CMedEd

05/25/2026

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

What is Melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that forms from the melanocytes, cells in your skin that produce melanin, which is a pigment that gives your skin color. Melanocytes are located deep in the epidermis (the top layer of your skin), which is made up mostly of squamous cells and basal cells. Squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers are much more common than melanoma, but melanoma is much more dangerous and aggressive than these other forms of skin cancer. Melanomas account for only about 3% of all skin cancers, but have the highest death rate of any type, and are responsible for more than 85% of skin cancer related deaths. While rare compared to other skin cancers, the incidence of melanoma has been increasing more than any other malignancy over the last 50 years. Melanoma is now the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US, and one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in young adults between the ages of 20 and 30. Fortunately, melanoma is very curable when diagnosed at an early stage. For more information www.Cmeded.com

05/22/2026

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)—located at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne—is leading clinical trials that use the Apple Watch and AI to protect children undergoing chemotherapy. The study remotely monitors heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen levels to detect early signs of severe infection.
Children undergoing chemotherapy are especially vulnerable because the treatment suppresses the immune system, reducing the body’s ability to fight infections. As a result, infections can become serious very quickly.
By continuously monitoring vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen levels, and activity patterns, AI-powered wearable systems may identify early warning signs of infection before symptoms are obvious. Earlier detection can help doctors intervene sooner with antibiotics, testing, or hospitalization when needed.

Helpful Information for Parents:

Never isolate your child from the family unless a member of the family is sick.
Be sure your child gets regular exercise, such as walking.
Good nutrition is important.
Your child needs plenty of sleep.
A normal, familiar environment is important.
See that your child drinks plenty of water.
Be sure meals are balanced.
Brush teeth regularly with a soft toothbrush. Check with your doctor for further instructions.
For more information www.cmeded.com See less

05/20/2026

Bladder Cancer/Questions to Ask the Doctor
It is important to have honest, open discussions with your doctors and nurses. Feel free to ask questions, even if they seem trivial. It is a good idea to write your questions down so you will remember to ask them during each appointment. Here are some important questions you may want to ask:

What tests do I need? What do they involve?
Can you explain my pathology report and test results to me?
What is the stage of my cancer? Has it spread beyond the bladder?
What are my treatment options? Which would you recommend?
Will my case be discussed in a multi-disciplinary planning conference before any treatment decisions are made?
Would you recommend a clinical trial?
What are the benefits, risks, and side effects of each treatment option?
Do you have any advice on managing side effects? What can I do to take care of myself during treatment?
How long will treatment last? Will the treatment require me to stay in the hospital?
What will be my schedule for follow-up appointments?
What is my prognosis and what is my risk of relapse?

05/19/2026

May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
Bladder cancer is the 9th most common cancer in the world, with more than 614,000 new cases and 220,000 deaths each year. It affects men much more often than women, with men making up about 75% of cases worldwide. This is mainly linked to higher rates of smoking and workplace exposure to harmful chemicals in men over the years.

What is Bladder Cancer?
The bladder is located in your lower abdomen and stores urine. Urine is the waste product left behind after your kidneys filter your blood. Urine then travels from your kidneys to your bladder through tubes called ureters, and is stored there until it leaves your body through a tube called the urethra. Your bladder has an elastic inner layer (lining) and muscular middle layers that allow it to expand and contract to store different amounts of urine. Bladder cancer usually starts in the cells lining the inside of the bladder and grows towards the outer walls. There are three main types of bladder cancer:

Learn more at CMEDED.com

05/19/2026

05/12/2026

The month of May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Cancer Institute, doctors are expected to diagnose about 24,740 people in the United States with cancers of the brain or central nervous system in 2026.

Here are the main parts of the brain:
Cerebrum - The cerebrum is the large, superior part of the brain. It has two halves called hemispheres. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side. The cerebrum controls emotions, thoughts, speech learning, senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching), and voluntary muscle movement.
Cerebellum - The cerebellum is located underneath the cerebrum at the back of the brain. The cerebellum controls balance and coordination.
Brain Stem - The brain stem is located at the base of the brain, and connects the brain and spinal cord. It contains nerve fibers that transmit signals between the cerebrum, cerebellum, and the rest of the body. It controls basic body functions such as breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure.
Basal Ganglia - The basal ganglia are located deep within the brain and also help control muscle movement.
Spinal Cord - The spinal cord also has nerve fibers that carry signals coordinating muscle movement, feeling, sensation, bladder function, and bowel function.
Cranial Nerves - The cranial nerves come out of the brain stem rather than the spinal cord.

