rural health

Cancer Today — Fall Issue

suerochman Cancer, Cancer Today, rural health Leave a comment

The Fall issue of Cancer Today —for which I’m a contributing editor— is now on the stands. It is the consumer magazine published by the American Association for Cancer Research, the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focused on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research.

This issue includes my article “A Genetic Legacy,” which explores inherited cancer risk:

A Genetic Legacy
When Kevin Lewis’ daughter, Katie, was born in 2007, he fell in love all over again. And like new parents everywhere, he couldn’t help but wonder how her life would unfold, what interests they would share, which family traditions she would choose to carry on. But Lewis also had a deeper concern: Had Katie inherited the genetic mutation he carried that would greatly increase her risk of developing cancer? Read more

It also includes my article, “Bridging the Distance,” a Q & A with medical oncologist Ana María López, medical director of the telemedicine program at the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, on the benefits of teleoncology programs for people living in rural areas.
Bridging the Distance
​For patients living in rural areas, obtaining cancer care can easily require a three- to four-hour car ride. Factor in the challenge of finding a driver, the cost gas, child care or elder care, the return trip or, if necessary, the cost of a hotel, and it’s not hard to understand why rural residents might skip a routine screening, have difficulty getting to oncology appointments, or choose not to take part in a clinical trial. But what if the medical expertise of oncologists were accessible in rural areas? Read more