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BY Heather Alexander Dahl

Ready to get your health back on track after a busy holiday season? It’s possible to make your New Year’s resolutions stick if you approach them realistically.

Use these tips from our Wellness team to help you set goals that make you feel good and give you best the best chance at success. 

1. Devote time to sleep and rejuvenation. Set goals for reasonable bedtimes and waking times, and remember to stay hydrated. When...

Photo shows the words new year, new start.

BY Lucy Towler

I’ve had abnormal Pap tests my whole life — starting when I first began getting them around age 18. Since then, I’ve had at least one abnormal...

BY Mindy Loya

While many people may not know her name, those who have received or provided care at MD Anderson in recent years are likely familiar with...

BY Maggie Galehouse

Seventeen years ago, a phone call changed the course of Fayleta Lawrence’s life. It was her mother, breaking the news that she had just been diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.

“I started crying,” says Lawrence, a patient services coordinator at MD Anderson League City. “I remember thinking: there’s no number after four.”

Lawrence had been working for a record label, but her mother’s diagnosis caused a shift in her career...

Fayleta Lawrence hugs a patient

BY Clayton Boldt, Ph.D.

From unlocking the secrets of the tumor microenvironment to advancing new therapies to FDA approval, MD Anderson researchers are driven by...

BY Eric Roberson Jr.

I’ve been teaching some form of band since I graduated from high school in 2015. By the end of that same year, I was already instructing some...

BY Elise Raymund

As Commissioner of the Port of Houston Authority and a leader on corporate and charitable boards, Cheryl Creuzot is highly sought after for...

BY Heather Alexander Dahl

If you’re facing holiday temptations and wondering how you’ll keep your blood sugar where you need it to be or how you’ll stick with your...

BY KirstiAnn Clifford

Last updated Feb. 9, 2023

Allie Moreno has a simple yet powerful message for people who donate blood at MD Anderson: “Thank you. Your...

BY Heather Alexander Dahl

Poop may be the favorite topic of preschoolers, yet very few adults want to talk about it. And if a problem shows up, like blood in your stool...

BY Molly Adams

From eating and drinking to talking and breathing, you use your mouth constantly. With all that movement, you probably notice when something...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Kathleen Schmeler, M.D., has been focused on bringing high-quality cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs to women in underserved...

BY KirstiAnn Clifford

Jeremiah Bergeron pays close attention to detail. As a nurse caring for hospital patients receiving CAR T cell therapy, Bergeron monitors...

BY Molly Adams

When cancer is found in both breasts or there’s a high risk of developing breast cancer, a double mastectomy may be an option to treat or...

BY Lisa Garcia

Steve Olejniczak had been dealing with pain in his right hip for years before he saw a doctor in late 2019. When he did, doctors said he had...

BY Nicole Body

My husband, Wes, and I moved to The Woodlands — a suburb of Houston about 30 miles north of downtown — in September 2019. We made that decision...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

A lump in your breast can sometimes be a sign of breast cancer. It could also be a harmless cyst, or a temporary change in breast tissue caused...

BY Devon Carter

Immunotherapy harnesses the natural power of the immune system and enhances its response to cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are the most...

BY Adrienne DeNooyer

I have always enjoyed an active lifestyle, playing pickleball and taking long walks with my husband, Bill. But in April 2019, I started experiencing...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Much like adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas can develop in many locations, including the skin, lungs and cervix. 

Unlike...

BY Molly Adams

Taking care of a loved one with cancer can be hard, no matter your relationship. For adult children of cancer patients, the changing role...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

You might know that flu season got off to an earlier start than usual this year or that the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is making a...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

When Arav Patil was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the spring of 2019, his parents, Komal and Rahul, were dumbfounded....

BY Sandy Goss

I always thought my husband would be the last one to receive a cancer diagnosis.  

Bill had always been very athletic and proactive...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you need an omentectomy as a part of your cancer treatment, you probably have a lot of questions. 

To learn more about who needs...

BY Allison Rosen

The first few years after my stage II colorectal cancer diagnosis were pretty rough. I was in and out of the hospital with infections...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Like many women diagnosed with cervical cancer, Linda Ryan didn’t initially have any symptoms. So, she didn’t know she had the disease until...

