The Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Younger People and Updated Screening Guidelines
Bench to Bedside
Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or rectal cancer, is one of the most treatable cancers when found early. However, it is also the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For decades, colorectal cancer was most often diagnosed in people aged 50 and over. More recently, the incidence of colorectal cancer has declined in people 50 and over, while dramatically increasing in younger people. Because of this shift, the American Cancer Society recently revised its colorectal cancer screening guidelines for people at...
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Game Changers: Unlocking Cancer's Playbook with Biostatistics
Bench to Bedside
On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, sits down for a conversation with Drs. Byron Gajewski and Devin Koestler, co-leaders of the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource at KU Cancer Center. Just as a coach uses a playbook to strategize and make informed decisions during a game, researchers use biostatistics to analyze data and draw meaningful conclusions in their studies. On today’s episode, Drs. Gajewski and Koestler share more about how the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource...
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Sun Safety Tips from Pool Cool
Bench to Bedside
With summer fast approaching, it's time to talk sun safety! In Kansas, cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of , increased significantly from 2008 to 2017. Protection from the sun's rays could prevent about 90% of all skin cancer cases. Since youth are especially at risk for overexposure to the sun with extended times outdoors, KU Cancer Center’s outreach network, the , implemented Pool Cool, a program to educate young people on sun safety behaviors. On this episode of the podcast Ashley Adorante from Pool Cool is taking a break while visiting pools across the state to share her...
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Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: A Conversation with Patient Advocate and Author Camy Crank
Bench to Bedside
On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, sits down for a conversation with Camy Crank, author of the book “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: What I Lost and Gained Through Breast Cancer.” Camy’s own breast cancer journey began in 2015, when a second opinion from KU Cancer Center showed stage 3B disease. In 2020, she learned her cancer had metastasized. Camy is also a member of KU Cancer Center’s patient research advocacy group, PIVOT, where she has been able to contribute to cancer research through...
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Discovering the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers
Bench to Bedside
The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s Accelerate Cancer Education (ACE) program is a summer research program specifically designed for high school students living in Wyandotte County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri. The cancer center launched ACE in 2018 in collaboration with the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Health Careers Pathways Programs and the NIH-funded Kansas Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence program. On this episode, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Lisa Harlan-Williams, director of the ACE Program,...
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United in Healing: The Elder Family's Cancer Journey
Bench to Bedside
Ed Elder is a staple in the Kansas City business community, as President of the Kansas City office of Colliers, a leading diversified professional services and investment management company, as well as an active member of the Kansas City community, which includes his service on the Board of Directors for KU Cancer Center’s Cancer Funding Partners. He also formerly served as a board member for Coaches vs. Cancer with the American Cancer Society. While Ed has been a long-time advocate for cancer research and treatment advances through these roles, the cause became even more personal when both...
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Getting “Back in the Swing” After Breast Cancer
Bench to Bedside
Diet, nutrition and lifestyle are imperative components of a cancer journey, from diagnosis to treatment and survivorship care. Breast cancer survivor and author Barb Unell learned this firsthand after her own cancer diagnosis and treatment, and inspired by her experience, she founded Back in the Swing - a grassroots, non-profit organization with a mission to increase access to personalized, comprehensive clinical breast cancer survivorship health care, education, and medical research. Along with co-author Judith Fertig, they published the Back in the Swing Cookbook in 2013, filled with...
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Cancer Workforce Equity: How Diversifying the Cancer Workforce Leads to Better Outcomes for Patients
Bench to Bedside
On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, host Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, speaks Dr. Simon Craddock Lee, interim associate director for Cancer Workforce Equity at the cancer center. Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States, with a long track record of disproportionately affecting racial and ethnic minorities, gender and sexual minorities, rural groups and people with disabilities. The National Cancer Institute has recognized this problem and issued a call to action, specifically recognizing that Americans should...
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Coping with Cancer During the Holiday Season
Bench to Bedside
The holiday season is quickly approaching in the United States, and while it often is a joyful time of traditions and loved ones, it can also present additional demands and challenges, especially if you or someone close to you is dealing with a cancer diagnosis. On this special episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we invited Dr. Elizabeth Muenks, associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and the director of KU Cancer Center’s Onco-Psychology Program, back to the podcast studio to share some tips and ideas to help you cope and lift your spirits if you or a loved one...
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Voices of Cancer Research: Behind the Scenes of Cancer Research Week
Bench to Bedside
On this special episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, join us behind-the-scenes at The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s annual research week, a multi-day event bringing together members of our research programs and the cancer center community. More than 270 people participated in this year’s Cancer Research Week activities, which included scientific presentations by our research faculty and students, as well as members of our patient research advocacy group, PIVOT. The week concluded with KU Cancer Center’s annual research symposium, a day-long event that brings together our...
info_outlineEveryone has a personal experience with cancer, but what exactly IS this disease that affects so many? On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we are joined by Dr. Danny Welch, associate director for Education at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, to answer that complex question. Dr. Welch’s career has centered on the spread – or metastasis – of cancer. And a personal connection has been a driving force behind his career — his mother died of metastatic cancer. He is passionate about cancer education and excels at explaining complex scientific research in a way that anyone can understand.
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Do you have questions about cancer? Would you like to participate in this podcast? We want to hear from you! Send us an email with your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at (913) 588-3880. Your question may be featured on a future episode.
Links from this episode:
- Learn more about Dr. Welch’s research on cancer metastasis: https://www.kucancercenter.org/research/transformative-research/beyond-the-bench/2019/the-m-word
- The four hallmarks of metastasis: https://www.kucancercenter.org/news-room/news/2019/05/kucc-researcher-identifies-four-hallmarks-of-metastasis
- The definition of cancer: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer
- Dr. Welch on the Bench to Bedside video series: https://youtu.be/AM3bdOULgjo