Practical Matters

Swollen lymph nodes, a possible side effect of the vaccine, could raise unnecessary concerns if they appear on your screening exam. Kimberly Garver, M.D., an expert on mammography, explains why waiting a few weeks after your shot to get your next mammogram may be prudent.

Cancer centers around the country, including the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, are urging people not to let routine cancer screenings lapse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Viruses like the flu and the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be particularly dangerous for people with cancer. Older patients, those who have received bone marrow transplants and those receiving chemotherapy are especially at risk of becoming seriously ill since their immune systems are already weakened.

Alena Williams, MSW, a Michigan Medicine health educator, tobacco treatment specialist and clinical group facilitator at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor explains why quitting tobacco is so important to the health of patients and survivors.

A cancer diagnosis presents a variety of challenges, not the least of which are financial challenges. Social Security Disability Insurance, a benefit payment that you can receive when a disability renders you unable to work, could be an option for you to consider. Disability benefits provide a safety net when a medical condition such as cancer prevents people living with cancer from working.

A simple activity most of us do without much thought -- and yet something most of us could stand to do more of -- walking offers a host of vital health benefits. And it doesn't take much to get started.

While it is not clear how nutrition and physical activity may relate to ovarian cancer risk, there is strong evidence that a few basic lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of breast and endometrial cancers. The strongest risk factor for both is being overweight or obese. Researchers think that as fat mass increases, estrogen levels do too, so lifestyle changes that focus on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight are key to decreasing a person’s risk of endometrial and breast cancers.

Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer1 than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. Kelly B. Cha, M.D., Ph.D., a Michigan Medicine dermatologist and skin cancer expert, answers questions about how to best detect and prevent skin cancer.

Cigarette smoking in the United States has decreased 34% since 2000. However, the rate of cigar smoking has increased 124% in that same timeframe. Cigar culture is huge, and marketing over the last decade and a half has increased the popularity. There are cigar bars, shops, magazines and even cigar festivals. Cigars come in many shapes and sizes: robusto, Churchill, Corona, cigarillos, and cheroots to name a few.