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Voices of Hodgkin’s Blog
Voices of Hodgkin’s Blog

What I Wish I Had Known: A Pediatric Oncologist’s Transition to Survivorship Care

Though my pediatric oncology fellowship equipped me to deliver difficult diagnoses and navigate end-of-life conversations, it never prepared me to face the grief that lingers long after cancer is gone. We are trained to fight the disease, but not to help patients cope with the haunting reality that, for many of them, they will never fully reclaim the life they once knew before cancer.

Aortic Regurgitation: What Should Patients Know?

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.

Cardiometabolic Considerations for Childhood Cancer Survivors Explained

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.

How stress shapes cancer’s course

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

On Accelerated Aging—A Phenomenon in Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Accelerated aging is defined as a phenomenon where the biological (physiological) age exceeds chronological age. Clinically, accelerated aging phenotypes in cancer survivors include the premature development of subsequent neoplasms, frailty, chronic organ dysfunction, and cognitive impairment, all of which can impact long-term health and lifespan in survivors of cancer.