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Despite compelling evidence that mental health support for patients with cancer improves their follow‐up care and quality of life, many patients struggle to gain access to needed mental health services. An organization that offers free resources to cancer patients and their caregivers has entered into a partnership that will offer personalized digital support to patients in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of entering the physical therapy (PT) field.

The author shares the lessons learned by Ryan Benn, publisher and chief executive officer (CEO) of Alive Publishing Group and Canada Wide Media, on dealing with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx. He discusses his thought when he first found the lump in his neck, his reaction when he learned that he had a cancer, and lessons he learned about having a cancer.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer, along with her sister.

The article discusses health information on the use of hyperthermia therapy in the treatment of cancer, adapted from the book "Holistic Cancer Medicine," by Henning Saupe. Topics explored include the impact of hyperthermia on cancer cells during radiation treatment, the possibility of combining hyperthermia with immunotherapy and anticancer medications, and the observed improvement in the mood of cancer patients following hyperthermia therapy.

The article presents the discussion on Representative Jamie Raskin decided that he wants to drive himself to chemotherapy. Topics include no twangs of self-pity in his voice speaking openly and easily about the realities of having cancer; and going through cancer without a lot of love and support, and it makes me terribly sad, but that’s not my situation.

The article focuses on the loneliness of older Australian men diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer (PCa). Topics include adverse events that are reported to impact men's self-esteem and relationships leading to potential social disconnected and decreased engagement with healthcare, consequence of living with PCa diagnosis and/or following treatment men, and role of nurses in addressing the psycho-social and emotional aspects of PCa treatment that men experience on their cancer journey.

The latest studies of interest to primary care clinicians, rounded up by Mark Greener [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shares author's experience of facing testicular cancer, from diagnosis to treatment, highlighting the importance of early detection and regular check-ups for young men ages 20 to 40.

In the article, the author discusses the changing landscape in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancers in Australia. Also cited are the rising number of cancer survivors due to enhanced screening, detection and precision medicine, the shift in the approach of cancer care and survivorship due to the declaration of cancer as a chronic disease, and the author's experiences in surviving cancer.

The article highlights a study showing that depression in breast cancer patients significantly increases mortality risk compared to those without depression. Topics discussed include the impact of depression on survival rates, psychosocial factors contributing to increased mortality, and the need for integrated physical and psychological support for breast cancer patients.

The article discusses 2024 data which show that the Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier test has prognostic value for disease progression among patients with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer under active surveillance (AS). It cites findings that higher Decipher and androgen receptor activity (AR-A) scores, and luminal tumor subtypes in the Prediction Analysis of Microarray 50 (PAM50) may be biomarkers for patients under AS who are likely to respond to enzalutamide treatment.

The article offers information on Tiah Tomlin-Harris, a breast cancer survivor and advocate, hosting a Let's Beat Breast Cancer rally in Fulton County, Georgia, on september 21, 2024.

The article considers the option for men with low-risk prostate cancer to stop active surveillance, which involves the monitoring of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and having regular digital rectal exams. It discusses the goal of AS to defer surgery or radiation to avoid possible effects of treatments. It refers to psychological factor as a reason for staying on AS, while increasing age as a possible reason to end AS.

Objective. To describe prevalence of chronic diseases and evaluate associations between comorbidities and quality of life in gynecologic cancer patients in Puerto Rico. Methods. A cross-sectional study among 233 women aged ≥21 years with a gynecologic cancer diagnosis. Through telephone interviews, information on comorbidities, quality of life, and other covariates were assessed. Quality of life included six items, assessing physical and mental health. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate magnitude of association between the comorbidities under study (diabetes, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases) and quality-of-life items, through adjusted prevalence odds ratio (aPOR; 95% confidence interval [CI]). Results. Most women (90.1%) reported one or more comorbidities in addition to their cancer diagnosis; cardiovascular diseases (63.1%) were more common than autoimmune diseases (37.3%) and diabetes (33.9%). Between 30% and 40% of the sample indicated dysfunctions in their general health (39.5%) and frequent physical (33.9%) and mental distress (31.8%). Adjusting for age and gross family income, women with autoimmune diseases presented higher prevalence of frequent limitations for daily activities (aPOR 2.00; 95% CI 1.05-3.81), poor general health (aPOR 3.52; 95% CI 1.90-6.49), frequent mental distress (aPOR 2.19; 95% CI 1.19-4.03), and dissatisfaction with life (aPOR 4.86; 95% CI 1.82-12.95) compared to those who did not report autoimmune diseases. No associations with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were observed. Conclusions. Quality-of-life dysfunctions were highly prevalent in this population of gynecologic cancer patients. Suffering from autoimmune comorbidities significantly exacerbated those dysfunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on poetry pamphlets and the Michael Marks awards in 2023, including the themes, styles, and impact of contemporary poetry pamphlets.

