October is breast cancer awareness month and Palo Verde Cancer Specialists wants to encourage you to get involved with a walk for breast cancer this month. October should be a month filled with awareness about breast cancer, education on how women can perform at-home breast exams and when to see a doctor if something is wrong, and to raise funds for breast cancer research, treatment, and a future cure. Our Scottsdale radiation oncology center is passionate about breast cancer awareness month and we want you to be as well!

What is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer?

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer involves a number of different events held by the American Cancer Society and their partners. The main goal of these events is to walk in honor of breast cancer survivors and caregivers, celebrate and honor those who have passed, educate the public about breast cancer prevention and detection, and raise funding to end breast cancer.

Walks occur all over the United States and participants can join as individuals or as teams. At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, we encourage you to join as a team and have a fundraising goal to collectively work towards. Every little bit helps to get one step closer to a breast cancer cure. Additionally, you can volunteer at a breast cancer walk by being involved in the behind the scenes work like registration, logistics, and participant support.

A Breast Cancer Walk Near Me

Interested in joining a breast cancer walk this October? Check out these events happening in a city near you!

• October 10 – Ocean City, NJ
• October 16 – Los Angeles, CA
• October 16 – Chicago, IL
• October 16 – Portland, OR
• October 17 – Denver, CO
• October 17 – Central Park New York City, NY
• October 23 – Atlanta, GA
• October 23 – Miami, FL
• October 23 – Phoenix, AZ

These are just a few events that are taking place throughout the nation this month for breast cancer awareness. If you don’t see a city near you, please find a breast cancer walk near you on the American Cancer Society “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” page.

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists Today!

To learn more about breast cancer awareness month and how best to prevent and detect breast cancer early, contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists. Our Scottsdale radiation oncology center will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you soon.

October is breast cancer awareness month. It is a time to raise awareness about breast cancer, educate women on prevention and detection, and to celebrate and honor survivors of breast cancer and those who have passed. It can also be a time to get involved in a support group for breast cancer, whether you have been recently diagnosed or are a survivor of breast cancer. At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, we recommend support groups for all of our current and previous patients as they can offer immense emotional support during and after a difficult time.

What Are Support Groups for Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer support groups can vary. If you are currently looking for a support group for breast cancer survivors, it’s important to know and understand the different types of support groups available. That way, you can choose the group that meets your needs the best. For questions about support groups, never hesitate to ask our Scottsdale radiation oncology center. The following is the basic breakdown of breast cancer support groups:

• Open Membership: Open membership support groups allow participants to come and go freely as they see fit and attend meetings when it fits their schedule.
• Closed Membership: Closed membership requires registration of all support group participants and normally has a meeting attendance minimum.
• Support Groups Led By Professionals: Some support groups for breast cancer may be led by doctors, psychologists, or counselors. These professionals will facilitate the meeting and have often undergone specific training in group support.
• Support Groups Led By Breast Cancer Survivors: Other support groups can be led by breast cancer survivors which will give a different perspective to the meetings. Breast cancer survivors are usually more relatable to current patients and other survivors because they have gone through the same steps. However, they may not have had formal training in group support or counseling.

Benefits of Support Groups for Breast Cancer Survivors

At our Scottsdale radiation oncology center, we believe participating in a support group for breast cancer survivors comes with a number of benefits. These include:

• Building a connection with other survivors and bonding over an experience that is often isolating from other loved ones in your life.
• Gaining tips and advice on how to deal with any stress or anxiety that comes with being a breast cancer survivor and the worry of your cancer returning.
• Helping others with your perspective on breast cancer and the journey you have been through.

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists to Find a Support Group Today!

If you are looking for a support group for breast cancer survivors, contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists. Our team will be happy to connect you to some amazing support groups that you will love. We hope to hear from you during breast cancer awareness month!

Chemotherapy can be one of the most difficult parts of cancer treatments for patients who don’t have help managing their symptoms. Here at Palo Verde Cancer Specialist, your local Scottsdale radiation oncology center, our mission is to help our patients through their cancer treatment while helping you feel as good as possible—which means soothing some of the side effects of chemotherapy. While there are some vitamins and supplements that may interfere with your cancer treatment, there are a number of natural solutions that can reduce headaches, nausea, and many of the other side effects of chemo. Find out from an oncology specialist which natural remedies are best paired with chemotherapy below!

