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 straight to an urgent care center. After an X-ray, they were sent to an emergency room.
That’s where they got the diagnosis: bone cancer. Damon was immediately transferred to a pediatric hospital, where we got a clear picture of what we were up against: osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive a cancer...
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 cancers,...
The art of survivorship: A breast cancer survivor’s perspective
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 blessing...
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 feel great, and I don’t have to worry as much about getting breast cancer,” she says.
The 32-year-old mother of two underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction last year after learning that she has a BRCA1 gene mutation, which puts her at increased risk for breast cancer and ovarian...
Thyroid cancer survivor finds ways to cope during radioiodine therapy quarantine
Veronika Fitzgerald is still amazed by the events that led up to her papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis.
In the fall of 2015, she began...
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 Pap...
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 and dizzy...
Coping with a laryngectomy
A laryngectomy -- or a procedure to remove the voice box -- can bring up a lot of different emotions and concerns. It can also raise a lot...
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 course...
Immunotherapy clinical trial gives hope to leukemia, melanoma survivor
An acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis (AML) in May 2016 came as no real surprise to Julia Dutton. She’d been fighting debilitating fatigue for...
Humor, love get non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor through stem cell transplant
They were inseparable for nearly a month, but Kate Arnold definitely felt more hate than love for Sheeba, her “constant companion” -- and...
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 experienced...
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 MD Anderson...
After stem cell transplant, multiple myeloma survivor scales Mt. Kilimanjaro
Gary Rudman has a motto: “Never quit. Never stop. Not today. Not ever.” And he’s lived by it throughout his multiple myeloma journey....
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 cervical...
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 spoke...
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 colorectal...
Bladder cancer caregiver: How cherishing the hard times enriched my life
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 you feel...
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, for...
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 Shot™,...