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, HER2-positive breast cancer. My very first mammogram revealed a large tumor in my right breast, just five days before my 41st birthday.
Because my mother died of lung cancer at age 48, my husband and I felt like time was of the essence. We immediately packed up and headed to MD Anderson ...
APOLLO immunotherapy clinical trial takes aim at cancer’s secrets
When Nancy Pinkston’s melanoma crept back, taking up residence in lymph nodes under her right arm, she and her oncologist in Dallas discussed...
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 health
Growing up in Lebanon, good health came easily to Vartkes Taktajian. Running, soccer and basketball filled many of the natural athlete’s hours. The husband and father of two felt robust until 1987, when he began experiencing a sharp pain in his neck and trouble breathing. By that time, Vartkes had been living in Houston and working for a local refinery for 13 years.
Assuming the pain and breathing troubles were due to a bad cold...
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 thought...
Prosthodontics lab technicians play key role in cancer treatment
Tucked away in our Head and Neck Center are three artists. But instead of choosing the perfect color for a painting, they select the perfect...
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 experienced...
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. It’s...
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 of...
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 diagnosed...
Leukemia teaches college student lessons beyond the classroom
Like many students, Jasmine Ross started her junior year diving into new classes and projects, but in February 2011, the Texas A&M University-Corpus...
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 information...
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 breakthroughs...
After clinical trial reveals lung cancer, survivor becomes early detection advocate
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. Patient-physician...
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 changes...
Laser interstitial thermal therapy gives relief to stage IV melanoma survivor
By the time Jennifer Weihe decided to try laser interstitial thermal therapy, or LITT, with neurosurgeon Ganesh Rao, M.D., she’d already been...
Zebrafish photos put researcher on cutting edge of science and photography
Oscar Ruiz’s home is decorated with many photos he’s taken, from architectural shots and scenes he’s encountered during his travels to images...
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 that...
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 provides...
Papillary thyroid cancer survivor on clinical trials: ‘Stable is the new remission’
Debbie Ann Heckeroth wants everyone to know it’s possible to live a good life while having stage IV cancer.
Debbie lived in California...
Ovarian cancer patient thankful for immunotherapy clinical trial
When Cathy Tompkins complained of an unusual pain near her sternum, doctors took an X-ray and told her she was likely constipated. When her...
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 symptoms...