Mike Hennessy Jr.

Common Metastatic Breast Cancer Questions Answered by Oncologists

Receiving a cancer diagnosis at any age is a life-altering experience, but for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) already navigating a potentially tumultuous time of life, the challenges can be amplified.

 such as Stacy Leung who, at just 23 years old, received a diagnosis of stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer. She received a second diagnosis of breast cancer 12 years later, as she was preparing for her wedding. Leung said she found empowerment in planning.

“I was at a point where I was working with a wedding event planner, I [already] got my dress and I’m like, ‘OK, this is what’s happening,’” Leung explained. “Having the unknown was the hardest part. Once I had a game plan, it was fine because I knew exactly what the moves were and what was going to happen.”

Leung’s is the latest among countless stories we have had the privilege to report on during the first 25 years of MJH Life Sciences®.

Since we started quarter century ago with a single brand, we have launched thousands of video programs, developed cutting-edge conferences and held thousands of virtual and live events, all while tirelessly covering health care news in print and online.

The driving force behind our evolution remains our passion for improving health care. We are grateful to you, our readers, for joining us on this journey.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a deep dive into some of the 

latest treatment advancements for small cell lung cancer

, offer insights into how best to prepare for a virtual visit with your physician and feature 

answers to patients’ questions on breast cancer

Throughout these pages, you’ll find personal stories and expert insights. As always, we hope you find them inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr.
President and CEO
MJH Life Sciences

Articles

In this Fall issue of CURE, we focus on AYAs with cancer, latest treatments in small cell lung cancer, preparing for a virtual visit and answering common questions about breast cancer.

Choices About Cancer Treatment During a Tumultuous Time

“It’s not due to a lack of rest — additional rest does not alleviate this fatigue. When people have pervasive fatigue, it could be mental fatigue or physical," Luke Peppone, of the University of Rochester in New York, said about cancer-related fatigue. 

This September, MJH Life Sciences, the parent company of 

, celebrates our 25th anniversary. The innovation in health care over the past 25 years has been nothing short of miraculous! Together, we have witnessed significant advances that have provided new cancer treatments. Throughout these changes and into the future, MJH Life Sciences is committed to providing high-quality information and education.

Cancer-related fatigue is a common side effect most survivors experience after receiving treatment. This kind of fatigue is felt physically, mentally and emotionally, which can significantly affect one’s quality of life. It creates a challenge for all aspects of everyday life, including work, relationships with loved ones and even the completion of daily tasks, such as laundry. Focusing energy on cancer-related fatigue is crucial, and this fall issue of Heal dives into how survivors can help manage that side effect.

“Cancer-related fatigue is a fatigue that is pervasive throughout the body,” says Luke Peppone, of the University of Rochester in New York. “It’s not due to a lack of rest — additional rest does not alleviate this fatigue. When people have pervasive fatigue, it could be mental fatigue or physical.”

We hear two survivors’ stories about how they’ve learned to 

by taking breaks and making the most of energy spurts. Elsewhere in this feature, we speak with a director of cancer rehabilitation who emphasizes the importance of exercising, especially when the fatigue is intense, and the steps to take to start noticing an improvement.

Also in this issue, the side effect of hearing loss from chemotherapy is explored. We speak with a distinguished professor from the University of South Florida about what survivors can do to maintain their hearing and what to avoid.

, a comedian and metastatic breast cancer survivor, discusses her nine-year experience with the disease and how she cultivates a community on social media. Sharing short-form videos on Instagram and TikTok has given her a chance to share the good, the bad and the ugly, which can be “the most healing part.”

 to spice up your cookbook. These dishes are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, providing you with the sustenance your body needs. If you’d like to cozy up on a rainy day, I encourage trying the turmeric ginger latte.

As always, we hope you find our stories inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

Cancer-related fatigue is felt physically, mentally and emotionally, which can significantly affect one’s quality of life. 

