The American Cancer Society estimates that just over 2 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2024, and that more than 610,000 Americans will die of cancer that same year. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease.
Fourteen oncologists from the University of Vermont Cancer Center and the FitzPatrick Cancer Center at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital share how they promote their own health and well-being in a recent blog on the UVM Health Network website. These doctors emphasize that “a significant percentage of cancers are preventable through lifestyle choices and early detection.”
All doctors recommend staying active and exercising – even if “you can only spare five to 10 minutes a day,” advises Dr. Steve Ades, a medical oncologist at UVM Medical Center. Dr. James Gerson, a hematologist and medical oncologist at UVM Medical Center who runs every morning, explains that “exercise is associated with a lower risk of cancer, but in cancer patients it is associated with a reduction in symptoms, improved mood and a lower rate of relapse.”
It’s important to get regular “age-appropriate health screenings,” notes Patricia Johnson, nurse, oncology care coordinator and lung cancer navigator at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. Johnson also mentions making mental health a priority by spending time “with people I care about.”
What not to do: Several vendors advised against smoking or vaping and not staying in the sun without sunscreen or protective clothing.
And while Anne Berkowitz, a hematology and oncology nurse at UVM Medical Center, recommends eating healthy, that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you love. Berkowitz herself will “never, ever, ever stop eating chocolate or drinking coffee.”
Teams at the UVM Cancer Center conduct ongoing laboratory and population-based cancer research and clinical trials to better understand cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. One worrying trend: From 1995 to 2020, cancer rates increased among people under 50. Another UVM Health blog offers a Q&A on the topic.
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