Your stem cell transplant consultation: Questions to ask
Your doctor may recommend that you undergo a stem cell transplant if you’ve been diagnosed with a blood cancer, such as leukemia,...
How to cope with a laryngectomy: 7 tips for before and...
You may experience a lot of different emotions if you've been told you need a laryngectomy, or the surgical removal of the voice box...
Should cancer patients avoid sugar? 5 things to know
There are many myths and questions about sugar and cancer treatment. But what do cancer patients really need to know about sugar to...
Best of Cancerwise 2017: Advice from our patients and caregivers
If you — or your child — were diagnosed with cancer, what would you do? How would you handle the treatments and the side effects? How...
Best of Cancerwise 2017: 11 inspiring quotes from our...
Many cancer patients have mantras — or inspiring sayings — that they do their best to live by. Some are reminders that good things can...
Best of Cancerwise 2017: The most-read insights from our...
Cancer often brings a lot of questions and unknowns, especially when it comes to treatment options, side effects and what to expect —...
Best of Cancerwise 2017: 10 of our most-read patient...
In 2017, dozens of our cancer patients shared the stories of their diagnosis, treatment and life after cancer here on Cancerwise. As...
BRCA1+ carrier: Why I chose prophylactic surgery
I’m lucky. Because although I’ve worn the all-too-familiar MD Anderson patient wristband off and on since July 2015, I’ve never...
4 things every parent should know about MD Anderson
As the parent of a cancer patient, when you first step through the doors of MD Anderson, you’re terrified. You’re not supposed to be...
Understanding the Moon Shots Program's Proteomics platform
MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program™ was launched five years ago to increase the speed at which our scientists and physicians turn their...
Surviving central nervous system lymphoma as a preteen
My name is Mason Ermis. When I was 9 years old, I began a journey that tested my courage and strength in ways I never thought...
Life after lymphoma treatment: How I'm focusing on my health
Before my cancer diagnosis, I used to think that death steals life from us. Now I realize that it’s the other way around; death is the...
Prostate cancer survivor returns to MD Anderson to spread...
Bryan Bump knows the importance of annual physicals. They’ve saved his life -- twice.
In August 2011, Bryan, then 49, underwent a...
Breast cancer survivor: My 7-year-old’s quest to end cancer
My husband and I have always taught our children to find the good in everything, even if they can’t see it at that moment.
But I was...
How a brain tumor taught me to embrace myself
My whole life changed in June 2017. I had just finished my sophomore year at Texas Tech University. My life seemed pretty simple. I...
Celebrating the holidays during cancer treatment: How to...
Between all of the decorating, baking, cooking, parties, shopping and events, the holiday season can be stressful. And, adding cancer...
Chemotherapy: What I wish I'd known
I recently finished my last chemotherapy treatment at MD Anderson in Sugar Land. It was a milestone that, at one point, I honestly...
Stomach cancer survivor finds hope at MD Anderson, even...
For 78-year-old widower Do Lee, the hardest part of having stomach cancer wasn’t chemotherapy, radiation or even learning to eat again...
Metastatic breast cancer survivor: Living with ‘realistic...
As a metastatic breast cancer survivor, I participate in a lot of support groups. I’m probably active in at least five or six on...
How to build resiliency and move forward
The couch was Janice Simon’s refuge. Overwhelmed and exhausted, the comforting cushions and a healthy dose of HGTV temporarily kept...
For some spinal tumor and breast cancer patients, too hot...
Surgeons at MD Anderson are using extreme heat and cold as their weapons against some forms of cancer.
They’re finding that the...
5 things we learned from our daughter’s rotationplasty
In September 2014, when she was just eight years old, our daughter Elise was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. It...
The doctor behind our Healthy Heart Program
Susan Gilchrist, M.D., loves to take on a challenge and to build things. Her latest passion is building a program that helps cancer...
Immunotherapy clinical trial gives four-time skin cancer...
As a child growing up in the 1950s, Dean Potter spent a great deal of time outdoors working on his family’s Rhode Island farm, playing...
Cervical cancer survivor: Why I support the HPV vaccine
As a nurse, I’m a firm believer in vaccines. And that’s even truer now that I’m a survivor of cervical cancer, which is caused by the...
Stage IV breast cancer survivor: Look at your family history
Everyone on my father’s side of the family has died of cancer — my dad of prostate cancer, my grandpa of lung cancer, and my grandma...
Cancer pain management brings patients relief
For 16 years, Rose Trapolino had a hard time walking because of the pain and tingling in her feet.
The breast cancer survivor...