04/21/2026

April is Testicular Awareness Month

Types of Testicular Cancer
There are two main types of testicular cancer: germ cell tumors and stromal tumors.
Germ Cell Tumors
Germ cell tumors are the most common form of testicular cancer, making up over 90% of all testicular cancer diagnoses. These tumors develop in the s***m-producing germ cells of the testicles. There are two primary types of germ cell tumors:
Seminoma
Seminomas are the most common form of germ cell tumor and make up about half of all testicular cancer diagnoses. Seminomas are usually slow-growing and rarely spread (metastasize) beyond the testicle, so they can be treated and removed in an early stage.
Nonseminoma
Nonseminomas are a more aggressive form of testicular cancer and are more likely to invade healthy tissue and spread beyond the testicle. These tumors usually occur in men between their late teens and early 30s.
Stromal Tumors
Stromal Tumors form in the stromal tissues of the testicle that produce testosterone and other male hormones. These tumors make up about 20% of pediatric testicular cancers and occur more frequently in children.
For more information, please view

Stop, take a breath Dealing with a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. In addition to choosing a cancer specialist, having clear, reliable and

04/21/2026

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Around 9,810 to 9,976 new cases of testicular cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2026. It continues to be the most common cancer among men aged 15–44, with an estimated lifetime risk of about 1 in 250. Encouragingly, more than 95% of cases are curable, particularly when identified at an early stage.
Questions to Ask the Doctor
One of your biggest allies in battling cancer is your urologic oncologists, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist. Questions are your primary resource to gain a better understanding of your disease and enhance your quality of care. Well-thought-out questions can help you get the most out of your appointments and can make all the difference. When being treated for testicular cancer, it is important to have a treatment team that treats a lot of patients with the same cancer you have. Look for cancer centers that have been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Here are some important questions you may want to ask:
What type of testicular cancer do I have?
Has the cancer spread beyond the testicles?
What stage is my cancer? What is my prognosis?
What are my treatment options?
How long will treatment last?
How long will it take to recover from treatment?
Will I become sterile? Should I deposit s***m in a s***m bank?
What should I do to prepare for treatment?
For more information, please view

04/14/2026

Proton Therapy vs. Conventional Radiation Therapy
Conventional radiation therapy uses X-ray photon beams to deliver radiation to the tumor. These photon beams gradually release radiation as they pass through the body’s healthy tissues and organs and move towards and through the tumor. This excess radiation can damage these healthy tissues and cause side effects, which may limit the dose of radiation a patient can safely receive.

With proton therapy, doctors can deliver much higher levels of radiation to the tumor, with a lower risk of side effects. Unlike photons, which release energy gradually, protons travel to a precise point where they then release the majority of their energy. Doctors can control the proton beam so that most of the radiation is deposited directly at the tumor site, and healthy tissues beyond the tumor are spared as the beam move through the body. Doctors can also control the shape of the proton beam to conform to the shape and depth of the tumor. After the radiation is released at the tumor site, no more radiation is released beyond the range of the proton particles. For more information please visit www.cmeded.com

04/14/2026

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month: A new proton therapy study shows survival benefit for patients with head and neck cancers
A Phase III clinical trial led by researchers at UT MD Anderson found that proton therapy improved survival for patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer compared with traditional radiation therapy. The results represent the largest randomized trial to date comparing the two approaches. Among 440 patients treated across the United States, five-year overall survival was 90.9% for those receiving proton therapy, compared to 81% for traditional radiation. Proton therapy was associated with less difficulty swallowing, lower feeding tube dependence and reduced dry mouth. These findings suggest proton therapy may offer meaningful survival and quality-of-life benefits for selected patients.

What is Proton Therapy?
Proton therapy is an advanced type of radiation therapy that uses “protons” rather than X-ray “photons” to deliver radiation to the tumor. In conventional radiotherapy, the photon beams can deposit radiation and damage healthy cells as they pass through the body. Proton therapy deposits most of the radiation directly at the tumor site, resulting in less damage to healthy tissue and fewer side-effects.
For more information, please visit

Stop, take a breath Dealing with a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. In addition to choosing a cancer specialist, having clear, reliable and