Articles of Interest

The Language Of Cancer
If you or a loved one has cancer, it is important that you understand your doctor when talking about your disease.

By Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth Staff Writer

Oncologists — doctors who treat cancer — use many terms when they talk about this disease. These terms usually have very specific meanings that are important in cancer research, specifically in clinical trials. Your doctor may also use these terms when talking to you.If you or a loved one has cancer, you may want to become well versed in the language of cancer. As a start, get to know some of the more common cancer terms listed below. However, if your doctor uses terminology that you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask him or her for a definition or an explanation. Effective communication is essential when talking about your health… Read the whole article.

Preventing cancer: 6 steps
By Mayo Clinic staff
From www.mayoclinic.com.

Each year, more than 1 million people in the United States are given a diagnosis of cancer. Although it's a frightening and serious disease, you can take steps to reduce your risk — no matter what your age.

Here are six ways to help lower your chances of getting cancer… Read the whole article.

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Your Health Care Team: Your Doctor Is Only the Beginning
From the National Cancer Institute.

Coping with cancer is not an easy thing. The physical effects of illness and treatment can be quite severe, and the emotional and psychological impact of having cancer can be equally challenging. However, the good news is that there are many kinds of help available to you through the different members of your health care team.
Below is a description of the health care professionals who are usually accessible to someone who has cancer. Each of these people can play a vital role in helping you obtain the best treatment possible and maintain the highest quality of life throughout your diagnosis and treatment… Read the whole article.

Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations
By Miriam Komaromy, MD
From www.genetichealth.com.

Although health professionals often talk about cancer screening and prevention in the same breath, the terms have different meanings. Prevention refers to methods of keeping cancer from forming. Screening, on the other hand, refers to mothods of detecting cancer while it's still small, hasn't spread to other parts of the body, and is most treatable.

In the case of colon cancer, the screening techniques used to look for cancer also allow doctors to remove the polyps that turn into cancer. Because of this, screening for colon cancer is also the best form of prevention.… Read the whole article.

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Female Reproductive Organs
From the American Medical Association.

The female reproductive organs include the vagina (a muscular passage that connects the cervix with the external genital organs - one of which is a sensitive mound of tissue called the clitoris), the cervix (the lower part of the uterus that separates the body of the uterus from the vagina), the uterus (a hollow, muscular structure), the ovaries (two glands that produce certain hormones and contain tissue sacs in which eggs develop), and fallopian tubes (two muscular channels that connect the ovaries with the uterus). Fingerlike projections called fimbriae (located at the opening of the fallopian tubes) sweep an egg released from an ovary into the tube… View the illustrations.

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