Through Bristol Myers Squibb’s ‘Survivorship Today,’ Brown — a star of the TV series “This Is Us” — has been interviewing cancer survivors about their journeys and the kinds of support they need.

'This is Us' Star Sterling K. Brown Shedding Light on Life After Cancer

Men may experience erectile dysfunction and incontinence after receiving treatment for prostate cancer. However, there are devices that can help control those side effects associated with treatment.

Penis Implants, Other Devices Help Improve QOL in Men Following Prostate Cancer Treatment

The average overall survival for patients who reported consuming four or more cups of coffee per day prior to trail enrollment was 39 months.

Increased Coffee Consumption Linked to Improved Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

In an interview with CURE®, Dr. Trisha Wise-Draper discusses new findings that show an increased mortality risk for patients with cancer receiving systemic treatments who subsequently contracted COVID-19.

Mortality From COVID-19 Increases in Patients Receiving Systemic Cancer Treatments

Articles

Organized as a virtual event, the DONNA Foundation’s 2021 National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer will allow participants to run in their neighborhoods — or on their treadmills. 

Participants of the DONNA Foundations 2021 National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer Will Lace Up Their Running Shoes Virtually

How does a metastatic cancer diagnosis affect families, especially children? CURE® spoke with Kate Watson, a patient ambassador for METAvivor, about the tricky balance of protecting and empowering kids.

How Metastatic Breast Cancer Affects Everyone in the Family

Bonnie Addario, our co-founder, board chair, survivor, and inspiration for thousands of patients here and around the world, shares the powerful stories of lung cancer patients and how they found ways to survive – and thrive -- in her book, The Living Room.

THE LIVING ROOM: A Lung Cancer Community of Courage

Join us for our Inaugural 1st Hope Webcast on surgical strategies for Stage IV stomach cancer.

Announcing Hope Series Webinar From Hope For Stomach Cancer

Each week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, 

® asks its readers to share their thoughts with the #CureConnect discussion question.

This past week, we asked: “How has cancer affected your career?”

“I ended up retiring at 63. I didn’t plan for that, but things have worked out just fine. It was the best thing for my health. I just had to trust that a ‘higher power’ was moving me in the right direction and would take care of me.” – K.K.H

“It ended my career 11 years ago. Haven’t worked since. I retired at 46 on (supplemental security income).” – A.D.

“It ended my career. Been disabled since January 2011 at the age of 46 due to all of the side effects of my cancer treatment.” – L.B.

“Ultimately my career ended as my prognosis was short and I decided to retire early to travel while I still felt good.” – T.K.L.

“I had to give up my job. I was too fatigued and weak to work through treatment.” – L.M.

“I was criticized at a former employer (large national insurance company) for leaving 15 minutes early for my radiation treatments.” – C.H.

“Being sexually harassed at work was stressful. Then I got cancer. After my surgery I returned to work and the harassment continued. So, I quit. I now work seasonal part time jobs doing what I love. Traveling and enjoying life! No money, just happiness!” – D.J.M.

“I worked for the county government; when my six-month leave was up, I wasn’t healthy enough to go back to work so they terminated me.” – W.M.

To see more comments from our readers, or be a part of the conversation, 

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

On social media, CURE® recently asked its readers to share how cancer has affected their careers.

How Has Cancer Affected Your Career?

Martha lives in Illinois and was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January 2015. She has a husband and three children, ranging in age from 12 to 18, a dog and a lizard.

My mom had cancer more than a decade before mine was diagnosed. So did friends, acquaintances, and other relatives. In the US, one in eight women is told she has breast cancer, so even though each new diagnosis was a shock of bad news, I couldn’t call it a surprise.

Before my own diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, it was pretty easy to look at the pink cascade of products each October and buy some little thing to support the cause. Of course, most people now know better than to think that pink always means the money is going to be spent responsibly. I’ve written about how October Pink generates a lot of cash for good organizations but also for organizations and companies that are unscrupulous. You can read 

my tips on how to find the pink causes that actually help here

But for me, Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) has been renamed Breast Cancer Action Month. Same great initials, much-improved cause. We are mostly aware of breast cancer but what are we going to 

 about it? In 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, action matters more than ever if we want to keep moving forward.

True, self-care is an every-month kind of thing but, in October, let self-care action mean that you check in with your primary care physician and get caught up with breast health necessities. Schedule a mammogram, read about less common breast cancer signs (breast warmth, for instance), and while you’re at it, get caught up on health care for all the other parts of your body.

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, use October to learn about how care may be changing for you. Ask about risk of recurrence and risk reduction, find out about your specific risk of recurrence and what to do if you experience a symptom. Knowledge is power.

Take an hour a week to read a new article about what you’re most curious about in cancer treatment and care or go to the website of your favorite breast cancer organization and see what webinars are upcoming or are already there for on-demand viewing. What we know about breast cancer is changing--sometimes rapidly--and being aware of those changes could improve your own healthcare.

