The New Year is here…

The New Year is here and many of the patients and staff at Iowa Cancer Specialists are setting resolutions — get to the gym more, lose weight, be healthy, save money — but one of the more overlooked ones may be keeping mental health in check.

Around one in three cancer patients has anxiety or another mental health challenge that they will face over their battle with cancer and as the new year is upon us, make a different type of resolution to keep yourself mentally healthy.

Read on to find out some steps you can take to be proactive in your journey.

Reach out

The first step is always the hardest, letting someone know you are dealing with symptoms of anxiety including uncontrollable worry, restlessness, irritability or others, reach out to your doctor at Iowa Cancer Specialists.

There is nothing to be ashamed about in admitting you have been facing troubles and the doctors at Iowa Cancer are prepared and ready to help you in any way possible.

Having trouble reaching out? The government provides resources for those struggling to reach out.

Mindfulness

The idea of meditation in your head may include sitting around cross-legged and slowly humming, but the effects of simple meditation on the mind can be profound.

Simple meditation can be as easy as downloading a smartphone app and following instructions. Popular apps for meditation include Headspace for iOS and Android.

Don’t want to go the app route? That is okay, a referral to an area therapist can help guide you in the process to becoming more mindful. If you fear not being able to pay for a therapist no worries, many work on income based sliding scale payment.

Find a support network

A cancer diagnosis can feel very isolating, leaving you in a place where it feels as if nobody knows what you are going through. One way to ease that isolation is reaching out to others battling cancer and survivors.

In the Quad-Cities multiple support groups exist including Gilda’s Club, who provides multiple types of support groups and other support to those with cancer. Other opportunities can be found at this list of local support groups through the Quad-City Times.

New year, new resolutions

Don’t be afraid to be ambitious in your New Year’s resolutions, turning over a new leaf can be a powerful way to take agency back during your cancer diagnosis. If making any health decisions make sure to run them by your doctor before setting off the conquer the world.

Make sure to let us know what YOUR resolutions are in the comments below.

Four cancer breakthroughs to keep an eye on

Researchers and doctors have made some incredible breakthroughs in 2015, as the year wraps up it is important to look at which of those could be making an impact.

Here are the top recent cancer breakthroughs to keep an eye on.

1. The odd breakthrough.

(Courtesy of Univeristy of Iowa/Wassermann Lab)

The first breakthrough is an odd one, and while they won’t be replacing the staff at Iowa Cancer Specialists, pigeons are being used to diagnose cancer.

The pigeons are being trained at the University of Iowa and have participated in a number of recent studies. By now they know that if they’re right, they’ll get their food.

So how do they do it?

The same way a radiologist or pathologist would, by reading a mammogram or biopsy slide.

While the researchers aren’t saying that pigeons will be replacing your doctor anytime soon, further studies into the pigeons hope to look into how doctors perceive images compared to the birds.

2. New gene map

Imagine flipping a switch 18,000 times just to figure out what that switch does, that’s what researchers at the University of Toronto did and their data published in Cell showed more than 1,500 essential genes for cell survival.

While scientists finished the human genome in 2003, studies like this help bring the function of those genes to light.

According to a release from the University of Toronto, the study could lead to a powerful breakthrough in strategies for the treatment of cancer.

“The (research) group has developed a powerful CRISPR library that could be used by investigators around the world to identify new treatment strategies for the treatment of cancer,” Aaron Schimmer, a professor in the department of medical biophysics and a medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, said.

3. Looking to nature

Some British researchers may have been barking up the wrong tree on this one, but pulled through to create a drug crafted from the Eastern Cape South African Bushwillow tree.

The reason this breakthrough is exciting is the drug works by destroying the blood supply for cancerous cells and animal studies have shown anywhere from 85-95 percent cure rates when combined with radiation.

While it may be a bit on the horizon, researchers working with the drug hope it can be to market in fewer than five years.

4. Pinpointing early treatments through gene testing

Certain types of breast cancer caught early may have their best course found out through the examination of 21-genes.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights the five year success of the study showing that with the gene assay performed, those who fell within a certain score saw a 93.8 percent survival rate.

What’s UV light and why does everyone hate it?

Ultraviolet (UV) light is the type of light beyond the end of the visible light spectrum. The wavelengths of ultraviolet light are too short to be seen by the human eye—and also short enough to be damaging to our bodies in high amounts.

UV rays come from the sun. While only 10 percent of sunlight is UV radiation, those rays are the strongest type to reach the surface of the earth. Ultraviolet light gets its name from where it lands on the visible color spectrum—or rather where it exceeds that spectrum. Basically, the colors we see are determined by the wavelength of light. Long wavelengths are closer to “infrared” and short wavelengths are closer to “ultraviolet,” and the human eye generally sees everything in between as color!

