Body
May 7, 2018
Burning, Tingling Pain? It Could Be Peripheral Neuropathy
Receiving chemotherapy for cancer treatment can lead to a number of unexpected side effects, including damage to the nerves located outside your brain and spinal cord, known as your peripheral nerves. Peripheral neuropathy, which describes nerve damage that’s often felt in your extremities, including your hands, feet, legs and arms, may be caused by a […]
Read MoreMay 2, 2018
Fat Cells May Hinder Chemotherapy’s Impact
It’s hardly newsworthy that obesity leads to a litany of health problems, from heart disease and high blood pressure to diabetes, sleep apnea and cancer. But for cancer patients, a new study suggests obesity may cause even more medical complications by interfering with efforts to treat the disease. Citing the results of research published in Molecular Cancer Research, a National […]
Read MoreApril 3, 2018
Excess Weight May Contribute Up to 40 Percent of US Cancer Diagnoses
Your weight plays an important role in your overall health, including your risk of many chronic diseases — cancer included. In fact, being overweight or obese — defined as a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 25 or 30, respectively — is believed to cause up to 40 percent of all cancer diagnoses in […]
Read MoreApril 3, 2018
Matchmaking for Transplants
Each year, thousands of people diagnosed with life-threatening diseases, including blood cancers, myelodysplastic syndrome, sickle cell disease and many others, require bone marrow or stem cell transplants to give them the best chance at beating their diseases. These patients require finding a matching donor, and while some find a match from a family member, nearly […]
Read MoreMarch 13, 2018
Why Sleep Should Be a Priority for Cancer Patients
Most people experience poor sleep from time to time. Maybe you went to bed too late, were too excited or stressed to fall asleep, took medication that kept you alert or had an alcoholic beverage before bed that interfered with your ability to fall asleep. There are many reasons that you might have a bad […]
Read MoreMarch 13, 2018
What are Environmental Risk Factors, and How Can I Avoid Them?
Tobacco smoke at a concert. Pollution from the factory around the corner. Radiation from a routine X-ray. When it comes to environmental factors that raise the risk of cancer, it may seem like avoiding exposure is as impossible as avoiding the air you breathe. In reality, though, you have more control than you think. Experts […]
Read MoreJanuary 10, 2018
What to Know Before Visiting the Salon
A visit to the salon can brighten anyone’s day, but for cancer patients, salon services can do far more. From boosting self-esteem to empowering patients with a more positive outlook, a trip to the salon offers benefits that are more than skin deep. In fact, in a survey of U.S. women, 97 percent of those […]
Read MoreDecember 10, 2017
What Every Cancer Patient Should Know About Flu Season
In the U.S., flu season peaks from December through February, but runs through the entire fall and winter. While most cases are mild, with recovery in less than two weeks without medical care necessary, people with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients, are at an increased risk of developing flu-related complications that may result in […]
Read MoreDecember 10, 2017
Why Experts are Worried about Alcohol and Cancer
Conflicting findings on the effects of alcohol may have you scratching your head. On the one hand, research suggests that low to moderate drinking may lower the risk of heart disease in some people. On the other hand, there is evidence that drinking even small amounts of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of liver disease, memory loss, […]
Read MoreOctober 9, 2017
Know Your Options for Breast Reconstruction
If you’ve had, or are scheduled to have, surgery as part of your breast cancer treatment, breast reconstruction is an option to help restore the shape of your breast, improving quality of life and self-esteem for some women. It’s estimated that only 23 percent of women understand the many options for reconstruction, which vary depending […]
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