Metastatic melanoma survivor: 'Coming back to MD Anderson...
In May 2016, Victor Barreiro learned his melanoma, originally treated in his hometown of Mexico City in 2014, had returned and spread...
The future of cancer diagnosis and treatment: Liquid...
Some of cancer’s secrets are hiding in patients’ blood. Uncovering them involves only a simple blood draw.
MD Anderson is taking...
Meet Randal Weber, M.D., our chief patient experience...
Many of our head and neck cancer patients know Randal Weber, M.D., as their surgeon. But Weber recently took on a new role as MD...
Starting chemotherapy? 6 questions to ask
Finding out that you need chemotherapy can be overwhelming. But as I’ve learned from working with cancer patients as a nurse over the...
MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program: 5 things to know
While its name was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s ambitious goal to put a man on the moon, the Moon Shots Program...
Who is radiation physicist Julianne Pollard-Larkin?
Julianne Pollard-Larkin, an assistant professor of Radiation Physics, always loved math and science. As a teen, she once signed...
My stem cell transplant: 5 things people ask me
After I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in April 2015, I was treated at MD Anderson by Dr. Robert Orlowski with chemotherapy and a...
Getting to know Stephen Hahn, M.D.
In February 2017, Stephen Hahn, M.D., was named MD Anderson's deputy president and chief operating officer. In this role, he’s...
After fertility struggles, breast cancer survivor becomes...
Five years after they got married, high school sweethearts Aly and Josh Taylor felt ready to grow their family. Aly had read that sore...
Two-time synovial sarcoma survivor: Why I’m the luckiest...
I would like to say I survived cancer twice by being a positive person. But that’s not entirely true. Cancer was the hardest thing...
Q&A: Chordoma, a one in a million bone cancer
When you have a rare cancer that only affects one in a million people, it can be difficult to find the answers and information you...
Brain tumor treatment reveals hidden artistic talent
My husband, Coleman Schoessow, draws vibrant, abstract, stream-of-consciousness art with ink on canvas. He discovered this hidden...
Myelofibrosis survivor: Stem cell transplant gave me new...
When I was told I needed a stem cell transplant in the summer of 2015 to treat my myelofibrosis — a rare type of bone cancer — I...
Multiple myeloma survivor: 5 ways I improved my stem cell...
When I was recovering from a stem cell transplant after my multiple myeloma diagnosis, the nights were always the hardest. Visitors...
Pediatric leukemia survivor gives back to MD Anderson at...
Ethan Tepera was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in October 2011. He’d been pale and...
Why I waited 10 years to have breast reconstruction
Maybe I’m a late bloomer. After being diagnosed with triple-negative inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in August 2007, I had a double...
Vaccinations for cancer patients: What to know
Certain types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy can weaken the immune system, putting cancer patients at increased risk for...
Why my cervical cancer diagnosis led me to MD Anderson for...
I received my cervical cancer diagnosis in May 2010, at age 45.
A routine Pap test came back abnormal, and my local doctor wanted to...
Cancer exposes childhood brain tumor patient to a world of...
When 5-year old Kloe Ponce started having severe headaches and experiencing sensitivity to bright lights and sounds, her family never...
Lung cancer and breast cancer survivor: Wait to worry
Lung cancer and breast cancer survivor Dian Snowden has been through a lot in the past 16 years. Not only has faced two cancer...
Why early advance care planning conversations are so...
When you hear the word cancer, you begin to contemplate the finality of life and ask yourself a hundred questions: Will I survive? If...
Cordotomy offers cancer pain relief in time for Boot Walk
On Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, Kimberley Berry arrived at MD Anderson in her cowboy boots and Team Berry T-shirt, along with a dozen of...
Breast cancer survivor: How I’m helping my child cope with...
Last June, I found out I had breast cancer. For me, the worst thing about getting that diagnosis was having to break the news to my...
A myelofibrosis survivor’s stem cell transplant advice
In 2008, I was flying all over the country looking for a job. After a flight from San Antonio to Dallas, I got really sick. I had a...
Radiation therapy side effects: 5 tips to cope
Like many types of cancer treatment, radiation therapy can cause side effects and have a profound impact on patients. Many of my...
Surviving oligodendroglioma with humor and gratitude
My brain tumor symptom came on Feb. 15, 2015. I was playing in a soccer match with my team -- Express -- at Meyer Park in Spring,...
Finding purpose in my breast cancer diagnosis
Rebecca Stedman believes that every experience had in life serves a purpose, and cancer is no exception.
“Just as I felt like I was...
