In this very personal guest post, Dr. Patricia Rockman describes her inspirational story of cancer and what it’s taught her about using Mindfulness to help “deal with life events skillfully and with a little more ease”. She and her colleagues are offering an 8-week course in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy…
In this guest post Dr. Patricia Rockman describes the use of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for cancer. Mindfulness and Cancer Mindfulness is entering the culture everywhere, from healthcare, work, and education, to colouring books and sport. However, it is within the field of healthcare that it enjoys the most research-backed…
It was with great interest that I downloaded a recent review article on the topic of selenium supplements and cancer-related lymphedema (ref 1), and when I saw the authors’ summary of their findings, I had to read it right away. Here’s what it says: Not only does it say…
What is the average patient’s experience of head and neck lymphedema? Am I a ‘typical’ case, or somehow unique? You may suspect that you have lymphedema in your head or neck, or perhaps you’ve been formerly diagnosed with it. But often patients with lymphedema have little exposure to others with the condition….
Lymphedema is a common complication of lymphadenectomy (lymph node removal), a routine practice used for cancer staging and the treatment of a variety of cancer types including melanoma. But not everyone who has lymph nodes removed gets lymphedema, and the incidence of lymphedema differs between cancer types. So what is…
Current clinical evidence suggests that local estrogen therapy is both safe and effective for treating the vaginal and urinary symptoms of estrogen decline in menopausal women. But is it safe for breast cancer survivors? The natural decrease in estrogen levels during menopause causes vaginal atrophy (also known as atrophic vaginitis,…
A variety of upper body pain and function disorders are common in patients treated for breast cancer. Nerve disorder side effects can be some of the most severe and difficult to diagnose, due in part to their broad and variable symptoms. Patient awareness, self-advocacy, and cancer rehabilitation is needed to overcome these…
Chemotherapy is not currently considered to be a risk factor for developing lymphedema. Yet there is a small but growing collection of clinical research that appears to indicate otherwise. Is it time to include chemotherapy as a risk factor for lymphedema? How much additional risk might it impart, and is…
Many cancer survivors report cognitive problems following chemotherapy – dubbed ‘chemo brain’, but the underlying causes remain unclear. New data suggests that an inability to sustain attention over time, crucial to normal daily activities and instrumental for other areas of cognitive function, may be to blame. This suggests strategies for combating it….
Innovative techniques are being used to help researchers investigate and understand lymphatic function. Understanding the mechanics of lymph transport can offer valuable insight to patients living with lymphedema, and will lead to better clinical management and new therapeutic targets. Here we provide a brief overview of our current understanding of…
