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Autumn Is in the Air

October 2018 Vol 4 No 5
Lillie D. Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, HON-ONN-CG
University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer,
Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Co-Developer of Work Stride—Managing Cancer at Work
Johns Hopkins Healthcare Solutions

Hello everyone, and welcome to the October 2018 issue of CONQUER.

We have put together a wealth of information in this issue. You may be busy with picking a Halloween costume or pumpkin, so let me give you the highlights that will allow you to decide which articles you want to read first.

Although this issue highlights breast cancer and gynecologic cancers, we have topics on many types of cancer, regardless of gender. As always, we have several patient stories, and this month we have 3, featuring a breast cancer survivor’s story about her use of positive imagery and optimism that got her through; a 27-year-old breast cancer survivor who carries the BRCA1 gene mutation and is dealing with anxiety, fear, and concern whether she will have passed this mutation to her daughter, as it was passed generation to generation until it reached her gene line; and a man whose kidney cancer diagnosis and treatment served as a wake-up call to live a healthier life, including participating in cycling races.

We also have several articles focusing on survivorship. We have all seen, and perhaps been among, the many women wearing scarves on their head, a classic sign of hair loss caused by chemotherapy. Read about how the recycling of these scarves has provided new hope and connected newly diagnosed patients with cancer with other women who came before them, bringing together the spirit, fortitude, and cancer stories of the past, present, and future. Another article is written by a medical oncologist who provides advice about additional individuals you may not know about, who may be beneficial to add to your treatment team.

And another article is written by a chairman of a gynecologic oncology department who provides educational information on gynecologic cancers and when to get the right screenings for cervical and ovarian cancers.

Patients with pancreatic cancer often suffer in silence. Although a relatively rare type of cancer, pancreatic cancer is also a deadly type. Being able to find other patients online has created a community of patients with pancreatic cancer who are offering hope to one another. Read the article to find out more on this lively community.

SparkCures is a foundation that was created by a family hit hard by multiple myeloma. As a result of such a tough and difficult experience, some good was born—a website to help patients with multiple myeloma find clinical trials specifically for their clinical situation.

For decades, tobacco was considered solely the cause of oral cancer. Well, this is no longer the case. A large proportion of oral cancers are caused by the virus called HPV, which is transmitted through sexual activity. Learn how to protect yourself and your family, especially children and young adults who can be vaccinated to prevent such oral cancers from happening. Parents need to be proactive to make it work successfully.

Finally, you will find an article from me about ways patients with metastatic breast cancer can get creative and fulfill life goals and future hopes in alternative ways that can be effective for their families, especially their children. The examples and methods provided can apply to anyone dealing with any form of advanced cancer.

So, get comfy on the sofa or easy chair, with your pumpkin-spiced caramel latte at your side, and start turning the pages. Happy fall everyone!

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