Even people in perfect health often feel exhausted and overwhelmed during the holiday season; that feeling is often magnified when you’re battling cancer. You may not have the stamina to battle Black Friday crowds, deck the halls and entertain as lavishly as you have in years past, and that’s OK. If you’re a cancer patient try not to overexert yourself, but don’t isolate yourself either. Here are six ways cancer patients can manage and even enjoy the holidays.
You probably know tobacco use is bad for your health. In fact, over-the-counter tobacco products are legally required to include one of the following warning labels reminding the public of tobacco’s dangers, especially the dangers of cancer.
Up until recently, genetic testing for cancer had to be performed by a medical professional – but that’s not the case anymore. Today, people concerned about their genetic health risks can have their DNA analyzed for health reasons, in the comfort of their own home.
23andMe, the company known for its spit-and-mail ancestry test, now offers FDA-approved genetic tests for cancer, which can be mailed directly to consumers. While there are other at-home genetic tests available, 23andMe is the first company that can offer this kind of testing without a doctor’s order.
When it comes to cervical cancer, nearly all cases are caused by exposure to the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Thankfully, cervical cancer is almost always preventable. Understanding more about HPV and cervical health in general can greatly help in the prevention of this kind of cancer. Here’s some important information every woman should know.
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.