BY Devon Carter

Cancer research is advancing rapidly, and patients are benefitting from new therapies faster than ever. One example is a type of targeted...

BY Molly Adams

Throughout cancer treatment, patients may go through many blood draws, infusions and injections. All these needle sticks can be uncomfortable...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain are three of the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer. They’re also some of the easiest to overlook...

BY Sairah Ahmed, M.D. and Elizabeth Shpall, M.D.

Since MD Anderson’s first CAR T cell therapy clinical trial launched in 2015, we’ve cared for hundreds of patients undergoing CAR T cell therapy...

BY Meagan Raeke

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy is an immunotherapy that’s started before surgery. It is almost always followed with additional doses of adjuvant...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

About 10,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. The vast majority of cases are due to the human papillomavirus (HPV).

BY Elise Raymund

In October 2020, Archna Chainani was diagnosed with stage IV triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive forms of breast...

BY Meagan Raeke

A cancer diagnosis is never good news, but Paul McKinney knows that his stage III melanoma diagnosis at least came at a “good” time in terms...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Until she came to MD Anderson, 82-year-old Myrna Youmans had never heard the words “smoldering myeloma.” So, she didn’t know that they described...

BY Devon Carter

The heart pumps blood to send vital oxygen throughout the body. It’s a maze of four chambers: two on the left and two on the right. Blood...

BY Paulette Roberson

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 94. My mother-in-law had it when she was in her 40s. But to my knowledge, there’s...

BY Shannon LaDuke

When doctors diagnose a patient with ovarian cancer, a gynecologic oncologist will need to determine what stage it is. If you or a loved one...

BY Heather Alexander Dahl

Some people make exercise look so easy. They’re at the gym several times a week, posting running times from their fitness app. It’s like they...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistent cough can all be symptoms of lung cancer.

But they can also be signs of other conditions...

BY Heather Alexander Dahl

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by toxins that may increase cancer risk. After all, household products have so many unrecognizable ingredients...

BY Algimantė Daugėlaitė

By the time I got to MD Anderson in March 2021, I’d already been through two cancer diagnoses, three relapses, six types of chemotherapy and...

BY Katie Tyler

Cassie McKee mistook her first colon cancer symptoms for food poisoning in 2017. When the active mom’s sudden nausea didn’t subside, she feared...

BY Ronda Wendler

For years, doctors have recommended exercise to reduce patients’ risk of developing cancer, and to help cancer survivors thrive after treatment...

BY Sarah Zizinia

A urostomy is a surgical procedure that can be a part of bladder cancer treatment. You may also need a urostomy if your bladder isn’t functional...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Cancer can bring a wide range of emotions for patients, both after a diagnosis and during treatment. Coping with side effects and a changing...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common form of thyroid cancer. It is normally a slow-growing cancer and makes up roughly 80% to 85% of...

BY Ford Swift

My dad had prostate cancer when he was 66, so I never miss my annual physical and routine bloodwork.

In August 2021, when my prostate-specific...

BY Molly Adams

Lung cancer can form in any part of the lungs. When lung tumors grow in the upper portion of the lung, above the first rib, they’re called...

BY Arthur Hamberger, M.D.

As a retired physician, I have several advantages over the average layperson. First, I can understand the medical jargon used by other doctors...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Nodular melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can mimic benign conditions, including blood blisters and acne. It’s also one of the more invasive...

BY Julian Cavazos

Six years ago, Suzanne Singletary traveled to central Florida to spend Christmas with her family.

She had a small cough, so she stopped...

BY Elise Raymund

Twenty-three years ago, Brenda Petru made a promise to her best friend, Sue, that she would continue fundraising for cancer research — no...

BY Heather Alexander

Choosing skin care products can be overwhelming. There are so many ingredients and so many claims of benefits.

But there is one ingredient...

BY Molly Adams

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and swelling in the joints. It’s caused when the immune system mistakenly...

