Category: Cancer News in Context

What to Know About the Simple Blood Tests that Screen for Multiple Cancers

Female health care provider with curly hair discussing with a patient while using a tablet.

In his latest For Your Health column, Dr. Graham Colditz features insight from Dr. Aimee James on multi-cancer detection tests. These screening tests may one day help reliably detect multiple cancers with a simply blood draw. “It’s not news that cancer screening is important. Recommended screenings can catch cancer early when it’s more treatable – […]

For Your Health – A simple, healthy boost to winter comfort foods

Whole grain penne, olive oil, tomato, basil and feta cheese, garlic on a wooden board.

It’s the time of year when we’re drawn to comfort foods. As the days get shorter and hats and coats take center stage in the closet, many of us seek out dishes that warm us up.  While comfort foods vary, they commonly include casseroles, soups, stews and noodle dishes, among others. They’re often familiar foods […]

For Your Health – Warming Up to Cold-Weather Activities

Family of four with young children in warm clothes enjoying an autumn walk in the woods

“Find the activities that bring you joy, and you won’t stop at a little cold weather to fit them in.” Dr. Elizabeth Salerno Maybe it’ll be this week. Maybe next, or the week after. But before long, the weather’s going to make its shift to the consistently colder days of fall and winter. While that […]

Epigenome’s role in cancer revealed in new study (Links to an external site)

In new research led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, researchers have delved into the workings of the epigenome across 11 cancer types and revealed important roles for this regulatory system of the genome in the way cancer forms, grows and spreads.

For Your Health – Not Just Pink: Key Cancer Screenings for Men and Women

Smiling female doctor consulting with senior male patient and adult daughter in exam room

And while October focuses on mammograms for breast cancer, this translates just as well to other key tests for colon, lung, cervical and prostate cancers.  As we begin our annual move toward fall and more normal routines of work, school and family, it can be a great time to make sure that all of us are […]

For Your Health – The A to Zzzzz of Healthy Sleep

Lying on stomach. Smiling African American woman peacefully sleeping on connected hands and having pleasant dreams

Getting too little sleep or too much sleep disrupts the circadian rhythm – our natural ‘body clock’ – which leads to many unfavorable responses in the body Dr. Yikyung Park It’s that time of year when it can be pretty easy to lose a couple hours of good sleep.  Even if we’re usually pretty good […]

For Your Health – 10 Sun Safety Tips for Summer Fun 

Looking up towards a blue sky under a yellow sun umbrella

The basics are pretty simple: Find shade, use sunscreen and wear sun-safe clothes. But some extra tips can really help us put these into practice. If all the picnics, barbeques and trips to the park didn’t give it away, summer is now officially in full swing, and for many of us that means getting outside […]

For Your Health – It’s Not Just What We Eat, But When We Eat Can Matter, Too.

Photo of a traditional analog red alarm clock with red bells and white face with black numbers and mark, showing approximately 10:10 and 18 seconds, on light blue background.

“So far, studies suggest that people eating more calories earlier in the day are less likely to develop metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, than those eating more calories later in the day.” – Dr. Yikyung Park It’s that time of year where the calendar still says “spring,” but the weather and the […]

Change in breast density over time linked to cancer risk (Links to an external site)

Many middle-aged and older women get mammograms every one to two years to screen for breast cancer, as recommended by their doctors. A study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that previous mammograms hold underutilized data that could help identify women at high risk of breast cancer and even reveal which breast is likely to be affected.

Red flags indicate risk for early-onset colorectal cancer (Links to an external site)

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified four important signs and symptoms that signal an elevated risk of early-onset colorectal cancer. These red flags may be key to earlier detection and diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer among younger adults. The number of young adults with colorectal cancer has nearly doubled in recent years.

New IARC Brief Highlights Benefits of Single Dose HPV Vaccine

A new brief from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) adds further momentum to movements recommending a single dose of the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine.  Originally recommended as a three-dose series when first approved and made widely available, the CDC currently recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine for 9 – 14 year […]

For Your Health – Spring Toward Wellness

A scientific paper recently looked at the links between the time of year and how physically active we are, finding that spring is a season when many people are most active.  Summer does very well, too, of course. But in some studies, spring took the top spot outright. It’s pretty easy to see why – there’s […]

For Your Health – Understanding Prostate Cancer Screening and Prevention

Hand in blue surgical gloves holds a vial of blood with the label: Free PSA Test.