The great thing about being an advocate is that it encompasses so much. Speak up for yourself at an appointment where you might otherwise be silent, write a letter to your state representative asking that data be collected on recurrences, offer to tell your story or remind your friends to not skip their own self-care actions. Speaking up can help you even when you think no one will listen.

This month of pink is a big deal for groups that do great things, and money, as we know, is in short supply for many of them. Consider giving directly to an organization that has helped you or that you feel will truly benefit others.

. If it feels uncomfortable to challenge the power of pink--all those boobie bingo games and pink hearts--know that those of us living with metastatic breast cancer are grateful for your strength in standing beside us as we try to make it clear that we want more and we deserve more. Remember that everyone benefits from the discovery of drugs 

How to turn breast cancer awareness into actions that can improve your life and those of people you love.

Breast Cancer Action Month

I met Maura Znavor, B.S.N., RN when I interviewed her for a position in our treatment room. The only two things I knew about her were that she was oncology certified and her father was receiving care in our treatment room.

Since that day, she’s become so much more than that to me. She is a caring, exuberant, charismatic and kind nurse who uses all her strengths to care for our patients every day. She cries with them and holds them when they get bad news but also laughs with them, celebrates with them and encourages them.

One of our regular patients, Danny, was visiting almost daily for IV fluids while getting treatment, and she adopted him into our little treatment-room family. It may seem like a small gesture, but she bought over 1,000 stickers to share with our patients and decorated their charts or wristbands. Danny lived for those stickers. He used them to decorate the baseball cap 

that he wore every day when he came to see us. He expanded his collection with every visit.

Then the day came when he got to ring our end-of-treatment bell, a day everyone laughs and cries together. Danny was saying goodbye to the nurses he saw almost every day, and he cried. Maura took the time to kneel by his wheelchair and share loving words. 

Danny said, “Maura told me I will always have a special place in her heart.” Later, he told me, “She has been with me since the start of my treatments. She has always been compassionate and caring, from the heart. She brightens all my days here and gives me hope for a healthy future.”

That is Maura: loving, genuine and certainly an extraordinary healer.

Oncology nurses become family not just with one another, but their patients as well. 

When Oncology Nurses Become Family

As a college student, John Stoffer* felt like everything was going right. He was enjoying his studies at the University of Alabama and preparing to take the MCAT to realize his dream of going to medical school. He also enjoyed spending time with his girlfriend and felt excited about the future.

“Balancing school and studying for the MCAT was challenging, but I was excited to finish my undergraduate degree,” Stoffer says. “I was also preparing to propose to my girlfriend, so it felt as if everything was falling into place.”

It was the beginning of the spring semester when he noticed a lump behind his right ear. He went to a doctor who prescribed him antibiotics and didn’t think much of it for the rest of the school year. By the time he returned home for the summer, Stoffer’s mother noticed that the lesion was growing and encouraged him to seek a second opinion. His new doctor recommended surgery, but he had no idea how his life was about to change.

“Until Cancer, I Thought I Was Invincible”

When Stoffer came out of surgery, his doctor informed him that the lesion was advanced melanoma, a type of skin cancer that had spread to other parts of his body. He was shocked. “Besides feeling like a tired college student, I felt healthy,” explains Stoffer. “Being so young, I never expected a cancer diagnosis. It was at that point I realized I wasn’t invincible.”

Melanoma is considered to be the most dangerous type of skin cancer, as it’s more likely to metastasize or spread to other parts of the body. While melanoma makes up less than 1% of all skin cancers, it is associated with the majority of skin cancer deaths. It is also one of the most common cancers in young adults and overall, men are at higher risk for being diagnosed.

Once the shock of his diagnosis dissipated, he immediately turned to what he needed to do to fight cancer. “I have an extremely supportive family who took time to help me process my emotions and then turned to helping me find the best care team and the right treatment option for me.”

Stoffer quickly found that his diagnosis didn’t have to change his life trajectory. He found a supportive oncologist who was willing to have an open conversation about his treatment goals and provide clear information on a path forward. “With the help of my girlfriend, family and care team, I was able to find ways to cope,” he says. “My faith and taking everything one step at a time gave me hope and strength to tackle this challenge.”

For Stoffer, this meant adjusting his plans without giving cancer full authority over his life. “Once I made the conscious decision to focus on living my life despite a cancer diagnosis, I felt empowered to continue my studies, apply to medical school and focus on the positive.”

