Your dentist is great at finding tooth decay. But these healthcare professionals are also on the frontlines of saving your life. They’re experts at oral cancer screening. We’ll show you everything you need to know to become an oral cancer screening pro too. Plus, learn how to prevent it. Here’s why. Disfiguring & Deadly Disease on the Rise Cancers of the mouth (oral) and upper throat (oropharyngeal) are on the rise in the U.S. These cancers can make it hard to swallow or speak. Treating it effectively can dramatically alter your appearance. And oral cancer can turn deadly. Each hour in the ..read more

I lost my aunt and grandfather to colon cancer. And I’ve had two friends die from colon cancer in their 50s — one left behind 4 children. So I didn’t hesitate to get a colonoscopy. I know it’s a lifesaving tool. But so, too, are at-home stool tests.   These days, we have lots of options for colon cancer screening. Each has pros and cons, but there isn’t one single test that’s best for all people and situations, explains UVA Health colon cancer expert Cynthia Yoshida, MD.  “The best colon cancer screening is the test that gets done,” she stresses. “They’re all great tests. They’v ..read more

A double board-certified colorectal surgeon, Sook Hoang, MD, treats a variety of colon and rectal disorders. She specializes in minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic approaches. And she’s among our colon cancer surgeons who’ve earned the highest rating from U.S. News & World Report. Meet a Charlottesville-Based Colorectal Surgeon We sat down with Hoang and asked her our 7 Quick Questions. 1. What has most inspired and shaped your approach to patient care? Sook Hoang, MD Growing up my mother used to say to me after a difficult test or a challenging day at school “So long as you d ..read more

Black Americans are hit harder by multiple myeloma. They tend to develop this blood cancer at younger ages and, historically, have been more likely to die from it. While we can’t cure this blood cancer, we have effective treatments. And Black people may respond better to stem cell transplants and other newer treatments. Improving Access to Stem Cell Transplants For myeloma, patients are their own donors for a stem cell transplant. This type of transplant is known as autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to undergo ASCT and, when they do, are m ..read more

Anyone can get cancer. But not everyone gets the same chance to fight it. People of color and those living in rural areas with fewer resources have a harder time getting cancer care.   At UVA Health, we want to remove these barriers. Overcoming cancer disparities begins with understanding the diverse needs of the people we serve. And reaching beyond our walls to meet them.   We’re working to get more people screened for cancers. And for those facing cancer, we’re making sure they get access to the best cancer care available. This sometimes means a chance to participate in a ..read more

With lots of cancers, we never know the exact cause. But that’s not true for cervical cancer. Almost all cervical cancers are caused by one thing: a pesky virus known as HPV. Knowing the cause means we also know how to keep cervical cancer from developing.    Take control this Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Learn how cervical cancer happens and 3 ways you can prevent it. What Is Cervical Cancer? Cervical cancer happens when cells inside your cervix become abnormal and grow into a tumor. The cervix is the doorway between your birth canal (vagina) and womb (uterus). Like a powerful g ..read more

Pancreatic cancer is rare. It makes up just 3.3% of new cancer cases in the U.S. It’s also one of the deadliest cancers. When caught early, though, it’s often treatable with surgery. The key is regular screening for people who are at high risk. But, who is at high risk for pancreatic cancer? What is Screening for Pancreatic Cancer? Pancreatic cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths. And it’s expected to move up to second place in the coming years. The 5-year survival rate is only about 12%, mostly because it’s usually diagnosed at an advanced stage when surgery, which is the onl ..read more

Cuddles, first words, storytimes, and first days of school. Dana Henry cherishes the small moments with her daughters, Callie, 6, and Emery, 4. She takes nothing for granted. Dana survived breast cancer during pregnancy with her younger daughter. “I learned to release control and to not sweat the small stuff,” says the assistant dietetic internship director and prenatal dietitian at UVA Health. “While I tried to maintain a positive attitude and do what I could, I also realized I needed to accept the help of others. My focus and energy shifted to fighting for not only my life, but my daughter’s ..read more

There are parenting moments no one prepares you for. And administering your child’s chemotherapy? Isn’t something most people ever feel ready for. But that’s just one of the ways that Benny and his family rose to the challenges posed by his lymphoma treatment. No family has a plan ready for dealing with childhood cancer. But when the stakes are high, you don’t exactly want to go with the flow. What’s incredible are the ways families adapt. In January 2022, doctors at UVA Health Children’s diagnosed Benny, then 11, with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. As Covid restrictions eased and kids returne ..read more

Lorraine Roberts loves nothing more than tending to her garden and walking the trails around her home, nestled in the woods of Virginia’s Roanoke valley. At 78, she was healthy and enjoying life. But then her life suddenly turned upside down: She started coughing up blood. Doctors suspected lung cancer, but it was aggressive thyroid cancer. So aggressive, it almost strangled her. Lorraine had long assumed thyroid cancer was one of the “better” cancers. She shares, “My sister had thyroid cancer about 30 years ago. But it was a pretty simple thing for her. Mine was more serious because I had a ..read more