Supplementing Your Treatment With Natural Supplements

The idea that vitamins and herbs should not be mixed with cancer treatment is a common misconception that is based in some truth: there are supplements that can interfere with your treatment, but there are also many which can benefit your overall health and mitigate the side effects of chemo. Here are just a few natural remedies which can help an array of chemotherapy symptoms:

• Ginger: Good for nausea and vomiting
• Zinc: Helps prevent changes in your sense of taste
• Astragalus: Can help nausea and vomiting specifically with colorectal cancer patients
• Ginseng: Reduces cancer related fatigue
• Glutamine: Could help reduce numbness and weakness in hands and possibly mouth sores

Make sure to talk to your oncology specialist at your Scottsdale radiation oncology center before you start supplementing, to ensure that your specific treatment does not interact with any of these herbal remedies.

Other Natural Solutions To Cancer Related Illness

It’s possible that your oncology specialist will rule out some of the above supplements if you are going to undergo surgery or if your cancer treatment is of a specific nature. If that is the case, you can ask your Scottsdale radiation oncology center about alternative remedies to reduce the side effects of chemo. Here are some of the options that have shown success:

• Acupuncture: Can reduce anxiety, dry mouth, vomiting, and hot flashes
• Massage: Patients often feel less fatigue, nausea, and anxiety after massage therapy
• Hypnosis: Trained hypnotherapists can relax your whole body to reduce chemo side effects
• Aromatherapy: Using essential oils and relaxing scents to ease your sense can help as well

Visit Your Scottsdale Oncology Specialist!

If you are wondering what the best treatments are for your specific cancer treatment or which are the most effective for certain side effects of chemo, the best thing you can do is talk to your oncology specialist. Here at Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, our team of highly skilled oncologists will walk you through your treatment and what supplements might be best for treating your specific symptoms. Contact us today to learn more about natural remedies to reduce the side effects of chemo or to schedule an appointment with us at one of our convenient locations!

You might have heard that you should cut vitamins or herbal supplements out of your diet when undergoing chemotherapy or any other form of cancer treatment—but how valid is this advice, and are there any natural remedies that can help ease the side effects of chemo? Here at Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, your local Scottsdale radiation oncology center, it is our job to help guide you through your treatment comfortably and so that you have the best results possible. It is chemotherapy itself that often wears patients down and makes them more vulnerable to the hardships of the fight against cancer, but there are some cancer treatment supplements you can take to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Find out what cancer treatment supplements our oncology specialist recommends below!

What Not To Take

Before we list the supplements that have shown results with cancer patients, it’s important that we remind you to talk to your oncology specialist at your Scottsdale radiation oncology center before jumping in to any supplemental treatment. It is true that certain supplements can mix poorly with certain cancer treatments or surgery. Here are a few cancer treatment supplements that can counteract the chemotherapy process:

• Vitamin E
• Selenium
• Vitamin C
• Beta Carotene
• Antioxidant Pills that combine any of the above supplements

Natural Remedies and Supplements We Recommend

In all of our years as a Scottsdale radiation oncology center and with every oncology specialist on our team, we have a pretty good idea of which supplements work for patients and which don’t. Here is a list of some of the cancer treatment supplements that have proven to be most effective in controlled studies:

• Ginger: Treats nausea and vomiting
• Zinc: Reduces chance of changes in your sense of taste
• Astragalus: Helps ease nausea and vomiting, specifically with colorectal cancer patients
• Ginseng: Lessens cancer related fatigue
• Glutamine: Helps avoid numbness and weakness in hands and possibly mouth sores

Visit Your Local Oncology Specialist!

Whether you are planning on getting cancer treatment in the near future or if you are in the middle of chemotherapy and looking for relief from your symptoms, look no further! Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, your local Scottsdale radiation oncology center, are here to help you get the most out of the herbal supplements available to you. Our experienced oncology specialist team can help craft a treatment plan that fits your specific cancer treatment, so that you don’t have to deal with the side effects of chemo alone. Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists today to schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations!

Palo Verde Cancer Specialists continually uses the most advanced technology to diagnose, treat, and eliminate a wide variety of cancers. Our radiation center utilizes technology like PET scan imaging to detect the early signs of cancer, where cancer is located, and understand the cancer’s position. Technology like PET scan imaging helps our radiation oncology team create the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient. The more we know about a particular type of cancer, the better we can treat it.

