Cancer

Many people have sworn by intermittent fasting as a way to lose weight or address other health concerns. Could it have an impact on your risk of developing breast cancer, too? A new study says it just might. Researchers from the University of San Diego School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, and Veterans Affairs San

Cancer is an extremely complex disease. There are over 200 different types, some of which are considered common and others which are classified as rare cancers. But what exactly does it mean if a cancer is rare?   Usually, it means it only affects a small handful of people, but doctors might also call a cancer

The development of two vaccines for COVID-19 that have received Emergency Use Authorization happened at “warp speed.”  Sadly, the plan for vaccine distribution has not been well planned out. The goal was to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2020. We are running behind this schedule. (see: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html) For the purposes of this

Breast cancer support groups can be a helpful resource for patients and survivors. They allow people to find others who can understand their experiences and who can provide empathy when they share their stories. Some breast cancer warriors choose to meet on the water to get their support, and to help further the cause of

High breast density has been linked to a potentially increased risk of breast cancer, and it can also make cancer harder to detect on a mammogram. However, a new study suggests that people with low breast density may not actually have the better lot in life after all. The study, published in JAMA Network Open,

Getting cancer treatment is draining, both physically and mentally. One woman battling breast cancer decided to put a positive spin on her situation by doing one random act of kindness during each of her recent 33 radiation treatments. That got her a spot on an NHL roster… an honorary one, anyway. Angelique Fong is a

In the United States, before any vaccine can be given, it must be approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This process usually takes many years. However, during a public health emergency, such as the current Covid-19 pandemic, the FDA has the option to allow emergency use of experimental drugs, devices, vaccines and other

When a cancer patient is undergoing radiation treatment, neither she nor the radiation therapist providing the treatment can see the actual beam of radiation. Once the patient is properly marked and positioned for treatment, it’s impossible to see whether the invisible beam continues to hit the right spot throughout the session. Of course, radiation therapists

Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. ….get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Begin each day with a grateful heart.~ Abraham Heschel The above quote is one I have above my bathroom mirror. It has known many homes since I

On the evening of Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, 400 lights were lit around the border of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of the 400,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in the U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris hosted the event, and both made speeches. A masked and socially distanced

Educators can have a profound impact on our lives. One Welsh teacher’s impact extended beyond the classroom. That’s why her fellow educators are donating to a breast cancer awareness fundraiser started in her memory. When Dawn Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer, she took her passion for teaching in another direction: spreading awareness about the

What is the COVID-19 vaccine? The COVID-19 vaccine is used to give your body immunity to the coronavirus (COVID-19). There are two vaccines currently available. These vaccines use a technology called messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine for infectious diseases, but researchers have been studying and working with them for

With hospitals scaling back offered procedures and the fear of contracting COVID-19 in hospitals, many people have been forgoing annual health screenings throughout the pandemic. Among those procedures being avoided is mammograms. A recent study out of California found that this year, women have been less apt to get their mammograms and more apt to

2020 has seen people across the globe impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Science is no exception – with many researchers focusing on the drive to develop treatments for the virus. But it doesn’t mean that cancer progress has been forgotten. From new oesophageal cancer screening methods to AI collaborations with Google, here are some

Have artificial intelligence company DeepMind really ‘solved’ the age-old protein folding problem? And what could it mean for our research? We asked two of our protein experts. 3D model of the crystal structure of the tumour marker protein. Credit: Sergunt. Earlier this month, biologist Mohammed AlQuraishi was driven to excitedly exclaim that a new set

2020 has certainly been tough, and no industry has been left untouched by the effects of the pandemic. And while the same undoubtedly goes for our work, we’ve once again been inspired by the resilience and determination of our researchers, who have continued their lifesaving work despite the ongoing challenges and are adjusting to a

Use these tips and nutritional information when thinking about serving sizes. Paige Dietz is a student dietetics volunteer at the Penn Abramson Cancer Center. She is currently working towards her second degree in nutrition at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. In 2013, Paige obtained her BBA in marketing at LIM College in New York,

Getting a mastectomy during breast cancer treatment is a very life-changing and stressful thing, often made more concerning when faced with what to do next. While many opt for reconstruction, a new study finds that women are increasingly becoming happy with “going flat.” The University of California Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center surveyed 931

Credit: Imperial science imagery So, we’re coming to the end of 2020 – and what a year it’s been. It’s been one of the most challenging periods in our history as a charity, and certainly my hardest year as a chief executive. We had to face some very hard truths throughout the course of this

Almost a year since the UK left the European Union, the transition period has ended. And we’ve left with a deal. This means the UK-EU relationship will be governed by a legal agreement that covers a broad range of activities that affect healthcare, including cancer services and research. After 5 years of debate, negotiations and

Section of human colon showing sausage-shaped crypts. Image courtesy of Winton lab.  This week, NHS England began to inform people that one of the bowel screening tests – bowel scope – will no longer be a part of the bowel screening programme in England. The test, which uses a thin, flexible tube with a small

A breast cancer cell. Credit: LRI EM Unit. 25 years ago, a team of our scientists were celebrating. Their risky strategy had paid off. “You look back and you do wonder about how we decided to do this, and basically it was because we believed that it was better to do high-risk research that potentially

Breast cancer affects people across all different backgrounds, but Black women in particular are more apt to get aggressive forms of the disease. They’re also more apt to die from it. New research aims to better understand this so that treatment can be more effective. Dr. Harikrishna Nakshatri of Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon

Judit Giró Benet, who was a biomedical engineering student at the University of Barcelona at the time, first got the idea for the Blue Box when she found out that nearly 40 percent of women skip their routine breast cancer screenings. About one-third of cancers are detected too late to be survived, so Judit knew

Almost 200 people in Pine Bluff, Arkansas are receiving an unexpected gift from a kind doctor. That doctor, Omar Atiq, is the founder of the Arkansas Cancer Institute and an oncologist. When he sent out his holiday greeting cards this year, he informed those cancer patients that he was wiping out their balances. The card

It’s still nearly impossible to know why certain people will develop breast cancer and certain people won’t, but there are some things we can all do to decrease our risk. And two recent studies show that one of the things you might need to change about your lifestyle is how much you use your cell

It’s been a year of lots of losses. Lots of sadness and grief and pain. And also strength, grit, resilience and hope. All of this is what I’m feeling today, as I prepare myself mentally to watch Alex Trebeck’s last episode of Jeopardy tonight. I’m grieving another loss—of someone I never met, never personally knew—but

Cancer patients frequently have to go through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other harsh treatments, which can wreak havoc on their hair and even cause it all to fall out. Luckily, it normally comes back once you’re done with treatment, but it might take a while to come back, and it could come back in a