BY Kathy McKay

I’m a nurse, so when I started experiencing pain and swelling in my lower abdomen, I suspected inflammatory bowel disease, or even worse,...

BY Donna Griffard

In March 2015, I was diagnosed with cancer of the unknown primary (CUP). That means the original cancer site could not be identified....

BY Jacqueline Mason

Last updated on Oct. 13, 2022

You’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19, but is it time for your next booster? Which type of booster should...

BY Lisa Morris

Before I went to MD Anderson, I didn’t even know I had pancreatic cancer. All I knew was that I had a huge pancreatic cyst. And I only found...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Most melanomas tend to appear as irregular black or dark brown splotches on the skin. But amelanotic melanoma is an outlier: it doesn’t share...

BY Julie Nagy

There are over 6 billion letters, or nucleotides, of DNA in the genome. These contain all the information needed to create an individual organism...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Many women will experience a breast cyst at some point in their lives. Though they tend to be more common among women between the ages of...

BY Feyama Ashby

Over the last few years, I’ve learned a lot about what makes MD Anderson No. 1 in the nation for cancer care. As a quality and compliance...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

The start of a new flu season often brings questions, such as: “When should I get my shot?” And, “Is it OK to get my flu shot and another...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Many skin cancers — including cutaneous melanoma — are associated with UV exposure. Yet acral lentiginous melanoma develops only on areas...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Most people experience a canker sore at some point in their lives. These small, often painful lesions can appear on any moist, fleshy surface...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Christine Routledge was three months pregnant with her second child when routine bloodwork revealed something in her blood levels was off....

BY Molly Adams

The pancreas is part of the digestive system which helps your body regulate blood sugar and digest food. Sometimes cysts can develop inside...

BY Molly Adams

Updated Oct. 31, 2022

As part of a complete breast cancer diagnosis, patients will learn their HER2 status. The human growth receptor...

BY Ronda Wendler

Gardner syndrome is a rare, inherited condition where people develop hundreds and sometimes thousands of abnormal growths in their large and...

BY Devon Carter

When cancer cells enter the leptomeninges, which are part of the membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord, it can turn into a type of...

BY Heather Alexander

Kombucha is a fermented drink made from tea, yeast, bacteria and sugar. It has grown in popularity, and some believe it has many health benefits...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Last updated on Oct. 13, 2022

You may have heard that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization...

BY Molly Adams

As an associate professor in Genomic Medicine, Linghua Wang, M.D., Ph.D., studies how normal cells become cancerous and how cancer cells develop...

BY Lisa Garcia

Michael Scott has always kept his support system in mind. That was true when he was diagnosed with angiosarcoma more than five years ago,...

BY Julia Dai, M.D.

High exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause anyone to get skin cancer. But some people are more likely to develop skin cancer than others....

BY Karen Vollmering

When retired Major League Baseball player and Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez was diagnosed with cancer, he knew exactly what...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you need an ostomy as a part of your cancer treatment, you probably have a lot of questions. 

To learn more about who...

BY Jerry Burley

When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at age 63, it actually didn’t bother me. I felt like whatever this was, God had a plan charted...

BY Michael Curran, Ph.D.

I’ve always been interested in how to jump-start the immune system. My curiosity led me to train as a postdoc under Jim Allison, Ph.D., in...

BY Molly Adams

The human epidermal growth factor 2 – also known as HER2 – is a protein that tells human cells when to grow and when not to grow. Sometimes...

BY Amy Spallone, M.D.

Last updated on Dec. 1, 2022

Was mpox (formerly called monkeypox) created in a lab? Can you get it from going in a swimming pool...

BY Ronda Wendler

The female hormone estrogen is “fuel” for about 80% of breast cancers in women who’ve gone through menopause. 

“Menopause itself...

BY David Hensley

Unless you’re a patient, or know a friend or relative who has it, I can’t imagine most people think too much about cancer — much less where...

BY Devon Carter

Did you know that lymphoma is an umbrella term that includes several subtypes? In general, lymphoma is a cancer that involves immune cells...

BY Linda Ryan

Some survivors spend a lot of time worrying that their cancer might come back. That is totally understandable. But it’s also something I make...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Some cancer treatments can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections. This means that cancer patients can often...