What is PET Scan Imaging?

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan produces images of a patient’s organs and tissues. When administering a PET scan, a safe radioactive chemical will be injected into the patient called a radiotracer and a device called a PET scanner will be used. Our doctors can detect diseased or abnormal cells when they absorb a large amount of the radiotracer. If this is seen on the PET scan imaging, it may indicate a potential health problem.

PET Scan Imaging & Cancer Treatment

A PET scan can be used at different stages of diagnosing and treating cancer. If our Scottsdale radiation oncology doctors suspect cancer could be the problem, a PET scan may be ordered to detect the early stages of cancer and where the cancer is located. A PET scan may also be used to get better imaging of a specific organ or tumor to understand where the cancer is located and if it is touching other important organs or tissues.

A PET scan can show us the following:

• Vital functions like blood flow, oxygen use, and blood sugar metabolism.
• Organs and tissues that are not functioning as they should.
• Cancerous tumors and their metastasis (if they have spread and how far).
• A reduction in a cancerous tumor due to treatment.

What to Expect with a PET Scan

At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, we try our best to make testing and treatments convenient for the patient. For that reason, you can expect the following when undergoing a PET scan at our radiation center:

• Immediate appointments available for PET scans to fit your schedule.
• An appointment length of about two hours to complete a PET scan.
• Same-day results from your scan.
• A full explanation from your radiation oncology team about the results.

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists for Cancer Care in Scottsdale

If you have been recently diagnosed with cancer and are struggling to find the right treatment and right doctor for your unique case, contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists. We would be happy to evaluate your diagnosis and present an individualized treatment plan specific to your cancer. We will work with you to eliminate your cancer.

At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, our radiation oncology team works tirelessly to provide life-saving, comprehensive cancer care to reduce and eliminate your cancer. We use the most advanced technologies, including radiation oncology therapy, for a wide range of cancers. Depending on your diagnosis, the type of cancer and its progression, our Scottsdale radiation oncologists may recommend radiation for your cancer treatment.

What is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, is a cancer treatment that uses radiation to kill cancer cells and reduce the size of tumors. Radiation oncology uses a high dose of radiation to damage cancer cells, it will either kill them completely or slow their growth. The goal is to stop cancer cells from dividing. Radiation therapy does this by damaging a cancer cell’s DNA and its ability to divide and multiply. Typically, radiation oncology is done over days or weeks to truly damage the cancer cells. It cannot occur in one radiation treatment.

Types of Advanced Radiation Therapy

Advanced radiation therapy and a patient’s cancer treatment plan are customized to their unique type of cancer and its progress. Our radiation center will create an individualized treatment plan for each patient based on the following:

• The type of cancer
• The size of the tumor
• The tumor’s location in the body
• How close the tumor is to normal tissues that are sensitive to radiation
• The general health and medical history of the patient
• The combination of other cancer treatments like chemotherapy
• Other factors, such as age and other medical conditions

Once a treatment plan is decided upon based on these factors, our Scottsdale radiation oncology team may recommend one of the following types of advanced radiation therapy:

• TrueBeam
• TomoTherapy
• High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy

If you have been recently diagnosed with cancer, you may be a good candidate for radiation therapy.

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists for Radiation Therapy Today!

At Palo Verde Cancer Specialist in Scottsdale and Phoenix, we understand that a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and difficult. And, it can be even hard to know where to turn for the right treatment. Let Palo Verde Cancer Specialists help. Contact our radiation center to schedule your first appointment. Our radiation oncologists will evaluate your diagnosis and determine if radiation therapy is an appropriate treatment for you and your unique type of cancer. We hope to see you soon!

Palo Verde Cancer Specialists use the most innovative and effective cancer treatments in Scottsdale, including immunotherapy. Our cancer center utilizes immunotherapy when a cancer patient needs to boost their immune system and fight off cancer cells at the same time. Depending on the individual patient and their unique type of cancer, our oncologists may choose to use immunotherapy in combination with other treatments.

What is Immunotherapy?

