Cancer

If you’ve ever heard of BRCA genes, chances are you’ve wondered a time or two whether you might be one of the unlucky individuals who has this type of gene mutation. Whatever your questions are about the BRCA genes, their mutations, and testing, we’ve got your answers here. What are BRCA gene mutations? BRCA1 and

The Women’s Treaty and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW, calls for the equal treatment of women everywhere with regards to domestic violence, maternal health, economic security, and human trafficking. According to the United Nations, the Convention defines discrimination against women as “…any distinction, exclusion

Laurie Zoll has always been fearful of mammograms and hesitant to get any form of radiation. She didn’t think it was necessary, since there was no history of breast cancer in her family. But now she’s encouraging other women to get mammograms after being accidentally diagnosed during a training session at work. “I was hard-headed…I

Diana Serano and her daughter, Miriam Fajardo, have always been close. People say they are a lot alike. They both have three children. And the list goes on. But despite their similarities, Diana and Miriam were never expecting to be diagnosed with the same type of cancer around the same time. Diana was the first

After the death of a beloved parent, you can find yourself wanting to carry their legacy forward in their absence. One man in Ohio took on the task, and the effort is helping breast cancer patients in need. Lavar Jacobs lost his mother to breast cancer in 2009, when she was just 49. The experience

“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” – Emory Austin I love this thought from Emory Austin. I am reminded of an experience with my grandmother. I called her Mom Mom. I loved her deeply. She lived far away from me, so it was always a celebration when she came

For women living with metastatic breast cancer, handling day-to-day symptoms, treatment fallout, and stress can often be a bit overwhelming. Finding ways to alleviate these issues is helpful and needed. That’s where a new project from Penn State comes in. A team from Penn State’s College of Medicine and College of Information Sciences and Technology

For the past 19 years, nurses have ranked #1 on the list of the most ethical and honest professionals in an annual Gallup poll. I don’t think this ranking would come as a surprise to most. Nurses are taught how to care for you from the time you are born until you die and every

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age can be very unexpected and carry with it unique concerns. Among those concerns is a possible loss of fertility. A new study says this worry can often impact which treatments women will undergo. Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute spoke with young women navigating a breast cancer

by Dawn Heiderscheidt Once you’ve been diagnosed with something like breast cancer, your mind may be swimming in “what-ifs” and “what aboutisms.” It can be terrifying. You may have concerns about what it means for you in regards to maintaining your life roles, engaging in your favorite activities, or how to continue to live your

Alive (green) and dead (red) myeloma cells under the microscope. Credit: Auner lab The resilience of cancer cells and their ability to survive in extreme conditions is a large part of what makes cancer so difficult to treat. But being such effective survivors may come at a cost. A group of Cancer Research UK-funded scientists

Most people know the hormone prolactin as the breastfeeding hormone, the one responsible for breast growth and development and the production of milk. However, a pair of recent studies have found that it may do much more than that. Hormones contain proteins on their cell surface called receptors. These receptors receive and send biological messages

Easing into a new normal after breast cancer treatment presents many challenges, between lingering health issues, financial stress, and the impact such an experience can have on mental health. How does work play into this? A new study out of Germany finds that post-breast cancer, many women experience changes in the office. A team of

When my kids were little, we began a little ritual of putting something in our pockets each day. You see, we had moved about 950 miles from where our kids had lived all of their young lives. Everything was different. Weather. Accents. Scenery. There was understandable sadness in missing their home and friends. There was

Just eight days before she gave birth to her first child, 33-year-old Brega van Vugt noticed something strange going on with her left breast. The young mother, who lives in Melbourne, was in the shower one day when she noticed a lump in her breast. Brega believed the lump and discomfort was probably just a

By Dawn Heiderscheidt Undergoing chemotherapy can have a two-fold effect on the body. While it can slow or stop the cancer, it can also cause unintended consequences such as  neuropathy of limbs. Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a sensory peripheral neuropathy that can affect one or both hands or feet and is often referred to

After breast cancer, your body is different and the impacts of your treatment can continue to change the way you feel. You may look into lifestyle changes that could help you bounce back bit by bit. One good option may be some good old fashioned soccer. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, the University

It’s been a decade since e-cigarettes first gained popularity in the UK. Since then, the types of devices available and the number of people using them has risen sharply. And as the popularity levels of e-cigarettes grew, so did the debate around them. The big selling point for e-cigarettes is they’re a way to help

Different patients respond differently to different types of treatments, which is completely normal. But it sucks putting time, money, and effort into a treatment that may or may not do the job—especially if you’re trying to keep your cancer from spreading or recurring. Most breast tumors have a high level of estrogen receptors, making them

Roughly three in ten uninsured Americans say they’ve gone without needed healthcare in the past year. While that may not be surprising, can issues like this face people with insurance, as well? A new study says they might. Researchers from The Ohio State University interviewed 50 women at high risk of developing breast cancer and

Just before Christmas, Rebecca Broughton was told that her triple-negative breast cancer, which she’d been battling since she was 18 weeks pregnant with her second child, had metastasized and spread to her brain. She’d been through hours of difficult treatments, but it had not been enough to save her life. The disease is very likely

This year, the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, an opportunity for heads of state, climate experts and negotiators to come together to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change. Climate change is here and it’s not slowing down. In 2020, a study revealed that the Amazon is racing towards the

A British Royal Marine has just successfully run five marathons in five days — but not as an athletic challenge or a way to test his strength. Mike Francis ran over 100 miles in hopes of raising money for his younger sister’s metastatic breast cancer treatment. Justine Jianikos is just 30 years old, and has

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is key to staying healthy, but recent research shows that one particular type of food may be just what the doctor ordered to keep a wide variety of different types of cancers at bay. The study, conducted by researchers at Penn State and published in Advances in Nutrition, involved

I remember times in my life when everything seemed totally overwhelming. I just did not know what to do. Life felt like it had kicked the breath totally out of me. Have you experienced those kinds of difficult periods? Sometimes they come around loss … of job, of health, of a precious person. Sometimes they

Quality of life is an important metric doctors and patients consider throughout cancer treatment. Often, there can be concern that the treatment may do more harm than good. A new study looked at the necessity of certain treatments for breast cancer patients over 70 and found that they may not be all that beneficial. Researchers

An elderly couple from Auckland, New Zealand, has been fighting cancer on opposite sides of the Tasman Sea, thanks to COVID-19 travel restrictions that have kept them from reuniting for over two months. Their wait, however, will hopefully soon be over. 71-year-old Felicity Wilson was diagnosed with cancer for the second time not long ago.

Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced an ambitious plan: to create a ‘cervical cancer-free future’. The potential reward is huge. If we succeed, cervical cancer will become the first cancer to be ‘eliminated’ on this scale. But right now, around the world, someone dies every 2 minutes from cervical cancer, with lower resource