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The adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivor network is slowly starting to build steam as more and more people begin to recognize the special needs of this demographic. AYA’s not only face a cancer diagnosis at a young age, but as a result, they may also struggle with late-effects of their...
As part of our guest blog series, the Oncofertility Consortium would like to introduce our readers to Shannon Routh, and her organization for young survivors of ovarian and gynecologic cancers, Teal Diva, founded in 2009. Below is a post she wrote about her experience with cancer, fertility and...
Pain is a common symptom among cancer patients and a large percentage of cancer patients are treated with opioids to control this side effect. Some cancer therapies are very rigorous and require opioid analgesics on an ongoing basis to treat the pain resulting from aggressive treatment. Many cancer...
In 1974 a small group of physicians seeking to dispel the myth that community physicians were uninterested in and incapable of participation in state-of-the-art cancer care came together to form the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). ACCC was born to give oncology practitioners in the...
As you may already know, The Oncofertility Consortium partnered with the Endocrine Society to release the free, iSaveFertility iPhone App nearly a year ago this week. iSaveFertility was developed to give oncologists and fertility specialists a quick reference guide for preserving the fertility of...
Infertility has been associated with psychological distress and can have a negative impact on quality of life in cancer survivors. Reproductive concerns are often sited among young cancer survivors prior to, and following cancer treatment. A number of fertility preservation (FP) options are...
Infertility is serious and often underestimated side effect of cancer treatment. Ensuring cancer patients are equipped with the necessary health information to protect and preserve their fertility in a time sensitive manner is a critical component to comprehensive cancer care. In a new article in ...
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. Many of you may have plans with your family doing your best to ensure that the day is celebrated, and the women in your life who fit this profile, past and present, are honored in some way. It goes without saying that being a mom is rewarding, but it can also have its...
In October 2010, the Center for Reproductive Research (CRR) supported an exhibit at the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival, held on the National Mall, in Washington, DC, in which we showcased the Women’s Health Science Program, drew attention to the under-representation...
Pediatric cancer, a disease once thought to be primarily incurable, now has an 80% cure rate as a result of clinical advances in technology, pharmaceuticals and screening. For many young patients and their families, survival takes precedence over all other issues immediately following a cancer...
Yesterday, April 26th, was Take Your Kids to Work Day and as always, the Woodruff Lab opened its doors to the future generation of white coats! Woodruff Lab members brought their children in to take part in a day of activities to help them learn more about the research we do at the Oncofertility...
We talk a lot about the importance of collaborative care at the Oncofertility Consortium. Often cancer patients have a variety needs that require multiple specialists, thus the need to consult and collaborate to ensure the patient is receiving comprehensive care is pertinent. In a new article in...
Fertility preservation services are expanding as advances in cancer treatment are made, allowing people to live longer and fuller lives. As a result, quality-of-life issues including fertility preservation, are a concern for more and more cancer patients within their reproductive years. In a new...
The Oncofertility Consortium is pleased to announce the launch of the 2012 Oncofertility Conference webpage! For anyone who doesn’t know yet, the 6th annual Oncofertility Conference (#oncofert12 for you Twitter folks!) is being held in Chicago this fall, September 26th-28th. This year will prove...
As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, certain health care providers have a unique role in communicating fertility preservation information to newly diagnosed cancer patients. For example, often a gynecologist is the primary health care provider for many young women, therefore, based on “regular...
Fifteen years ago, the U.S. House of Representatives designated the third week in April as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week in an effort to draw attention to the disparities in cancer incident and death rates, stating "While cancer affects men and women of every age, race, ethnic background...
Quality-of-life issues are important for the many young cancer survivors who will spend decades in post-treatment survivorship. Of the many considerations for survivors, most of the time the Oncofertility Consortium focuses on the reproductive future of young people. However, related issues of...
This week is the 10th Annual National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week, beginning April 2nd and ending on April 8th. In April 2003, National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week was launched, and organizations and clinical institutions throughout North America began partnering to raise awareness...
At the Oncofertility Consortium, we stress the importance of collaboration among clinicians, basic scientists, and the humanities in an effort to ensure that cancer patients have fertility options after treatment. This is no small feat, but the emerging field of oncofertility is constantly evolving...
Christi Sodano from the Medill School of Journalism brings us the following insight on the global needs in fertility preservation for young patients. Read her first blog post.
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By Christi Sodano-
No longer just an old person’s disease, cancer among young people is increasingly prevalent. And...
The contents of the Oncofertility Consortium Blog are for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.