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Help us help you: What cancer topics would you like to learn about?

Dec 11 8:51am | Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | Comments (31)

The Stephen and Barbara Slaggie Family Cancer Education Center provides free educational resources and support for cancer patients and their families – including group classes, patient navigation, and online resources through Mayo Clinic Connect.

Throughout the year, we publish articles on a wide range of cancer-related topics. You’re reading one of them now! Our hope is that these articles provide support, inspire hope, and offer information that is truly meaningful as you navigate cancer or support a loved one.

No one understands what information is most helpful better than those living through the experience. That’s why we’re reaching out today.

We want to hear your ideas. 

What topics would you like us to cover in future articles? No suggestion is too big or too small. Our team will research up-to-date evidence and collaborate with Mayo Clinic experts to ensure the information we provide is accurate and useful. While we may not be able to write about every suggestion, your input helps guide our work and ensures we continue offering resources that matter to our community.

Feel free to browse previous articles for inspiration.

What can we write about that would help you on your journey? Please comment below. 

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Cancer Education blog.

Profile picture for Liz Waugh, Patient Educator
Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | 5 days ago
In reply to @roch "Oncotype DX Tests for Breast Cancer. To the best of my knowledge, I never had an..." + (show)
Profile picture for Laurie, Volunteer Mentor @roch

Oncotype DX Tests for Breast Cancer. To the best of my knowledge, I never had an Oncotype test when I had breast cancer. It is often mentioned in the Breast Cancer group. There is an article on breastcancer.org about
https://www.breastcancer.org/screening-testing/oncotype-dx
If there is additional information that the Mayo Cancer Education Group can add, it might be a good topic.

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@roch This is not something we have written an article about. Thanks for the idea!

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Amy Kuth, Patient Educator | @amykuth | 5 days ago
In reply to @diyayane "Cancer fatigue! I have been crazy exhausted since sept 16 when I got a bad virus..." + (show)
Profile picture for diyayane, Diane Underhill @diyayane

Cancer fatigue! I have been crazy exhausted since sept 16 when I got a bad virus and soon after got a chest xray which showed my lung cancer. ALL the doctors but one have said that I shouldn’t be so tired because of the cancer, it must be unrelated. Then my biopsy surgeon said “Of course you’re exhausted, you have lung cancer that’s metastasized to your lymph nodes. I can hardly get out of bed many days, or I take a shower and get back in bed. It doesn’t matter how much I rest in the day and sleep at night… I’m ALWAYS tired. Some days my brain fog is off the charts, it isn’t safe for me to drive. If I do one thing in a day that’s usually all I can do. I was terrified of what else I might have that could be causing this! Then I found an article about cancer fatigue. It described ALL my symptoms and said it is quite normal for people to experience this overwhelming fatigue of body mind and soul. Why don’t more doctors know about it? Does anyone else in this group experience this? I’m having surgery in 3 days and then chemo starts soon after.

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@diyayane Fatigue is such a common side effect that many people with cancer experience! The article below includes links to additional articles that were shared on the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Blog. One of those articles is related to cancer fatigue, and I encourage you to check it out.
New articles on research discoveries, detection, and cancer fatigue | Mayo Clinic Connect: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/new-articles-on-leukemia-pancreatic-cancer-research/

We also have another article that discusses brain fog that you could take a look at as well! Your brain after cancer: what to expect and how to help | Mayo Clinic Connect: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/your-brain-after-cancer-what-to-expect-and-how-to-help/

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Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | 5 days ago
In reply to @diverdown1 "I recently had a precancerous place removed from my forehead. It was not a big place,..." + (show)
Profile picture for diverdown1 @diverdown1

I recently had a precancerous place removed from my forehead. It was not a big place, but I wonder what this means for the future? The dermatologist has me coming in a year from now. I have been in the sun all of my life and I know that when I was a kid, sunscreen was not a big recommendation.

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@diverdown1 This is a great topic for us to explore. Thanks for sharing your idea!

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Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | 5 days ago
In reply to @sveta25 "How to talk to doctor about what kind of treatment is right." + (show)
Profile picture for sveta25 @sveta25

How to talk to doctor about what kind of treatment is right.

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@sveta25 This is such a challenging topic, and very important to discuss. Thank you for sharing this.

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Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | 5 days ago
In reply to @mir123 "Thank you for asking! In the area of breast cancer, I am interested in hearing about..." + (show)
Profile picture for Miriam, Volunteer Mentor @mir123

Thank you for asking! In the area of breast cancer, I am interested in hearing about patients who limited treatment because of age, co-morbidities, and/or personal preference. For example, frail elderly patients who turned down chemotherapy. Or shorter courses of radiation. Or refusal of aromatase inhibitors due to side effects. Did limiting treatment, perhaps to 3 out of 4 suggested modalities, have any significant effect of survival interval or life expectancy? Not asking about alternative treatments or psychological approach or lack of compliancy but a clear decision communicated to oncologist.

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@mir123 Thank you for raising this important question. Many patients, for a variety of reasons, choose to limit breast cancer treatment after careful discussions with their doctors, but the impact on survival is not always clear. This is something our team is looking forward to exploring more.

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | 5 days ago
In reply to @diverdown1 "I recently had a precancerous place removed from my forehead. It was not a big place,..." + (show)
Profile picture for diverdown1 @diverdown1

I recently had a precancerous place removed from my forehead. It was not a big place, but I wonder what this means for the future? The dermatologist has me coming in a year from now. I have been in the sun all of my life and I know that when I was a kid, sunscreen was not a big recommendation.

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@diverdown1 I suggest you take a look at our skin health support group. A precancerous spot may have been removed using frozen nitrogen? It may have been an actinic keratosis. And a gentle reminder it is never too late to start using sunscreen! Hoping your dermatologist told you that if you have an area that concerns you, to return to their office before that year is up!?
Ginger

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Liz Waugh, Patient Educator | @lizwaugh | 5 days ago
In reply to @nana120 "Following the previous post regarding age & cancer limitations. I am 83 years old and have..." + (show)
Profile picture for nana120 @nana120

Following the previous post regarding age & cancer limitations. I am 83 years old and have NeuroEndocrine cancer with bone on bone knees. My orthopedist says replacement is all he can offer, but my oncologist says he could not recommend this since he would be concerned about my ability to heal from major surgery!

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@nana120 I’m sorry you’re facing this—it’s a lot for anyone to carry. Wishing you comfort and clarity as you work through these decisions. We have this topic noted for a future article.

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smith777 | @smith777 | 4 days ago

CBT video therapy and Guided Imagery suggestions.

Thank you . Best for the holidays.

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