When the wavelength of light goes outside this spectrum one way or the other, we can no longer see it with our eyes—but it’s still there. In the case of UV light, those short wavelengths are like stealth ninjas. They move quickly and invisibly, with high energy, which prompts our bodies to create vitamin D and hormones that regulate our sleep-wake cycles.

However, when all that sneaky energy reaches your skin cells, it’s absorbed by the pigment in our skin called melanin. If you’re exposed to too much UV light, your melanin becomes overwhelmed, and that energy starts disrupting your cells’ DNA.

That damage may take the form of a sunburn, wrinkles or spots—or it may result in skin cancer, cataracts or other dangerous diseases. So while sunshine can be healthy in strict moderation, we always recommend catching some shade to avoid serious health issues like melanoma. If you’re unsure how to protect yourself from UV damage, check out our guide to preventing diseases from the sun!

Are you older than 50 or black or genetically predisposed? All three? Get screened.

Colorectal cancer: we won’t say it’s a pretty subject, but it is pretty important. Unfortunately, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, affecting mostly people 50 years or older. More fortunately, colorectal cancer can be prevented with screenings. Precancerous growths called polyps can be identified during a screening process and removed before becoming cancerous. If cancer is found, the earlier the better when it comes to treatment outcomes.

Major risk factors include age, race and a personal or family history of colorectal cancer, which means most people diagnosed with colon cancer are 50 or older, are African-American or have inherited genetic predispositions (which can be determined by genetic testing). Though there are some factors in your control, these unpreventable characteristics can increase your risk of colorectal cancer.

Moral of the story? If you are 50 or older, black or have a family history of colorectal cancer, get screened! We promise—it’s more comfortable than running the risk of colorectal cancer.

Risk factors include:

– Age (The great majority of people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50)
– Race (African-Americans have a greater risk of colon cancer than do people of other races)
– A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps
– Chronic inflammatory diseases of the colon
– Inherited syndromes and genetics
– Low-fiber, high-fat diet
– A sedentary lifestyle
– Diabetes
– Obesity
– Smoking
– Alcohol use
– Radiation therapy for cancer

Learn about your genetic risk from Myriad’s online resources, and take their quiz to see if you’re a candidate for a hereditary cancer screening to help determine your genetic risk. Regardless of risk factors, stay one step ahead with a colon cancer screening from a gastroenterologist. Of course, we wish you an uneventful screening, but if your results come back with bad news, you can always call us at (563) 421-1960.

Not all skin cancers are created equal—but they all suck equally

Basal cell carcinoma? Melanoma? Squamous cell carcinoma? Skin cancer goes by many names and is one of the most common cancers in the United States—luckily, it’s also one of the most treatable! No matter which form of skin cancer you spot, the earlier it’s detected and treated, the better. Here’s your guide to the common skin cancers and the difference between melanoma and nonmelanoma types.

Melanoma

Melanoma, like many cancers, gets its name from the cells it affects. This type of skin cancer begins in what are called melanocytes, which make the pigment melanin that gives your skin its coloring. This pigment also protects the deep layers of your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

Unlike other skin cancers, melanoma can begin nearly anywhere—even on your butt (no matter how much sun it gets) or in your eyes or mouth—and it’s considered aggressive, tending to spread to other parts of your body.

Because of this spreading, or metastasis, melanoma is more deadly than other forms of skin cancer, so be sure to regularly check yourself out this summer! Follow the A.B.C.D. rule to help identify melanoma, looking for these signs: an asymmetrical mark, a mark with an irregular border, or uneven color or a mark that changes diameter, typically increasing to at least the size of a pencil eraser.

Nonmelanoma

Nonmelanoma cancers most often occur as basal and squamous cell cancers, which means they affect the basal cells or squamous cells in the outer layer of the skin. As the most common types of all skin cancers, it’s lucky that they are generally not as dangerous as melanoma.

Basal cell carcinoma usually can be identified as a raised, smooth, pearly bump on the skin, while squamous cell carcinoma is more of a red, scaling, thickened bump that may even bleed—both appear on the head, neck and shoulders where the skin is exposed to sun.

Because these cancers affect the shallower skin cells and rarely spread deeper, they are both more common and less dangerous than melanoma. However, they can still require medical attention once spotted!

In their early stages, skin cancers are almost always curable, especially when they stay in your skin cells without spreading. In order to catch any malignant marks as early as possible, be sure to perform routine self-checks all over your body and ask your doctor about any suspicious spots. You can help prevent melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers in a variety of ways. Check out our guide to preventing diseases from the sun!

Meet our phenomenal nurse practitioner, Katie Browne!

Quad City native Katie Browne poses with a precious nurse-in-training, her daughter Evie. Between her son Tyler, her daughter Evie, their two cats and a dog, Katie has her hands full both in the office and at home!

We don’t know where we would be without our wonderful nurse practitioner Katie Browne! Katie came to us from Genesis, where she worked as a nurse for about 12 years. Her whole nursing career has been in oncology, and we are so grateful to have her with us at Iowa Cancer Specialists.

