Cancer Care Archives - Provision Healthcare

May

Hands holding an orange ribbon for skin cancer awareness month

How you can help the cause during Skin Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer? In fact, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the United States than all other cancers combined. Every year in May, we recognize Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about this prevalent disease and boost funding for potentially life-saving research. In this blog, we’ll highlight some key skin cancer statistics, signs & symptoms, and helpful resources you can share with your social networks to help the cause.

Apr

You can raise proton therapy awareness through existing cancer awareness campaigns

How to raise proton therapy awareness through existing cancer campaigns

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

Existing cancer awareness campaigns can be a very useful tool when trying to raise proton therapy awareness. They give you an opportunity to highlight possible treatments for those cancers and the potential benefits of proton therapy. April is both Head, Neck & Oral Cancer Awareness Month and Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. So, here are a few facts about each to help you spread the word using your social media feeds or just good old-fashioned conversation!

Feb

Cancer screening guidelines for 2022 include mammograms for women in certain age groups

What to know about cancer screening guidelines for 2022

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

When it comes to cancer screenings, there can be some confusion as to what tests are recommended, who should be getting them, and how often. Since February is National Cancer Prevention Awareness Month, we thought it would be a good time to review the cancer screening guidelines for 2022. Following these testing recommendations, along with making healthy lifestyle choices, can help lower your risk regarding certain cancers.

Sep

Knowing the common prostate cancer risk factors can help men detect the disease earlier

Prostate cancer risk factors: What men should know to help with early detection

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

One of the keys to detecting prostate cancer early is understanding the most common risk factors. Since September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, this article will focus on raising awareness of early detection. By knowing which groups of men are most at risk, you’ll be better equipped to make educated decisions about when to begin screening and what to ask your doctor.

Feb

Proton therapy can help reduce heart radiation exposure from cancer treatment

If you have one of these cancers, proton therapy can help keep your heart safe

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

When it comes to treating cancer with radiation, many patients are concerned about the long-term effects the treatment will have on their heart. For cancers near this vital organ, traditional x-ray radiation can cause several cardiac health issues, including heart attacks, heart failure, and arrhythmias.¹

Heart radiation from cancer treatment is especially worrisome for breast, lung, and esophageal cancer patients. If any part of the heart is exposed to radiation, the risk of heart disease is increased. Often, these cardiac side effects don’t appear until several years after the cancer treatment.

In this article, we’ll look at each of those cancers and identify the risk associated with radiation, as well as how proton therapy cancer treatment can help alleviate some of the concerns.

Feb

James rings the Provision CARES victory bell after completing proton therapy treatment for prostate cancer

Proton therapy a ‘beautiful experience’ for popular Tennessee musician

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

The first time James walked through the doors at Provision CARES Proton Therapy, he knew he’d made the right decision. He hadn’t even spoken with a physician yet or stepped foot into a treatment room. He hadn’t even gotten the proton therapy brochure that he’d come to pick up in the first place.

On Day 1, as he stood in the lobby waiting for that brochure – an aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis looming large on his mind – a man approached him. As is often the case in the Provision lobby, the two strangers got to talking. They talked about cancer. They talked about proton therapy for prostate cancer . They talked about the weekly lunch and learns at Provision. And the sandwiches. Oh, James remembers the sandwiches!

But above all, one thing stood out to James during that conversation. The man said five memorable words that proved to James he was exactly where he needed to be:

“This place saved my life.”

Dec

Woman coping with cancer during the holidays

12 tips for coping with cancer during the holidays

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

Coping with cancer during the holidays is no easy task. Even when perfectly healthy, we’ve all felt the stress of the season at one point or another. So, adding that weight to an already burdensome cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to help manage your emotions. In this article, we’ll share 12 tips to help you cope with cancer during the holidays.

Nov

Organizing your medical information helps ease the anxiety of a cancer diagnosis

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

When it comes to organizing medical information, it’s important for cancer patients to be proactive. As you explore your treatment options, having easy access to health records will help make you a stronger self-advocate. You’ll have peace of mind and be more confident knowing you have all relevant medical information at your disposal.

Aug

Woman showing support for her friend with cancer

5 compassionate ways to support a friend with cancer

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

There’s no question it’s tough to hear the news that one of your friends has been diagnosed cancer. Once the initial shock has worn off, many of us have a gut reaction to immediately offer our help and support. However, there are certain “dos” and “don’ts” when it comes to helping cancer patients. In this article, we’ll share five compassionate ways to support a friend with cancer.

Check with them first
Include them
Treat them the same
Offer specific ways to help
Talk about other things

Before you reach out to your friend, make sure you’ve taken time to process your own feelings first. Do some research and learn about their diagnosis. Try to think about things from your friend’s perspective. Understanding their situation and coming to terms with your own emotions will help make things more comfortable for both of you.

Jul

Prostate cancer patients can choose watchful waiting or active surveillance if they wish to forgo immediate treatment

Prostate Cancer: Watchful Waiting vs. Active Surveillance

By Provision CARES Proton Therapy

About one out of every eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, making it the second most common cancer in American men, behind only skin cancer.¹ However, due to advances in cancer screening awareness and early detection, most men will not die from prostate cancer. In fact, many men who are diagnosed with an early-stage, low-grade cancer may need little to no immediate medical treatment. Instead, they can choose from two different methods of monitoring their prostate cancer: watchful waiting or active surveillance.

For men with prostate cancer, the goal of cancer management methods like watchful waiting and active surveillance is to avoid the side effects caused by cancer treatments like surgery or radiation therapy.

Both watchful waiting and active surveillance are ways of monitoring the cancer for changes, but the reasons for choosing one method over the other are different:

Watchful waiting is better for men who can’t undergo curative treatment. It is meant to manage symptoms by controlling the cancer, but is not intended to cure it.
Active surveillance is better for men who would benefit from curative treatment should the cancer become more aggressive.