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Amy Dowden Speaks About ‘Heartbreaking’ Chemotherapy Side Effects In Candid Update

Posted on 21/08/2023 by Boris Clair

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has spoken candidly about some of the difficulties she’s facing as a result of her cancer treatment.

Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, and after undergoing a mastectomy, more tumours and another form of the disease were discovered.

Because of this, the Welsh ballroom and Latin dance performer began a particular chemotherapy treatment known as the “red devil” at the beginning of this month.

On Sunday, Amy shared an update with her Instagram followers on Sunday about her second round of the treatment.

“[I] wanted to be open and honest with you all from start,” she began. “So, this cycle, I started feeling sick soon as second lot of ‘red devil’ was going in.

“Got home very tired and started being sick (even with all the anti-sickness). By Friday afternoon the sickness stopped and just waves of nausea. Still taking anti-sickness now.”

Amy added that she was missing out on a sleep as a result of steroids she was taking, and was also experiencing mouth ulcers.

She continued: “What I’ve found harder this time round and the last few days is the hair shredding […] As much as I prepared myself, waking up everyday gently combing my hair with a wide comb and seeing what comes out is just heartbreaking personally for me.

“I’m only washing my hair once, max twice, a week, not using any heat on my hair or styling it so I just don’t feel like me. So it’s time to bring out the wig I say, and get used to this and help me feel like me.

“I know this won’t last forever, but during this time, and knowing normally these few months are my favourite time of the year, and I feel myself wishing these months away just hurts so much.

“I know [and I am] telling myself the way you look hasn’t changed Amy who I am inside ([I] still have my chatty annoying spells, mad ideas, determination and want to help others). I’m still Amy!

“Some days last week I’d wake and for the first few seconds you forget, then suddenly it all hits you, the day and challenges ahead, and your new reality, and it’s tough. [I’ve] had a few morning cry’s [sic] and [I’m] learning that’s OK too.

“But I’ve got some dates in the diary on my good periods I’m working towards, and I feel this will really help me and the person I am. Something to look forward and work towards. [I] know through the other side I’ll become a better, stronger person and will feel and look like Amy again!”

Amy ended her message by thanking people for their “lovely messages asking how I am”.

“I want to be open and honest and hopefully help others going through or those supporting those on their journeys too!” She wrote.

“I read them all, just don’t always have the energy to reply but I want you to know it really helps, and means more than you will every know! Not taken for granted and really appreciated and noticed! You truly see how lucky you are to have with amazing loved ones around you! Love to you all.”

A screenshot of Amy's Instagram posts — A screenshot of Amy’s Instagram posts

Although Amy’s treatment means she will not be well enough to compete on Strictly when it returns to our screens next month, she previously shared that she wanted to be “present” during live shows “in some way”.

“If I have to have chemotherapy, I’ll be present in some way, even if I’m in a wig,” she insisted to The Mirror back in June. “I know amazing hair people with Strictly.

“Whether it’s on It Takes Two, or being up in Claudia’s area waiting for the scores, I’ll be there.”

Amy joined Strictly in 2017, and during that time has been partnered with stars including actor Danny John-Jules, EastEnders stars Brian Conley and James Bye, Invictus Games athlete JJ Chalmers, McFly singer Tom Fletcher and presenter Karim Zeroual, with whom she reached the Strictly final back in 2019.

Last year, she performed with CBeebies regular George Webster on the show’s annual Christmas special.

Carrie Star Samantha Weinstein Dies Aged 28

Posted on 25/05/2023 by Boris Clair

Actor Samantha Weinstein, best known for playing Heather in the 2013 horror remake of Carrie, has died at the age of 28.

Weinstein died on May 14 in her hometown of Toronto after dealing with ovarian cancer for more than two years. She married in October and was on a belated honeymoon in Japan with husband Michael Knutson earlier this month.

She was “surrounded by her loved ones at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto”, a post on her Instagram account read. “After two and a half years of cancer treatment, and a lifetime of jet setting around the world, voicing a plethora of cartoon animals, making music, and knowing more about life than most people ever will, she is off on her next adventure.”

Images of Weinstein joyously floating against a celestial background accompanied the announcement.

“Sam was actually a living embodiment of a sunbeam,” her father, David Weinstein, told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. “She was so full of positive energy, anyone who ever met her would say that she just lit up every room she walked into.”

Weinstein also starred in the 2011 comedy Jesus Henry Christ. The movie, headlined by Toni Collette, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. (Fast forward to 1:25 to watch Weinstein.)

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On the small screen, Weinstein appeared in three episodes of the 2017 Netflix series Alias Grace, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel.

In her highest-profile movie role, Weinstein portrayed the high school bully Heather who tormented Carrie (Chloë Grace Moretz). In the prom scene below where Carrie unleashes her telekinetic powers, Heather gets her comeuppance.

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She was a “very prolific” voice actor, her father told the Canadian news agency, and was still working on the animated series Mittens & Pants and “Dino Ranch” in recent weeks.

Around that same time, Weinstein shared photos from her honeymoon in Japan in early May.

“Getting cancer is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, but in the strangest of ways it has also been the best thing,” Weinstein wrote in a 2022 essay that focused in part on her relationship with Knutson. “ … I have more love in my life and for myself than I ever could have imagined, and I see every day as a gift.”

My Doctor Said I Had 16 Months To Live. I’d Be Dead Right Now If I Had Listened.

Posted on 20/05/2023 by Boris Clair

At 32 years old, I was given 16 months to live. On an ordinary Tuesday morning in November, an ultrasound detected 12 lesions on my liver that would soon be confirmed as stage 4, incurable ocular melanoma.

It wasn’t supposed to happen. Just one year earlier, I had become a cancer survivor in 22 days. A single tumour was contained in my eyeball and a biopsy of the cells gave me the best possible outcome: There was a less than 2% chance of metastatic disease.

But somebody has to be the 2%.

My oncologist said I had one FDA-approved treatment option, and I trusted her. I didn’t have time to get a second opinion. In the 16 months she predicted I had left if I agreed to the treatment she suggested, I needed to get my affairs in order and explain to my precious nephews and niece why their (favourite) auntie wouldn’t live to see them get their drivers’ licenses, graduate or get married.

As he’d already been planning to do, my boyfriend Nick proposed to me on Thanksgiving, two days after my diagnosis. I had expected to spend the day in the corner of the room brooding over my fateful news and avoiding loved ones. His proposal and my new ring swept me up in a wave of hope and optimism for a future I wasn’t sure existed.

The author on Thanksgiving Day in 2014, two days after her stage 4 diagnosis, as her then-boyfriend Nick proposed. “My nephew photobombed the proposal,” she writes.

And while I vacillated between planning my funeral and my wedding in my head, I had one crucial advantage in my new reality: My father is a doctor of internal medicine.

Before a drug becomes FDA-approved, it goes through the clinical trial process. For someone like me with an advanced, rare disease, clinical trials offered a better shot at buying more time, which is really all we’re hoping to do.

My father asked my oncologist about clinical trials.

“That would be very expensive,” was all she told us.

We, rightfully so, give doctors authority. They have advanced degrees. They dedicate their lives to understanding human biology, science and pharmaceuticals. I’m just a headhunter. What do I know?

If it were not for my father, who questioned the authority of this doctor, I would have blindly followed her. And I can say with certainty that had I done that, I would be dead right now.

From left to right, the author’s husband Nick, the author, and her father/agent, James Ortman, get ice cream in New York City between scans and appointments at Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2015.

My father, whom I began referring to as my agent, spent every waking moment talking to doctors all over the country to find a glimmer of hope — something that could buy us more than 16 months.

He got me an appointment that December at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. And so began my crash course in clinical trials (also called studies or protocols). My “agent,” fiancé (a word that tied me to a future in which I was alive) and I met with the doctor there, who explained our options.

He spoke about the importance of strategy in creating my treatment plan. Had I started on the first treatment option provided by the oncologist who diagnosed me, for example, I would not have been eligible for the clinical trial he was running.

The author and Nick in 2016 when she lost her hair for the first time. “Nick and my nephew/godson Tommy both shaved their heads with me each time my hair fell out, as did my brothers, father and father-in-law," she writes. — The author and Nick in 2016 when she lost her hair for the first time. “Nick and my nephew/godson Tommy both shaved their heads with me each time my hair fell out, as did my brothers, father and father-in-law,” she writes.

I have heard of other patients who frantically start chemotherapy upon a terminal diagnosis, only to find that made them ineligible for potentially life-saving clinical trials. When you’re given an expiration date, it’s hard to take a pause on attacking the thing that is attacking you, but this approach can mean having a matter of months versus years (or life and death).

All cancer treatments start as clinical trials, so clinical trials are essential in advancing medicine. The clinical trial process typically includes four phases focused on safety, efficacy, comparison to standard of care and the safety of treatment over time, and the majority of drugs fail in one of these phases. The estimated median cost to develop just one successful drug is $1 billion and approval takes 12 years on average. The FDA approval process itself takes six to 10 months.

The first five weeks of the MSK trial were packed with appointments, and as a Midwest girl living in Denver, I was secretly thrilled with the opportunity to temporarily live in a tiny, expensive apartment in Midtown Manhattan. While I worked in my company’s Midtown office, I also saw a Broadway show, went wedding dress shopping and found myself with a hideous, full-body rash from the trial’s side effects the week before my wedding.

The author climbing a fourteener in Colorado through First Descents in 2016. "First Descents provides the healing power of adventure to young adults impacted by cancer and MS," she writes. "I was the recipient of First Descents’ Out Living It Award in 2021." — The author climbing a fourteener in Colorado through First Descents in 2016. “First Descents provides the healing power of adventure to young adults impacted by cancer and MS,” she writes. “I was the recipient of First Descents’ Out Living It Award in 2021.”

I was starting to understand the expense of clinical trials that my first doctor referenced. For me, the financial burden came from the airfare and lodging. I’ve been lucky to have excellent insurance through work and a job that allows me the time off. I have peers who have survived cancer only to be left six figures in debt, which leads to crippling stress, which in turn damages their health.

Those who don’t have insurance, or have astronomical deductibles, or can’t afford the financial demands that come with participating in a trial, aren’t able to get treatment that could save their lives. It isn’t fair that our health care system favours the privileged.

I spent eight months in treatment at MSK, flying to NYC monthly from Denver to pick up my medication and get scans. But by August of that year, the growth of my tumours eliminated me from the trial. Thankfully, we were ready with the next trial option.

This was another critical strategy introduced by my doctor at MSK that I encourage other patients to explore and understand. For someone like me, it wasn’t likely that I’d only do one clinical trial. While my doctor kept my tumours at bay, he and my dad continued conversations with doctors all over the country to be sure we had a plan B and C, in case I wasn’t eligible for plan B. We didn’t want to wait until I was eliminated from my first trial. We wanted to be ready. And since some trials and treatments might make me ineligible for others in the future, we had to be very methodical with our next step.

I participated in two trials back home in Denver over the next two years while also exploring Y90 or liver embolisation, something that was only FDA-approved for metastatic colon cancer at the time. My tumours responded really well to that therapy, buying me 3.5 years of stability and the chance to finally enjoy a delayed honeymoon with my husband.

The author visiting her “happy place,” the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, with Nick in 2016 after her third clinical trial.

In May 2020, substantial growth in my tumours pushed me into my fourth clinical trial at UPMC-Pittsburgh. Getting into clinical trials isn’t guaranteed or easy, especially when cross-country travel is involved. It typically includes a battery of tests like an EKG, echocardiogram and a CT scan or MRI. In my case, I had three liver biopsies in short order from three separate hospitals because each wanted its own tissue.

Liver biopsies feel like someone is taking a staple gun to your liver. Our bodies endure so much simply staving off cancer, not to mention the pokes and prods that come from treatment. The doctor also needs to see that you and your bloodwork are within the safety parameters of the trial.

Just as getting in isn’t guaranteed or easy, neither is staying in the trial. When you get eliminated from a trial, it’s usually for tumour growth or something else entirely out of your control. I was unknowingly kicked out of my second trial after one infusion because I was taking steroids that the doctor prescribed to combat one of the side effects. I was grateful that I continued to have options, but the volatility of it all was exhausting. The worst part was always the in between, when I didn’t have a plan and the fear of the next treatment haunted me.

In Pittsburgh, the goal of the TIL therapy was to re-sculpt my immune system with cancer-fighting cells. Enrolling was labour-intensive. There were the standard exams that deemed me eligible, plus the steps involved to create my treatment. The doctor laparoscopically removed two tumours from my liver and from those cells, grew the TIL or Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes. A leukapheresis extracted my white blood cells, which were then fed to the TIL, multiplying them from the millions to the billions.

The author in her hospital room at the end of her TIL treatment in 2020. "Nick and I branded ourselves as theincreDOBLES," she writes. — The author in her hospital room at the end of her TIL treatment in 2020. “Nick and I branded ourselves as theincreDOBLES,” she writes.

That September, I spent three weeks in the hospital receiving seven days of chemotherapy, my TIL infusion and IL-2. Because of that one time I was unexpectedly eliminated from a trial, I held my breath until the TIL hit my bloodstream. I closed my eyes and pictured the reprogrammed cells reuniting with their former tumour friends to now attack them.

I decorated the muted coloured walls of my hospital room like a dorm with my “F*CK cancer” cross-stitch, pictures of my nephews, nieces and loved ones, and pictures of my body doing adventurous things like skydiving, kayaking and jumping into the Adriatic Sea. When my hair started to fall out, Nick shaved my head and went back to the hotel to shave his own.

My life started to feel like a game of whack-a-mole. But I was so grateful. Through all the flying back and forth, different doctors and side effects, I was buying time I wouldn’t have had if I’d listened to my first oncologist. At the time of my diagnosis, there was only a half page of trials to explore. When I had growth in 2020, there were over three pages.

The author with Nick and their "doghter" Alice in 2021 after the author was told she had "no evidence of disease" (NED). — The author with Nick and their “doghter” Alice in 2021 after the author was told she had “no evidence of disease” (NED).

I responded well to TIL, with some tumours shrinking and a few disappearing. One rogue tumour that my doctor called the “festering problem” kept growing. Naturally, I named it Uncle Fester. In September of 2021, my doctor told me he wanted to surgically remove Uncle Fester and all remaining cancer, and I eagerly obliged.

On Sept. 17, 2021, nearly seven years after I’d been given 16 months to live, I awoke from surgery to hear the words we once thought impossible: “We got it all, Katie. You are no evidence of disease (NED).”

If it weren’t for my father/agent, I wouldn’t have known how to navigate the world of clinical trials that ultimately bought me enough time to (so far) see the first of nine nephews and nieces drive his car.

Clinical trials are not going to be the answer for every diagnosis, but they need to be a consideration, not an afterthought. If you or a loved one gets diagnosed with cancer, talk to your doctor about what clinical trials are available. This might require getting a second opinion — which ideally is done prior to starting any treatment.

The author and Nick in New Zealand in 2022 celebrating her NED status.

This month marks 20 months since I became NED. My doctor continues to monitor me, and I am cautiously hopeful. Of course, there’s the chance my cancer returns. My doctor hopes that the TIL in my bloodstream remains dormant in my lymph nodes and reactivates if that happens.

I haven’t had a reason to speak to my original oncologist since seeking a second opinion, but I’m almost certain she thinks I’m dead.

Katie Ortman Doble is a headhunter, stage 4 cancer survivor, patient advocate, keynote speaker and author (blog: Future Happy Self) who is currently seeking an agent for her memoir. In 2017, Katie was given the Courage Award from the Melanoma Research Foundation. She received the First Descents′ Out Living It Award in 2021 and was recently highlighted as a Medical Hero by CISCRP. She and her husband, Nick, reside in Denver with their doghter, Alice. Connect on Liinks and follow Katie’s story of survival on Instagram/Twitter @ceortman.

If You’re On The Mini Pill You Might Want To Read This

Posted on 24/03/2023 by Boris Clair

Any woman who takes the pill knows it comes with risks: mood changes, irregular periods, mental health issues, and cancer.

If you’re on the ‘mini pill’ there’s a slight chance you could develop breast cancer, researchers now say.

The new study in PLoS Medicine journal is the first of its kind to analyse the risks for users of the mini pill. We know that taking the pill can be a negative experience for women but some hormonal contraceptives can lower the risk of womb and ovarian cancers. All in all, women need to weigh up their options before choosing a contraceptive pill.

What is the mini pill?

The mini pill also known as the progesterone-only pill stops pregnancy by thickening the mucus in the cervix to stop sperm from reaching an egg, according to the NHS.

It must be taken every day at the same time in order for it to work. If taken correctly, it’s more than 99% effective.

There are two different types of progesterone-only pills:

3-hour progestogen-only pill – (traditional progestogen-only pill) this must be taken within 3 hours of the same time each day
12-hour progestogen-only pill (desogestrel progestogen-only pill) this must be taken within 12 hours of the same time each day

What are the risks of developing breast cancer?

The risk of developing breast cancer on the mini pill increases with age. Younger women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer although this age group is most likely to be on the pill.

30,000 patient records that were held by family doctors were analysed by the researchers. The risk of a woman developing cancer within the next 15 years increased by 20-30% if she’s been on the pill for five years, but it’s contingent on the age of the woman.

The researchers in this study concluded that in a group of 100,000 women aged 35-39, nearly 2000 of them are likely to develop breast cancer within the next 15 years though this is determined by several factors which are not linked to being on the pill. So in actuality, it isn’t a large number.

“I don’t really see that there’s any indication here to say that women need to necessarily change what they’re doing,” Oxford University researchers, Prof Gillian Reeves, said.

“The main purpose of doing this research was really to fill a gap in our knowledge.”

What are the signs of breast cancer?

Manveet Basra, head of public health and wellbeing at Breast Cancer Now, says many women may know that a lump can be a possible symptom of breast cancer, but it’s “vital” to know that there are other signs to be aware of too.

These are:

A lump
Thickening of breast tissue that feels different from the rest of the breast
Nipple discharge
Dimpling or puckering of the skin of the breast (looks like orange peel)
The breast looking red or inflamed
Swelling in the upper chest or armpit
A change in breast size or shape
Your nipple becomes inverted or changes shape
Constant pain in your breast or armpit

While most breast changes won’t be cancer, it’s crucial you get any new or unusual breast changes checked by your GP right away. But, what does a lump actually feel like?

“It can either be deep or toward the skin itself. Typically it is not painful. It’s typically not easily movable but oftentimes fixed in a particular space, meaning it doesn’t shift in its location all that easily. In terms of shape, it is oftentimes round but sometimes it can be a little bit more irregular than that.”

Some experts have suggested the size of a breast lump ranges from as small as a pea to larger than a golf ball. Indeed, Kamal notes that many of his patients have compared it to a pea.

Concern Over Covid Boosters And Baby Scans Cancelled For Queen’s Funeral

Posted on 13/09/2022 by Boris Clair

Patients are expressing concern that some Covid booster jabs, flu vaccinations, as well as key hospital appointments, are being cancelled ahead of the Queen’s funeral on September 19 since it was made a last-minute Bank Holiday.

Kate Brodie, 62, a retired NHS GP who is about to start a second round of chemotherapy for breast cancer, had specifically timed the date of her Covid booster so it fell before her hospital treatment started.

The vaccine was booked for September 19. However Brodie, who lives in south Devon, says she received a text message on September 12 saying the appointment had been cancelled due to the unexpected bank holiday.

“Having cancer is a huge stress with all the worry about survival, the process of going through gruesome treatment and hoping to continue to avoid Covid 19 while my immune system is down,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“The death of the Queen is very sad, but the reaction by NHSE [NHS England] to cancel delivery of much-needed services at short notice will cause harm and hardship to many.”

Many GP practices across England will be closed for the Bank Holiday, which has been given to allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to the Queen on the day of her state funeral.

A letter from Dr Ursula Montgomery, director of primary care at NHS England, said that out-of-hours services will be in place during the day to meet patients’ urgent primary medical care needs.

The funeral has come at a busy time for the NHS, as it implements its Covid booster and flu vaccination programmes ahead of the winter.

A text message from one GP surgery on the outskirts of London, seen by HuffPost UK, said flu vaccine appointments scheduled for this week would need to be rescheduled by a few days because of “the unfortunate news the nation is facing at the moment”.

Dr Helen Salisbury, a GP and medical educator from Oxford, explained on Twitter how a last minute bank holiday can be a “nightmare” for those trying to run health services, especially with lots of patients already booked in.

“What to do?” she tweeted. “Implore staff to work and pay extra? Reschedule and delay all the appointments?”

A bank holiday at short notice is a nightmare for those of us trying to run health services.
Loads of patients booked in do what to do? Implore staff to work and pay extra? Reschedule and delay all the appointments?

— Dr Helen Salisbury (@HelenRSalisbury) September 11, 2022

Other staff working in general practice responded to say that even when they do open on Bank Holidays, they often aren’t busy. Some added that they suspect lots of patients won’t turn up because they’ll be watching the funeral.

I worked GP OOH the Saturday of Princess Diana’s Funeral and it was deserted. No one phoned us and we didn’t see anyone despite being there waiting and available.
It’s like GP surgeries being open on Sundays or bank holidays during the pandemic when no one wants to come then.

— Sarah MacHale (@99Stickling) September 11, 2022

How many of those patients will choose to stay home to watch the televised events? Bank holidays are a nightmare in healthcare, short notice or not.

— Stephen Warner (@stephenwwarner1) September 11, 2022

Scheduled Covid boosters are still going ahead in care homes, said NHS England, which has also issued guidance urging clinics to stay open to deliver the boosters “where there is a high population need”.

But a report by openDemocracy found thousands of non-urgent hospital appointments – for issues such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, maternity checks and some cancer treatments – are being postponed.

One pregnant woman revealed how her foetal scan had been cancelled, leaving her anxious about her baby’s health.

“I’m really disappointed,” she told openDemocracy. “Yes, it’s a routine scan, but that’s another week or two until I’m seen and wondering whether my baby is healthy – which means quite a lot of anxiety, sitting and waiting.”

Hospital appointment I’ve had booked for 6 months cancelled because it’s on the day of the funeral. What a weird little island we live on

— Harry Kelly (@Harry__Kelly) September 13, 2022

Kate Brodie has since tried to rebook her Covid booster for the next cycle, but was told there were no dates free near to where she lives.

“Thankfully I have found a centre 15 miles away that I can attend on Sunday instead,” she says. “I am lucky I am mobile and have transport to reach the further venue.”

Meanwhile, Greg Hadfield, 66, from Brighton, also found out his Covid booster vaccine appointment on September 19 has been cancelled and is now having to travel nearly 40 minutes by car to get another one.

The 66-year-old was originally invited to have the booster at his local Waitrose. However because the store will now be closed for the Bank Holiday – as many supermarkets will be – his appointment won’t go ahead.

“When I tried to re-book for another day at the same centre, the system offered only dates that were 14 days-plus ahead, by which time I will be abroad for a month,” he tells HuffPost UK.

He has managed to book an appointment 40 minutes away for the same date, September 19, which hasn’t been cancelled – so far.

“I am just relieved to get the booster before leaving for Turkey and Greece later this month,” he says.

