9 things to know about breast biopsies
Getting a breast biopsy? You might be wondering what it is and how it works.
A breast biopsy is a diagnostic procedure in which a doctor removes a small amount of breast tissue to examine under a microscope. If the tissue sample shows cancer, the physician can have it analyzed further to provide the most accurate diagnosis — a critical first step in getting patients the best treatment possible for their particular type of breast...
12 chemotherapy tips from cancer patients who’ve been there
If you're about to have chemotherapy for the first time, you might be wondering what to expect from this type of cancer treatment.
Personalized breast cancer treatment kept me in the race
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, but when I was diagnosed with it in November 2016, it didn’t feel that way. I was...
Advanced practice providers play key role in cancer care
Brandon Sterling’s first week as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) was a crash course in collaboration.
As a newly credentialed advanced practice provider (APP) on a busy unit, he was tasked with transferring a post-operative urology patient who had a stroke to a nearby hospital.
“I was working with the family, case manager, social worker, nursing team, attending physician, insurance company and receiving hospital...
Retired physician: I wish I’d gotten a colonoscopy sooner
I was hired as an infectious disease specialist by MD Anderson in 1983. And until I retired in January 2019, I routinely helped patients with...
Acinic cell carcinoma survivor grateful for clinical trial
Keith Taggart noticed a lump the size of a pea in his left cheek in October 2014. He was also experiencing fatigue, weight loss, nausea and...
Helping my husband through brain tumor surgery
My husband, Richard, likes to say, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!” That’s what he said to me when I first noticed the small bump on the...
Stage IV melanoma survivor: Immunotherapy clinical trial gave me my life back
I was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma in December 2014, a year after I had a cancerous mole removed from my left calf. I thought I was done...
5 things I didn’t expect from life after cancer
Cancer survivorship is not exactly what I thought it would be. It has brought both unexpected hardship and indescribable joy to my life. But...
Neurofibromatosis survivor: Snapshots from an MD Anderson patient who doesn’t have cancer
I first became an MD Anderson patient more than 28 years ago, at age 4. But, I’ve never had cancer.
I was born with a genetic disorder...
Should you use dietary supplements during cancer treatment?
From vitamin A to calcium to folate to zinc, there are dozens of types of supplements. And if you’re undergoing cancer treatment, you may...
New blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) treatment improves outlook for many patients
Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare type of acute leukemia that impacts about 500-1,000 people in the U.S. each...