Cancer patients and the coronavirus: What you should know
Last updated March 30, 2020
Here are seven things cancer patients should know about coronaviruses, including the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first detected in Hubei province, China.
What is a coronavirus?
Human coronaviruses are a family of viruses that are found throughout the world. There are seven known types. Four of those types (229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1) cause only mild or moderate...
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How good communication helps me deliver better care to my patients
People never want to be just a number, a chart or a diagnosis. They want their doctors to know them — to see them as real people and not just as patients.
That’s why the first thing I do when I meet a new patient is listen. I want to hear people’s stories, so I can find out what they’ve been through that has gotten them to this point.
Whether it’s an abnormal lab result, a suspicion of cancer, or a late-stage diagnosis that...
Lung cancer survivor: Why I’m grateful for proton therapy
Before my lung cancer diagnosis in 2007, I didn’t know anything about proton therapy. But then I came to MD Anderson for a second opinion...
What to know about mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that’s most commonly found in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, but it can also start in the lining of the...
How Enhanced Recovery Program is changing cancer patients' surgery recovery
Since becoming a doctor, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that the more we can lower patients’ anxiety levels, the better...
How I dealt with permanent hair loss and other side effects
When I first lost my hair due to breast cancer treatment, I often heard people say, “Don’t worry. It’s only hair.” The implication was that...
How I found beauty during breast cancer treatment
My doctor didn’t notice anything unusual during my well-woman exam in February 2018. When I felt a lump in my breast two months later, I wasn...
Li-Fraumeni syndrome led me to my life’s work
Genetic disorders can be really scary, but learning that I have one probably saved my life. It also led me to my current career. As a fundraiser...
Setting new life goals after uterine cancer and a total hysterectomy
I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I became an aunt at a very young age, and I loved taking care of my nieces and nephews. I worked at a child...
Young adult cancer patients find help and hope with Adolescent and Young Adult Program
Georgia Wilson, 24, remembers the first time she shared her own cancer experience to help someone else. She was sitting in the lobby of MD...