10 questions about gynecologic cancers
Each year, approximately 100,000 women are diagnosed with some form of gynecologic cancer: cervical, ovarian, fallopian tube, uterine...
Leukemia survivor: How I cope with fear of a recurrence
It’s been six years since I was first told that I had no evidence of acute myeloid leukemia. But thoughts about recurrence still pop...
Two-time breast cancer survivor is grateful for treatment...
When Suzanne Callahan first came to MD Anderson in 1997, she was a terrified 38-year-old mother with stage IIIB breast cancer in her...
Throat cancer survivor now singing MD Anderson’s praises
Music has always been a part of James McManus’ life. The middle son in a family of musicians, he was the lead singer of a rock ‘n roll...
Squamous cell carcinoma survivor: How cancer helped me...
When I started college, I had a specific vision of where my life was heading – I was going to be an Air Force pilot. I had a full Air...
How radiation therapy may affect your daily routine
Cancer treatment often requires patients to make changes to their daily routines or lifestyle habits. But just how much do you need to...
Total pelvic exenteration survivor: ‘Life is precious....
I’m very seldom sick, so being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and ultimately needing a total pelvic exenteration at age 48 took me...
Glioblastoma patient regains quality of life with...
Bratton Fennell, 53, is one of the top-ranked distance runners for his age group in the Carolinas. During his brain tumor treatment,...
How the right support helped me through breast cancer
After my double mastectomy in 2002, I vividly remember running on the beach and hearing some teenagers making fun of my child-like...
5 questions about MD Anderson after Hurricane Harvey
While many of our employees, patients and the Gulf Coast region continue to recover from Hurricane Harvey, one thing remains...
From Ewing’s sarcoma patient to medical student
I’ve always been good at math and science, so I’d given some thought to becoming a doctor, even as a teenager. Then cancer came along,...
Two-time ovarian cancer survivor: Never give up
My late husband, Rocky, died of melanoma in 2008. He fought it three different times over the course of our 18-year marriage. He...
Dating after a T-cell lymphoma diagnosis: a love story
As a bald, sick, 26-year-old cancer patient, I wasn't expecting to fall in love. I only weighed about 100 pounds, was taking...
Finding peace after my terminal cancer diagnosis
Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with cancer or told your disease is terminal, there’s always a place for hope. I truly believe I...
Survivor: Have anal cancer? Get some humor
I’m really blessed that I found out about my anal cancer diagnosis early on. That’s a big part of the reason why I’m living without...
Pancreatic cancer survivor: Clinical trial gave me my life...
Sometimes I forget that I have pancreatic cancer because I just don’t believe it’s going to kill me.
In fact, I’ve never felt...
Teen osteosarcoma survivor: ‘I can still do anything’
I never realized how many children got cancer until I came to MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. But the story of how I got there...
Cancer treatment side effect: skin changes
Did you know that cancer treatments can cause changes to your skin? Sometimes these changes are simply cosmetic, but other times they...
Lung cancer patient gets a second chance after lobectomy
It was a 5.5-cm tumor wrapped around Jason McFarland’s pulmonary artery that threatened to end his 20-year career as a police officer...
Colorectal cancer survivor: Explore your family’s cancer...
As a funeral home owner and operator in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Rev. Lawrence Meadows knows what it means when doctors start...
Happier despite esophageal cancer treatment
At first, Richard “Ricky” Harveston couldn’t swallow his hamburger bites. Then, he struggled to drink his milk, and what he managed to...
B-cell lymphoma diagnosis gives survivor new perspective
Aaron Allcorn thought a persistent head cold was causing his stuffy nose and snoring.
But after what was supposed to be routine...
7 things sarcoma patients should know about allografts
For Ewing’s sarcoma and other types of sarcomas, treatment can sometimes include surgery to remove a tumor. That can also mean...
Volunteering taught me how to care for patients during...
When my parents were undergoing cancer treatment in the 1980s and early 2000s, I didn’t know how to help them cope with their...
Identical twin’s tissue donation gives rare sarcoma...
When Marian Fields first felt a lump in her back in 2012, she asked her twin sister Mary Jane to look at it. Her twin said it looked...
During kidney cancer treatment, yoga instructor finds her...
Over the last 11 years, Katy Tucker has endured a nephrectomy, Gamma Knife® radiosurgery and six chemotherapy drugs. And though the...
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor: Listening to my mother saved...
If it hadn’t been for my mom, I might not be here today.
I thought I was in remission in the spring of 2008. I’d already completed...
Spinal cord ependymoma survivor confronts fear
When I was undergoing radiation therapy for my spinal tumor, I took my 12-year-old brother to the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center....