A Combination Immunotherapy Approach to Treating Advanced Melanoma

With the support of his oncologist, John received treatment with                                             

(ipilimumab), a dual immunotherapy developed by Bristol Myers Squibb. 

is a prescription medicine and may be used alone or in combination with 

to treat melanoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced melanoma). It is not known if 

is safe and effective in children younger than 18 years of age.

are associated with a number of serious risks that may impact a patient’s ability to work, function, and participate in activities of daily living. Some of these risks include problems that can sometimes become serious or life-threating and can lead to death. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. Some of these problems may happen more often when 

. Serious side effects may include lung problems (pneumonitis); intestinal problems (colitis) that can lead to tears or holes in your intestine; liver problems (hepatitis); hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, and pancreas); kidney problems, including nephritis and kidney failure; skin problems; inflammation of the brain (encephalitis); problems in other organs; severe infusion reactions; and complications of stem-cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). Additional serious side effects observed during a separate study of 

alone include: nerve problems that can lead to paralysis; eye problems; and complications of stem-cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). Please see additional safety information below.

was studied in a clinical trial of 945 patients with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic melanoma, in which 314 patients received treatment with 

 reduced the risk of dying by 45% and 37% compared to 

 at 28 months. In addition, half the patients on 

 were alive at 19.9 months, compared to more than half being alive on 

At five years, a follow-up analysis showed twice as many patients were alive with 

 alone were alive, compared to 26% of patients treated with 

 reduced the risk of the melanoma spreading, growing or getting worse by 58% and 43%, respectively, compared to 

 went 11.5 months and half of the patients on 

 went 6.9 months without the cancer spreading, growing or getting worse versus 2.9 months with 

In this follow-up analysis, data were also assessed across patient BRAF status. BRAF is a gene that encodes BRAF protein kinase, and mutations in this gene can lead to uncontrollable cell growth. At five years, 60% of BRAF-mutant (MT) and 48% of BRAF wild-type (WT) patients in the 

 arm – and 46% of BRAF MT and 43% of BRAF WT patients receiving 

 alone – were alive, respectively. The same analysis showed that 30% of BRAF MT and 25% of BRAF WT patients receiving 

, has helped patients with advanced melanoma live longer and has revolutionized the way we treat melanoma patients

says Sunandana Chandra, M.D., Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. “The presence of biomarkers is a topic that often comes up when discussing treatment. While some patients will get tested for the presence of certain biomarkers, including BRAF, treatment with 

 can be used regardless of their BRAF status.”

 will not work for everyone. Individual results may vary.

, when used in combination with Yervoy, include: feeling tired; diarrhea; rash; itching; nausea; pain in muscles, bones, and joints; fever; cough; decreased appetite; vomiting; stomach-area (abdominal) pain; shortness of breath; upper respiratory tract infection; headache; low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism); decreased weight; and dizziness. The most common side effects of 

 when used alone include: feeling tired; rash; pain in muscles, bones, and joints; itchy skin; diarrhea; nausea; weakness; cough; vomiting; shortness of breath; constipation; decreased appetite; back pain; upper respiratory tract infection; fever; headache; stomach-area (abdominal) pain. The most common side effects of 

 include: feeling tired; diarrhea; nausea; itching; rash; vomiting; headache; weight loss; fever; decreased appetite; and difficulty falling or staying asleep. Please see additional safety information below.

“Advanced melanoma was historically associated with low survival rates and patients did not have many treatment options,” says Dr. Chandra. “These data make me hopeful for the future of melanoma care

“After my diagnosis, I was determined to stay the course,” Stoffer explains. “It was scary to know that my plans could be interrupted, but I’ve learned to take everything day-by-day.” Since his diagnosis, Stoffer’s cancer responded to the treatment.

Stoffer is now married to his girlfriend and currently enrolled in medical school. “I feel like a lot was thrown at me: melanoma, medical school and marriage, but I’m grateful that this treatment has allowed me to be here today and to live my life.”

For other patients newly diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, Stoffer emphasizes that finding a doctor and care team that make you feel comfortable and you can be honest with is essential.

Most importantly, Stoffer’s advice to others is to live intentionally and have faith in the process. “Don’t let cancer have the victory it doesn’t deserve. This is your biggest fight for your life – treat it like that.”

*John Stoffer is a Bristol Myers Squibb Patient Ambassador

 (nivolumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called melanoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced melanoma).

OPDIVO

 (nivolumab) is a prescription medicine used in combination with YERVOY

 (ipilimumab) to treat people with a type of skin cancer called melanoma that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced melanoma). 

It is not known if OPDIVO is safe and effective in children younger than 18 years of age.

OPDIVO (10 mg/mL) and YERVOY (5 mg/mL) are injections for intravenous use.



Important Safety Information for OPDIVO



OPDIVO is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. OPDIVO can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life-threatening and can lead to death. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. Some of these problems may happen more often when OPDIVO is used in   combination with YERVOY.

YERVOY can cause serious side effects in many parts of your body which can lead to death. These problems may happen anytime during treatment with YERVOY or after you have completed treatment.



 Symptoms of pneumonitis may include: new or worsening cough; chest pain; and shortness of breath.
●

 Intestinal problems (colitis) that can lead to tears or holes in your intestine.

