When is the cost of treatment too high?

CANCER DIGEST – Nov. 24, 2017 – Unfortunately, that’s a question that too many cancer patients face every day. As the cost of newer and sometimes more effective treatments soar into the thousands of dollars per month more and more patients are making choices that reduce the effectiveness of those treatments.

In a recent National Cancer Opinion Survey, by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), 27 percent of Americans who have cancer or have a family member with cancer have taken steps to lower their treatment costs. Such steps include skipping appointments, refusing treatment, not filling prescriptions, skipping doses or splitting doses, all are actions that can reduce the effectiveness of treatment.

IUDs may protect against cervical cancer

CANCER DIGEST – Nov. 17, 2017 – Use of intrauterine devices or IUDs to prevent pregnancy may also prevent cervical cancer, a new study from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine shows.

An analysis of data from 16 observational studies involving more than 12,000 women worldwide showed that women using an IUD, experienced cervical cancer one-third less often compared to those who didn’t use the devices.

Few people recognize alcohol as a cancer risk

CANCER DIGEST – Nov. 10, 2017 – Alcohol use increases the risk of breast, colon, esophageal and oral cancers according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) the largest organization of cancer doctors in the world.

More worrisome to the doctors were results of its National Cancer Opinion Survey they conducted earlier this year that showed 70 percent of Americans do not recognize drinking alcohol as a risk factor for cancer.

Strength exercise lowers cancer death risk

CANCER DIGEST – Nov. 6, 2017 – People who do push-ups and sit-ups, or other weight-based training have a 23 percent overall lower risk of dying prematurely and a 31 percent lower risk of dying from cancer, according to a new Australian study.

In the largest study to compare the mortality outcomes of different types of exercise researchers found the link between strength-based exercise and death due to different causes.