Staying positive during lung cancer treatment
Phil Richmond never missed his annual physical, and he considers himself lucky for that. Because he smoked, his doctor performed a...
Persistence leads to mom’s early-stage breast cancer...
Suzanne Moilanen has lived in six countries in the last 30 years. And while she enjoyed living abroad, it also allowed her to get...
Two-time ovarian cancer survivor: How the Moon Shots...
I was in Mexico in the summer of 2013 when I came down with a bad case of diarrhea. That’s a pretty common complaint among travelers,...
Radiation therapy: 11 questions my patients ask
As a radiation oncologist at MD Anderson in The Woodlands, I get a lot of questions from my patients about how radiation therapy will...
How my breast cancer journey helped me support my son
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, I remember thinking that if someone in our family had to face this disease, I was...
Second opinion, thyroid cancer surgery finally put survivor...
It’s taken nine years, but Paulette Spivey finally can say with confidence that she’s living without any evidence of cancer.
“I know...
Metastatic melanoma survivor gives hope to new patients
After doctors successfully removed a melanoma from J.P. Rodriguez’s back in 2006, he resumed his life – working, spending time with...
Breast cancer patient finds hope in father’s cancer journey
Nearly a decade ago, Maria Newhouse’s father was told that his colorectal cancer had metastasized to his liver and lungs and that he...
Non-small cell lung cancer survivor: Cancer taught me...
The idea of chemotherapy terrified Pushpa Damle. She was scared of the side effects. She was scared of feeling weak. She was scared...
For melanoma survivor’s son, MD Anderson-Topgolf corporate...
MD Anderson has been a part of Len Turpin’s family for generations. In the 1960s, his paternal great-grandmother was successfully...
Glioblastoma survivor keeps running
When Suzanne Stone completed her first half-marathon in February, the achievement was extra sweet: she’d managed to finish the...
After a breast cancer diagnosis, twins become genetic...
Twin sisters Ana and Roxana Lopez were only 17 when their mother died of breast cancer. Over the next eight years, several of their...
During ovarian cancer treatment, patient learns to cope...
As Barb White has learned, life’s other challenges don’t stop when you’re diagnosed with cancer.
In February 2014, Barb -- then age...
Hypnosedation: Is it possible to have surgery without...
If you were told that there was a way to have surgery painlessly without general anesthesia, would you try it? Breast cancer survivor...
Breast and lung cancer survivor: My Gamma Knife surgery
If Mary Lynn Moser could use one phrase to describe her Gamma Knife® surgery, it would be, “It looked a lot worse than it was.”
Like...
Stage IV uterine cancer survivor: ‘Don’t give up hope’
After God, I owe my life to MD Anderson.
In the fall of 2009, I started feeling not just tired, but exhausted. I also had an...
Symptom relief after pituitary tumor surgery
When I went to see my gynecologist for my annual exam in November 2016, I brought up some concerning symptoms I’d noticed throughout...
Thyroid cancer surgery: What to consider
Hearing you have a thyroid nodule can be scary, but it doesn’t always mean you have cancer. In fact, only about 10% of thyroid nodules...
Haploidentical stem cell transplant survivor: Cancer, you...
One of the first features you notice about Travis Arnold is his wide smile. And, Travis has every reason to beam. He graduated this...
Newlywed celebrates end of breast cancer treatment with...
Becky Roberds’ wedding was set for July 11, 2015. The 38-year-old had already selected her venue, invited the guests and tailored her...
Facing a cervical cancer diagnosis during pregnancy
“We were totally blown away,” Misty Wiggs says of finding out she was pregnant with her third child in April 2015.
For 12 years,...
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor adjusts to life after cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, many patients wait anxiously to hear the words “no evidence of disease.” But as Kimberly Hill has learned,...
Prostate cancer, leukemia won’t stop this marathoner
Hardly anything can get in the way of John Kosmatka’s passion for running. Even after he underwent prostate cancer surgery in March...
3 myths about oncology nurses
In 1998, I became a labor and delivery nurse and loved it. I loved seeing the joy on new parents’ faces and holding the...
HER-2+ breast cancer survivor: Why I chose MD Anderson
Growing up in Texas, living in Houston and having several family members who’d battled cancer, I was very aware of MD Anderson and its...
Stem cell transplant survivor: Happy 6th birthday to me!
What an exciting year this has been! On April 17, 2017, I celebrated my 62nd birthday. About a month later, I celebrated my 6th....
Mother’s cancer, clinical trial enable daughter to address...
When April Schweigert’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and then two years later ovarian cancer, her doctors suspected that...