 
Immunotherapy, also sometimes called immuno-oncology, is a type of cancer treatment that uses the power of the body’s immune system to prevent, control, and eliminate cancer. Immunotherapy can educate the immune system to recognize specific cancer cells and eliminate them. Additionally, immunotherapy can provide the body with components to enhance a stronger immune response against cancer. In the simplest terms, immunotherapy can help strengthen the immune system against cancer.

Immunotherapy & Cancer

 
Immunotherapy has the potential to help reduce or eliminate all types of cancers. However, immunotherapy has shown to work better for some types of cancer and for some individual patients. It will really depend on your diagnosis and immune system overall.

If your cancer doctor decides you are a good candidate for immunotherapy, they will take many factors into consideration when creating your cancer treatment in Scottsdale. First, they will decide on a specific type of immunotherapy drug, the dosage, and the treatment schedule. These measurements will be based on your type of cancer, the size of the tumor(s), the location of the cancer, and if it has spread to other organs. Additionally, they will also take your age, general health, body weight, and how well you cope with side effects into account when formulating your treatment plan.
 

Ask Your Cancer Doctor if Immunotherapy is Right for You!

 
If you have been recently diagnosed with cancer, contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists to discuss your options. Our cancer doctors understand how overwhelming it can be to navigate your diagnosis and the treatment options available. Let our cancer center help. We look forward to eliminating your cancer and restoring your health with our Scottsdale cancer treatment!

At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, our Scottsdale oncologists and doctors work exceedingly hard to provide comprehensive cancer diagnosis and treatments. To do so, we work extensively with hematology, particularly for lymphoma cancer treatments and other cancers of the blood. If you have been recently diagnosed with lymphoma or leukemia, Palo Verde Cancer Specialists will do everything in our power to treat your cancer and restore your health.

What is Hematology?

Hematology is the study of blood, blood-forming organs, and blood diseases. Hematology includes the treatment of a number of blood disorders and illnesses like hemophilia, leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and sickle-cell anemia. Hematologists focus primarily on lymphatic organs, bone marrow, and blood irregularities to treat and prevent cancers of the blood and other blood disorders.

Types of Blood Cancers

 
There are three main types of blood cancers that rely heavily on hematology, they include the following:

Leukemia: Leukemia is a type of cancer that is found in your blood and bone marrow. Leukemia is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells. These abnormal white blood cells are unable to fight infection and instead impair the entire immune system and slow the production of red blood cells and platelets.

Lymphoma: Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fight infection. When abnormal lymphocytes are reproduced, they collect in your lymph nodes (like your spleen) and other tissues and over time impair your immune system.

Myeloma: Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells within your blood. Plasma cells are the white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight off infection. When abnormal plasma cells are produced, your body’s immune system is weakened and instead, very susceptible to infection.
 

Blood Cancer Treatments

 
Each patient and their unique type of cancer is different, meaning their cancer treatment will be different as well. At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, we may use a combination of the following treatments to treat your blood cancer:

• Blood products and derivatives
• Blood processing
• Hematinics
• Immunosuppressives
• Chemotherapy and other anti-tumor agents
• Supportive care and pain management
• Anticoagulants and antithrombotic agents
• Progenitor cell therapies and stem cell therapy

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists for Cancer Treatment in Scottsdale!

 
If you have been recently diagnosed with a blood disorder or cancer, contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists. Our Scottsdale oncologists will work with you to utilize treatments that will effectively treat your cancer and restore your health. Call our team to discuss lymphoma cancer treatments in Scottsdale today!

At Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, we understand the severity and the emotional toll a cancer diagnosis can have on an individual. That is why our cancer care professionals strive to provide the highest quality treatment to ensure our patients beat cancer and restore their health. For patients who have been recently diagnosed with abdominal cancer, we want to explain your cancer treatment options and choose a treatment that will be successful for you.

What is Abdominal Cancer?

Abdominal cancer is a broad term for any cancer where there is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in the abdomen: the area between the chest and the groin. Abdominal cancers can happen in and around any of the organs encompassed by the abdomen including the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, esophagus and many blood vessels.

When old or damaged cells in the abdomen divide and multiply uncontrollably, a malignant mass or tumor is formed inside an organ in the abdomen. If not treated, this abdominal cancer can interfere with vital processes of these organs as well as spread to other parts of the body such as the lymphatic system and lungs. Abdominal cancer can be fatal, especially if undetected and untreated.