BY Ronda Wendler

Hormones control nearly all of our bodily functions, from growth and development to emotions, sexual function and even sleep. But hormones...

BY Ramonica Jones Luckett

Sophisticated cyberattacks are more common than ever as thieves find new ways to steal people’s information and identity. Patients with cancer...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

When Angie Levinthal’s husband, Jared was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2012, she was terrified that he might not be there to watch...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

How many types of leukemia are there? What makes each one unique, and are they treated any differently? 

We went to leukemia specialist...

BY Ronda Wendler

Ampullary cancer is a rare type of gastrointestinal cancer with symptoms so similar to pancreatic cancer that it is sometimes mistaken...

BY Sarah Zizinia

In August 2021, Dawn Patrick found a lump underneath her arm while in the shower. She immediately made an appointment with her primary care...

BY Kimberly Love

My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 45. She passed away just two years later. So, I started getting my colorectal cancer screenings...

BY Jenny Brown

When my 11-year-old daughter, Averi, fell at school, we didn’t think anything of it. But when the bruise didn’t go away after several weeks...

BY Molly Adams

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is caused by abnormal white blood cells. While there are several types, non-Hodgkin lymphoma can be divided into slow-growing...

BY Debbie Schneider

I did not expect anything to be wrong during my mammogram. I hadn’t felt any lumps or noticed any other breast cancer symptoms. So when the...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

NUT carcinoma is a rare cancer that starts in the lungs or sinuses. Less than 200 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. But it might...

BY Molly Adams

Developed in the 1900s, photodynamic therapy uses light to kill cancer cells and spare healthy tissue. It can be used in a variety of cancer...

BY Jacqueline Mason

Last updated Jan. 31, 2023

If you or someone you know has had COVID-19 recently, you may have heard of PAXLOVID. Maybe you’ve even...

BY Anisha Patel, M.D.

What are the different types of skin cancer? How are they usually diagnosed? What do they look like? And how are they treated? 

<...

BY Carolyn Kleiman

As a senior medical laboratory scientist at MD Anderson, I work behind the scenes to analyze patients’ lab work. My findings play a crucial...

BY Craig Carson

Most breast cancer patients undergo surgery of some kind. For some, this may include mastectomy; others may have breast conservation surgeries...

BY Ronda Wendler

The Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are behind an increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. We spoke with MD Anderson’s Chief...

BY Heather Alexander

Beating a nicotine addiction is one of the toughest things a person can do, but it can be one of the best things for your health. Nicotine...

BY Simona Colla, Ph.D.

Growing up in Italy, I found my happy place with science. Even when dealing with a challenging home life, science offered an escape. But I...

BY Molly Adams

Whether you have a tattoo from radiation therapy or have a meaningful design you’ve worn for years, there are a few things you should know...

BY Meagan Raeke

Growing up, Ross Robinson knew the type O-negative blood he and his family shared was special. 

"I'm a universal...

BY Gina Van Thomme

Roberta Burns was diagnosed with esophageal cancer on her 64th birthday. She’d been dealing with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, for...

BY Oluchi Oke, M.D.

In the past, only the size of a tumor and the status of nearby lymph nodes were used to determine the stage of someone’s breast cancer. It...

BY Ronda Wendler

Carolyn Drone thought her days of coping with cancer were over. She’d finished leukemia treatment two years earlier and showed no signs of...

BY Molly Adams

As we spend more time outside this summer, you may be wondering how best to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging UV rays and reduce your...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Last updated Dec. 1, 2022.

If you’ve seen the headlines about mpox (formerly called monkeypox) and are wondering if you need to be...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Has claustrophobia ever kept you from getting an MRI? Or a fear of needles made routine bloodwork or IV chemotherapy difficult? If so, then...

BY Tenchita Urteaga

In September 2021, I was in the process of moving to San Antonio and finishing up some coursework for a teaching certification. Then, I got...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you need chemotherapy as a part of your cancer treatment, you might have some concerns about losing your hair. But does every chemotherapy...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

Rebekah Thibodeaux didn’t expect to see her daughter 13-year-old daughter, Lane, back in the saddle so soon. When Lane was diagnosed with...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Lymphedema is a side effect of cancer treatment that can cause swelling in the arms and legs. It happens when lymphatic fluid doesn’t drain...

BY Sister Shirley Vaughn

When I was first diagnosed with Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in 1989, there weren’t that many treatment options available...

BY Jason Hiley

By the time my wife, Priscilla, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor called glioblastoma, her condition was so serious that she needed...

BY Ronda Wendler

Since they were first introduced more than 60 years ago, stem cell transplants have cured or extended the lives of millions diagnosed with...

BY George Brownfield

By the time I was diagnosed with HPV-related throat cancer in the summer of 2014, I’d been working as a senior systems analyst at MD Anderson...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Roughly 85% of all lung cancer diagnoses are caused by smoking. But what does smoking actually do to your lungs? 

Does the lung...

BY Shanley Chien

Gold nanoparticles are minuscule particles made of gold. From drug and gene delivery to photothermal and photodynamic therapies to screening...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer in women? Are they any different from the symptoms that men normally experience? And is it possible...

BY Sarah Zizinia

When you want to know what to expect from cancer treatment, it can help to talk to someone who has gone through it. Each patient’s experience...

BY Jerry Iacono

My personal goal has always been to run the New York City Marathon. As New York residents, my family and I have volunteered at the event for...

BY Gina Van Thomme

John Davis is one of the many regular gym-goers who was forced to reimagine his workout routine at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp...

BY Ronda Wendler

When you’re diagnosed with lung cancer, one of the most important things you’ll learn is your cancer’s stage. Staging is a way of describing...

BY Devon Carter

CD20-targeting monoclonal antibodies and immune checkpoint inhibitors started a revolution in cancer treatment by using immune cells to treat...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you’ve been told you need an endometrial biopsy, you probably have some questions. Why has it been ordered? What will it involve? And,...

BY Devon Carter

Historically, two breast cancer subtypes known as invasive lobular carcinoma and ductal carcinoma have been grouped together. They’ve been...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

A bag of simple peppermint candies can provide welcome relief from the nausea that sometimes accompanies chemotherapy. And a tube of high-quality...

BY Ronda Wendler

Last updated Feb. 14, 2023

Curtis Crump is serious about staying in shape. With his job, he has to be.

“I’m an airplane and...

BY Karen Roy

I am a licensed clinical social worker. So, I’m a really good person to have around in a crisis. Usually, I approach those situations like...

BY Lisa Garcia

Cancer and its treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgery, can sometimes affect a patient’s physical and cognitive functions. This can affect...

BY Katrina Burton

MD Anderson donors can make a big impact for programs that ultimately support some of our youngest cancer patients like 5-year-old Giovanni...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you’ve ever struggled with insomnia, you’ve likely heard of melatonin. This nutritional supplement has been widely available in drug stores...

BY Ishwaria Subbiah, M.D.

Deciding where to receive treatment is one of the most critical decisions you can make when you receive a cancer diagnosis.

So, how...

BY Kris Sokolowski

The running joke in my family is that I’m always at the doctor’s office. I’ve never missed a checkup since I was in my early 20s. And I go...

BY Molly Adams

Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, but did you know they can also vary in density? Breasts are composed of fat and glandular breast tissue...

BY Ronda Wendler

If you’re newly diagnosed with cancer and preparing to start treatment, heart health might be the last thing on your mind. But it shouldn’...

BY Karen Vollmering

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents. This type of sarcoma grows in the muscles attached to...

BY Molly Adams

In the 1950s, German biochemist Johanna Budwig developed a diet that she believed kept unhealthy cells from growing. Known as the Budwig diet...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Hairy cell leukemia is a rare blood cancer diagnosed in only about 1,000 people each year in the United States. Usually slow-growing, it’s...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Last updated May 31, 2022

Figuring out how to travel safely has never been more confusing — especially for cancer patients and their...

BY Jackie Rodriguez

At age 21, most people are still discovering who they are. But I was being treated at MD Anderson for osteochondroma-associated de-differentiated...

