Cancer survivorship is filled with many challenges, hopes, and expectations. June 5 marks National Survivorship Day, and survivorship is being celebrated throughout the month. Survivors are often not sure where they're going once their cancer journey commences. In my practice, I care for people with a genetic risk for cancer, and I work with survivors on a regular basis.

Cancer prehabilitation is a whole-person approach to quality cancer care. Along with potential physical gains, patients who participate in cancer prehabilitation (interventions started prior to cancer therapies) may also benefit emotionally and socially. The Case of the Deconditioned Patient focused on the physical benefits Frank experienced as a result of attending prehabilitation before he had surgery for lung cancer. Frank’s psychological gains were no less impressive.

I was more than a bit nervous to make the call. After all, she was a biology professor and knew more about life on a cellular level than I could possibly fathom. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. And I was calling to educate her?

Urban legends. Myths. Sometimes you should not believe everything you hear or read. The more emotionally charged the issue, often the bigger the myth. In my practice of providing cancer risk assessment and genetics education and counseling, patients often thank me at the end of the session and tell me they are going to explore the information more extensively at home on the internet. 

I was recently at a lovely event with a buffet. The food was spectacular and there were many choices for eaters of all palates. What struck me was the large size of the plates provided. It felt like they were encouraging diners to take larger portions or to load up on many different foods. There’s no doubt that many adults and children have no idea what a reasonable portion looks like or even what constitutes a serving. In all honesty, the size of the plate matters more than you think.

People will discuss the enormous amount of snow that fell on the East Coast during January 2016 for some time to come. It was predicted, and the snowfall lived up to the hype. My daughters have lived with healthcare professionals their entire lives, and they know that healthcare providers do not get a day off just because the weather is bad. There are no snow days. Patients are still sick. Many people do not stop to think about the sacrifices and extra time it takes healthcare providers to get to work during inclement weather. Just prior to the big snow, there had been a smaller one in St.

Emergencies in high-risk patients with cancer can lead to complications, and nurses are often the first line of defense to recognize signs and symptoms and initiate a therapeutic response.