Should you get a central line for chemotherapy?
Many cancer patients will receive chemotherapy infusions as a part of their cancer treatment.
Sometimes, it can be delivered safely through a standard (or “peripheral”) IV line. Other times, infusions must be administered through a central line catheter, such as a PICC, CVC or port.
But how do these options differ? Which one is right for you? We spoke with Clinical Outcomes Specialist Jennifer Aceljado and Advanced...
Lymphoma survivor: Why I recommend hepatitis C testing
I’ve never taken illegal drugs, and the only time I ever had a needle in my arm was when a doctor was on the other side of it. So my best...
Starting exercise prior to cancer treatment can pay off
Cancer can have a lasting effect on a patient.
That’s why rehabilitation is often so important after cancer treatment or...
Surviving sarcoma took a different treatment route than I expected
One weekend in June 2017, I became incredibly ill. I’d faced digestive issues for three years, but this pain was different. By Monday, the pain was so intense I couldn’t eat or sleep.
When the medication my doctor prescribed didn’t work, he ordered an ultrasound. They determined my gallbladder was failing but also noticed a small lesion lodged between my small intestine, pancreas and gallbladder. A subsequent CT scan led to a laparoscopic...
What older cancer patients should know about clinical trials
Clinical trials enable us to discover new and better cancer treatments. They offer patients access to cutting-edge treatments years before...
My B-cell lymphoma treatment during pregnancy
During the first trimester of my pregnancy, I had a lingering cough that would not go away. I thought it was allergies, so I procrastinated...
Colorectal cancer survivor: Giving back changed my life
Sharing my stage IV colorectal cancer story with others is a blessing, though I’ll admit: at the time of my diagnosis, I didn’t feel this...
What are ‘omics and how can they improve cancer treatment?
One gene can tell you a lot about your risk for developing cancer and how well you’re likely to respond to cancer treatment. But there’s only...
The fatherly advice that shaped our doctors
As Father’s Day approaches, we asked our doctors to share their fathers’ words of wisdom that left an everlasting mark. Here’s what they said...
What does an inpatient pharmacist do?
Each day nearly 200 pharmacists around MD Anderson dispense an average of 23,000 drug doses. That’s 8.4 million doses a year, one of the highest...
Glioblastoma survivor: Family and faith give me hope
I’m a 58-year-old guy who never thought I would be talking about “the C word.” Nevertheless, here I am recollecting the past year contending...
How I coped with my emotions during bladder cancer treatment
After I was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer in September 2014, I experienced many of the stages of grief.
My doctor initially...
Life after my leukemia diagnosis and stem cell transplant
Before my acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis, I was in great shape. I was training 20-25 hours a week as a professional triathlete and had recently...
How a targeted therapy clinical trial is keeping my bile duct cancer in check
Cancer is not uncommon in my family, but I was still totally unprepared for my own diagnosis.
In June 2015, I was a healthy 43-year-old...