NetWellness Cancer

Weight Loss & Nutrition During CA Treatment

Kimberly Ortega MS, RD, LD — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:12:00 EST

Question:

I am 60 pounds overweight. I have squamous cell carcinoma on the tongue. Nutritionist tells me I should NOT lose any weight during chemotherapy and radiation. WHY? If I maintain a diet of high protein, balanced with vegetables, fruits and carbs, and maintain a caloric intake of 2,500 calories a d . . .

Answer:

Studies demonstrate that it is not in the patient's best interest to lose a significant amount of weight during cancer treatment. Those who lose less than 10% of their starting weight have better treatment outcomes and a decreased risk of becoming ill during and after treatment. This is because u . . .

Ask an Expert: Kimberly Ortega MS, RD, LD, Cancer

Carpal Tunnel and Lymphedema

Paula Silverman MD — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:11:00 EST

Question: I had a lumpectomy almost two years ago. Shortly after my chemo treatments were finished, I was diagnosed with moderate carpal tunnel in both hands. The neurologist sent me to a surgeon. After that appointment, I chose to have stim treatments instead from a chiropractor. This did get rid of the symp . . .

Answer: I think carpal tunel surgery is safe and should not cause lyphedema especially since only 3 lymph nodes were removed. Discuss with your surgeon the use of anesthesia that minimizes or does not use tourniquet pressure during surgery. Are you on an aromatase inhibitor (AI) such as letrozole, anastrazo . . .

Ask an Expert: Paula Silverman MD, Cancer

Chemotherapy Regimen for a Type II Diabetic

Paula Silverman MD — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:10:00 EST

Question: I have had controlled Type II diabetes for 15 years and I haVE Diabetes Insipidous as well. After an accident, I also have significant orthopaedic surgery (autogenous spinal fusion) cartiledge breakdown and am developing thinking of the cardiac wall, although two recent cardiac caths show arteries a . . .

Answer: These are difficult questions that cannot be answered in an email. Best would be to find a medical oncologist with expertise in breast cancer that will discuss all this with you.

Ask an Expert: Paula Silverman MD, Cancer

Non-calcified nodule on the middle lobe

Thomas Olencki DO — Wed, 04 May 2011 05:05:00 EST

Question:

Hi, my daughther was diagnosed with MPNST and the tumor was completely resected last January with a negative margin. Her CT scan last December prior to operation says that the non calcified nodule in the middle lobe appears unchanged ( they did not indicate the size of the nodule). She just had a . . .

Answer: The nodule may be anything. Most sarcoma docs would want to follow it until it grew. If it grows then the chest surgeons could go it with a flexible scope and remove it. As even safe procedures can have complications few docs would want to pull it out now.

Ask an Expert: Thomas Olencki DO, Cancer

High Calcium, Enlarged Lymph Nodes, Low WBC

NetWellness Staff . — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:04:00 EST

Question:

If calcium is high (11-12), but PTH is 7 (only one lab test of PTH), could there still be a possibility of parathyroid cancer? Is it possible infection could be causing additional symptoms of low WBC and enlarged lymph nodes, and the parathyroid the high calcium? Finally, is a test for PTHrp any . . .

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, NetWellness experts try to answer general questions about health. Only a health professional performing a thorough clinical exam is able to evaluate your symptoms and testing results.