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Author: Brett Johnson
People diagnosed with advanced cancer can face a host of challenges and stresses, from navigating the health care system to dealing with relationship disruptions and figuring out how to spend the time they have left, that can leave them vulnerable to depression. Yet cancer centers and clinics don’t routinely provide psychological support to all advanced cancer patients to help them cope. In a new clinical trial, just three to six sessions of a tailored psychotherapy approach known as Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully, or CALM, helped to lessen symptoms of depression in people recently diagnosed with advanced cancer. Results from the trial…
It’s not unusual for cancer survivors to report problems with memory, attention, learning, and processing of information months or even years after completing treatment. Scientists are just beginning to understand why some people are particularly susceptible to these cognitive difficulties, which patients often call chemobrain or chemofog. New findings from two related NCI-funded studies—a clinical study in older women and a mouse study—may help shed further light on genetic risk factors for developing cancer-related cognitive problems. The clinical study results point to the role of the E4 version (or E4 allele) of the APOE gene, which is a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.…
In a proof-of-concept study performed in primates, frozen immature testicular tissue has been successfully used for the conception and birth of a baby monkey. Although human trials are needed before the technique can be approved for people, the study’s results point to potential options for preserving fertility among prepubescent boys being treated for cancer. “Showing that something works in nonhuman primates is the last and critical step to demonstrate safety and feasibility,” said Kyle Orwig, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who led the study. “This is now a very mature technology, and I believe it’s ready to…
As cancer progresses, it often leads to physical disability and pain that can threaten a person’s independence and devastate their quality of life. Yet most people with advanced cancer don’t receive physical therapy or engage in exercise that can help maintain function, said Andrea Cheville, M.D., a rehabilitation physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. For these patients, she said, small changes in physical fitness can mean the difference between being able to live independently and losing one’s independence, and may also affect their ability to receive certain treatments. An NCI-funded clinical trial led by Dr. Cheville found that a 6-month physical rehabilitation program…
For patients with a brain tumor, the first step in treatment is often surgery to remove as much of the mass as possible. A tumor sample obtained and analyzed during surgery can help to precisely diagnose the tumor and define the margins between tumor and healthy brain tissue. However, such intraoperative pathology analysis takes time—the sample must be processed, stained, and analyzed by a pathologist while the surgeon and patient wait for the results. Now, a new study shows that a process combining an advanced imaging technology and artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately diagnose brain tumors in fewer than 3 minutes during…
Medical professionals and researchers are continuously finding incredible breakthroughs in cancer treatment. As treatment options continue to progress, Linda Giardinello founder of New York Institute of Beauty, has identified a major gap in the spa and salon industry. The New York Institute of Beauty has been training salon and spa professionals, or Cosmetologists and Estheticians, since 1998. The curriculum seemed to be all-inclusive, until a student began expressing specific interest in providing quality services specifically for oncology patients and cancer survivors. Without hesitation, Linda leapt at the opportunity to partner with Oncology Spa Solutions to ensure her students could feel confident treating any…
Pancreatic cancer made headlines throughout 2019 after both Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek and U.S. Congressman John Lewis were diagnosed with the devastating illness. Although curable when caught early, pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage and spread to other areas of the body (metastasized), making treatment more challenging. However, a new medication recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may bring hope to patients fighting this serious illness and their families. Lynparza® (Olaparib) has received approval from the FDA for use as a first-line maintenance therapy for patients diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic…