New Rules Mean Those at Lung Cancer Risk May Receive Annual Screening

Lung cancer, like many other forms of this often devastating disease, is generally easier for medical professionals to tackle when it is caught as early as possible. Early detection, however, has sometimes been hampered by a lack of access to more advanced screening procedures to find this disease in earlier stages. All of that is beginning to change.

Courtesy of studies that have demonstrated higher survival rates for patients whose cancer is found early, Medicare has announced that it will cover low-dose computed tomography (CT) screenings on an annual basis for some at-risk patients. While the rules may vary somewhat based on the specific insurance a person has, the door for better screening has been opened.

Understanding the ins and outs of the new rules is important not only for medical professionals, but also patients who may find themselves asked to report for yearly exams. Under the new rules, those at highest risk for lung cancer development will be provided access to CT screening exams.

Medicare defines higher risk patients as those who are current or former smokers age 55 to 77, and sometimes up to age 80. People eligible for yearly exams must have smoked what amounts to about a pack a day for 30 years or more. For those former smokers, they need to have quit within the previous 15 years to be considered eligible. It’s also important to note that eligible screening candidates should have no current respiratory symptoms.

The reason for the change in the rules is simple: CT scans can lead to more effective early interventions. The National Lung Screening Trial found that CT scans can reduce the mortality rate of heavy smokers by 20 percent by leading to faster, more effective interventions. The increase in effectiveness is compared to standard X-ray exams.

People who are at high risk for lung cancer are urged to talk with their medical professionals about reducing their risks. Depending on age and length of habit, more aggressive early screening options may be available.

Radiation Therapies Have Improved by Leaps and Bounds

Radiation therapy for cancer treatment has long been proven to be beneficial. This type of treatment, however, presented some potential pitfalls in its application. While high-energy radiation is known to damage DNA so completely that cancer cells die, the cells around a tumor can also be harmed in the process.

Practitioners say advancements in this technology have combined to make radiation treatments safer today than they’ve ever been before. New technologies in the treatment of different types of cancer have enabled doctors to better pinpoint these therapies to eradicate cancer while sparing as many other cells as possible. Here are just a few of the advancements that have been made to make radiation treatment safer:

• Better positioning for breast cancer patients – A simple change of patient positioning during radiation treatments has proven incredibly beneficial for producing safer results. Rather than have a patient lie on the back, doctors are finding a facedown position pulls radiation away from the heart and lungs while reducing the amount of tissue irradiated in the right breast by 86 percent and 91 percent in the left.

• Prostate cancer spacer gel – This new technique enables a spacing gel to be placed between the prostate and the rectum that effectively moves the rectum out of the way during treatment. This can spare the rectum from taking collateral damage.

• Better insights – Image-guided radiation therapy has enabled doctors to better see a tumor before and during treatment. This, in turn, improves precision and accuracy of treatments.

• Reduced treatment requirements – Some forms of cancer, such as lung, liver and spine, are now requiring fewer treatments courtesy of stereotactic body radiation therapy. This can limit collateral exposure while still proving effective in treatment.

• Better access – Technological advances, such as proton-beam therapy, have enabled doctors to target hard-to-reach tumors better with lower doses of radiation.

Radiation therapy has come a long way in recent years. Thanks to advances, doctors are often able to spare nearby cells while still ensuring effective tumor shrinkage.

The Cancer Notebook: Why You Need One?

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, chances are pretty strong you have a lot of questions on your mind. Unfortunately, it’s also likely these questions are coming so fast and furious you can’t sort them well enough to speak a coherent sentence let alone carry on a serious conversation with your doctor.

It’s OK! Just breathe, give yourself some time to process what you’ve been told and grab a notebook. That’s right, a notebook!
Your notebook doesn’t have to be fancy to be beneficial – a basic ring design will work fine. As you square off to fight the disease, this notebook can come in handy for such things as:

•    Jotting down questions for your doctor – Following the initial diagnosis, you’ll have lots of questions about treatment options, what to expect, how long the process should take and so on. Dedicate a portion of your notebook specifically for questions you need to ask your doctor. Be sure to leave space so you can write down notes as he or she answers, too.

•    Recording your thoughts – Cancer treatments can be scary and it sometimes helps to simply write down your thoughts, hopes, dreams and fears. This can help you get through long night when sleep just won’t come and it can also assist while you’re waiting on appointments you’d rather not be at.

•    Keeping a record of side effects – While side effects and many cancer treatments do go hand in hand, that’s not always the case. Err on the side of caution by writing down all symptoms for review by your doctor at your next appointment. Remember, if symptoms are severe, it’s best to call right away and not wait for that appointment.

Facing off with cancer is no easy task and neither is keeping all the questions in your mind straight as you prepare for battle. A “cancer notebook” can help you make sure the questions that need to be asked are.

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Using the Internet to Provide Cancer Support

There are millions of people who have battled cancer and who will battle cancer in the future. And yet when your loved one is diagnosed with cancer - or you, yourself, are diagnosed with cancer - it can suddenly feel as if you are alone in the world. There is nothing lonelier that trying to decipher all the information about a disease from which you are suddenly inseparable and determine what to do in terms of treatment. It is a surreal, overwhelming time and it can feel as if you are adrift in a boat over which you have no control.

Slowly but surely most of us will realize that we indeed have a rich and varied community available to us - membership in a club that none of us wanted to join. But that membership does mean that we have access to people who have come before us and, in turn, we are able to provide that support to those who will inevitably come after us. We have the benefit of their experiences and the information they have gathered, and this can very much help us feel that we are not so alone. There are others who have felt this indescribable feeling; others who have stood where we now stand.