How a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis changed my career path
I’ve known my whole life that I wanted to be a doctor, just like my father. So when I got into medical school, I was thrilled to start...
Cervical cancer survivor: How a trachelectomy saved my...
My son Gavin recently turned 13. My husband and I call him our miracle baby, but I don’t think he fully understands why. When he was...
Despite setback, breast cancer survivor nears end of...
As Rebecca Stedman has learned firsthand, breast cancer treatment doesn’t always go as planned. That’s why she’s glad that she started...
B-cell lymphoma caregiver: Why I use my experience to help...
I’ve known people who’ve been through cancer treatment before, but until my dad was diagnosed with stage IV B-cell lymphoma — a type...
Ovarian cancer patient finds success with immunotherapy...
When Dianne Simpson rang the bell at MD Anderson on April 10 to signify the end of her high-grade serous ovarian cancer treatment, she...
Surviving a skull base tumor
In March 2014, I tried to connect a boat trailer to my minivan, ploughed head-first into the closed tailgate and really hurt my...
How we’re improving parathyroid cancer care
Until recently, decades passed with little progress in improving the survival rates of parathyroid cancer patients. But our...
After lung cancer, survivor is grateful for Cancer...
During the last 16 years, Dian Snowden has sought treatment at MD Anderson for numerous health issues, including thyroid cancer...
Colorectal cancer prepares athlete for “The Amazing Race”
Kurt Gibson knows life is an amazing race. During his last semester of college, the 22-year-old ultimate Frisbee player began to...
Cervical cancer survivor becomes a mother, thanks to...
After being diagnosed with stage IB cervical cancer in October 2012, Allison Pozzi consulted four different specialists near her San...
My first mammogram: What I learned
When I turned 40 and it was time to schedule my first mammogram, I was hesitant to do so. I’ve heard many frightening stories about...
Young desmoid tumor survivor gets life back with 17-hour...
On the back of Alicia Bennett’s favorite T-shirt is her design of a tree with the words, “Go out on a limb.”
The shirt honors the 17...
Kidney cancer caregiver: Advice for appreciating life with...
My dad was initially diagnosed with stage II kidney cancer in January 2002. But the tumor in his kidney was contained, and surgery...
Breast cancer survivor: Why I participated in three...
I am the only person in my family who has survived cancer. My mother died of leukemia when I was 29, my father and stepfather died of...
Cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors: What to watch for
Each year, more than 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. And though it most often occurs in women over age 40, younger...
Lessons from a childhood cancer patient’s father
Just over three years ago, my son, Damon, now 12, was getting a hug from his mom when she noticed a lump on his left arm. She took him...
6 side effects of radiation therapy to the pelvis in women
Radiation therapy to the pelvis is commonly used to treat women with lower gastrointestinal tract cancers, as well as gynecologic...
The art of survivorship: A breast cancer survivor’s...
People think I’ve gone mad when I tell them that having stage I invasive ductal carcinoma — a type of breast cancer — was really a...
BRCA1-positive mom chooses mastectomy, breast reconstruction
Linda Phetphongsy is still trying to adjust to life with breast implants, though she welcomes the peace of mind they bring her.
“I...
Thyroid cancer survivor finds ways to cope during...
Veronika Fitzgerald is still amazed by the events that led up to her papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis.
In the fall of 2015, she...
Abnormal Pap test? What to know about cervical dysplasia
So, you’ve been through the discomfort and awkwardness of your Pap test, and you’ve gotten the unexpected call from your doctor: Your...
Clinical trial gives recurrent glioblastoma survivor hope
I was a just a young, 20-year-old in college student when the symptoms began. In early November 2005, I started having bad headaches...
5 tips for dealing with cancer treatment side effects
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at the age of 38. My treatment consisted of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation over the...
Immunotherapy clinical trial gives hope to leukemia,...
An acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis (AML) in May 2016 came as no real surprise to Julia Dutton. She’d been fighting debilitating...
Humor, love get non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor through stem...
They were inseparable for nearly a month, but Kate Arnold definitely felt more hate than love for Sheeba, her “constant companion” --...
Cancer treatment side effect: Fatigue
If you’re always feeling physically, mentally or emotionally exhausted, you’re not alone. Fatigue is the most common side effect...
Breast cancer survivor finds comfort in quilting community
Michelle Hines has never had ovarian cancer. But that didn’t stop the Maryland transplant from making a quilt that directly supports...
After stem cell transplant, multiple myeloma survivor...
