For the month of March, which is Colon Cancer Awareness Month, I want to review the early symptoms of colon cancer so we can prevent this disease more successfully. Colon cancer is one of the few cancer you can prevent by doing colonoscopies.

The general recommendation is to have a baseline colonoscopy at 50 years and then repeat it every 5 to 10 years, which reflects that polyps or colon cancer development takes a long time. This leaves a window of opportunity to do the screening, remove polyps, and prevent colon cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

We know that throughout history people have lived well when their diets were rich in fruit and vegetables. There is evidence that eating fruits and vegetables helps to reduce gastric and colon cancer. All fruits and vegetables contain fiber which is helpful in preventing colon cancer. Now science has proven without a doubt that there is a relationship between intake of fruits and vegetables and health. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most important fears after a cancer diagnosis is suffering during chemotherapy. But patients also are afraid that the cancer will cause suffering  from pain that can’t be treated. Almost all patients with cancer are most afraid of pain and controlling it.

It is so important that cancer patients and their caregivers know how to manage pain because patients in pain do not eat, do not drink do not exercise, and do not interact. One of the major misconception for pain control is that the patient will become addicted. Patients may want to save medicine for it when it gets really bad. It needs to be very clear that the best pain control is early intervention. When pain is developing is the time take a painkiller. Don’t wait til it reaches 10/10. Read the rest of this entry »

For years I have worked closely with Selma Schimmel from the Group Room who provides a radio talk show on cancer every Sunday for two hours. Anyone interested can call in and ask their questions of experts.

Every Sunday a specific topic is discussed such as colon cancer, breast cancer, clinical trials etc. Next Sunday, March 1, the topics will be colon cancer and the issue of young adults with cancer since March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Broadcast times are  4-6pm ET, 3-5pm CT,1-3pm PT. Read the rest of this entry »

We talk so much about cancer patients and their needs and treatment options, but we easily forget to make sure the caregivers are looked after.

In busy practices we use the caregiver to make sure all appointment are kept, to ensure compliance with therapies, to watch and evaluate patients, and identify red flags about when to call or get concerned. Read the rest of this entry »