Men, Wear Sun Cream. You’re Way More Likely To Die Of Skin Cancer

Posted on 14/07/2022 by Boris Clair

Every morning I apply sunscreen, always to my face and usually to any other exposed skin too. Vanity drives my habit more than fear of skin cancer, but that vanity is going far to keeping my skin healthy — especially as a Florida resident.

But the same can’t be said for my husband.

Despite having a partner who writes about skincare and speaks enthusiastically about sunscreen, he doesn’t wear it daily.

But he, along with other men, have good reason to start: males are significantly more likely than females to die of melanoma, according to recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Among white people, who experience much higher rates of melanoma than people with other skin tones, males died of the cancer at more than twice the rate of females.

Lian Mack, a board-certified dermatologist and the medical director and owner of Gramercy Laser and Medical Dermatology, sees a disparity firsthand in her offices. “The number of women presenting to our offices for skin checks far exceeds the number of male patients,” she says, noting females in their mid-20s to late 50s make up the predominant demographic.

This same pattern is repeated elsewhere too. “Men seem to need a lot more coaxing to be seen in the office for skin checks,” says Luke Maxfield, a board-certified dermatologist. “Every year I have at least two or three men who are dragged into the office by their spouses only to have me confirm the diagnosis of melanoma. Literally, spouses often save men’s lives,” he says.

Delaying skin checks or forgoing them altogether means that problematic moles or spots may not be caught until later stages when melanoma’s survival rate begins to decrease, which can explain some of the increase in death rates. While skin cancer is more common in light skin, delaying skin checks is problematic for people of colour. Those with darker skin who are diagnosed with skin cancer often have a worse prognosis because it’s caught at a later stage.

Forgoing skin checks isn’t the only factor. Behaviour, lifestyle and even the locations of cancerous lesions make a difference.

“Women are more likely to wear sunscreen, more likely to stay out of the sun, and young women are more likely to have done a self-examination looking for skin cancers and also much more likely see a doctor for anything concerning,” Maxfield says. “These tendencies are extremely important given that more than half of melanomas may be first noticed by people examining their own skin at home.”

Without proper self-examination, those concerning spots can be hard to find and treat, especially in hard-to-see areas. “In males, most melanomas occur in areas that they are unable to monitor, like the shoulders or the back,” Mack explains, and without a partner to point it out, major delays in treatment can occur.

There may be biological factors, as well. Even when comparing melanomas of similar thickness and location between men and women, the men still fared worse. Levels of testosterone may play a role, but the science is still out on why exactly this is. “The story seems much more than just hormones, and there seems to be a biological role we have yet to discover,” he says.

Given the science, why aren’t more men wearing sun cream? When used properly, it has been proven to reduce the risk of both melanomas and other types of skin cancer. But while many people may apply sun cream when heading out to a day at the beach, making it a daily habit is essential since UV exposure is cumulative over time. “Most of my male patients need to be educated on the importance of sunscreen and the role that its use plays in the prevention of skin cancer and early aging. Most men simply do not believe that they need sunscreen if it is cold out or overcast,” Mack says.

It’s also not the easiest product to work with. Some sun creams can leave behind an uncomfortable stickiness or a white cast on the skin. “My skin-of-colour patients often struggle with the cosmetic elegance of sunscreen,” Mack says, explaining that some can leave behind a greyish-blue tone.

Since the effects of UV radiation damage don’t show up right away, it can be hard to connect time in the sun to any serious effects. And unlike women who use sunscreen to prevent premature ageing, men often don’t share the same motivation, Mack explains.

Making sunscreen a daily habit – even if it’s cloudy – comes down to just one thing: choosing a sun cream and applying it. “The best sunscreen is the one you use,” Mack says, repeating a quote oft-given by dermatologists.

For face, a cream sun cream of SPF 30 or higher is ideal, applied daily after cleansing and moisturising (skipping moisturiser is OK if it’s not needed). Applying enough is important to get full coverage – Mack recommends the two-finger method. Apply a streak of cream to two fingers from base to tip, and apply generously. “I tell my patients to put some of that product on their ears and neck as well,” Mack says.

Don’t forget to apply sun cream to the body, especially if you’ll be in the sun during the day. “If you are going to be at the beach and applying cream to your body, you should apply at least 2 ounces (or the size of a shot glass) to the entire body 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every 80 minutes,” Mack says.

Think about your lifestyle when choosing a sun cream. “Moisturisers with SPF do double-duty to hydrate and protect the skin while also providing sun protection. Tinted sun creams can help them blend with darker skin tones as well as protect from visible light and protect skin from dark spots. And if you are an active person, make sure you are getting something water-resistant,” Maxfield says.

There is good news: despite bleaker statistics for men, knowledge and prevention can go a long way. “Take control of what you can,” Maxfield says. “Know your risk factors. These include sun exposure, having multiple moles on your body, or a family history of melanoma,” he says.