Gary Rudman has a motto: “Never quit. Never stop. Not today. Not ever.” And he’s lived by it throughout his multiple myeloma...
5 cervical cancer myths
When it comes to cervical cancer, there are a lot of myths and misunderstandings. That includes a lot of confusion about what causes...
Radiation therapy: What it is and what to expect
More than half of cancer patients will receive radiation therapy, but what is it? Does it hurt? And what are the side effects?
We...
Costumes and blogging help patient through chemotherapy
After her second chemotherapy infusion, Naomi Ziva realized that she was going to need more than medication to get through metastatic...
Bladder cancer caregiver: How cherishing the hard times...
Caring for my husband, Wayne, during his cancer journey enriched my life because we were able to spend so much time together.
Why I chose a multiple myeloma clinical trial
What do you do when your body doesn’t respond to physical training in the same way it did just a few years ago? How do you react if...
How to manage diabetes and cancer treatment
Between 8% and 18% of cancer patients have diabetes, a chronic condition that impacts the ability to regulate blood sugar levels. And,...
Spotting a lung cancer symptom helped save his life
Carl Heineck never suspected the cough he developed four years ago was a lung cancer symptom.
He had trouble climbing short inclines...
8 brain tumor treatment questions, answered
A brain tumor diagnosis and treatment can bring many questions. That’s why John de Groot, M.D., co-leader of our Glioblastoma Moon...
Anal cancer survivor: ‘Cancer doesn’t have to define you’
Some people get married. Some have children. Some get divorced. Some get cancer. Nelda Blair believes that while these are all...
Using my voice during breast cancer treatment
Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, I’d never had a mammogram. I was only 38 at the time, so I hadn’t started getting...
Q&A: Anaplastic thyroid cancer
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer, it may be hard to find others who’ve received the same...
Celebrating life after a cord blood transplant
April 4 is just another day to most people. But to Erika Evans, it’s an important one. This year, it marked the fifth anniversary of...
Anal cancer survivor gets glimpse of life as a witness
Recently, I had an experience I feel compelled to share. First, so that my soul will settle about it. And second, so that I can show...
Cancer treatment side effect: Malnutrition
Getting enough calories and protein helps patients stay strong and fight cancer as well as other infections.
But studies show that...
Doctor gives colorectal cancer survivor strength for...
Even though Robin Odle knew she needed a colonoscopy when she turned 50, she put it off.
“I’d been traumatized by a prior GI test,...
Ovarian cancer survivor: Why I travel for a clinical trial
Ovarian cancer symptoms can be rather vague – bloating, a feeling of fullness and/or constipation. But Diane Sarver didn’t have any of...
Through bladder cancer treatment, a daughter stands with...
When Maja Latham’s father was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer, she got aggressive, too.
As the “researcher” in...
Why a melanoma survivor chose an immunotherapy clinical...
In the middle of 2014, Daron Gribble received some unexpected news: a persistent sore spot under his right cheekbone had tested...
Multiple myeloma survivor finds hope, empowerment in...
Gary Rudman began experiencing severe lower back and leg pain in early 2013, just a few years after he retired from the U.S. Air...
Ovarian cancer symptoms: 4 things to know
Bloating. A feeling of fullness. Constipation. All of these can be symptoms of ovarian cancer. They can also be the result of a bad...
Five-time salivary gland cancer survivor faces life with a...
Kelly Mireles’ smile is the facial feature most people notice when first meeting her. That alone is a minor miracle.
Kelly had most...
From tonsil cancer survivor to HPV vaccine advocate
I wish the HPV vaccine had been available when I was younger.
If it had been, I might not have developed the tonsil cancer that...
Insight on metastatic breast cancer treatment
When breast cancer spreads beyond the breast and the lymph nodes, it’s known as metastatic breast cancer. Most commonly, breast cancer...
Liver cancer treatment gives survivor chance to meet...
Sally Hargroves has always been active and full of energy, so when the Floridian became increasingly tired in 2010, she suspected...
Stem cell transplant gives lymphoma survivor more time with...
Kate Arnold isn’t entirely sure when her journey with non-Hodgkin lymphoma started.
“I probably was walking around with cancer for...
Tonsil cancer survivor fights HPV stigma
At age 62, Tom Jackson was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The diagnosis is common among men his age, so he took it in stride.
But...
New hope for leptomeningeal disease care
When cancer spreads to the central nervous system, it usually goes to the brain tissue. In a small but growing number of cases,...
What my breast cancer diagnosis taught me
When you receive a cancer diagnosis, you quickly learn just how precious life is.
Almost seven years ago, I learned I had stage IIIC...