In the age of the internet we are luckier than ever in having access to this information and community support. Using the internet - community forums, online support groups, cancer informational resource pages, and more - we can:

• Better understand the details of our diagnosis and the treatment options that are available to us.
• Learn what questions we should be asking of our doctors.
• Read about natural options for helping to ease symptoms that arise from treatment.
• Talk with people who truly understand what we are feeling.
• Give us hope by reading the stories of those who have battled before us and come out the other side.

Take advantage of all that the internet has to offer in terms of helping us to achieve a better understanding of cancer and a calmer, more positive outlook in our health care plan.

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Scheduling Cancer Screenings for the New Year

There is a significant amount of information regarding cancer - including types, stages, diagnosis, treatment, causes, and much, much more. Sifting through the information depends on your diagnosis - or potential diagnosis - and if you will be undergoing treatment. But one piece of information seems to remain consistent across the board - early diagnosis is absolutely crucial for successful treatment in most cases and in very many cases can save your life. Yet people still often put off the screenings that they know they should be having.

Now, with the New Year upon us, it’s a great time to make a commitment to ourselves and our health by scheduling our routine screenings.

•    Women who are age 21 and older should make their appointments with their gynecologist to get a regular pap smear - a routine screening for cervical cancer.

•    Starting at age 40, women should schedule their mammogram appointments which screens for breast cancer. For women who have been told by their doctor that they have dense breast tissue, a breast ultrasound may be ordered as a supplement to - or instead of - a mammogram.

•    Both men and women age 50 or over should schedule a colonoscopy - a test that screens for polyps and colon cancer.

•    Beginning at age 50, men should be screened for prostate cancer - an easy screening that takes place right in the doctor’s office.

With this new commitment to regular screenings on the table, it is also important to commit to a healthy lifestyle through a healthy diet, regular exercise, regular use of sun block, staying away from tobacco, and limiting alcohol use.

There are none among us who would skip a regular screening for our children but, sadly, many of us do much better at taking care of others than we do at taking care of ourselves. Now is the time. When it comes to overall health and cancer prevention, make this New Year your new start for getting healthy and taking care of yourself.

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Choosing Breast Cancer Care

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer you understand how overwhelming such a diagnosis can be for anyone. You have been given devastating news about your body - news that is likely quite surreal. On top of this news that surely has you in an emotional tailspin, you have been given a lot of information that you have to process on an intellectual level. It’s all very overwhelming and it can be challenging to know where to start. There will be many decisions along the way regarding your treatment and all that is connected to that. But for now the most important decision to make - the decision that will determine all the rest - is choosing the appropriate breast cancer team.

So what do you look for when it comes to choosing a medical team to stand beside you throughout the treatment process?

Breast Cancer Specialty - There are many wonderful cancer doctors around the country and likely in your region. But not every doctor specializes in every cancer. Be sure to choose a doctor and team that specifically specialize in breast cancer. A specialist will be plugged in to all the newest treatments and technologies and will provide you the guidance and expertise you deserve.

Reputation Among Breast Cancer Patients - You will soon find that much of your support will come from others who have undergone treatment for breast cancer - or are currently undergoing treatment. There’s no one who can better understand what you are going through than someone who has experienced breast cancer. Get online and look for breast cancer support groups that can offer you insight into physicians in your area who specialize in treatment for breast cancer.

Your Gut - Ultimately, how you feel with a doctor is what should make your decision for you. It’s important that you feel respected and that your questions are answered thoroughly. The doctor you choose will be a companion to you throughout this challenging journey and you will want a doctor with whom you feel comfortable and at ease.

There are many advancements being made every day in the world of breast cancer treatment. Align yourself with a strong team to expertly guide you through your treatment.

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Can Alternative Cancer Treatments Help in the Process?

The fatigue, nausea, and generalized discomfort that go along with cancer treatment can make coping very difficult. That’s why many patients also seek out alternative treatments that can help them ease the side effects so common with chemotherapy and other cancer therapies.

Alternative treatments can make a big difference in the overall treatment process, but they are recommended for use in conjunction with primary treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. While the effectiveness of alternative treatments can vary from person to person, they can make a difference in a number of ways. For some, they ease the stress associated with the diagnosis. Others may find they help ease sleep disorders, vomiting, and nausea.

So, what types of alternative treatments are available to cancer patients as they battle the disease? Here are just a few of the options that can make coping a bit easier:

•        Massage therapy – This is a great way to reduce stress and enable relaxation. This type of therapy has been shown to be quite helpful in easing some of the symptoms faced by cancer patients.

•        Meditation – Overall, relaxation techniques can be very useful in helping cancer patients relieve stress while relaxing their minds and bodies. Meditation can also help improve sleep while creating a more positive state of mind to face what’s ahead.

•        Acupuncture – This treatment can also be a great stress-buster. Some patients also find it very useful in pain relief.

•        Exercise – While it can be hard to imagine exercising while undergoing cancer treatments, this form of therapy can make a big difference. Not only does it help reduce stress and improve heart health, it can help combat some of the symptoms while assisting with energy maintenance. Yoga and Tai Chi are often recommended in this regard.

•        Aromatherapy – This is also quite good for helping alleviate stress and may even help with nausea reduction in some patients.

While alternative treatments are never meant to replace cancer therapy that’s designed to attack the disease and stop it in its tracks, they can prove quite useful. To find out more, just check with your doctor for ideas that might suit your personal needs.

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