Fall 2006

Creating a plan is critical for patients who work during treatment.

Making medical decisions grants patients power—and uncertainty.

CURE's Survivors special issue, treatment side effects, treating renal cell carcinoma, and a survivor's map.

Deciding between complex cancer treatment options can be overwhelming, and each choice has pros and cons, but following a few tips of advice may ease the decision-making process

Therapies improve for asbestos-caused cancer.

Taste alterations during therapy can make food unpleasant.

Dragon boat racing embraced by breast cancer survivors.

A childhood cancer diagnosis often makes well siblings feel like they’re battling the disease too.

Status of noninvasive breast cancer gets some clarity.

Doctors and patients confront shared decision-making.

Deep in the bone marrow lies the reason for blood disorders classified as myelodysplastic syndromes—stem cells gone awry.

Cancer treatment involves many specialists, some patients may not be aware of.

Treatment options for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a precursor to breast cancer.

People and organizations involved in cancer issues and awareness.

Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma, accounting for more than 80 percent of cases.

Experts recommend bereaved caregivers find a routine after a loved one’s death, either by returning to work or setting up another type of schedule instead of being home alone in order to escape from the grief.

Reentering the workforce after a cancer diagnosis can add anxiety to an already stressful job hunt and whether a survivor chooses to disclose a diagnosis or not, there are a few helpful guidelines to consider.

Lymphedema can develop as a result of removing or destroying lymph nodes during surgery or radiation, causing arm heaviness and swelling, but research shows that exercise, lymph drainage, compression and protection helps manage lymphedema and alleviate symptoms.

Cancer survivors can easily start their own dragon boat team with the following advice.

Some siblings may take on a parental role while others become advocates, but individual reactions to a cancer diagnosis vary greatly, depending the sibling relationship and the sibling’s age at diagnosis

Many experts consider lobular carcinoma in situ, LCIS, to be a precursor to invasive breast cancer, but there is still debate over the best treatment including surgery and prevention with tamoxifen or Evista.

The risks and benefits of mammography screening vary by age—the benefit for women over age 50 has been proven, but debate continues about the benefit of screening younger women, beginning at age 40.

Researchers designed the Van Nuys Prognostic Index to aid in treatment decisions for women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, DCIS.

Cancer patients do not always seek a cure if the price could be months of misery from toxic treatment.

Improvements in the classification of myelodysplastic syndrome, MDS, based on varying characteristics in the disease have better defined prognosis and helped patients and doctors make treatment-related decisions.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation and improvements in conditioning treatments may make transplant available to more patients and lower risk of severe side effects.

About 20 percent of patients develop secondary MDS—when the disease is caused by chemotherapy, such as alkylating agents, or radiation used to treat a previous cancer—and current research is focused on finding genetic alterations that will provide better treatment options for these patients.

Asbestos litigation has become the most costly mass tort in U.S. legal history.

Dr. Aman Buzdar discusses the latest breast cancer treatment strategies with aromatase inhibitors.