Becoming a Bone Marrow Donor
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," I have a friend with a family member in need of a bone marrow transplant at University of Pennsylvania . I would like to see if I am a match. Would you advise me on how to begin the process? Joanne Hinkle,...

Can a Person Have Multiple Transplants?
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," How many times can you get a bone marrow transplant? Can you get it more than once?Carolyn Vachani RN, MSN, AOCN, OncoLink's Nurse Educator, responds: This depends on the type of transplant. For an autologous...

Chromosomal Abnormalities and BMT
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," My friend has just undergone the induction phase of chemotherapy for AML (acute myelogenous leukemia), and has been advised she should get a bone marrow transplant soon, rather than going through a consolidation phase...

Administering Rituxan in R-CHOP
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," I've recently started a job administering chemotherapy [to cancer patients]. Does it matter in what order R-CHOP (R= Rituxan, CHOP = chemotherapy regimen of Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin, Vincristine, and Prednisone)...

Aprepitant (Emend®) for Ablative Regimens
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," Have there been any studies done on the efficacy of Emend for use in ablative chemotherapy? If not what is your recommendation for combating nausea from an 8- day regimen of Busulfan and Cyclophosphamide? Michael...

Arimidex and Insomnia
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," My niece has just completed a five year course of Arimidex. She is now experiencing extreme difficulty sleeping, getting to sleep, and staying asleep. Are there any indications from other women that this is a side...

Alternative treaments
Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts," HI! I'm an Italian girl studyng psychology in University of ROME: I'm studying about alternative therapies for cancer. Can you help me??? I need more information about them.   Thanks. Please answer...

Antioxidants and Reducing Cancer Risk
Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts," Should I take antioxidants to reduce my risk of cancer? Katrina Claghorn, RD, Oncology Dietitian for The University of Pennsylvania Health System, responds: Antioxidants have been...

Are Soy Products Linked to Cancer Prevention?
Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts," I read someplace that a woman trying to avoid breast cancer should have 35-60 grams of soy products per day. I bought some tofu powder (I can't abide the texture of real tofu!) and attempt to mask it in my...

PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) for Breast Cancer of the Chest Wall
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," Can PDT be used to treat recurrence of breast cancer on the chest wall (the site of the mastectomy)? Do you know of any clinical trials for this use? Robert Lustig MD FACR, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of...

Are patients undergoing external beam radiation treatment radioactive?
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," Can children be around family members that are taking radiation therapy for breast cancer? Lawrence J. Solin, MD, FACR, Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, responds:Patients...

Blue Flash After Radiation to the Head
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," I've been diagnosed with GBM and have started radiation therapy (along with chemo - temodar). When I receive my dose of radiation (every day), I see a blue flash at the end of the cycle. My question is this: Is...

Breast Feeding During Radiation Therapy
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," Is it safe to breastfeed your child if you are receiving radiation for 6 weeks for a brain tumor? Neha Vapiwala , MD, Senior Editor of OncoLink and Chief Resident in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the...

"MacDonald Option" in Radiation Therapy
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," A friend was told that he would be treated for cancer using the "MacDonald option". Could you please elaborate? Richard Whittington, MD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of...

3D- Radiation versus IMRT versus Proton Therapy
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," What are the differences between IMRT, 3-D radiation, and proton therapy? What is the best choice for a patient? Eric Shinohara, MD, MSCI Radiation Oncology Section Editor for OncoLink responds: The issue of IMRT...

Late cardiac side effects of Hodgkin's treatment
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," I had Hodgkin's disease 15 years ago and had full mantle radiation. I know two women who also had Hodgkin's. They both had to have open-heart surgery this year. One doctor told one of my friends it was due to the...

Paronychia (Nail Infection) Due to EGFR Inhibitors
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts," My 52-year old husband has received two treatments of Panitumumab in his fight against metastatic colon cancer. Within the past two weeks, the skin on the sides of his fingernails have become infected and hurt like an...