For thousands of years, mushrooms have been used worldwide for their medicinal properties, especially in Asia. The earliest known reference for medicinal mushrooms was around 3,000 BCE. The largest known organism in the world is a honey mushroom mat in eastern Oregon which is 890 hectares (almost 2,500 acres!) and more than 2,000 years old.… Read more »
Managing menopausal side effects is more important than ever, as it affects the quality of life in cancer “thrivership.” Many women and men face years of side effects from cancer treatment resulting from the surgical removal of ovaries and hormone deprivation therapy (tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, etc.) in hormone receptor-positive cancers such as breast, endometrial, ovarian… Read more »
It now seems cliché to say that 2020 has brought unexpected challenges. We have all adapted to the constant of change. Personally, my biggest change was a diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer. Initially, I responded with calm analysis, keeping reality at arms-length by “doing” what needed to be done. I made a notebook, set up… Read more »
With continuing, medical advancement comes encouraging news for breast cancer patients. In light of new findings, women now have another option for treating breast cancer. It’s called targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT), and as the name implies, it targets the radiation to the specific site of the tumor, bypassing vital organs. According to Dennis Holmes, MD,… Read more »
Many have been following my cancer journey, which began with a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma in January 2019. As most who share the journey will agree, the entire experience is life-changing and shouldn’t be traveled without the support, knowledge and encouragement of those who came before us. I am now on the other side… Read more »
The world is now abuzz with news about coronavirus (COVID-19), the viral disease that has taken us all by storm. The global response has been extreme with most things cancelled or postponed and the disruption to everyday life is unprecedented. Whether or not the current global response is an appropriate action or an overreaction is… Read more »
This editorial is offered in response to a November 2019 Desert Sun article regarding Phillip Bretz, MD, of La Quinta. In the article, we learned that the California Medical Board placed Dr. Bretz on probation due to factors related to offering cryoablation or “tumor freezing” to women seeking an alternative to surgery for early stage… Read more »
More than 268,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. During that period, an additional 42,000 women will die of this disease. These numbers represent more than 15 percent of all new cancer cases and nearly 7 percent of all cancer deaths. Currently, 12.8 percent of American women are diagnosed with breast cancer… Read more »
Breast cancer is a common health problem, affecting one out of eight women in the United States. Instead of worrying about whether you are going to get it, or what to do if you have it, be proactive and take breast health into your own hands. An excellent book on this subject is Breast Cancer?… Read more »
Summer is finally here in the desert. We had a blessedly cool May, but now the summer sauna has returned. As we enjoy (or lament) the sweat-inducing heat, what is the best way to keep ourselves smelling sweet while maintaining our skin and breast health? For many years, I have remained skeptical about the claims… Read more »
In January I was told I have breast cancer. The overwhelming news brought tears and the urge to crawl up in a ball and stay there forever. I didn’t want to face what lay ahead – more doctors, more tests, and many life-changing decisions to be made. How could this happen to me? You can’t… Read more »
On February 11, 2016, I heard the words no one wants to hear: “You have breast cancer.” I can still feel the slew of emotions if I close my eyes and take myself back to that time and place sitting in the doctor’s office, but I don’t close them any longer. I keep my eyes… Read more »
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and, according to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 29,360 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in California this year alone. For many people, the diagnosis of cancer causes severe emotional distress. Each of us has our own personality, beliefs, values, world views, and styles of coping… Read more »
When someone is in the midst of medical treatment for cancer, they may not have the strength or desire for vigorous exercise. But gentle forms of movement such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong can be extremely beneficial in a treatment plan that addresses spirit, mind and body. Gentle movement can also be beneficial post-treatment,… Read more »
Shay Moraga was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the beginning of 2016 and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… In this New Year, I look forward to reviewing my goals from last year and reflecting on how the past year has played out. However, the goals I set… Read more »
I always fill out the forms quickly in the doctor’s waiting room. Do you have a history— No. Have you ever— No. I didn’t have a family history of breast cancer or any cancer. But a year ago this past December, my mother was diagnosed and ended up receiving a double mastectomy. The key is… Read more »
“Cancer does not grow too much; it dies too little,” states Robert Nagourney, MD. You can think about cancer cells as normal cells becoming immortal. Apoptosis is the process in which normal functioning cells are programmed to die. In cancer cells, this mechanism is over-ridden so the cell malfunctions and continues to grow, thus… Read more »
Breast MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is an extremely helpful, non-invasive imaging tool used to evaluate mammographic abnormalities and identify early breast cancer, especially in women at high risk. An MRI does not involve radiation exposure and does not replace screening mammography. Instead it provides a powerful supplementary tool for detecting and staging breast cancer. What… Read more »
As of April 1, 2013, California law requires that all women receive a notification if their mammogram reveals dense breast tissue. While receiving this notification may lead to confusion at first, the information is provided to empower women. Dense breast tissue has been shown to be associated with a slight increase in breast cancer, and… Read more »
Breast cancer steals the lives of over 40,000 people a year despite the enormous amount of new research and continued evolution of treatments. Bottom line, prevention remains the single best approach. Regular screening for breast masses is unanimously recommended by every primary care doctor in this country. That said, the most common screening tool, mammography,… Read more »
