Each year, approximately 8,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with testicular cancer. Testicular cancer occurs when abnormal cells in one or both of the testes begin to grow uncontrollably. It is highly treatable if caught early. Here are some facts about testicular cancer that patients and their family members may not know. Testicular … Read more
This post originally appeared in the Love U column of the Daily Trojan, the student newspaper of the University of Southern California. By Eva Grant I was talking to Dan on Tinder. A witty back and forth. I’m good at that. We were joking about a Greek myth. “So,” he writes. “Can I ask you … Read more
By Stephen Perez Cancer has a way of putting your life on hold and making you prioritize your health, treatments, and your best attempts to not feel sick through the process. While there’s never a good time for this interruption, my diagnosis came at a particularly difficult time: the second semester of my senior year … Read more
By Samantha Watson I went through cancer treatment twice in my early 20s, diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in December 1999 and secondary myelodysplastic syndrome (pre-leukemia) in April 2001. I had to leave college to go through chemo, surgeries and eventually a bone marrow transplant, and I sat in a hospital room as my friends graduated, … Read more
The language used to talk about cancer often focuses on battle words – those who are cured “won” or “survived,” while those who die from cancer “lost” their “fight.” But is cancer really something to be won or lost? Young adults with cancer discussed these phrases and others during the recent Young Adult Cancer Conference … Read more
Cancer comes with significant stress and anxiety for patients and their loved ones, which can make managing treatment even more difficult. Recently, Karen Fasciano, PsyD, clinical psychiatrist at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, joined four patients to discuss their experiences. “Often when we tell ourselves we can’t feel anxious, the anxiety gets bigger,” said Fasciano, … Read more
Young women may think about having children, but when diagnosed with breast cancer, patients often face these decisions long before they thought they would have to. For Maggie Loucks, NP-C, who was diagnosed at age 28, preserving fertility became a major factor in deciding what treatment plan to pursue. “You’re 28-years old and you want to … Read more
Young adults often have their sights set on the future, anticipating college, working at their dream job, or traveling. One place they don’t plan to be is in an infusion chair undergoing cancer treatment. Cancer disrupts everyone, but especially adults age 18-34 who are growing into adulthood and starting careers and families. The Young Adult … Read more
One of the most difficult aspects of having cancer is deciding who to tell and when. For young adults who may be attending college, maintaining an active social life, or starting a family, these questions are especially critical. Karen Fasciano, PsyD, and her colleagues in the Young Adult Program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center … Read more
Testicular cancer, which is most often diagnosed in men between the ages of 20 and 34, often creates major concerns about fertility and sexuality for people of all ages. While treatment will require removal of the affected testicle, someone can still retain full sexual function after surgery. Likewise, while treatment can affect fertility, there are … Read more
For anyone who’s been out of circulation for a while, re-entering the world of dating can be awkward. It’s extra-challenging for cancer survivors. “Concerns about when to disclose health status, and the feeling that they don’t know how to deal with these questions, make dating relationships more difficult for cancer survivors,” says Karen Fasciano, PsyD., … Read more
Ben O’Clair was a college senior studying for finals when he first felt the twinges of pain in his side. A day later, the 21-year-old was in a hospital learning he had cancer. He left school immediately, moved back to his mother’s house in Holliston, Mass., and began arduous chemotherapy treatments at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s … Read more
In April, Riley McDevitt received test results from her genetic counselor at Dana-Farber. Tests showed a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome and McDevitt knew exactly what she wanted to do after hearing the news: celebrate with her family over tacos. The diagnosis wasn’t entirely unexpected. “I have a family history of Lynch syndrome, so I’ve known … Read more
If you look down at your stomach, glide your eyes diagonally from your belly button to the lower right side of your abdomen: that’s your appendix. It is a finger-shaped organ that stems from your colon. With two primary functions — supporting the immune system and potentially serving as a safe house for good bacteria, as theorized from some– the appendix is a small, but mighty organ that is important to take note of, especially given the recent … Read more
Devon Choi had a great job, a terrific group of friends, and had just run the Boston Marathon – the first of six 26.2-mile races he hoped to complete in major cities around the world. So, when the East Boston resident felt a lump on his left testicle while showering in May 2023, he shrugged it off. Choi was … Read more
Whether it may be genetic or environmental, there are many factors that can lead to cancer. One of these factors could be infections, which can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and/or viruses. Viruses insert themselves inside our bodies and alter our otherwise functioning genes, making us sick. Viruses can only thrive when they infect a … Read more
The walk is a little different each day, sometimes a twisting, turning path through the various side streets of Boston’s Longwood Medical Area, and on other occasions more of a straight line down bustling thoroughfares. One thing, though, remains consistent: no matter which route Paris Prinsen, 21, takes from her apartment to classes at the … Read more
As a record-setting high school runner, Colby Rochford was an anchorman — the guy teammates depended on to take the baton and sprint to victory. These days, while away at college, Rochford is still a young man in a hurry. The opponent now is T-cell lymphoma, and every third Monday, he dashes from class to … Read more
With the Boston Red Sox having their best season in years and contending for the playoffs, crowds have been regularly filling Fenway Park to capacity this summer. For one small contingent of these baseball fans, the trips will prove especially meaningful regardless of what transpires on the field. This rotating group, mostly young children and … Read more
“The world needs more Dr. Soiffers – and more Nicoles.” Such is the wisdom of Judy Mangione, 80, who credits these two individuals for the fulfilling life she is enjoying with her husband, Bob, and their combined six children and 10 grandchildren. Robert Soiffer, MD, treated Mangione with the January 2022 stem cell transplant that … Read more