As Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, May is the perfect time to encourage people to examine their skin and seek medical assistance if they recognize signs of a melanoma. Early detection and prompt treatment is associated with a much higher survival rate for skin cancer diagnoses.

Despite U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations, screening rates for smokers at high risk for lung cancer remain very low, according to the findings from a new study published in JAMA Oncology.
 

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new draft revisions for prostate cancer screening guidelines. In the draft, the USPSTF has changed its previous stance on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening tests for men aged 55–69. The drafted guidelines now recommend PSA screening tests for men aged 55–69 based on individual assessment. The USPSTF has upgraded its recommendation from D to C, encouraging physicians to discuss with their patients whether PSA testing is right for them. The USPSTF still recommends against PSA screening tests in patients aged 70 or older.

My husband is a gerontologist. My oldest daughter is an RN working with acutely ill elderly patients at a busy academic medical center. They both know that living to 90 or 100 years old is becoming the norm. They’ll also tell you that the habits formed throughout a lifetime can make a big difference in the quality of life as one gets older.

Because April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to understand the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and oropharyngeal cancers. This form of oral cancer occurs in the middle part of the throat, soft palate, base of the tongue, and tonsils. HPV contributes to more than 70% of all oropharyngeal cancers, with more than half of these being related to HPV type 16. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that approximately 9,000 new cases of oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed annually and are typically four times more common in men than women.

After the GOP spent weeks lobbying for support, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) informed President Trump on March 24 that the replacement healthcare proposal, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), did not have enough support in the House of Representatives. The bill was pulled from voting, which ensured that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be in place for the foreseeable future. The Republican party failed to garner enough support for the bill, with some moderates fearing it would strand many without access to health care, whereas more conservative factions believed the AHCA didn’t dismantle enough portions of the ACA.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has gained control over all tobacco products and released new finalized rules in 2016 on the oversight of them. According to Mitch Zeller, JD, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, before the FDA’s final rule, certain tobacco products could be sold without any review of ingredients, the process of how they were made, and the potential dangers associated with them.

As an ONS member, I participate in the Bipartisan Policy Center and represent oncology nursing in dialogue and advocacy regarding health policy topics that are at the forefront of cancer care.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has had considerable authority for the marketing and distribution of tobacco products for some time, the agency has been much more aggressive in asserting its jurisdiction over the issue in recent years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new information on the disparities in smoking rates among racial and ethnic groups in the United States. According to the report, despite a decline in cigarette smoking rates in adults since 1964, there are disparities in Native American, Alaska Natives, Korean, and Puerto Rican Americans.

Maintaining and restoring health through the promotion of disease screening and early detection is a vital part of nursing. That role becomes no less important after a cancer diagnosis. Patients with cancer remain at risk for other malignancies, and that risk may even increase depending on treatment regimens.

While alerting the public, and even specific demographics, about the many important healthy lifestyle choices, many Americans can easily tune out the information. With the number of different recommendations and guidelines, it can be easy for the average American to hear only white noise.

Worldwide, cancer is one of the leading causes of death, but a new study reported in PLoS One has found that most people ignore cancer warning signs, attributing them to symptoms of less serious illnesses.

A new international study reported in Nutrients has found that certain lifestyle factors—specifically, eating diets high in animal products and smoking—have the strongest association with cancer rates compared to other risk-modifying factors.