Powering Through Fatigue After Cancer

In this issue of CURE Summer, we heard from individuals whose faith helped during challenging times. 

From cutting-edge science to deeply personal matters of faith, this latest seasonal issue of 

provides a wide-ranging look at many facets of a cancer journey.

We recognize that cancer can raise profound spiritual and existential questions. This issue explores the relationship between cancer and faith as we hear from individuals who have found solace in their beliefs during challenging times and speak with experts about the impact that cancer can have on a person’s spiritual views.

“There was a study a few years ago, and I think they surveyed over 2,000 people, the majority of whom, 70%, said that their faith had gotten stronger as a result of their cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. John Peteet, a psychiatrist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana- Faber Cancer Institute in Boston. “Only about 17% said that they experienced a negative effect on their faith.”

We also look at the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Alecensa (alectinib) for patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer, which followed the notable results of the phase 3 ALINA trial.

“The ALINA study, in my mind, is a landmark study ... because it shows that using the ALK inhibitor [Alecensa] for early-stage lung cancer after surgery increases the survival rate of patients as compared [with] chemotherapy,” said Upal Basu Roy, executive director of research for the LUNGevity Foundation.

Elsewhere in this issue, we delve into the latest research on cancer vaccines, and discuss the potential impact of these vaccines and how they might revolutionize cancer care in the years to come.

This issue spotlights the winners of the 2024 

poetry contest, which invited patients and survivors of cancer, as well as their caregivers, family and friends, to submit poems related to the disease. More than 100 entries were received, and the four winning poems are presented here.

Additionally, this issue celebrates the honorees of CURE Media Group’s 2024 Extraordinary Healer Award, which honors nurses in the cancer community.

In the 2024 CURE Summer issue, we focused on a facet of cancer: the question of faith. 

Cancer and the Question of Faith 

Many advancements have arisen in the genitourinary cancer space. 

For patients with bladder cancer, exciting innovations in treatment have arrived, as we detail in this special issue of CURE. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Anktiva (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln) with the bacillus CalmetteGuérin (BCG) vaccine for the treatment of adult patients with BCG-unresponsive non-muscleinvasive bladder cancer with carcinoma in situ with or without papillary tumors. The agency has also granted approval to Opdivo (nivolumab) in combination with the chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. This issue provides more information on both of these approvals. 

Additionally, antibody-drug conjugates such as Padcev (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) and Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) are making a big impression on both patients and providers by showing significant survival benefits over chemotherapy, the standard of care for decades, in a landmark trial. One expert, Dr. Bamidele Adesunloye of City of Hope Atlanta, said the treatment option has “revolutionized the way we … look at bladder cancer.” 

Elsewhere, we examine the relationship between vitamin D and bone health among patients with prostate cancer, with research showing that while patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy may experience bone mineral density loss from the treatment, those who were vitamin D deficient and took supplements experienced reduced hip and femoral neck bone loss. 

We also provide multiple perspectives on radiation therapy, with a look at radiotherapy as a noninvasive treatment option for patients with kidney cancer and, as part of our “Speaking Out” interview series, one physician explained how MRI-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy is a significant advance in the treatment of prostate cancer. 

“In terms of radiation oncology, our field seems like it’s changing every year with advancements in technology,” said Dr. Matthew Solhjem, a radiation oncologist with Providence Cancer Institute and The Oregon Clinic. “Even in the past decade, radiation delivery has improved for patients, and this is nationwide, worldwide.” 

Beyond treatment advances, we also explore the emotional aspect of a cancer journey, with an article on the potential impact of humor in testicular cancer. 

This issue of CURE highlights the relentless pursuit of better therapies and the power of resilience. As always, we hope you find our stories inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Within the genitourinary cancer space, there have been many treatment advances over the past year. 

Mike Hennessy Jr.

Choices About Cancer Treatment During a Tumultuous Time

Powering Through Fatigue After Cancer

Cancer and the Question of Faith

Innovation and Resilience in the Genitourinary Cancer Space

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