Cancer Sherpa

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Canada and around the world. Soon, British Columbians at high risk of lung cancer will be able to receive early detection screening by the spring of 2022 when BC becomes the home of the first lung cancer early detection screening program in the country. Cancer doesn’t wait for global pandemics, and we know that early detection can save lives, Premier John Horgan said. Our new lung cancer screening program will mean ...more treatment options, faster recovery and better outcomes for people around the province. Early detection of lung cancer may reduce mortality by 20 to 25 per cent. While the impact of the program remains to be seen, kudos to the province and partners @BCCancerFoundation and the @CanadianPartnershipAgainstCancer on leading the way with this progressive strategy. Hopefully, the rest of Canada will follow suit. #cancersupport #cancercare #lungcancer #lungcancerawareness See more

It's no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an enormous disruption of #cancer care around the world. The results of a recent study from the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network revealed that more than half (54%) of Canadian cancer patients, caregivers and those awaiting confirmation of a cancer diagnosis report having had appointments, tests and treatment postponed or cancelled, leading to extra anxiety even with pandemic restrictions lifting. The challenge of ensuring... timely access to essential #cancercare must remain a top priority, and while the situation is evolving, there is no precedent to examine how best to balance the needs of individuals with the need to ensure the medical system will not collapse under the burden of COVID-19. People are simply doing their best to make sense of the situation. Talk to your doctor to alleviate stress - how to proceed with your cancer treatment is a decision you and your doctor can make together. #cancersupport #cancerawareness #cancertreatment See more

Some promising news: Immunotherapy prior to surgery is being tested to see if it can increase cure rates and improve outcomes for people with cancer, with 300 immunotherapy trials currently underway. By providing drug therapy prior to surgery (called neoadjuvant therapy) it is possible to assess if the treatment can shrink the cancer. This may make planned surgery easier and may also control undetected disease that might have already spread in the body. To date neoadjuvant t...herapy has consisted of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy. This neoadjuvant approach is being tested in multiple types of cancer including, but not restricted to, breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. In some cases, neoadjuvant therapy may make more sense than chemotherapy as it can have a prolonged impact on metastatic disease for a modest proportion of patients. Image: National Cancer Institute See more