 Signs and symptoms of colitis may include: diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual; blood in your stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools; and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness.
●

. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes; severe nausea or vomiting; pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen); drowsiness; dark urine (tea colored); bleeding or bruising more easily than normal; feeling less hungry than usual; and decreased energy.
● 

Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, and pancreas).

 Signs and symptoms that your hormone glands are not working properly may include: headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; dizziness or fainting; changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; voice gets deeper; and excessive thirst or lots of urine.
●

 Kidney problems, including nephritis and kidney failure.

 Signs of kidney problems may include: decrease in the amount of urine; blood in your urine; swelling in your ankles; and loss of appetite.
● 

Signs of these problems may include: rash; itching; skin blistering; and ulcers in the mouth or other mucous membranes.
● 

Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

 Signs and symptoms of encephalitis may include: headache; fever; tiredness or weakness; confusion; memory problems; sleepiness; seeing or hearing things that are not really there (hallucinations); seizures; and stiff neck.
● 

 Signs of these problems may include: changes in eyesight; severe or persistent muscle or joint pains; severe muscle weakness; and chest pain.



Additional serious side effects observed during a separate study of YERVOY alone include:

● Nerve problems that can lead to paralysis.

 Symptoms of nerve problems may include: unusual weakness of legs, arms, or face; and numbness or tingling in hands or feet.


 Symptoms may include: blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems; and eye pain or redness.



Get medical help immediately if you develop any of these symptoms or they get worse. It may keep these problems from becoming more serious.

 Your healthcare team will check you for side effects during treatment and may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. If you have a serious side effect, your healthcare team may also need to delay or completely stop your treatment.



OPDIVO and OPDIVO + YERVOY can cause serious side effects, including:

 Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you get these symptoms during an infusion: chills or shaking; itching or rash; flushing; difficulty breathing; dizziness; fever; and feeling like passing out.
● Graft-versus-host disease, a complication that can happen after receiving a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic), may be severe, and can lead to death, if you receive YERVOY either before or after transplant. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for the following signs and symptoms: skin rash, liver inflammation, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, and diarrhea.




● Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. OPDIVO and YERVOY can harm your unborn baby. If you are a female who is able to become pregnant, your healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before you start receiving OPDIVO. Females who are able to become pregnant should use an effective method of birth control during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that you can use during this time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment. You or your healthcare provider should contact Bristol Myers Squibb at 1-800-721-5072 as soon as you become aware of the pregnancy.
● Pregnancy Safety Surveillance Study: Females who become pregnant during treatment with YERVOY are encouraged to enroll in a Pregnancy Safety Surveillance Study. The purpose of this study is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. You or your healthcare provider can enroll in the Pregnancy Safety Surveillance Study by calling       1-844-593-7869.
● Before receiving treatment, tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if either treatment passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for 5 months after the last dose.





● Your health problems or concerns if you: have immune system problems such as autoimmune disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, lupus, or sarcoidosis; have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; or have any other medical conditions.
● All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of OPDIVO when used alone include: feeling tired; rash; pain in muscles, bones, and joints; itchy skin; diarrhea; nausea; weakness; cough; vomiting; shortness of breath; constipation; decreased appetite; back pain; upper respiratory tract infection; fever; headache; and stomach-area (abdominal) pain.

The most common side effects of OPDIVO, when used in combination with YERVOY, include: feeling tired; diarrhea; rash; itching; nausea; pain in muscles, bones, and joints; fever; cough; decreased appetite; vomiting; stomach-area (abdominal) pain; shortness of breath; upper respiratory tract infection; headache; low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism); decreased weight; and dizziness. The most common side effects of YERVOY include: feeling tired; diarrhea; nausea; itching; rash; vomiting; headache; weight loss; fever; decreased appetite; and difficulty falling or staying asleep.

These are not all the possible side effects. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call          1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for 

 are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb: An Advanced Melanoma Diagnosis Didn’t Stop One College Student from Pursuing his Dreams of Medical School

As an individual diagnosed more than 5 years ago with multiple myeloma, I have been struck by the reliance on the part of some cancer patients who place significant emphasis on clinical trials and research, and the desire to “battle and fight” the disease in order to seek cure and avoid untimely death. This emphasis also applies to healthcare providers and researchers, many of whom are the very originators of this focus. Offering hope supports that singular human need to achieve another state of being. As a need, hope is more than an emotional state with something that could be different in our lives. 

Hope is a multifaceted human need that drives one to achieve or craft one’s life in a certain direction. More than a guide or roadmap for ourselves, our families, our friends and beyond, hope can influence the essence of very fundamental human behavior from birth to death.

There are many ways of examining the concept of hope as it applies to the cancer patient. At its very core, hope and the patient may be seen through the lens of the quality of life or lifestyle, a religious orientation and faith, and the belief in the human soul.

