Georgia Cancer Center

Processed and red meats can increase your risk of colon cancer (and likely others as well) so here are some handy tips you can use to reduce your risk!

Our PRIDE-FTG Summer Institute Welcome Ceremony was held this morning here at the GCC! The Programs to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) initiative is a research career-advancing training opportunity funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This is a mentored research program addressing the difficulties experienced by junior investigators in establishing independent research programs. We welcomed Cohort 11 trainees, including junior faculty and their mentors and teaching faculty from across the United States.

An important message about staying on top of your health! We know prepping for a colonoscopy isn't fun, but neither is having colon cancer that could have been caught early on by a routine colonoscopy!

Back on the desk tonight after drinks Wednesday night (pictured) and a very important photo shoot Thursday.

Posting this as a reminder that 45 is now the magic number to get a COLONOSCOPY -- unless you have risk factors or a family history.

Apologies ahead of time if this is TMI:
I have no risk factors or family history, but my doctor found and removed 3 polyps yesterday. He's not worried about them -- and neither am I -- but he's sending them off anyway to be tested.

I am very thankful the age is now 45 because it makes me wonder what would have happend to those polyps if my doc got to them 5 years later.

Could they have turned into cancer?

I have no idea.

But I do know this -- I sure feel better knowing he found them 5 years earlier.

He's going to check me again in 3 years.

I also feel better sharing this because I want to make sure you and the people you love are protected.

According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death. It will kill more than 50,000 Americans this year alone.

One in 24 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime, yet this cancer can be prevented with screening and is highly treatable when detected early.

10% of colon cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50, and those numbers are rising 1-2% per year.

Is a colonoscopy fun?

Absolutely not. THAT PREP THO.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely.

If you didn't know the age to start getting screened (with no risk factors or family history) is 45, now you do.

If you've been putting off making your appoinment or you've been forgetting, this is your reminder to make the call.

If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the people who love you and want you to be around. ❤

Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer. Brad Kyzer and Rachel Mack were both diagnosed with it earlier this year. In recognition, Augusta Aviation dedicated a Piper J-3 Cub to glioblastoma awareness with a gray ribbon decal placed on the plane. Our own Dr. Gerald Wallace was in attendance as a speaker.

Don't forget about the social next Monday evening!

We've got another great Farmer's Market tomorrow!

On Friday, we graduated 22 high school students from across Georgia. These students took part in the Georgia Cancer Center's Summer Research Experience program. They spent six weeks immersed in different aspects of cancer research. Congratulations to each of you!

Congratulations to Hari Kashyap, PhD on successful defense of his dissertation, "Impact of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) on Lymphedema Severity and Treatment Adherence". Kashyap is now a Doctor of Philosphy from Augusta University's School of Public Health.

Congratulations to Dr. John Henson, director of the Hereditary Cancer Clinic at the Georgia Cancer Center, for publishing his book, Encyclopedia of Hereditary Cancer: A Desktop Reference. We encourage you to reach out to the Hereditary Cancer Clinic (706-721-6458) if your family has a history with cancer.

We have another farmer's market tomorrow at the clinic! Stop by and load up on some delicious produce!

Happy 4th of July! We've got a tasty recipe for you to try today!

Our first Georgia Cancer Center Research Retreat was a success! Thank you to everyone who joined us for a day of research and learning!

Our annual farmer's market is back again this July! Tomorrow will be the first day, so come down to the clinic and buy some local produce

Happy July! Here are the dates for our support group meet-ups for this month.

"You're living your life one minute and then the next, boom, you're in the hospital." Valencia Williamson shares her battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in our newest patient profile video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvll6tYODes

Thank you so much to our friends at Gerald Jones Subaru for taking the time today to bring joy and comfort to our patients.

While there’s nothing like that distinctive smoky taste from your backyard barbecue, scientists have raised concerns about grilled meats due to the formation of certain chemicals during grilling, which can increase cancer risk.

What to do? Don’t banish the barbecue — you can have your meat and grill it too! Here are some grilling tips from our Dietitians!

Football players from the University of Georgia took time from their busy practice schedule on June 11 to surprise campers at Camp Rainbow!

Read about it here: https://news.augustahealth.org/2024/06/12/uga-bulldogs-visit-camp-rainbow/

Happy first day of summer! The general recommendation for water consumption in a day is 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women. However, certain medical conditions, such as cancer, can affect the amount of water you need (meaning your doctor could advise you to drink more!) It can be difficult to always drink so much, so try some hydrating fruits and veggies to reach your water intake goals!

A great opportunity is coming up in July! Please reach out to Patty Watford for more information.

“You fight for so long, now you say, where do I go next?” Listen to Lecia's story, and learn how she is striving to support other cancer patients.

Patient Profile | Lecia Raiford Meet Lecia, a lung cancer survivor, and hear her advice for those struggling with a cancer diagnosis.Read her story: https://news.augustahealth.org/2024/03/1...

Congratulations Researchers! On May 24th, the Georgia Cancer Center awarded 6 grants from the PaceDay 2023 fundraising, with more grants to be awarded later this summer.

Congratulations to Drs. Yan Cui and Zoya Kurago, Dr. Santhakuma Manicassamy, Dr. Upasana Sahu, Sara Murphy, Dr. Nagendra Singh, and Dr. Meng-Han Tsai!

Soy and dairy products have been controversial whether they increase or decrease the risk of cancers. However, with the continued research throughout the years, studies have shown that when cancer patients incorporate soy and dairy products into their diet, they can experience positive results. If you want to learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/4c6hVxh

One Halloween, everything changed for the Letson family. Learn about Gus' story by checking out our latest Patient Profile story down below!

Patient Profile | Gus Letson Gus is involved in the clinical trial through the Children's Oncology Group. They are studying the effectiveness of blinatumomab in treating newly diagnosed ...

A cancer diagnosis is daunting, but our support groups are here for you, no matter what stage you are at! We welcome families and friends to join as well.

June is National Cancer Survivor month and here at the GCC, we have some pretty incredible stories that we'd love to share with you. Be on the lookout each Friday for a story of courage, drive, and hope.