December 2009

Of serious concern among breast cancer survivors is breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), which causes chronic swelling in the arm or hand where axillary lymph nodes were dissected or radiation therapy was administered. The exact etiology and pathophysiology of BCRL is multifactorial and not completely understood.

The majority of patients with cancer, including those who have completed treatments, experience symptoms related to their cancer or to treatments at some point during their cancer journey.

More than 75% of the healthcare providers surveyed agreed that patients with cancer benefit from participating in a clinical trial.

PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE shown that stress often accompanies a diagnosis of cancer, and patients who report high levels of stress often have worse outcomes.

Fatigue and anemia often go hand-in-hand in patients with cancer. In fact, anemia is frequently a cause of fatigue. Both conditions may result from the cancer itself, from treatment, or from underlying causes.