Hope can produce a quality of life which may be considered a lifestyle. That is, our daily behavior from birth onwards is built around a series of ideas, principles, concepts and other’s thoughts that from a belief system and ultimately organized as a lifestyle. While the concept of lifestyle is a complicated phenomenon, the idea of grouping the many forms of individual human behavior into a set of mostly observable behaviors can have, at its core, the idea of hope. Hope may well be the driving force as we traverse our way through life. And part of this is the idea that hope is an amazing gift from God which underlies the very essence of a positive quality of life or standard by which we live from birth to death.

In many organized religions, hope is part of the foundation of religious faith which is built around the omnipresent force commonly referred as the concept of God. And, as some religions have espoused, the human soul is the person’s window to God, which guides our thoughts and beliefs about our future, and ultimately to our understanding about the hereafter. Hope also helps to form three other aspects of human behavior.

These three beliefs are the belief in the human soul, belief in our own future, and finally, a belief in the hereafter. Aside from biological growth and development, the human being also learns, accepts, and inculcates into our being the beliefs in the human soul, our own future, and the hereafter forming our human core. Hope, then, becomes a primary vehicle for understanding human existence.

So, how do we make sense out of this? My own interest in this topic grew out of my volunteer work as a moderator for a digital support group for people with Blood Cancers.

This group is nationally supported by ANCAN, a cancer information organization. In my moderating work I was struck by the almost exclusive interest on the part of participants in medications they were taking, clinical trials they were participating in, details about their chemotherapy designs, and related topics.

Initially, I was shocked to listen to the conversation. As a psychologist, I had much more anticipated that discussion questions about, “What are you feeling? How are you coping? What is your family doing to help you? Are you ever angry about getting cancer? If so, how do you express yourself?” And to my professional amazement, these discussion points never came up and when asked if they were interested in talking about this, there was only some quiet grumbling.

The good news is that silence almost always works, so after a moment or two, one brave soul said, “you know, I always wanted to know what it will feel like when the “end” for me is near?”Understandably, this generated a good deal of healthy discussion. So, from a hope perspective perhaps what I call 

 organized in a way that is emotionally acceptable to the participants.

As mentioned earlier, hope can also be viewed as a form of quality of life or lifestyle in which some have built their style of living around the concept. Virtually everything they do involves some consideration of hope. One’s personal thinking about self, spouses, extended and close-in family, siblings, employers, friends and acquaintances, neighbors and virtually all others that we have contact with have hope woven into those relationships. Hope that it will remain the same, or that it will change for the better, or somehow be different. Hope is tightly woven into our very essence or being and is the principle upon which we judge and evaluate virtually all our thinking concerning the past, the present, and the future.

From a practical point of view, the concept of hope is difficult to understand, especially in the presence of catastrophic disease. Disease challenges us to live beyond the confines of the disease as we know it or come to understand it. One way of understanding this is to examine the emotional role of medications at the center of disease treatment, most especially cancer treatment. The principal advocates of this are first the practitioner who provides the diagnostic understanding of the disease and prescribes the medication to “fight” the disease.

And second are the patients who often develop an fixation around the current medication, the clinical research around new medications, and the overall effectiveness of both. What is interesting to note is this author’s own experience with his multiple oncology physicians wherein the regular monthly appointments are almost completely focused on the efficacy of the medications that fight the symptoms of the disease itself and the side-effects of the disease fighting medications. Only under a few rare circumstances have we have conversation about feelings, emotional coping strategies, and end-of-life expectations.

Hope is a complex concept that each of us has a multitude of thoughts about. Conceptually, hope may be characterized as a religious phenomenon involving the idea of God and eternal life. On the other hand, but clearly related, hope can be considered a common part of the human ego or the emotional and biological structure of the human person. Finally, while hope is thought to be a universal aspect of all persons, its parts and dimensions certainly have cultural components that differ for all human beings. How one defines hope is both individualistic and group or culturally determined.

Hope does not equal living per se. Some have the idea that if they go through life embracing hope that they are truly living. Yet, hope alone does not and could not define living.If all our ideas, actions, behaviors, thoughts, and the like are based solely on hope, then indeed we are deferring the present reality for the future which is, by definition, hope oriented. While living, meaning the past, present, and future, does contain elements of hope, it is the totality of the hope concept that is problematic as it could keep us from what is happening because we are focused only on hope elements for the future. It is a sort of childhood version of, “when I grow up, I’m going to be…”.Hope for the past, present, and future is necessary, but it is the totality of it that does not constitute living in and of itself.

As mentioned, hope feeds the soul with a sense of identity which enables the person to live beyond the current situation that individuals find themselves in. As humans, we are complex individuals who are relatedly close, but not a copy of one another. We are created with the idea of a soul or a sense of self that combines our past, present, and the future. This is best understood as a combination of behaviors, religious beliefs, thoughts, feelings, guidelines, cultural belief systems and the like that can structure how we think and behave. This is most especially the case as we contemplate future thoughts, wishes, desires, and behaviors. How our soul is developed will determine in part how we will behave in the future. And for many, our souls have an exceptionally large religious or spiritual component which serves to help guide us through all our days on Earth.

