Lung Cancer + Original Articles

The Link Between Shift Work and Cancer Risk

Shift work (working during the time when most people are asleep) may increase your risk of cancer learn what you can do about it. Sleep is critical to our overall health and well-being. Prolonged sleep disruptions, such as those that come with working non-daytime hours, prevent the brain from performing important restorative tasks. A number of studies also suggest long-term shift work is associated with a higher risk of certain types of cancer, especially breast cancer.

Should You Exercise When Treating Cancer?

For cancer patients and survivors, exercise can help improve physical functioning, fatigue, and quality of life and may improve chances of survival. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 25 Americans are now cancer survivors. This number shows how prevalent the disease is, and has also prompted experts to look at the ways patients can improve their health, quality of life, and chances of survival.

Does Alcohol Increase Your Risk of Cancer?

Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cancer, but the headlines may be a bit misleading. Recent news reports have raised concerns that drinking alcohol increases the risk for melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. Alcohol is a significant risk factor for cancer, but the headlines are a bit misleading. What the research really says about alcohol and cancer risk The study in question reports that people who drink alcohol regularly had a 20 percent higher risk of developing malignant (spreading) melanoma than people who drink occasionally or not at all.

"Cold Caps" May Prevent Hair Loss From Chemo

One of the most psychologically and socially devastating side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. Although not yet FDA-approved, cold caps have helped many women hold onto their locks. Widely used in Europe and Canada, "cold cap therapy," is a treatment that involves cooling the scalp during chemotherapy so that many potent anti-cancer drugs are prevented from getting to the hair follicles and damaging them. Chemotherapy is a major stressor on the body, and hair loss is one of its more visible effects.

Can Honeybees Detect Cancer?

Research shows bees can be trained to sniff out early-stage cancer. The highly honed sense of smell that honeybees possess could one day help detect early stage cancer. That's according to new research from Portuguese scientist Susana Soares. Her project, BEE's, New Organs of Perception, explores how bees use their sensitive olfactory systems to detect illness in humans.

10 Ways to Avoid Job Stress When You Have Cancer

While there are many benefits to working while sick, you ll still have to cope with job stress and the side effects of treatment. Here s help. When you're undergoing cancer treatment, you might be tempted to take a leave of absence from your job. But continuing to work can be good for your mental health, according to Melanie Whetzel, a senior consultant on the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy's Job Accommodation Network's (JAN) cognitive/neurological team.

Divorce Rates Among Cancer Patients

A cancer diagnosis may raise a woman's risk of divorce. Here's why. When you exchanged wedding vows with your spouse, you promised to love, honor, and cherish each other in sickness and health. But if you became ill, would your husband stand by these promises? While you may take this fact for granted, for some women grappling with cancer, their diagnosis has led to the end of their marriage.

Consider Becoming a Platelet Donor

Many patients undergoing chemotherapy are in need of platelets. Here's how you can help. Platelets—vital to good health—are tiny fragments of blood cells that help prevent bruising or serious bleeding. "They plug up tiny breaks in the blood vessels that occur in normal individuals, and low levels of platelets can lead to serious problems," explains Andrew Yeager, MD, of the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

What's Your White Blood Cell Count?

In addition to knowing your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol numbers, you should also know your white blood cell count. Here's the lifesaving reason why. If you're like many people, you probably have an annual physical exam that includes tests such as a complete blood count, blood sugar, and cholesterol. And chances are that the results you focus on are the cholesterol and triglycerides—if they're elevated, your health care provider may tell you to make some dietary changes to get them back into the normal range.

Nanomedicine: New Options for Cancer Patients

Nanometer, nanotechnology, nanomedicine. You may have come across these terms, but what do they mean? And how can they help you? Nanomedicine is the use of nanotechnology to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease, and nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a very small scale. The National Nanotechnology Initiative defines it as "science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, or between 1 and 100 nanometers.

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