What is a multidrug resistant organism (MDRO)?
Multidrug-resistant organisms, or MDROs, are bacteria that are resistant to at least three families of antibiotics. This means the antibiotics don’t work to treat your infection. While rare, some MDROs are resistant to all types of antibiotics.
Examples of multidrug-resistant organisms include:
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales...
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: Are they safe for cancer patients?
It may seem obvious. You have a headache, you reach for acetaminophen. You start feeling menstrual cramps, you take a few ibuprofen. You wake...
Your stem cell transplant consultation: Questions to ask
Your doctor may recommend that you undergo a stem cell transplant if you’ve been diagnosed with a blood cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma...
Opportunistic infections: What cancer patients need to know
An opportunistic infection is one that a person with a healthy immune system is unlikely to get. It happens when bacteria or some other pathogen gains a foothold in someone whose immune system is abnormal or compromised in some way.
But do certain opportunistic infections occur more frequently in cancer patients? Can they ever be prevented? How are they treated? And, is there anything you can do to lower your risk of getting one...
Sepsis: 4 things for cancer patients to know
Sepsis is a serious condition that occurs when your body's immune system damages its own tissues and organs while trying to fight a bacterial...
How can cancer patients and their families safely enjoy summer during the COVID-19 pandemic?
After almost three months of social distancing to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), you might be itching to get out and enjoy...
COVID-19: Businesses are reopening. Is it safe for cancer patients to go out?
As states begin to lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders and reopen businesses, people are beginning to venture out in public more frequently...
Disinfectants 101: 9 things to know
Regular handwashing, consistent social distancing, wearing a mask in public, and frequent disinfection of high-touch objects remain the best...
Leukemia survivor after COVID-19 recovery: ‘There’s always something to fight for’
Mary Hernandez didn’t realize how sick she was when she came to the MD Anderson Emergency Center on March 30. The 41-year-old was still reeling...
6 ways to cope with social isolation during COVID-19
As we each do our part to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by practicing social distancing and staying home, many...