This is especially the case for those of us with a terminal illness whose end can and is predicted in terms of time-based sequences and levels of disease. The longer the time with the disease and its level provides a statistical determination of the average life span. Hence, the role of hope and its foundation in God becomes even more important to the cancer patient as one prepares for life hereafter. Perhaps the final and most significant statement about hope is the question about God being eternal life. As cancer patients and others face the probability of near death, the idea that God is about eternal life gathers increasing importance and meaning. As human beings facing imminent death, the idea of the hereafter takes on ever-increasing importance. And, for those of us raised with a concept of God as part of our intellect and being, at the very essence of hope then is an ever-strong belief that God is responsible for our hopeful belief in our daily existence and in the afterlife.

Hope is indeed a complex issue for all human beings to deal with. While this complexity applies to all human beings, it is particularly relevant to those whose illness or age is such that it is likely to be more imperative. Hope provides a livable statement about quality of life. As an alternative to the idea of hope as a pathway for disease-fighting, hope can provide a set of statements or directions to be followed for the living of a quality life. While the concrete approach determining a sort of mechanistic attitude is a normal human process, hope can be useful for conceptualizing a much broader approach to living. The dimensions of this are endless and usually involve other people, family, friends and perhaps even volunteering yourself to assisting others in need.

Even though cancer patients must follow a structured path of treatment for disease resolution, that path does not preclude additional elements which have a broader appeal and usefulness for the patient. In fact, an attitude of belief that the future may be pre-determined because of the disease, adding other dimensions like hope to one’s living can strengthen one’s approach and add richness to their quality living. 

To this end then, hope is a gift and becomes the essence of a quality of life issue for us. We surround ourselves with the idea that hope is a gift, and one which has been nurtured by ourselves over time and often nurtured by other people in our lives. We have been taught or otherwise learned that the idea of hope provides one of the principle ways to achieve happiness in life even within the context of catastrophic disease. As we move through our own individual stages of development, hope is a human quality that enables us to create opportunities for positivity and peace of heart.

Hope is a potent ally for the patient with cancer, and it is a response that helps inform a patient's journey with cancer.

Hope And The Patient With Cancer

Alice Vandermeer, B.S.N, RN, OCN, has been there since the beginning of my treatment for stage 2, grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma and actually helped me make the decision to start therapy.

I had a pretty bad meltdown in May 2012, the night before chemotherapy started. I was screaming that I was not doing it. Even when I got there the next morning, I planned to tell them thanks, but no. Alice was there. When she’s around, it feels like having a mom right there, which was nice for me because my mom was at her home in Mississippi at that time. Alice’s entire demeanor was able to quiet me and, I would suspect, the others starting chemotherapy. After talking with her, I felt myself cave in, and I started chemotherapy. So far so good, with no recurrence.

Alice is the nurse everyone has contact with. She gives the pretreatment class at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute in Meridian, Idaho, for all types of cancer. She must do a lot of volunteering because she seemed to be at all the extra classes we had. She was there for a course called Look Good, Feel Better. (Kudos to the Look Good Feel Better Foundation for that class — I might be vain, but losing my hair was very traumatic for me.) She was there at every event I attended that dealt with cancer treatment.

I also saw Alice in the breast cancer portions of the hospital. She always seemed to be there at different stages of my care, throughout the treatment process. At one point, I ended up with an infection and needed a treatment administered daily for two weeks. Alice was made available for that, as well. Whether she arranged that or God had a hand in it, I don’t know. I just thank God every day that she was there for me.

Alice just has a wealth of knowledge! Her demeanor of kindness, caring and gentleness is real.

I am not her only patient, I know, and I’ll bet that every patient who deals with Alice feels the way I do about her. Physical support comes and goes, but emotional support stays with a person for a very long time. I know that I always had Alice’s emotional support, and that was the part I needed the most. My post-cancer world, and that of many others, would not be the same without her presence, always at just the right times.

On the cancer journey, oncology nurses are more than just a helping hand. They can be your second "mom" and guide you through the confusing parts.

When An Oncology Nurse Is Your Parental Guide

Radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer once stretched out over many weeks; the current international standard involves higher doses spaced out over three weeks. Now a team of researchers says that giving even higher doses of radiation across only five sessions in select cases, completing the therapy in one week, is equally effective.

In addition, the scientists found the safety profile of the weeklong treatment to be as good as
that of the standard three-week course, which is administered in 15 sessions.

The findings, based on five-year results of the randomized phase 3 FAST- Forward trial conducted in the United Kingdom, were published in The Lancet.

