According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there is growing evidence that diet, physical activity, and related factors can help some cancer survivors live longer, lower their risk of the cancer returning (or a new cancer developing), and limit some side effects of treatment. It can also lower their risk…more.
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, a team of medical professionals mobilizes to coordinate care. Depending on the diagnosis and treatment strategy, patients may be cared for by surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, physical therapists, and other specialists providing hands-on care. In many cancer centers, patients also have access…more.
As the president of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kashyap Patel, MD, was troubled by the significant health care disparities faced by racial and ethnic minorities. He started to investigate how where someone lives – down to their individual zip code…more.
The diagnosis can be frightening enough. Hearing you or your child has cancer, a rare disease or other chronic health condition can send the heart sinking and the mind spinning. Is the condition treatable? What do treatments entail? How will your quality of life be impacted? Then comes the financial…more.
As part of our series on Food and Transportation Disparities, Real World Health Care reached out to Leeann Medina-Martinez, LCSW, CancerCare’s Disparities Program coordinator. CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer. We…more.
In 2018, Dr. Dhagash Joshi, MD, came to a career-changing realization in his role as a hospitalist physician at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, California. His hospital, located near several large and growing cancer centers, was seeing an influx of oncology patients with complex needs. In caring for…more.
Financial toxicity describes the problems cancer patients experience related to the cost of treatment. Medical financial hardship is increasingly common with many cancer patients due to the difficulty of paying medical bills, high level of financial distress and need to delay or forgo care altogether because of cost. The economic…more.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. SDOH contribute to wide health disparities…more.
As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community (CSC), including its Gilda’s Club affiliates, is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct…more.
Studies have shown that cancer disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minority groups, however, these groups remain underrepresented in cancer clinical trials.1,2,3 With unique insights into issues facing underrepresented patient populations, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) recently developed consensus-driven recommendations to improve diversity, equity and accessibility in cancer research.…more.
