Other Cancers

Other Cancers Articles

Adapting to life after cancer

Once you’ve completed therapy, you may face a new set of challenges to your health and well-being, including late effects of treatment, the fear of recurrence, and altered relationships. Your health-care team can help you deal with them. (Locked) More »

Ask the doctor: Prostate surgery and ED

Studies have not shown that taking an erectile function drug right after prostate surgery helps men to recover more erectile function, compared with just taking the drugs as needed for sexual activity. (Locked) More »

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

A sarcoma is a cancer that develops from particular tissues, such as muscle or bone. There are two types of sarcoma: osteosarcoma, which develops from bone, and soft tissue sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcoma can arise from muscle, fat, nerves, cartilage, or blood vessels. Cancerous tumors can develop when abnormal cells in these tissues multiply and grow out of control. Scientists do not yet fully understand why these cells become abnormal. However, most cancers are thought to develop due to genetic changes (mutations). The tumor is named based on the type of tissue it resembles. For example, a soft tissue sarcoma that looks like fat is called a liposarcoma; a tumor that looks like fibrous tissue is called a fibrosarcoma. If a soft tissue sarcoma resembles more than one type of tissue, its name will reflect its complex appearance. For example, a neurofibrosarcoma develops in the fibrous tissue surrounding a nerve. A soft tissue sarcoma that doesn't look like any normal tissue is undifferentiated or unclassified. More than half of soft tissue sarcomas develop in the arms and legs. About one-third develop in the trunk. Few develop in the head and neck. Most soft tissue sarcomas occur in adults over age 55. But about one-fifth of these tumors occur in children. In children, soft tissue sarcomas are twice as common in whites as in African Americans.   (Locked) More »

If you want to avoid colonoscopy, you still have effective options

Colonoscopy is the most effective way to prevent colon cancer, but it is more inconvenient and carries more risks than other options. A person must take strong laxatives before colonoscopy to clear out the colon. There is a small risk of tearing the colon wall during the procedure. Colonoscopy usually includes light sedation. The next best option after colonoscopy is stool testing. It is not as invasive as colonoscopy but must be done more frequently and is less effective at catching precancerous growths before they develop into cancer. (Locked) More »