After surgery, many patients with early breast cancer undergo whole- or partial-breast radiation therapy to help prevent recurrence. The radiation is directed at the whole breast or, after mastectomy, the chest wall. In many countries, hypofractionated, or accelerated, radiation treatment has replaced longer courses of therapy for most patients, according to the study’s authors. Sometimes a supplemental, or boost, a dose of radiation to the conserved breast follows this treatment.

Patients may prefer a shorter radiation schedule because it involves fewer trips to the clinic and is more convenient. In addition, an abbreviated course may be beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic because it limits opportunities for exposure to the virus. “The one-week schedule has major benefits over the three-week or five-week regimens in terms of convenience and cost for patients and for health services globally,” the researchers wrote.

Conducted at 97 centers, the study included adults who had recently undergone lumpectomy or mastectomy for early-stage invasive carcinoma of the breast. Tumor size had to be 5 centimeters or less, and the cancer could have spread to no more than three lymph nodes. Patients who were receiving hormonal therapy for breast cancer at the time they received radiation were permitted to participate. Enrolled between Nov. 24, 2011, and June 19, 2014, the 4,096 participants were divided into three roughly equal groups to receive one of three regimens:

• 40 gray (Gy) given in 15 treatments, or fractions, of 2.67 Gy over three weeks.

• 27 Gy in five treatments of 5.4 Gy over one week.
• 26 Gy in five treatments of 5.2 Gy over one week.


Participants who had undergone lumpectomy were eligible to receive a boost dose to their conserved breast following radiation therapy.

The study’s main goal was to measure the rate of local tumor recurrence in the originally affected breast five years after radiation therapy, with the rate of relapse in the weeklong treatment groups not significantly exceeding the 2% recur- rence rate expected over five years of follow-up after the standard 40-Gy, 15-treatment dose. At a median follow-up of nearly six years, relapse had occurred in 31 patients in the 40-Gy group, 27 in the 27-Gy group and 21 in the 26-Gy group, giving five-year recurrence rates of 2.1%, 1.7% and 1.4%, respectively. Statistically, the results were considered similar. Relapse was more likely to arise in patients who had higher-grade primary tumors, the authors found.

At five years after treatment, changes at the radiation site (scarring or hardening) were observed in 98 of 986 patients (9.9%) who received 40 Gy of radiation, 155 of 1,005 (15.4%) who got 27 Gy, and 121 of 1,020 (11·9%) treated with 26 Gy. The most common side effect was breast shrinkage, which happened in 5.5%, 8.2% and 6.8% of people treated with 40, 27 and 26 Gy, respectively. Breast distortion was also more likely in those who received 27 Gy compared with 26 Gy.

“Patient and photographic assessments showed higher risk of normal tissue effects for 27 Gy versus 40 Gy but not for 26 Gy versus 40 Gy,” the authors wrote. In addition, although they hypothesized that the heart should not be more sensitive than other soft tissues to radiation intensity, the researchers noted that longer follow-up is needed to draw conclusions about the effect of the radiation schedules on cardiac outcomes; they plan to conduct patient follow-up until at least 10 years after treatment. There were no deaths due to radiotherapy, and there was no difference in the rate of secondary cancers between the groups.

“(Giving) 26 Gy in five fractions over one week is non-inferior to the standard of 40 Gy in 15 fractions over three weeks for local tumor control and is as safe in terms of normal tissue effects up to five years for patients prescribed (postsurgical) local radiotherapy after primary surgery for early-stage breast cancer,” the researchers concluded. “The consistency of FAST-Forward results with earlier hypofractionation trials supports the adoption of 26 Gy in five daily fractions as a new standard for women with operable breast cancer requiring (postsurgical) radiotherapy to partial or whole breast.”

Just one week of radiation therapy after surgery for early-stage breast cancer is as safe and effective as longer courses, researchers report. 

A Week of Radiation Therapy Following Early-Stage Breast Cancer Surgery Appears as Safe and Effective as Longer Courses

I like to call myself a triple threat, but not in the way that you think. First, I am a registered nurse, having practiced oncology nursing for ten years and I currently work at a cancer center.Second, I am a survivorship program coordinator/nurse navigator, meaning I provide ongoing support and resources to cancer survivors through the survivorship program that I have led for the past three and half years. Third, I am a breast Cancer survivor.

Diagnosed in 2019 and am currently having a treatment free interval of one year and three months. To say that I thought I knew about cancer would be an understatement; I always thought I 

 what patients went through from diagnosis to surveillance, but I had 

 idea, until I went through my own cancer journey.

Even though I had never experienced cancer on a personal level, I always knew working in oncology was for me as my love and compassion for people led me to this field. Healthwise, my family has issues with hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease but not cancer. However, that all changed on Valentine’s Day 2019 when I had my yearly mammogram, which was clean; one health screening ticked off my mental checklist for the year. Two months later, in April 2019, I had my yearly gynecology appointment, my second health screening mentally checked off. As my gynecologist proceeded to examine me, he asked if I was doing my breast self-exams.