The article explores some people with cancer choose not to tell friends or family, because they fear the distress it might cause or because they wish to avoid their own difficulties in managing the illness. Maria, 50, was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump on her breast. Her diagnosis came as a shock. Maria had believed that breast cancer had a genetic component – and there was no breast cancer in the family.

The article discover habits that buoy us up. And, over time, we learn to take better, gentler care of ourselves. Topics discussed include it took an eye- opening biopsy for Jessica Ciencin Henriquez, 35, to quiet all the noise and tune in to herself; and this experience was a gift, a second chance to treat myself with the kindness deserved.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of living with a mother who suffered from depression and rage.

The article focuses on the Healing Care Program of ProMedica Cancer Institute, wherein registered nurses (RNs) integrate holistic therapies to help patients and their families cope with a cancer diagnosis and the possible side effects of treatment. Topics discussed include services provided by the program which includes relaxation therapies, clinical aromatherapy, and ear seed therapy, and benefit of holistic therapies to clinical staff.

The article explores how imagery and artistic expression can help clients cope with cancer in Great Britain. It mentions that clinical evidence shows that imagery and art can help to increase resilience; and symbol cards with a wide variety of photo images can offer clients a visual means to verbally explore what is going on for them and provide an entry into the person's own imagination.

Children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and survivors (CYACs) have a higher risk factor for anxiety, psychotic disorders and other mental health conditions compared with peers and siblings without cancer, according to a systematic review and meta‐analysis conducted by researchers in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about increasing survivor's guilt in cancer survivors and coping strategies. It discusses that psychological phenomenon, which includes strong, persistent feelings of sadness and remorse; survivor's guilt can also strike people who've lived through other types of traumatic experiences that claimed others, including natural disasters, mass shootings or military conflict; and also mentions about taking time to grieve, finding ways to work through grief and seeking support.

The article explores there are around 367,000 newly diagnosed cancer cases each year in the UK. With scientific advancements becoming evermore sophisticated, there are also more than two million cancer survivors, which is forecast to double to four million by 2030. However, more than 58% of people affected by cancer suggest that their emotional needs are not looked after as well as their physical needs.

The article discusses the role of nurses in addressing the needs of prostate cancer survivors living with sexual dysfunction and loneliness. Topics include sexual dysfunction and urinary continence as two main adverse physical events in prostate cancer treatment, the risk of social isolation and loneliness faced by prostate cancer patients, and the position of nurses in identifying prostate cancer survivors at risk.

The article offers information on the impact of the breast cancer on the life of patient, along with information on several incidences where survival finds way to get rid from worries caused due to breast cancer on patients personal life. It discusses the importance of the self-love and self-care and advice to adopt these fundamentals by the patients.

The article explores the importance of massage therapy in the provision of palliative care for oncology patients. It recognizes the role of massage therapists to advance a level of trust and continuity of connection from initial cancer diagnosis through active treatment and stages of survivorship. Health practitioners are urged to create massage training to address the needs of their patients, including the need to address symptoms of distress such as pain, anxiety and insomnia.

The article reports on a program at Children's Hospital of Orange County, California that helps adolescents and young adults (AYAs) hospitalized with cancer to cope with their disease. Topics mentioned include reasons for the lower survival among AYA cancer patients, the reason why AYAS treated on pediatric protocols have better outcomes at pediatric versus adult hospitals, and the psychosocial burden of AYAs that should be addressed by pediatric and adult oncology hospitals.

The biography of Saranya Venkatesh, a stage 4 ovarian cancer patient is presented. Venkatesh talks about her life journey and how she suffered from the disease and how she took general and palliative chemotherapy treatment, as it was in a terminal stage. She recalls that how every day has been filled with enormous amount of uncertainty, anxiety, pain and stress but one thing that made them all power through was their son Avyaan.

The article discusses the benefits of massage. Topics include skilled massage offering many benefits to cancer patients, massage for athletes, Thai massage benefits like improvements in immune system function along with reductions in stress-related hormones, massage therapy for wellness or for stress relief, and benefits to people with musculoskeletal injuries.