BY Molly Adams

One of the earliest and most common side effects of pancreatic cancer is pain. The pancreas sits below your sternum in your mid-abdomen and...

BY Omar Dirani

I had symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the spring of 2008, though I didn’t recognize them at the time. The first was a severe headache,...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Your gut health impacts your immune system, your mental health and your overall well-being. 

When you have a healthy gut, your...

BY Lauren Adams

Anxiety is a normal reaction to a perceived threat or stressful situation. It can range from mild nervousness to a full-blown panic attack...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Your thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck, regulates several of the body’s hormones. These hormones control your metabolism...

BY Shannon LaDuke

Researchers have made progress in treating ovarian cancer through surgery and chemotherapy. Yet the disease remains tough to treat because...

BY Karen Vollmering

Blood cancers like lymphoma and multiple myeloma begin in blood-forming tissue, such as bone marrow or in cells of the...

BY Ronda Wendler

As a horse trainer, Trey Bullinger spends hours in the saddle every day.  That’s why he blamed hemorrhoids when he noticed blood in his...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn and April Clayton

In June 2021, Georgie Dehnert was finally able to truly hear her 1-year-old daughter’s sweet giggle for the first time. Seven months into...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

Mazen Nadim wasn’t interested in robotic surgery to remove his adrenal tumor at first. No scar, no deal, the 15-year-old insisted. After all...

BY Meagan Raeke

Over the last decade, the three-year survival rate for lung cancer has increased dramatically. That means more people are living longer after...

BY Molly Adams

When you hear the word “polyp,” you may think of the colon. But that’s not the only place in your body where they can develop. In fact, you...

BY Jaystan Davis

I was just coming off of my first year playing college basketball in August 2021 when I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer.&nbsp...

BY Jon Hendren

I’d never heard of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) before I was diagnosed with it in November 2019. So, I didn’t know it was a bone marrow...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

You may have heard talk recently about a second COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. But if you’re confused about whether you need one — and what...

BY Linda Fernandez

My mom died of breast cancer when she was just 51. A lot of other people in my family have been diagnosed with cancer, too. So, I always kind...

BY Connor Johnson

I’m a statistics guy, so when my doctor explained that a stem cell transplant offered me the greatest odds for surviving acute myeloid leukemia...

BY Devon Carter

An estimated one in every 288 people has Lynch syndrome. “It’s about 1 million people in the United States,” says Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D...

BY Ronda Wendler

Arik Mayer had just graduated from high school and was eagerly anticipating his new life as a college student. But during his first year at...

BY Molly Adams

Sometimes, routine health exams like blood tests can uncover health issues you didn’t even know you had. That’s often the case with a rare...

BY Betty Ashford

I’ve been treated for three different types of cancer at MD Anderson. The first one was a rare skull base tumor called mucoepidermoid carcinoma...

BY Jennifer Meador

Cancer has been a part of my life practically from Day 1. 

I had to have my left kidney removed when I was just 4 months old,...

BY Molly Adams

When it comes to eating soy foods, there are a lot of myths about what’s safe for cancer survivors and patients in cancer treatment.

<...

BY Maude Veech

After Ron Speidel retired, he and his wife, Brenda, ventured around the U.S. in their RV for nine years.

“Then I got the big C,” says...

BY Karen Vollmering

Growing up with a family history of cancer, Jonathan Ting knew the importance of regular checkups. If anything were to happen, he wanted to...

BY Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D.

Immunotherapy represents a new paradigm in cancer care. It’s really an entirely new mechanism for treating cancer. We're not targeting...

BY Chris Massanova

I ran my first triathlon in the summer of 2015. Even with the 100-degree Texas heat, I fell in love with the sport. I started training several...

BY Dorcas Powell

On Oct. 13, 2014, I received the news that I had inflammatory breast cancer. Everything my local doctor said right after that sounded like...

BY Kelley Murfin

The arrival of spring often inspires change, like spring cleaning. It can also be a great time to add more seasonal, healthy foods to your...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

Just six weeks after his prostate cancer surgery, Alejandro Ayestaran ran a 10K.