APOLLO immunotherapy clinical trial takes aim at cancer’s...
When Nancy Pinkston’s melanoma crept back, taking up residence in lymph nodes under her right arm, she and her oncologist in Dallas...
Acoustic neuroma, melanoma survivor spreads hope, positivity
Even when Shannon Long found out that she had an acoustic neuroma, a type of benign brain tumor, her gratitude never wavered.
“I was...
After thyroid cancer diagnosis, survivor reprioritizes his...
Growing up in Lebanon, good health came easily to Vartkes Taktajian. Running, soccer and basketball filled many of the natural...
Spotlight on our surgical technologists
The first time Anthony Palmer assisted on an intradural spinal tumor surgery, the spinal nerves looked like fiber-optic cables, he...
Prosthodontics lab technicians play key role in cancer...
Tucked away in our Head and Neck Center are three artists. But instead of choosing the perfect color for a painting, they select the...
Lymphoma treatment teaches survivor to prioritize health
As an attorney, Corey Ellis has endured strict deadlines and harsh hours. All of that, though, pales in comparison to the stress he...
Pediatric cancer patients connect through a robot
Ava can’t take her eyes off the laptop screen. But it’s not a game or a movie that has so fully captured the 7-year-old’s attention....
Cancer treatment side effect: Neutropenia
Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that helps your body fight infection. A condition called neutropenia occurs when the number...
My journey to overcome three cancer diagnoses
Everyone’s cancer journey is unique, and mine has certainly been more unusual than most.
It began in August 2005, when I was...
Leukemia teaches college student lessons beyond the...
Like many students, Jasmine Ross started her junior year diving into new classes and projects, but in February 2011, the Texas A&M...
The Learning Center: Where cancer patients go for answers
How do I download MD Anderson’s app? Which medical websites can I trust? Where can I find the latest research on my disease?
The...
Throat cancer: Why I chose a clinical trial
Historically, a lot of people who’ve had cancer didn’t have good outcomes. But it’s through their hardships — and the continuous...
After clinical trial reveals lung cancer, survivor becomes...
When Sherry Zorzi first picked up a cigarette as a teenager, she never dreamed that one day she’d be telling people not to smoke.
“...
Advancing futuristic technology in oncology surgery today
Nimble robotic digits smaller than a finger that can excise cancerous tissue from the throat without cracking the patient’s jaw....
Life after colorectal cancer for young adult survivors
A growing number of adults under age 50 are facing colorectal cancer, and while cancer at any age brings lifestyle changes, these...
Laser interstitial thermal therapy gives relief to stage IV...
By the time Jennifer Weihe decided to try laser interstitial thermal therapy, or LITT, with neurosurgeon Ganesh Rao, M.D., she’d...
Zebrafish photos put researcher on cutting edge of science...
Oscar Ruiz’s home is decorated with many photos he’s taken, from architectural shots and scenes he’s encountered during his travels to...
Overcoming colorectal cancer in my 20s
When I proposed to my girlfriend, Sarah, in September 2013, I thought that would be the biggest moment of my year. Little did I know...
Meet Carol Porter, MD Anderson’s chief nursing officer
Last fall, Carol Porter, D.N.P., joined MD Anderson as vice president of Nursing Practice and chief nursing officer. In this role, she...
Papillary thyroid cancer survivor on clinical trials:...
Debbie Ann Heckeroth wants everyone to know it’s possible to live a good life while having stage IV cancer.
Debbie lived in...
Ovarian cancer patient thankful for immunotherapy clinical...
When Cathy Tompkins complained of an unusual pain near her sternum, doctors took an X-ray and told her she was likely constipated....
Cancer treatment side effect: Chemobrain
In the late 1990s, doctors began to pay attention to chemobrain, a term used by an increasing number of patients to describe mental...
How a childhood leukemia and sarcoma diagnosis shaped my...
Before I was diagnosed with cancer in June 1998, I wanted to be a princess, a teacher or a veterinarian.
Instead, I became a...
Skin cancer screening: 6 things your dermatologist wants...
At increased risk for skin cancer? You may need regular skin cancer screening exams. These screening exams help find skin cancer...
What I learned as a stage IV colorectal cancer survivor
My journey to MD Anderson began in November 2012, when I came down with what I thought was a 24-hour stomach flu. My doctor referred...
A stomach cancer survivor’s advice for other patients
When you first come to MD Anderson, you may be so overwhelmed that you have a real sense of urgency when you get here. Maybe you feel...
How I survived breast cancer treatment away from home
When my very first mammogram revealed stage IIIC breast cancer, I was dealt the shock of my life.
