Questionable Screenings
Timing is everything in avoiding unnecessary risks that can come with cancer screenings By Nancy Maes Screenings for cancer are filled with a haunting question: what if they find something? People might be so fearful of the disease that they cling to the notion that no news is good news. But statistics from screenings should […]
A Breast Cancer Q&A
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Terri Yablonsky Stat talked to Dr. Nora Hansen, surgical oncologist, Breast Surgery Division at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine about what every woman should know about preventing and treating breast cancer. TYS: What can women do to prevent breast cancer? Dr. Hansen: The biggest thing is being aware […]
Marijuana Medical Clinic Is Good for Business, While Helping Patients Find Relief
Pictured above: Tammi Jacobi’s Good Intentions in Wicker Park has teamed up with licensed physician Dr. Brian Murphy to open the first medical marijuana clinic in Illinois. [spacer style=”3″] By Megy Karydes Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill on August 1 legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in Illinois that supporters say is […]
Considering Your Cancer Diagnosis
Knowing what you can do, might just save your life By Morgan Lord According to the Mayo Clinic, about half of all men and a third of all women in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives. Whether you’re a man, woman or a child, a diagnosis like […]
Above and Beyond
By Megy Karydes Learning that someone you love has cancer often unleashes a whirlwind of emotions from fear to anger. Then reality hits: You need to figure out how to take care of, and provide support for, your loved one, or, if you’re the one diagnosed, you have to start searching for answers. The last […]
Considering Your Cancer Diagnosis: Critical Questions to Ask Your Doctor
A Homemade TreatmentBy Morgan Lord There are many cancer patients who want to get right back to their personal and professional routines following treatment. Thankfully, there are healthcare providers in place for just this reason, such as ALC Home Health Care. After chemotherapy treatments conclude, ALC’s specially trained IV infusion nurses visit the patient at […]
A Perfect Match
LifeSource teams up with Blackhawks for blood/marrow drive By Alex Lubischer LifeSource, Chicagoland’s Blood Center, teamed up with the Chicago Blackhawks for a blood drive and marrow registry in honor of 14-year-old leukemia patient and Blackhawks fan Emma Gomez on Saturday, March 23. A total of 640 life-saving units of blood were collected at the […]
Sitting at the Unpopular Table
Lesser-known cancers deserve far more attention By Nancy Maes Some cancers, such as breast, colon and lung, are well known. And like principal actors in a movie, they get a great deal of time in the media spotlight. Meanwhile the lesser-known cancers are like the character actors and, therefore, receive far less attention. But these […]
Going Above and Beyond
Shining the spotlight on Chicago’s charitable organizations By Megy Karydes There is no shortage of nonprofit organizations doing great work in Chicago. For families dealt with a devastating blow like news that they have been diagnosed with cancer or they don’t have health insurance to cover prescriptions that can keep them from an emergency room […]
Health Mastery
Tenaciously Stubborn: How the good kind of stubbornness can actually save our lives By Kathleen Aharoni She kept returning to her gynecologist and insisting that she be checked again. Her doctor, though, kept telling her that her bloating and not feeling like her usual self were just symptoms of menopause. She persevered in her self-advocacy, […]
Surprising Breast Cancer Research
Intriguing findings from this year’s breast cancer studies Researchers have been hard at work all year long, publishing a slew of breast cancer studies. We sifted through the pile and picked out the ones we found most interesting, just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One study published in June in the journal Cancer […]
Seeds of Cancer
Science indicates that cancer stem cells play a role in the recurrence of tumors; the challenge now is to find them In science, controversy arises from uncertainty. The role of cancer stem cells being used to treat and prevent tumors is still a far cry from certain. But new studies published early last month in […]
Worth the Risk
Cancer trials come with uncertain outcomes that can lead to innovations When patients are diagnosed with cancer, they are hit with an emotional wallop. Trying an experimental, potentially risky drug might be the last thing they want to think about. But clinical trials of new drugs represent the cutting edge in cancer care, giving patients […]
It’s Not About STDs. It’s About Fighting Cancer.