Prostate cancer isn’t a pleasant topic to think about. But at the same time, it’s a cancer that many of us are, unfortunately, familiar with. It’s likely impacted people in our lives, whether it’s family members, friends or those we know through school or work. So, whether it’s for ourselves or those we care about, […]

For Your Health – At the Heart of It, Even a Little Physical Activity Has Benefits

“Really, every minute of activity can be beneficial,” says Salerno. It’s likely not the first heart-themed celebration that comes to mind in February – that of course goes to Valentine’s Day – but American Heart Month certainly deserves just as much attention as its more popular counterpart. While we’ve made a lot of progress in […]

For Your Health – Zero Alcohol is Likely the Healthiest Amount

“It’s well past time to change how we talk about alcohol’s impact on health.” With New Year’s celebrations behind us and the promise of the new year ahead, it can be a great time to talk about the relationship between alcohol and our health. While the dangers of regular heavy drinking and binge drinking (drinking […]

For Your Health – Simple Tips for Keeping Weight in Check and Improving Health

Weight can be a tricky topic. While our weight has no bearing on who we are or how we should be viewed or treated, it can be quite important when it comes to health and well-being. And that can be very meaningful – not only to us personally but also to our family, friends and […]

For Your Health – The Many Benefits of Spending Time in Greenspaces

As wonderful as summertime can be, there’s also something really nice about the calendar – and the weather – turning toward fall.  The light starts to soften a bit, and the crisp mornings and warm afternoons invite us to spend more time outside.   Maybe that’s walking the kids home from school, cycling to the grocery store […]

For Your Health – Planning for a healthier school year

August 4, 2022 It’s not what many kids want to hear right now, but the new school year is just around the corner.  Even while the long days remain filled with summer activities, families are starting to make plans for the first day of school and the coming year.   While it’s hard to know what might […]

For Your Health – Enjoying Summertime Sun, Safely

June 1, 2022  For the last few years, summertime has felt even more special to me than usual. With the long, warm days, we’re finally able to get outside more and enjoy walks, bike rides and time at the park – often with family and friends we may not have seen for a while. In […]

For Your Health: Preparing for Healthy Holidays

With Thanksgiving and the winter holidays just around corner, division chief Dr. Graham Colditz‘s latest For Your Health column discusses ways we can help keep our friends, family, and ourselves healthy as we celebrate during the ongoing pandemic. With insight from Dr. Bettina Drake, he covers COVID-related safety and health, of course, but also broader […]

Simple Steps to Lower Breast Cancer Risk

This post first appeared as a For Your Health column in October 2019. For a disease as scary as breast cancer, one positive and very important message that deserves to be heard more often during Breast Cancer Awareness Month is that it’s a disease that can be prevented. Research shows that about half of all […]

In the News: Study Finds HPV Vaccine Lowers the Risk of Cervical Cancer

The results are not really a surprise, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. In what is the first large study to directly look at HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination and risk of cervical cancer – rather than risk of cervical pre-cancers – researchers found that vaccination substantially lowered cancer risk. And vaccination at younger ages, […]

On This #NationalCoffeeDay – The Buzz on Coffee and Health

February feels like a long, long time ago. The coronavirus outbreak was starting to take hold, but life in the United States was still pretty much normal. Things would soon change, and now nine months or so into our efforts to curb the pandemic, it can be refreshing and a little strange to look back […]

In the News: Information on Colon Cancer – Screening & Prevention

With the surprise and tragic news that the actor Chadwick Boseman had passed away of colon cancer at age 43, there’s been a spotlight on the disease as people look for information and answers. While colon cancer is a disease that many people have heard of, they may not know a great deal about it. […]

