Posted in Cancer

  Millennials, I'm talking to you! Monday was World Cancer Day, and the media releases that I saw on that day were very interesting as they were all about a healthy and preventative lifestyle! Even the Sydney Morning Herald led with the headline "Exercise and healthy diet key to reducing cancer rates, research shows"   Two of the biggest risk factors that lead to increased risk of cancer incidence and recurrence is the combination of obesity and sede...

Intermittent fasting is the new buzz word in oncology care but which type is best? How do you do it? When? For how long? And what are the benefits? OK, let's start with a few definitions to set the scene... Caloric restriction (CR) is the daily reduction of dietary energy intake by approximately 30% without fasting periods. Intermittent fasting (IF) encompasses eating patterns in which individuals have extended time periods (e.g., 13-48h) with little or no energy intake, wi...

Following on from last week's blog post, a number of my patients with breast cancer brought up concerns about their treatment-induced symptoms. So let's talk about it a little more. Endocrine therapy side effects: It's not just survival that matters. I think we can all agree that Endocrine Therapy is useful for many breast cancer survivors: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently confirmed that although endocrine therapy doesn't affect overall surv...

Concerns about sexual health and intimacy is something that comes up a lot with my patients; in fact, over 70% of my patients have discussed sexual issues with me.  Sexual symptoms often slip under the radar of 'important issues' to discuss with your oncologist, but with more cancer survivors than ever (yay!) it is becoming more and more important to chat about it. Cancer-associated sexual symptoms may be noticeable during treatment, but more commonly they are an ongoing c...

Having a diagnosis of cancer is one of the most shocking and stressful realities that a person can face - and not just the affected patient, but also loved ones, friends and family. The shock can last a long time, and it is a long process with many emotional ups and downs. Having a friend or loved one with the diagnosis is a shock as well carers can feel helpless, fearful and frustrated. Your loved one may need acute physical help for at least three months during/after initial surgery/ch...