May make the most feared disease a little less scary Cancer is scary. Part of the reason—maybe even the main reason—cancer is so scary, is that it seems to come out of nowhere and changes lives in the blink of an eye. We’re feeling fine, but under the surface, hidden within the DNA of our […]
Prevention/Screening
Differences and Disparities in Cancer
Posted by | Issues & Perspectives, Prevention/ScreeningThe good news is that there is an ongoing 1.5 percent annual decline in cancer death rates. The more troubling news is that cancer does not affect all equally. Read Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson’s editorial in Cancer Today, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research.
A New Issue of Breast Matters
Posted by | Patient Stories, precision medicine, Prevention/Screening, Research, Survivorship, treatmentThe latest issue of Breast Matters is now out on newsstands, and we have it here for you in our brand new digital design. The new issue includes news on our GAITWAY Tumor board, a group of more than a dozen experts who match treatments to the unique genetic characteristics of patients’ tumors. It also […]
Cancer Screening Tests to Consider Throughout Life
Posted by | Prevention/ScreeningAt a certain age, you might start to wonder if you should be stepping up your screening for cancer. And then you might start to wonder: what exactly is that age? And what kinds of cancer screening should I consider? While there are some guidelines to these questions, there has to be a lot of […]
What should you think about before getting a mammogram?
Posted by | Prevention/ScreeningA frequent question women ask Susan Harvey, M.D. about mammograms: “Can’t you make it so they don’t squeeze so hard?” Unfortunately, some discomfort is part of the screening, as breast imagers “compress the breast to get the best quality image,” says Harvey, director of the Johns Hopkins Breast Imaging Division in the Department of Radiology. […]
What is PSA?
Posted by | Prevention/Screening“PSA, or prostate specific antigen, is an enzyme that normally appears in the ejaculate or central reproduction but when there’s a cancer present, it leaks into the circulation system so you can detect it in the bloodstream, where it becomes a marker of prostate cancer and other prostate diseases,” explains William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., […]
Top Power Foods to Eat on Meatless Monday
Posted by | Prevention/ScreeningIf the phrase “Meatless Monday” has you staring blankly into your fridge, take heart. There may already be a few “power foods” lurking in there that can help you get your week off to a healthy start, says nutritionist Lynda McIntytre. Avocado, beans, berries, broccoli, eggs, leeks, nuts, oats, spinach and yogurt make the top […]
Why do recommendations for colon cancer and prostate cancer screening tend to start around age 50?
Posted by | Prevention/Screening“If you look at the overall incidence of cancer in the U.S., 80% of all cancers are diagnosed in people older than 60, and 30% of cancers are diagnosed in people older than 80, so in general, more cancers appear in people as they get older,” explains William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney […]
Is there any test for prostate cancer that doesn’t depend on a blood test for PSA?
Posted by | Prevention/Screening“There are an increasing collection of tests that sample other aspects of prostate cancer in urine, blood or tissue, including acquired gene defects in the disease and acquired changes that cancers display that normal cells don’t,” says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “I would […]
How can I figure out if prostate cancer screening will help me personally?
Posted by | Prevention/Screening“The best approach is to have a significant conversation with your physician about the risks and benefits of screening. It's shared decision making,” says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “People have different attitudes about what they’d like to do with their health. If someone […]