of life. You know firsthand what it feels like to receive a serious diagnosis, the uncertainties of living with cancer, and the feelings of joy, relief, and gratitude when you beat it. Thanks to your unique life experiences, you may feel compelled to sign up as an organ donor so you can give the gift of life to someone else.
According to Donate Life Northwest, while 95% of Americans support the idea of being an organ donor, only 56% are registered as organ donors. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS):