Aside from seeing a dermatologist, self skin checks can be lifesaving. “Check yourself for moles that have multiple colours or irregular borders, those larger than a pencil eraser, or any changing moles, and make sure you seek out a dermatologist if there is anything concerning,” Maxfield says.

And of course, wear sunscreen!

You, Me And The Big C Podcast Host Deborah James Tells Fans She Doesn’t Know ‘How Long I’ve Got Left’

Posted on 10/05/2022 by Boris Clair

Podcaster Deborah James says she doesn’t know “how long I’ve got left” after being moved to hospice at home care to treat her terminal bowel cancer.

The presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C said the last six months have been “heartbreaking” to go through, but that she has been surrounded by “so much love” and has “no regrets”.

Deborah was diagnosed with the condition in 2016 and since then has kept her nearly 300,000 Instagram followers up to date with her treatments, with candid posts about her progress and diagnosis.

On December 14 2021, she marked five years since her diagnosis, writing on Instagram: “I’m fully aware I shouldn’t be alive to write this today.”

But in a new post on Monday, she said: “The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball.

“My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.

“Nobody knows how long I’ve got left but I’m not able to walk, I’m sleeping most of the days, and most things I took for granted are pipe dreams.”

She added that she had left “no stone unturned” in search of treatment, but that even a “magic new breakthrough” would not make a difference.

The former deputy headteacher announced in her post that she is setting up the Bowelbabe Fund, and shared links to charities including Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

She wrote: “All I ask, if you ever read a column, followed my Instagram, listened to the podcast or saw me dressed as a poo for no reason, please buy me a drink to see me out this world, by donating the cost to @bowelbabefund which will enable us to raise funds for further lifesaving research into cancer. To give more Deborah’s more time!”.

She added: “Right now for me it’s all about taking it a day at a time, step by step and being grateful for another sunrise.

“My whole family are around me and we will dance through this together, sunbathing and laughing (I’ll cry!!) at every possible moment!

“You are all incredible, thank you for playing your part in my journey.

“No regrets. Enjoy life x Deborah.”

The fund name echoes her social media handle, Bowelbabe, and by early morning on May 10 it had reached nearly £700,000.

What Eastenders’ Male Breast Cancer Storyline Means To Real-Life Patients

Posted on 29/04/2022 by Boris Clair

If you’re watching EastEnders, you’ll see that Stuart Highway has been struggling with breast cancer.

Creators of the long-standing TV show wanted to shine a spotlight on male breast cancer and actor Ricky Champ, who plays Stuart, has been consulting with real-life victims to gain insight into the role.

Before the storyline kicked off, Champ met with Doug Harper, 61, from London, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2011.

Just before Christmas, Harper felt a lump on his left nipple which he presumed was a cyst and continued to ignore ‘as blokes do’, he says.

After showing the nipple to a GP, they sent him to hospital and ran tests on Harper, sadly confirming that it was cancer.

“As soon as I showed the nipple to the GP, their demeanour changed immediately and they booked an urgent appointment at the hospital for it to be checked out,” Harper tells HuffPost UK.

“Being told I had breast cancer was a scary and confusing time, not only for me, but also for my friends and family. But everyone was so supportive, some even made light hearted comments about the news to lift the gloom, something they knew I would appreciate.“

Just like Stuart on the soap, one of the reasons Harper felt confused was because he didn’t think it could be breast cancer as it’s not spoken about as much in men as women.

When the oncologist told him he had cancer he says he doesn’t remember anything else apart from asking if he was going to die – he was told hopefully that wouldn’t be the case.

Since having chemotherapy treatment, Harper has become passionate about raising awareness of the condition and informing people that it can happen to anyone, regardless of gender. He is also part of a male cancer support group that he attends monthly.

So when EastEnders came to him to ask about his experience, Harper was glad for the opportunity.

Doug has been consulting Eastenders actor Ricky Champ for the storyline

He tells HuffPost: “Ricky was brilliant. While he’s been playing the part, he’s identified the problems that men with breast cancer can get, he just really embraced it. He came along to our group support meeting, and it was uplifting because we need more publicity for men with breast cancer.

“The storyline was really subtle, Stuart’s experience of first getting diagnosed was very similar to ours, being in denial, not thinking it was happening and the shock that comes with it.”

Harper mentions that the soap accurately showed how alienating the condition can be as Stuart is handed two leaflets of support for breast cancer patients – but in both, women are pictured.

Doug has set up a male group support for cancer patients

Harper, who has since had chemotherapy, is in a band called Steve White & the Protest Family and has written a song about encouraging people to ‘check their moobs’.

He hopes more men will check themselves, saying: “Just know that men can get it. So, check your nipples, check under your arms. And if anything looks different, it could be a cyst or what looks like a cyst on your nipple, it could be a rash, an inverted nipple, or something else under your arms, if you see it, go straight to your doctor.”