Study Finds Smokers More Likely to Miss Cancer Screenings

Even though smoking is an important cause of multiple cancers, women who smoke are less likely to get recommended cancer screening tests than those who don’t smoke.  That’s the finding from a new study of the large Women’s Health Initiative.  Published yesterday in the journal, BMJ Open, the study followed 89,000 U.S. women for just […]

Pride, Progress, and Working toward Health Equity:  Cancer and the LGBTQIA+ Community

By Nora Leahy, MPH, CHES, Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities Every June we celebrate Pride Month and the great diversity, strength, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.  We reflect on the past and honor those who risked everything to pave the way toward equality.  We also imagine and strive for a future rooted […]

Understanding Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations and Average Risk

By Ashley Housten, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L Women have a decision to make. Most know they need a mammogram every 1-2 years, but determining when to start and how often to be screened can be tricky. Siteman Cancer Center radiologists recommend that every woman begin yearly screening at age 40. But you may be hearing different […]

Tips for Weathering Your Winter Workouts

As hard as it can feel at times, winter workouts can be pretty easy to fit in with a bit of planning. by Hank Dart Winter is a special time of year. It’s a season of festive holidays and long, cozy evenings spent with friends and family. Unfortunately, many of the same things that make […]

Take Time for Your Health During the Holidays

  The holidays are here, and that means a calendar filled with family, friends and festivities. And as wonderful as that can be, it can also make it challenging to stick to the regular routines that help keep us healthy. To help you have the physical and mental freshness to fully enjoy the season, try […]

Guiding Daughters Toward Lifelong Breast Health Habits

Originally appeared in:  TOGETHER – Every Woman’s Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer. Health is a strange thing. It is something that is both very personal and very communal.  As individuals, of course, we ultimately have control over the choices we make when it comes to what we eat, how much TV we watch, and how much […]

Help Build a Healthier Community (Video Tips)

Dr. Graham Colditz’s latest For Your Health column talks about ways we can all help make our communities healthier.  And, it turns out, we don’t need to be public health superheroes to make a real and lasting difference. As he writes: Big efforts can have an impact. Smaller efforts can, too. Together, they can all […]

Being a Smart Consumer of Health Information

Originally appeared in:  TOGETHER – Every Woman’s Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer. Although the modern version of the Internet has been around for close to twenty years, it still functions a lot like the Wild West. This is especially so when it comes to health information. Although there has always been unreliable and outright dangerous […]

For Your Health: HPV Vaccine Prevents Cancer

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz You’ve likely heard of the HPV vaccine, but what you may be surprised to hear is that it is one of the most important advances in the field of cancer in the last 20 years. And while it may not be on the list of required vaccines at your child’s […]

For Your Health: Don’t Sugarcoat the Health Risks of Sugary Drinks

By Graham A. Colditz We have a love affair with sugary drinks in the U.S. And it may, quite literally, be killing us. About 25,000 deaths each year are linked to drinking beverages like full-sugar sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks. It’s a startling number, especially for something so common that we often don’t give […]

For Your Health: Lung Cancer Screening Can Save Lives

by Dr. Graham A. Colditz Among scary diseases, lung cancer can be one of the scariest. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the nation, and in both Missouri and Illinois.  And for smokers and many ex-smokers who are at increased risk of lung cancer, it can feel especially scary. But there is […]

For Your Health: The Blistering Truth About Teens and Indoor Tanning

by Dr. Graham A. Colditz Part of being a teenager is feeling a sense of youthful invincibility. The health concerns of middle age are just that – concerns of middle age – and are so far away that it’s hard for teens to even think about them, let alone want to take steps to avoid […]

Questions About Colon Cancer Screening? We Have Some Answers

By this time in March, you may have heard that it’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.   And with spring in the air and other health awareness promotions competing for your attention, it’s easy to lose the significance of that.  But colon cancer is really important.  It’s the third most common cancer in the United States and the third […]

For Your Health: Making Friends with Your Bathroom Scale

by Dr. Graham A. Colditz It can feel like a real victory when we discover those little tricks that make daily life a bit easier. Whether it’s a quicker way to finish chores or a simple dish that tastes like it took hours to make, it’s hard to beat the satisfaction of getting more done […]