His recovery was speedy thanks to rehabilitation exercises...

BY Carol Groskreutz

I was just 11 when I started smoking in the 1980s. Finding cigarettes was easy. My mom was a smoker, and when she reached the end of a pack...

BY Heather Alexander

There’s a new term floating around the food world. It’s designed to help you identify the processed foods it’s OK to eat, and the ones to...

BY Sarah Zizinia

Around his 31st birthday in April 2021, Brian Hertz scratched the side of his head and felt something strange.

“It’s hard to describe...

BY Mary Anne Marshall

During the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, my doctor told me that my inflammatory markers were sky high. She also was concerned about...

BY Maude Veech

Whether designing computer systems as a management consultant in the oil-and-gas industry or earning an MBA at Rice University, Charlotte...

BY Richard Bagdonas

It all started in October 2018 during a trip to Mexico. I consumed a fruit that caused me to become ill. Upon my return to the U.S., my doctor...

BY Jeffrey Foskett

Everything I have today, I owe to my voice. God granted me a wonderful singing voice at a very young age, and it served me well until I was...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain can all be symptoms of colorectal cancer.   

But they can also be signs of other conditions...

BY KirstiAnn Clifford

Cancer patients often need blood and platelet transfusions during their cancer treatment, and MD Anderson depends on our generous blood and...

BY Heather Alexander

Moms-to-be get asked a lot of questions. How are you feeling? Have you picked a name yet? How long to go? And then the questions about the...

BY Heather Alexander

French fries. Potato chips. Processed cereals. You probably know these aren’t the best foods for you because of the calories and saturated...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you’re age 45 or older, your doctor may have already talked to you about the need to start getting a colonoscopy to check for polyps.&nbsp...

BY Molly Adams

Daniel Frigo, Ph.D., developed a passion for science at a young age, inspired by his mechanical engineer dad and physician mom.

“I...

BY Ronda Wendler

Connor Johnson was eager to return to his job as a licensed electrician after recovering from COVID-19 last spring. But his enthusiasm was...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Ever logged into MyChart to check on some lab test results, then just stared blankly at the screen once you saw them? You’re not alone.&nbsp...

BY Julian Cavazos

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your lower neck. It produces hormones that help regulate your metabolism, temperature and energy...

BY Steven Champagne

When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October 2009, I knew exactly where I wanted to go for my cancer treatment.

Because with...

BY Devon Carter

Polyps are clusters of cells that can develop in the entire gastrointestinal tract, but they’re more likely seen in the small intestine, colon...

BY Rebecca Howell, Ph.D.

I’ve never been diagnosed with cancer, but I still get screened at MD Anderson for both breast cancer and skin cancer every year. And I tell...

BY Meagan Raeke

Last updated March 18, 2022. 

When Bob Seibert reflects on the nearly one and half years since his stage IV melanoma diagnosis...

BY Lauren Rose

Glioma and glioblastoma might sound similar, but there are differences between these two types of brain tumor diagnoses.

Here, neuro-oncologist...

BY Devon Carter

A cancer diagnosis can stir up fear – fear of the loss of life, as well as fear of changes to quality of life.

But it can also cause...

BY Molly Adams

Last updated Sept. 21, 2022

A cancer diagnosis brings many challenges. But from physical and emotional changes, to scheduling ...

BY Adrienne Lynch

Michelle Hildebrandt, Ph.D., left the Midwest 14 years ago for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at MD Anderson that focused on cancer prevention...

BY Heather Alexander

Your body works hard to keep the sugar in your blood at a safe level. As soon as you eat that cookie or bowl of pasta, your pancreas starts...

BY Karen Vollmering

The summer after six-year-old Christian completed kindergarten, he started complaining that his ear hurt. His mom, Marisa Garcia, thought...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Many cancers have been linked to genetic mutations, whether they’re inherited or occur spontaneously.

Certain BRCA mutations, for instance...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Many people already know that activities like yoga, exercise, meditation and talk therapy can help reduce anxiety. But what do you do when...

BY Lindsey Garner

Michelene Holmes was diagnosed with stage IIIA triple-negative breast cancer in January 2014 at 45 years old after she noticed a tightening...