“I love this role!” said Katie. “I enjoy having the autonomy to help people and still have amazing role models for when I have questions.”

Katie spends her days seeing a variety of patients at Iowa Cancer Specialists. In between, she spends a lot of time studying and learning about new topics and techniques.

“I have the satisfaction of being able to partner with our patients,” said Katie. “I do whatever I can to make them feel as good as possible and figure out ways to give them their best experience.

Because Katie works with so many patients, she understands that each person’s journey is unique.

“Everybody’s story is different,” she said. “And part of what I’ve learned is that no matter what, maintaining connections helps make the diagnostic and treatment process more tolerable. It helps to stay positive and stay strong and stay connected.”

Katie is invaluable to us here at Iowa Cancer Specialists, and we thank her for all her hard work building relationships and maintaining connections with all our patients in order to provide them with the best care and experience possible!

Quotes for a happier holiday season

Do you need a pick-me-up to beat the holiday stress? Take heart from these great quotes, and remember what’s important this season and year-round. Pro tip: review these anytime you need some extra oomph in your day!

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” – Mark Twain

“I believe that if life gives you lemons you should make lemonade… and find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.” – Ron White

“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” – Scott Hamilton

“Absolutely eat dessert first. The thing that you want to do the most, do that.” – Joss Whedon

Traditions for a brighter holiday

Whether your holiday traditions are just beginning or you’re looking to add new traditions to a rich holiday history, we have some ideas to make the season bright for the whole family!

Give back together

Volunteering together is a great way not only to bond but to get everybody into the holiday spirit. Volunteering is heaps of fun, and you can choose a cause that your family is passionate about for even more return! It’s true what they say; what goes around comes around.

Create a new family recipe

Is there a holiday treat that your family loves? Get everyone into the kitchen to help make and taste-test a variety of recipes for a dish or dessert until you settle on the absolute best one. Ta-da! You’ll have a signature dish for any potluck or get-together that requires one—and you’ll be sure there’s at least one thing on the table your family will like!

Send a personalized video to your extended family

Use new technology to pull the family together instead of apart. Grab a smartphone or webcam to create a personalized e-card for your extended family and friends! Gather the family around and let each member greet the recipient, or decide on a greeting or song to sing all together for a memorable season’s greetings your loved ones can digitally store for years to come.

Tour the lights

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the amazing display of lights. If there’s a mild night, take the family for a walk downtown or around the neighborhood to see all the lit up buildings and houses. If it’s too cold for a stroll, pile in the car and take a drive!

Review the year

Before opening any gifts or digging into dinner, make a point to stop and remember all the highlights of the past year. Have each person say something they were thankful for during the year every time they open a present or tell the highlight of the year around the dinner table. Make it the season of gratitude in your home!

From the Iowa Cancer Specialists family to yours, we hope these are traditions that add meaning and cheer to the holiday season in your home, and we wish you holidays that are both merry and bright!

What is chemotherapy, and why does it seem like a disease?

To many people, “chemotherapy” is just that procedure that makes someone lose his or her hair. To cancer patients, “chemotherapy” means a collection of unwanted side effects. To doctors, chemotherapy is a potentially life-saving cancer treatment regimen using drugs (chemo, drugs, get it?)—and it results in more than just hair loss.

Chemotherapy is used to destroy cancer cells, keep them from spreading or shrink tumors. The effective drugs can be delivered right on the skin (topically), through a vein (intravenously), in pills or liquid (orally) or as a shot (injection), and chemo may be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments like radiation therapy or surgery.

via sploid.gizmodo.com

Here’s the deal. Cancer cells grow very quickly, so chemotherapy drugs target fast-growing cells, but not with enough specificity to only get the cancerous ones. Do you know which kinds of healthy cells grow quickly? We’re talking hair cells, bone marrow cells, skin cells and the cells of the digestive system. When chemotherapy drugs are introduced to your system, they go after these kinds of cells as well, causing corresponding side effects. You know these—think hair loss, changes in bone marrow, dermatological changes, and nausea.

But, don’t worry! The normal cells of your body are like little medics. Your body has the ability to repair and replace those cells that get damaged during the dividing process. The damage and the side effects don’t usually last beyond treatment, and the same drugs that were hurting your healthy cells have also done a number on the cancer.

Be informed, and keep your doctor informed. There are a variety of different drugs used in chemotherapy. Ask your doctor why she is recommending a chemo treatment, and find out which side effects to expect. If you are having a hard time dealing with those side effects, talk to your doctor about it! The frequency of treatment could be reduced, or there may be other ways to minimize your discomfort.

Chemotherapy is a treatment, not a disease. Nobody is pretending it’s fun, but, in the end, it’s good for you—like eating your vegetables.

The anatomy of a conversation about your cancer