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Cancer Care and Screenings
A Guide to Ovarian Cancer: Risk Factors, Symptoms and Treatment
Posted November 21, 2022 by Clarissa Polen-De, M.D.
The ovaries may be small, but they are mightily important in a female’s reproductive cycle. With each about the size and shape of an almond, the ovaries produce eggs, as well as the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
You don’t often hear about a loved one developing ovarian cancer because it’s not very common. However, it does deserve your attention, especially if you’re at high risk. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among females,…
7 Cancer Treatments That Are Improving Patient Outcomes
Posted October 24, 2022 by Teresa Goebel, D.O.
Nearly 40 percent of individuals in this country will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, according to the National Cancer Institute. Breast, lung, prostate, colon and skin cancers are among the most common cancers diagnoses.
Fortunately, there are many cancer treatment options available today to cure a cancer, slow the progression or even reduce side effects from cancer — with several more being studied. Cancer treatments include local treatments,…
Summa Health Answers Your Questions About Breast Cancer Screenings
Posted October 03, 2022 by Victoria Van Fossen, M.D.
Early detection of breast cancer matters. The 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is lower in advanced stages of the disease. Many times women wait until they experience symptoms, like a lump, before they get a mammogram or clinical breast exam. By then, the cancer may have spread and be more difficult to treat and cure.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in females. That’s why for decades, October and the color pink have gone hand in hand to promote…
Oral, Head And Neck Cancers: Get The Facts On Risk Factors, Symptoms
Posted June 20, 2022 by Greg Manson, M.D.
While head and neck cancers are not the most common malignancies diagnosed in the US, it affects a significant number of patients. According to the National Cancer Institute, this group of cancers occur in about 4 percent of all cancers in the country.
While more common cancers such as breast, colon and lung cancer are more known, oral, head and neck cancers can and do occur, especially in men. Additionally, the population affected by this disease has changed over the…
Colorectal cancer screening: Which test is right for you?
Posted March 07, 2022 by Truong Ma, M.D.
As the third leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the U.S., screening for colorectal cancer should be an important part of your routine healthcare.
Colon and rectal cancers, more commonly known as colorectal cancer, can be found early with testing before it has a chance to grow and spread. And studies prove catching it early when the cancer is easier to treat improves patient outcomes.
Just look at the survival rate for colorectal cancer as proof.…
Get the facts on lung cancer so you can breathe easier
Posted November 29, 2021 by Sandy Kohut, RRT
You’re not a smoker, so you can’t be at risk for lung cancer, right? Not so fast.
While smokers, especially cigarette smokers, make up the leading cause of lung cancer deaths, nonsmokers do get diagnosed with this deadly disease.
Lung cancer is the second most common diagnosed cancer in both men and women, and the leading cause of cancer deaths, making up almost 25 percent in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
However, despite how…
What does "High Risk" for Breast Cancer really mean?
Posted October 17, 2021 by Victoria L. Van Fossen, MD
One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime; this is considered average risk for U.S. women. High risk for breast cancer is defined as a greater than or equal to 20% lifetime risk, or in other words, a one in five chance of developing breast cancer over a lifetime. We all know someone — a coworker, family member such as a mother, sister, daughter or friend — that has been diagnosed with this disease.
That’s why for…
What You Need to Know about Colorectal Screenings [Podcast]
Posted April 19, 2021
Dr. John Fondran discusses the importance of colorectal health, and why getting screened is important.
Breast Cancer: The Importance of Knowing Your Risk [Podcast]
Posted October 26, 2020 by Keristen Brantley, MD & Victoria Van Fossen, MD
Dr. Keristen Brantley & Dr. Victoria Van Fossen discuss Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment.
Think Pink: How to lower your risk for breast cancer
Posted October 18, 2020
For decades, October and the color pink have gone hand in hand to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. The universal pink ribbon represents prevention, early detection and treatment — supporting the mission to spread awareness and education.
According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer affects one in eight women, and chances are you know someone — a co-worker, a family member, a friend — who has been diagnosed. Other than skin cancer, it is the most commonly…
MRI Fusion Biopsy for Prostate Cancer - What is it and Why is it Better?
Posted December 16, 2019 by Joseph S Dankoff, MD
Should I get a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) Test?
Posted November 03, 2019 by Joshua B Nething, MD
It can be difficult to face the idea of getting screened for prostate cancer, and many people opt out due to fear, inconvenience, or lack of knowledge of the symptoms. There is clear scientific evidence that screening with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can help identify cancer early on which makes treatment more effective and reduces the number of deaths associated with prostate cancer.
We’ve compiled some valuable information below so that you can…
Colon Cancer Screening: What Are Your Options?
Posted March 05, 2019 by Cindy Jones, BSN, RN, OCN, CTTS Patient Care Navigator, Oncology Services
Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable, treatable and beatable cancers; however, early detection is key.
Risks increase with age and according to the CDC, more than 90 percent of colorectal cancers occur in those over the age of 50. Unfortunately, most precancerous polyps don’t cause any symptoms. Once the cancer has reached a more progressive stage, symptoms may appear. Those symptoms can include blood in or on the stool, stomach aches, pain or cramping that doesn’t go away, unexplained weight loss and change in bowel habits. These symptoms do occur in many other diseases and infections, you should consult with your doctor immediately.
What you should know about urological cancers
Posted August 02, 2018 by Joshua B Nething, M.D., Summa Health Medical Group - Urology
Did you know one out of every 10 men in the US will develop prostate cancer? This form is the most common cancer in men. Bladder cancer, another common cancer in the US, affects as many as 68,000 individuals every year. It’s the fourth leading cancer for men and the eleventh for women. For men ages 15 to 44, testicular cancer is the leading type of cancer. What do all of these have in common? They are cancers that form in or affect parts of the urinary tract.
Immunotherapy-for-Melanoma
Posted July 30, 2018 by Sameer A Mahesh, MD Hematology, Medical Oncology
Did you know skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States? If caught early, skin cancer is one of the easier cancers to treat. However, every hour of every day one American dies from melanoma, its deadliest form.
There are various treatments for melanoma, depending on the stage at which a patient is diagnosed, including: surgery to remove the affected area, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a relatively new treatment called immunotherapy.
Reducing the Risk of Colorectal Cancer
Posted March 22, 2018 by Costas H. Kefalas, M.D., MMM, FACP, FACG, FASGE, AGAF
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer remains the #3 cancer killer in the U.S., yet it is one of the most preventable types of cancer. Statistically, 1 in 22 men and 1 in 24 women will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2018 more than 140,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 50,000 of them are expected to die of this disease. Colorectal cancer screening could save more than half…