BY Lisa Garcia

When retired Florida physician Bob Wagar, M.D., was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and sarcoma, he knew he would've felt comfortable...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you’re confused about how your COVID-19 status might affect your eligibility to donate blood or platelets, you’re not alone. ...

BY Sarah Pattison

I was 41 when I found out I had breast cancer. 

One day, I was carting around two teenagers and a preschooler, running our small...

BY Alexandre Reuben, Ph.D.

I'm an immunologist and a T cell biologist. My work pushes our understanding of how the immune system recognizes and destroys tumors....

BY Ronda Wendler

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re among the three-quarters of all Americans who search for health information online.

The good...

BY Molly Adams

If you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed with cancer, you may be hearing a lot of terms like stage, grade, prognosis or minimal...

BY Devon Carter

At-home COVID-19 antigen tests can be very convenient. A positive result can confirm a COVID-19 infection in minutes and help you protect...

BY D. Ivan Young, Ph.D.

As an International Coaching Foundation master-certified coach, National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching-certified coach and behavioral...

BY Bert Cutino

I am a three-opinion type of guy. Any time I need a job done, I always try to get three bids before making a decision. So, when I was diagnosed...

BY Ronda Wendler

Jerry Achan describes the day he collapsed from a stroke as “the luckiest day of my life.”

Without that stroke, doctors would never...

BY Mallory Parrish

Cancer doesn’t run in my family, so when I noticed a small swelling on my collar bone in March 2020, I just shrugged it off. I travel a lot...

BY Lisa Garcia

Soft tissue sarcoma begins in the soft – or connective – tissues of the body, such as muscle, fat and blood vessels. There are dozens of&nbsp...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Most people who are diagnosed with throat cancer won’t see anything unusual if they look in the mirror, open their mouths and say, “Ahhhh....

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Last updated on Aug. 9, 2022.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago, so little was known about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that all...

BY Heather Alexander

Red meat is any meat from a mammal, including beef, pork, mutton, lamb and goat. These meats should only be eaten in small or moderate amounts...

BY Meagan Raeke

“Every community is unique,” says Ruth Rechis, Ph.D., director of Be Well Communities™, MD Anderson’s place-based strategy...

BY Alexandre Alves

In January 2017, I was 24 years old and had just started working in a hospital in the northeast. Mere days after starting my new job, my dad...

BY Allison Schaffer

Unforeseen challenges and obstacles often bring about reinvigorated passion and determination to move forward to the next chapter. This was...

BY Meagan Raeke

Dane Clark is still a lung cancer patient, but it doesn’t interfere with his daily life anymore.

“It’s about as simple as it can be...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

If you’ve heard the word “flurona” recently, but aren’t quite sure what it means, you’re not alone. Many people have expressed confusion about...

BY Clayton Boldt, Ph.D.

Scientific discoveries are essential to driving advances in cancer care. From better screening and diagnostic techniques to innovative new...

BY Maggie Galehouse

One day before severe winter storms swept through Texas in February 2021, Ronald Abraham and his family left their Houston...

BY Kellie Bramlet Blackburn

Tumor forms when cells start to multiply and produce an abnormal growth. Malignant cells can invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts...

BY Heather Alexander

Wouldn’t it be nice to let go of all the rules about healthy eating and simply follow your body’s signals when you eat? That’s the promise...

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Though it happens very infrequently, sometimes people develop a second type of cancer in addition to the first. This could be due to a number...

BY Devon Carter

With the rise of the omicron variant, a mild cough can have you fearing that you’ve got COVID-19.

And whether it’s a PCR test that...

BY Shanley Chien

In October 2021, radiation oncologist Caroline Chung, M.D., became MD Anderson’s first-ever chief data officer.

Her charge? To shape...

BY Devon Carter

Many types of cancers can spread to the bone, leading to areas of damage called lesions. 80% of patients with metastatic prostate cancer develop...

BY Heather Alexander

Meditation used to be a fringe practice, but now it’s regularly recommended by health care providers to help with symptoms ranging from stress...