Types of Abdominal Cancer

With a variety of abdominal cancer treatment options and individual cancer care plans, Palo Verde Cancer Specialists can treat these common forms of abdominal cancer:

• Colorectal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Kidney cancer (renal cell cancer)
• Stomach cancer (gastric cancer)

Our cancer center can also treat rare forms of abdominal cancer including:

• Adrenocortical cancer – cancer of the adrenal glands, a pair of organs that produce hormones
• Primary peritoneal cancer – cancer of the lining of the inside of the abdomen that covers many abdominal organs
• Peritoneal mesothelioma – cancer of the lining of the inside of the abdomen that is caused by exposure to asbestos

Signs & Symptoms of Abdominal Cancer

If you are nervous about abdominal cancer for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to look out for these symptoms:

• Pain or discomfort in the abdomen
• Nausea or vomiting, specifically when eating or just after meal times
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Feeling of food getting stuck in your throat while eating

Additionally, patients with advanced abdominal cancer may experience weakness or fatigue, blood in their stool, vomiting blood, or unexplained weight loss. If you or a loved one have consistently been experiencing one or more of the mentioned symptoms, please contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists immediately. If a cancer diagnosis or treatment is necessary, our cancer specialists can help.

Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists for Abdominal Cancer Treatment

Our cancer specialists will do everything in their power to provide an accurate cancer diagnosis and an individualized abdominal cancer treatment plan for you. Together, we will work hard to beat your cancer and help you regain your quality of life. Contact Palo Verde Cancer Specialists today!

When you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing cancer treatment, you will likely have both physical and emotional changes that can affect your self-image. The cancer specialists at our oncology center understand how difficult these changes can be for our patients. We want you to be fully informed of what you may experience and provide you with coping strategies.

Physical Changes

Depending on the type of cancer you have and the cancer treatment you are undergoing, you may find that it changes how you look. These changes may include:

• Hair loss
• Weight gain or loss
• Scars from surgery
• A rash from drug therapies
• Loss of an organ, limb, or breast
• An osteotomy, which is a surgical procedure to allow waste to exit the body
• Fatigue and loss of energy

Several of these changes will improve once your treatment is complete, but you may find that you feel self-conscious about how your body has changed. Know that it is completely normal to feel this way.

Emotional Impact

Dealing with a serious illness can also take a toll on your emotions. At our oncology clinic, we see patients experience a myriad of emotions from when they are diagnosed, as they go through cancer treatment, and after treatment is completed. You may feel a range of both negative and positive emotions:

• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Loneliness or a sense of being different from others
• Fear
• Anger
• Frustration
• Guilt
• Feeling out of control
• A change in the way you think about yourself or a poor self-image
• An appreciation for the strength of your body to get you through this illness
• Peace
• Gratitude
• A realization that life is short
• An appreciation that life is special
• Grateful for new meaningful relationships with caregivers and other patients
• Changing your priorities
• More clarity about the meaning of your life and personal goals

How to Cope with Changes in Your Self-Image

If you are experiencing issues with your self-image, Pablo Verde Cancer Specialists suggests these coping strategies:

• Be kind to yourself and take the time you need to adjust to your diagnosis and cancer treatment.
• Talk to other people who are going through a similar circumstance so you won’t feel like you’re alone in this situation and realize that others experience the same feelings.
• Stay connected to family and friends that will support you.
• Ask for help with household needs and chores, so that you can focus on getting better.
• Try to find humor in the little things in life. Laughter is always great therapy.
• Try to do some physical activities that can help you feel better during treatment and participate in social activities. These activities will give you other things to focus on besides cancer.
• Take control of what you can to empower yourself. If, for example, you know you are going to lose your hair, go out and buy an awesome wig, beautiful scarves, or even shave your head if that is what will make you feel better about yourself.
• Talk to your health care team about possible reconstructive surgery, prosthetic devices, and cosmetic solutions.
• Seek counseling to help you cope with your feelings about your self-image.

Talk to the Cancer Specialists at our Oncology Center Today

Please contact your care team at any of our locations to ask questions about any feelings you may be experiencing, or to schedule an appointment. Our cancer specialists are here to help with both your physical and emotional care. Together, we can work to overcome cancer.