My mother died just seven months...
How synovial sarcoma has helped me become a better person
As someone who’s still in the midst of his cancer journey, I can honestly tell you that having cancer isn’t all doom and gloom. In...
Stuntman confronts renal cell carcinoma with art, music
If you ask Tracy E. Thomas, living with cancer becomes much easier when you learn to shift your focus to something else. For him,...
What I learned from tonsil cancer
I grew up in a medical family. My father was a doctor, and my mother was hospital dietitian. So, I've been familiar with medicine and...
Learning to smile after triple-negative breast cancer...
Hashmat Effendi has spent much of her life organizing teams of medical professionals from the United States to travel to various...
Meeting with a dietitian during cancer treatment: What to...
While there are no foods that can kill cancer cells, the foods you eat during cancer treatment can have a big impact. Changes to your...
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor finds help, hope
Random nose bleeds and unexplained bruises were Edgar Villalta’s first clues that something was wrong. Then little red dots appeared...
MS survivor: A stem cell transplant gave me the chance to...
I might be the only MD Anderson patient who never had cancer. Or, at least, that’s how I felt on that winter day in 2008 when I first...
Celebrating life after oral cancer treatment
In June 2015, I was visiting my parents when I came down with a sore throat and found a flesh-colored lump on the right side of my...
5 ways to distract yourself during cancer treatment
One of the things that I learned as a testicular cancer patient at MD Anderson is that distraction is the name of the game. Our brains...
My brain tumor story
My brain tumor diagnosis came suddenly. I had no pain, headaches or any kind of warning. On Oct. 3, 2016, I had difficulty conveying...
Savoring life after my stomach cancer diagnosis
The connection between what we eat and how we feel is so elementary, yet for some reason we forget or push it to the side.
But as a...
How a stem cell transplant put me in remission after...
After an MRI in 2004 for back pain, my doctor found a cyst on the right side of my stomach that had to come out. A surgeon in...
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma side effects are a small price to pay...
I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin diffuse B-cell lymphoma on Aug. 14, 2015, and since then, I have undergone three rounds of...
No stomach, no problem! Gastrectomy patient another step...
Marne Shafer thought her running days were behind her after she received a total gastrectomy, a surgical removal of the stomach and...
Surviving HPV-related tonsil cancer twice
While I was shaving one morning in 2012, I noticed a large lump under my jaw. I immediately made an appointment to see an ear, nose...
How a testicular cancer diagnosis changed my life
Before I had testicular cancer, I was a really cynical person. I looked at the glass as half-empty. And I saw everything in life as...
Ovarian cancer survivor: Stay true to yourself
When Pam Scarpino was diagnosed with stage IIIC high-grade serous ovarian cancer in October 2007, her local oncologist told her she...
A caregiver’s advice for preserving quality of life
Singer Kimmie Rhodes had been married to legendary music producer Joe Gracey for 28 years when he died of metastatic esophageal cancer...
How I quit tobacco and gained freedom
I started smoking when I was 17 years old. Nearly two decades later, at 36, my smoking addiction had taken ownership of my life, and I...
Melanoma survivor: Why I chose a clinical trial
I was diagnosed with melanoma in October 2014, at the age of 26.
It all started with a bump on my scalp, which nobody could really...
Family first after my non-Hodgkin b-cell lymphoma diagnosis
When I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma in August 2015, my main concern was for my family. What was I going to tell my...
Remission after allogeneic stem cell transplant and...
When Sandra Hurley was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) back in 1997, an Ohio-based oncologist gave her two to four...
Multiple myeloma survivor finds success with stem cell...
Multiple myeloma patient Don Kendall had a pretty good idea what to expect when he began his stem cell transplant in January 2014.
...
Tongue cancer teaches patient and caregiver the art of...
Singer and songwriter Kimmie Rhodes holds a somewhat unique distinction: she’s supported two different people on their oral cancer...
Anaplastic thyroid cancer patient approaches each day as an...
59-year-old John Lange was focused on his work for a commercial airline and looking forward to a long, active retirement when, in...
Two generations receive treatment at MD Anderson
In 1980, Jack Brown was 38 and busy working in oilfield sales. When a lump appeared on his left groin, he ignored it until his wife,...
Why I'm fighting for renal medullary carcinoma patients
As I entered the fall of 2016, I found myself excited about my brother Herman’s cancer-free status. He had returned from MD Anderson...
Taking charge of esophageal cancer treatment
Tim Orellano knew something was wrong when minimal physical activity made him short of breath. “Other than acid reflux, I considered...