New research presented at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium suggests that acupuncture may help ease “brain fog” and thinking difficulties many survivors struggle with after cancer treatment.

In a recent Cancer Culture article, radiation oncologist Dr. Stacy Wentworth challenges the idea of ranking cancers as “good” or “bad.” She argues that while diagnoses and treatments differ, survivorship challenges are often shared, and far too many people are left without guidance once treatment ends. The real issue is not which cancer is worse, but how many survivors are navigating life after cancer without the information, monitoring, and support they need. This is exactly why Hodgkin’s International exists: to make sure no one is left to figure out life after cancer alone.

Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital heart defect present at birth. However, it is often asymptomatic into adulthood. Without symptoms, most patients with a bicuspid aortic valve will be in a “watchful waiting” phase with regular medical testing to monitor for progressing aortic stenosis or regurgitation. A bicuspid aortic valve makes the heart work harder and symptoms may develop. Surgery to repair or replace the a bicuspid aortic valve can be necessary. Timing the surgery is different for every patient,

New data from HeartValveSurgery.com reveals important differences in re-operation rates between surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The article explains how long each type of valve tends to last, which procedure may require future intervention, and what that means for long-term outcomes. This is a valuable read for anyone considering valve replacement or planning for heart health.

Many long-term survivors are at higher risk for heart valve disease, especially those who had chest radiation. Aortic regurgitation—when the aortic valve doesn’t close properly—can quietly progress until symptoms appear. This resource from Heart-Valve-Surgery.com explains what to watch for, how it’s diagnosed, and treatment options available to survivors.

Survivors of childhood and adolescent cancers—especially those treated for Hodgkin lymphoma—face a significantly higher risk of developing cardiometabolic issues later in life. These include high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, insulin resistance, and early-onset cardiovascular disease, often tied to past chemotherapy or radiation to the chest.

We often hear that stress is bad for our health—but emerging research is now revealing just how deeply stress can affect cancer outcomes.

Here are the results of a fascinating study on the risk of bone density loss in adult survivors of childhood cancer. This research looked at more than 3900 survivors from the St. Jude Lifetime cohort. Not surprisingly, the study showed that a significant portion of these survivors had significant bone loss decades after their treatment ended. Increased doses of radiation led to increased risks, though the researchers found that other comorbid conditions like sedentary behavior and smoking were factors that led to loss of bone density.

Researchers have found a potential link to the consumption of coffee and tea to the reduced risk of head and neck cancers. The “how’s and why’s” are not yet clear, but we find this to be a very interesting discovery, especially as Hodgkin’s survivors may be at risk for cancers of the neck (esophageal) due to earlier radiation treatments.

“Active Surveillance” is defined as “a way to monitor cancer without immediately treating it, with the goal of delaying treatment until it’s necessary.” It is generally used to monitor low-risk cancers. Patients who are undergoing active surveillance may have regular tests and exams, such as bloodwork, X-rays or MRI’s, and even biopsies. It sounds a lot like what survivors of Hodgkin’s who are at risk for late effects are going through! While this article does not address late effects, it does call attention to the uncertainty and anxiety that many people experience when being watched closely – even if it’s with the intention to prevent a cancer diagnosis.