He has also been working with Macmillan Cancer support. The charity’s strategic advisor for treatment, Dany Bell, who has more than 30 years’ experience working as a cancer nurse, added: “Nearly 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. But we know it’s still not something that is widely recognised or known by many people.

“Storylines like Stuart’s in TV shows like EastEnders play such a vital role in helping to raise awareness and to make more people aware of the signs of breast cancer in both men and women. Early diagnosis can improve – and even save lives – and we hope this important plot will get more men regularly check their own chests and reaching out for help, if needed.”

If you’re living with cancer and need to speak to people, about the big things and small things, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support.

People Are Ignoring Signs Of Pancreatic Cancer. Could You Spot Them?

Posted on 03/11/2021 by Boris Clair

A leading charity is worried by the number of people who would put off seeking help for symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

A new survey conducted by Savanta Comres on behalf of Pancreatic Cancer UK found that 31% of people would delay seeking help for longer than usual because of the pandemic.

It also revealed that 28% of people would wait for around three months before seeking help when showing common symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Another 22% said they wouldn’t feel confident recognising jaundice – one of the key symptoms.

Other symptoms for pancreatic cancer include:

Back pain
Indigestion
Stomach pain
Weight loss

The charity said anyone should seek help from a GP if these common symptoms persist for more than four weeks.

But anyone with jaundice – yellowing of the skin or eyes – should seek help from A&E as soon as possible as it is one of the “red flag” symptoms of the disease.

Around four in five people who have pancreatic cancer are diagnosed when the cancer is at a late stage which means they’ve missed out on a chance of life-saving treatment.

Half of those with the disease die within three months of diagnosis, Pancreatic Cancer UK said. Each year more than 10,000 people are diagnosed with the disease. But early detection gives people better odds of survival, so the charity is urging the public to seek care if they have any symptoms.

Diana Jupp, chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “It is hugely worrying to hear that so many people would put off seeking help for so long. Pancreatic cancer has not gone away because of Covid-19 and I would urge anyone with persistent, unexplained symptoms to use the NHS.

“There is no time to wait with pancreatic cancer. Thousands of people a year are told it’s too late, that nothing can be done for them. It is vital that people are diagnosed as early as possible to give them the best chance of having life-saving treatment.”

Dame Cally Palmer, director of the NHS Cancer Programme, said: “This research confirms what we know – many people could be risking their lives by putting off medical attention for symptoms that could be cancer, even though it’s vitally important that cancer is discovered at an earlier stage, when it’s easier to treat.

“The NHS is open and ready to treat people with potential cancer symptoms, and cancer referrals and diagnosis are back to pre-pandemic levels – so, whether you or a loved one has a routine appointment, or a potential cancer symptom, please don’t delay and come forward to get yourself checked.”

Friends Star James Michael Tyler Shares Stage Four Cancer Diagnosis

Posted on 21/06/2021 by Boris Clair

Friends star James Michael Tyler has told of how he has stage four cancer.

The actor, who played Central Perk manager Gunther in the hit sitcom, was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago, but it has now advanced.

James, 59, opened up about living with the disease during an interview with the Today show in the US on Monday.

James Michael Tyler as Gunther in Friends

“In September 2018, I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones,” he said.

“I’ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years.”

He continued: “It’s stage 4 (now). Late stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me.”

Actor James Michael Tyler (@slate_michael) played Gunther on “Friends” for 10 years, but he was unable to attend the recent cast reunion in person because he’s been battling a serious health issue. Now he’s sharing his news for the first time with @craigmelvin. pic.twitter.com/272tg4Sbvc

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 21, 2021

Speaking about his original diagnosis that came during a routine check up, James said: “I was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen. That came back at an extraordinarily high number… So I knew immediately when I went online and I saw the results of my blood test and blood work that there was obviously something quite wrong there.

‘Nearly immediately, my doctor called me and said ‘Hey, I need you to come in tomorrow because I suspect that you may have quite a serious problem with your prostate.’”

James initially underwent hormone therapy to help treat the disease and said he felt “fine” with no symptoms.

However, during the pandemic, his cancer mutated and he is now unable to walk after it further spread to his bones and spine.

James pictured on a replica of the Central Perk set in 2015

“I missed going in for a test, which was not a good thing,” he said. “So the cancer decided to mutate at the time of the pandemic, and so it’s progressed.”

James also said his illness meant he was not able to appear in person during the recent Friends reunion, appearing via video call instead.

“It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn’t wanna bring a downer on it, you know? … I didn’t want to be like, ‘Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer,’” he said.

James added that he wishes he’d gone to get checked out by his doctor earlier, and urged others to do the same.

“My goal this past year was to see my 59th birthday, he said. “My goal now is to help save at least one life.”