Sheri Prentiss, MD, MPH, CPS/A, CPE, FACPE is both a clinician and a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and has been living with one of the most difficult repercussions from her treatment – lymphedema. Dr. Prentiss poignantly describes her ongoing battle with this late effect.
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News stories
Respiratory Disease Mortality Higher in Adolescent, Young Adult Cancer Survivors
The data indicates that there is, indeed, an increased risk for pulmonary issues, including pneumonia, for young adult survivors. The article does not specify what causes this outcome, but we do know that radiation to the chest area can be a major culprit. If you have been treated for cancer, especially with radiation, you may want to be followed by a pulmonologist in addition to your other providers. Many Hodgkin’s survivors have regular “pulmonary function tests,” or PFT’s, to help monitor our lung health.
Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome of the Neck Causes Head Drop Syndrome
Here is a comprehensive look at a late effect that many Hodgkin’s survivors suffer from – dropped head syndrome. While we have understood that the primary cause may be radiation fibrosis, there are some studies that point to some chemotherapy agents that could also produce these symptoms.
Cancer the Interrupter—and Disruptor
Authored by Dr.Christina Poza-Kaderman and Saul Wisnia, this article offers some great advice for AYA’s who are challenged by a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Lower Risk for Dementia Diagnosis
Cancer diagnoses are associated with a lower risk for subsequent dementia diagnosis, with the relationship strongest for cancers with poor prognoses, underscoring the need to investigate biological and survival-related mechanisms linking cancer and dementia.
As More People with Cancer Use Medical Cannabis, Oncologists Face Questions They Struggle to Answer
Key considerations that both clinicians and survivors face when using cannabis to relieve pain and other symptoms.
Medical Marijuana Legalization Impacts Opioid Use, Hospital Visits in Cancer Surgery Patients
Key considerations that both clinicians and survivors face when using cannabis to relieve pain and other symptoms.
Accelerated Aging: The Hidden Toll of Long-Term Cancer Survival
A new article from Medscape examines how many cancer survivors face health challenges similar to “accelerated aging” – including early heart disease, frailty, and other conditions. If you’re a survivor, consider sharing this article with your primary care doctor. It’s a powerful way to help them understand what survivorship really means.
Immunizations for Cancer Survivors
Hodgkin’s International recognizes that choosing to have a vaccine or forgoing one is ultimately a personal decision. In this article, Blood Cancer United (formerly Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) lists all of the vaccines that are recommended for survivors, and those that are NOT recommended.
Improving Care for Cancer Survivors: Bridging the Gap Between Oncology and Primary Care
Survivorship follow-up care is currently a much debated topic. Questions such as, “Who is in charge of my care now that treatment is completed?” are commonly asked by survivors, and the answers are varied and often confusing. This article addresses many of those questions. It includes comments from Dr. Kevin Oeffinger, who has worked tirelessly to create quality care for survivors.