How immunizing young girls—and boys—against the human papillomavirus can save lives. Odds are you’ve contracted, are carrying, or will be infected by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection out there. “This is a very ancient virus,” explains Dr. Kenneth Alexander, professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of Chicago’s […]
Skin Cancer Weapons
Dermatologists have a useful arsenal against skin cancer Whether you’re lying out on one of Chicago’s beaches this summer, riding your bike to and from work each day or just sitting in your backyard on a beautiful sunny afternoon, think about this sobering fact: According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma, the most serious type of […]
The Waiting Game
Facing down an incurable cancer with optimism and research In late November of 2006, the pain in Bill Herlihy’s back had become unbearable. At 56, he knew he was at an age when a lot of men suffer regular back problems, but the pain he’d begun experiencing months before had escalated beyond what could be […]
Uncovering Concussions
How They’re Changing Our Brains and the Game It’s nearly kickoff. Families and friends nationwide gather around the television and bundle up in stadiums and bleachers. They cheer on their sons and sports heroes as they battle over the holy pigskin. Bright lights illuminate sweat-drenched and grass-stained soldiers in their armored uniforms as they crouch, white-knuckled, ready […]
The Misery of Sex
Sex after cancer brings its own kind of debilitation. Women who have faced and beaten gynecologic or breast cancer often survive with a problem rarely discussed. The surgeries and treatments have left them with concerns about their sex life, but they don’t know where to turn for help. “It is sort of a ‘don’t ask, […]
CT Scan Conundrum
Radioactive scans can save lives, but at what risk? Over the past decade, the number of computerized axial tomography scans, better known as CT or CAT scans, has increased dramatically. But their widespread use also has led to questions about their safety. “CT use has exploded,” says Dr. Daniel Appelbaum, director of nuclear medicine and […]
Brain Tumors: Critical Questions to Ask Your Doctor
1. What kind of tumor do I have? 2. Where is it located? 3. What are the best treatment options? 4. If surgery is recommended: Please describe the surgery. What are the risks and benefits? Will you be able to remove the entire tumor? How will the surgery affect my cognitive and motor abilities? Will I […]
Age of the Machines
How the da Vinci robot is changing the face of surgery. The idea of machines conducting procedures on human beings has been a stronghold in science fiction for a while. We’ve seen the imagery countless times in books, on television and in movies. But only in the last decade has this futuristic vision become a day-to-day reality. […]
Brain Power
More noninvasive technology really getting at brain tumors The brain is the home for so much of our central being: It’s the place that houses our thoughts and emotions, stores our dearest memories and controls all of our behavior. So what happens when this home is invaded by the likes of a cancerous tumor? According […]
Cancer’s Target
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer and most difficult to treat The announcement that Steve Jobs had died of pancreatic cancer last week brought surprise and shock to many. After being diagnosed in 2004, he underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy, also known as a Whipple procedure that removed the tumor. And although he […]
The Power of Pink
Chicago is home to a range of organizations raising breast cancer awareness and offering assistance to those affected by the disease It’s October, and that means it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During these next few weeks, Chicago will be awash in a now-familiar pink hue—on display everywhere from the Bears’ team uniforms to the […]
A Quiet Killer
HPV awareness can save lives The Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, is quietly claiming the lives of thousands of women each year. What makes this stealthy killer so dangerous, besides the fact that there are almost always no signs of infection, is the reluctance of the American public to recognize infection can be prevented. […]
Fighting Young
When it comes to pediatric cancer, there are many uncertainties. But clinical trials are quickly saving more and more lives and letting kids, like Abigail Mendoza, live. Abigail Mendoza sat at the dinner table chewing alternating bites of homemade pizza and ranch- drenched carrot sticks. Her grin was constant. A toothy mash-up. A cross between […]
Know Your Stats
Men can do well in dealing with prostate cancer Most men can rattle off all sorts of statistics about sports; football, baseball, ultimate fighting… But many of them have no clue about a particularly important and potentially life-saving number: their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score. The PSA score, determined by a simple blood test, may indicate […]
Knowing the Signs: Identifying Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of a few diseases known as a “silent killer” because it lacks specific, concrete symptoms. But according to physicians and recent studies, the disease does present warning signs that women, especially those at high risk, shouldn’t ignore. In particular, the U.S. Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and the […]
The Invisible Killer: Lung Cancer Revealed
The pink ribbon that represents the fight against breast cancer is perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols. But can you name the color of the badge that supports lung cancer? It’s not surprising if you can’t. The looped ribbon is actually transparent (some have even dubbed it invisible) to underscore a pronounced lack of […]
Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Diane Yamada, principal investigator at the University of Chicago for the Gynecologic Oncology Group, encourages ovarian cancer patients to approach their physicians with the following queries: If there is a suspicion of ovarian or fallopian tube cancer based on a worrisome looking mass on ultrasound: • How suspicious am I for ovarian cancer, and […]
Diagnosed with Lung Cancer: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Malcolm DeCamp, professor and chief of the division of thoracic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, encourages lung cancer patients to approach their doctors with the following queries: What stage is my cancer, and how was that confirmed? Keep in mind that pathologic staging (which may involve biopsies of lymph nodes or […]
Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Breast cancer treatment is a partnership between the patient and several types of doctors. Patients should first make sure that they see a medical oncologist, who designs an overall treatment program. Patients should learn as much as possible about treatment options; don’t be afraid to ask questions, take notes, employ tape recorders or ask for […]
Think Pink: Innovations and Advancements in Breast Health
Breast cancer and fear go hand in hand. Both the disease and its treatment can be frightening and overwhelming. But thanks to pioneering research and the tireless work of dedicated health professionals, hospitals and medical centers across the nation—some right here in Chicago—are slowly but steadily replacing that fear with hope. The challenges, of course, […]