“Oh no,” I replied smugly, “I wait for you all to do it,” meaning I rely on my yearly mammograms and gynecology breast exams to determine if cancer was in my future. As he moved from one breast to the other, he lingered, and then turned to the nurse, giving her a verbal order, “We need to get a referral for a left breast ultrasound.”

He turned to me and said I had a lump in my outer quadrant of my left breast, but “it was probably nothing” and to take Vitamin E, which would help reduce the inflammation that it probably was, because as he put it, my mammogram was “clean.”This was on a Friday, so of course I worried all weekend, just “knowing” it was cancer…my fingers kept lingering over the “lump” in my breast; mentally thinking how could I have missed this, why wasn’t I doing my breast self-exams, and 

One biopsy, two surgeries, radiation therapy, a Tamoxifen tablet daily for 5 years later and I am a breast cancer survivor. Sure, I am still dealing with treatment side effects, such as breast swelling, axillary web syndrome or “cording,” intermittent hot flashes, depression, and anxiety, but I believe in the power of positive thinking, and have a prayer of gratitude.

In addition to being a breast cancer survivor, I am also a wife to my husband of 31 years, mother to two daughters, grandmother to two granddaughters and one grandson, identical twin to my sister Cindy, and sister to my two brothers. But of course, I am also a daughter, granddaughter, college student in a Nurse Practitioner Program, and a friend to many. I identify with all these things and they all identify with who I am, especially the cancer. However, I do not define my life by having had cancer but it has definitely changed who I am for the better.

As a result, I am an advocate for women to become familiar with their breasts; it’s important to do a breast self-exam. It is also important to know if you have dense breasts, because not all breast cancers show up in mammograms. Therefore, ask your healthcare provider, if you need 3D Mammography (Tomosynthesis) or additional imaging. Life is a gift, not to be taken for granted.

Did I do this prior to my diagnosis? I sure did. I took my health and family for granted and did not fully understand the depth of what cancer patients faced. However, now I face each new day grateful for my health, grateful to still be with my family and grateful to be able to connect with my patients in a more meaningful way.

Understanding cancer as a professional is one thing, but once you go through the journey it takes on a whole different understanding. 

Living As A 'Triple Threat' Breast Cancer Survivor

Adapting to the ever-changing nature of 2020 and the cancer journey was the theme of the night at 

®’s virtual Ovarian Cancer Heroes program, as attendees gathered online to continue to celebrate the outstanding heroes in the ovarian cancer landscape despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

A virtual audience of over one-hundred gynecologic oncologists, nurses, advocates, patients and loved ones tuned in for speeches and discussions from this year’s winners along with keynote speaker Joan Lunden who shared her personal journey with cancer.

The award-winning journalist, bestselling author and motivational speaker received a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis in 2014 which required a treatment plan of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation.

Lunden turned her cancer experience into an opportunity to help other women. The patient turned advocate blogged through her treatment, serves as an ambassador for Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer, advocates for patients on Capitol Hill and communicates with the cancer community through her social media channels and website.

“I once heard that there are two great days in your life, the day you're born and then the day you discover why,” said Lunden in her speech. “For me, it is being an advocate for other women. This is what kind of fuels me on my warrior journey; (it’s) why I continue to travel the country and speak to women's groups. It's why I do my part in educating others and in fight for needed changes in health care policy, and of course, to help raise funds for more research, more treatment answers and hopefully someday, a cure.”

Lunden helped present the Ovarian Cancer Heroes awards to three individuals — an oncology nurse, patient turned advocate and cancer biologist.

Robin Cohen, Andrea Herzberg and Deborah Zajchowski were honored for their innovative research and dedication to making a difference in the lives of patients with ovarian cancer and for what it truly means to be a hero for patients.

Making A Difference for Every Patient with Ovarian Cancer

Cohen, an oncology nurse at Lankenau Medical Center in a suburb of Philadelphia, was the first to be recognized after being nominated by survivor and previous Ovarian Cancer Heroes recipient Susan Leighton, whom she met at a national ovarian cancer conference.

“I have met many compassionate and professional nurses on my journey with ovarian cancer. They are at the very center of care, from the exam room when a woman first hears ‘ovarian cancer’ to the operating and recovery room where she comes to the realization that she is facing her mortality … to the infusion room when she is overtaken with physical side effects and anxiety … they are a lifeline to those drowning in unfamiliar waters. Robin Cohen is the epitome of this type of nurse,” Leighton wrote in her nomination essay.

An oncology nurse, patient turned advocate and cancer biologist were honored during CURE®’s third annual Ovarian Cancer Heroes program where they got to share messages of resiliency with a virtual audience.   

CURE®’s Annual Ovarian Cancer Heroes Program Goes Virtual Amid COVID-19 to Honor Three Women Who Have Dedicated Their Lives to Patients with Gynecologic Cancer

Latest Advocacy Group Content

Latest Content