130: Robin Centner is a Colon Cancer Previvor | Genetic Testing | Previvor | Kidney Cancer | Genetic Counselor
Release Date: 12/20/2024
152: erin bloodworth exercise oncologist | fitness assessment | individualized exercise program | lymphedema | neuropathy
Cancer Interviews
A clinical exercise physiologist by trade, Erin Bloodworth sought a career change and became an exercise oncologist. This enabled her to take her expertise and apply it to helping cancer patients, which she does through Northwestern Medicine Living Well. Erin says whether a patient is going through cancer treatment or is post-treatment, she puts the patient through an individualized exercise program. She assesses the patient's health with tests tied to their ability to grip objects and go from a sitting position to a standing position and...
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151: Stewart Greenfield survived stage IV bladder cancer | cisplatin | gemcidibine | novolumab | immunotherapy
Cancer Interviews
For Stewart Greenfield, the third time was the charm. After checking pictures of his bladder in 2016, two doctors told him he didn’t have long to live; a third doctor told him he had Stage IV metastatic bladder cancer, but insisted he needed to be treated. The cancer had burned a hole in his bladder and attacked lymph nodes from his groin to his neck. Treatment included a chemotherapy cocktail of cisplatin and gemcidibine, plus qualifying for an immunotherapy, novolumab. It was a smashing success. Stewart says his urinary function is normal and he is able to...
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150: Noelle Gatlin survived Stage II pancreatic cancer | Whipple procedure | pancreatic duodenectomy
Cancer Interviews
Noelle Gatlin had to endure a lengthy, multi-step process, but she survived Stage II pancreatic cancer. A visit to an emergency department revealed a mass near her pancreas. She was transferred to a hospital, where a second CT scan resulted in her diagnosis. Her care team placed a duodenal stent in Noelle, then a bile duct stent. She next underwent a 12-infusion chemotherapy regimen with folfirinox. Then she was ready for a Whipple procedure, a pancreatic duodenectomy, which was a success. Noelle says because she took care of herself before,...
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149: Laurie Adami survived follicular non-Hodgkin Lymphoma | Yescarta CAR-T Therapy | Bexxar | Gazvya
Cancer Interviews
Laurie Adami seemed to have it all. She was the president of her company, at age 40, she had just had a son and still found time to lead an active lifestyle. However, in 2003, her health took a turn for the worse. She felt a lump in her abdomen, experienced frequent, lengthy sinus infections and chronic fatigue. All this led to a diagnosis of Stage IV Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. After six unsuccessful treatment regimens, she achieved complete remission on the seventh try, completing a battle that ran twelve years. When Laurie initially brought her...
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148: Nicole Scott Is A Kidney Cancer Caregiver | Partial Nephrectomy | Caregiver Burnout | Hernia
Cancer Interviews
Nicole Scott and her husband, Keith, worked at the same Ohio hospital. When Keith noticed abdominal pain in his left side, he thought it was muscle-related because of the physical nature of his job. The pain radiated to his groin, then what had been random occurrences of the pain became more frequent. Nicole urged Keith to seek urgent care. An emergency room doctor called for a CT scan, thinking Keith had at worst, a hernia. However, the CT scan revealed a mass on Keith’s kidney. An MRI and partial nephrectomy resulted in a diagnosis of papillary renal...
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147: Helinka Carr survived bowel cancer | ileostomy bag | pelvic radiation disease | colonoscopy
Cancer Interviews
When Helinka Carr experienced limited rectal bleeding, because it was limited, she never thought her problem could rise to the level of cancer. She also thought the bleeding might be diverticulitis, which had been suffered by members of her family. However, at the urging of her doctor, she underwent blood tests and a colonoscopy. The latter revealed that she had bowel cancer. Thanks to two surgical procedures, she achieved survivorship but has to wear an ileostomy bag. She tires easily, but had the energy to start a line of ostomy lingerie for bag-wearing women...
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146: Guy Nakoa survived Stage IV breast cancer | mastectomy | ibrance | letrozole | radiation treatment
Cancer Interviews
Guy Nakoa has survived two diagnoses of Stage IV breast cancer. He initially felt a lump in his breast while showering in 2000. Because it wasn’t causing him and because he didn’t think could not get a type of cancer associated with women, I went more than a decade before he chose to have the lump checked out. In 2014, he sought medical attention, he was diagnosed and in 2016, he had the lump removed; but in 2020, the cancer returned. He was hoping it could be removed with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, but over his initial objection, he...
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145: Sheila Romanski twice survived breast cancer | autologous stem cell transplant | lumpectomy | diep flap
Cancer Interviews
Sheila Romanski is with us today after overcoming two diagnoses of breast cancer and the removal of a tumor in her left shoulder thanks to an autologous stem cell transplant. She tells the @CancerInterviews podcast her initial of Stage 1A breast cancer in 1996 came after her doctor suggested a routine mammogram at age 36 when at the time mammograms were not performed on women that young. Radiation treatment successfully addressed that diagnosis, but the following year, the cancer had metastasized to her shoulder. That brought on the stem cell transplant, plus chemotherapy and...
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144: Daniel Garza, Anal Cancer Survivor – Laguna Beach, California, USA
Cancer Interviews
In 2015, Daniel Garza experienced bloating and difficulty completing a bowel movement. A subsequent digital rectal exam revealed a mass on his sphincter, which led to a diagnosis of anal cancer. A surgical procedure got rid of the cancer, but it also resulted in his losing half of his sphincter and the temporary presence of a fistula, a tear which was like a second anus. He underwent a chemotherapy regimen of 5-fluorouracil, followed by radiation treatment, but another major challenge awaited Daniel, as he had to wear an ostomy bag, which he does to this day. He deals...
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143: Rick Upchurch survived chronic myelogenous leukemia | oral chemotherapy | blood cancer | tasigna | nilotinib
Cancer Interviews
Former NFL star Rick Upchurch seemed to be in good health, but in 2010, he began to experience night sweats, fatigue and aches and pains. He saw his doctor, who ordered blood work. The test results revealed his white blood cell count was very high, and his general practitioner gave him the address of another doctor to see. Rick and his wife were shocked to learn the doctor they had been told to see was an oncologist. That doctor called for a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed Rick had chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer that is tied to a genetic...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Cancer Interviews podcast, we will hear from Robin Centner of Ryland Heights, Kentucky. She learned she has the PMS2 gene, which is one of the genes that causes Lynch Syndrome, a form of colon cancer. She found this out through genetic testing. She was inspired to get tested because her father died of colon cancer at age 52 and her mother passed away from kidney cancer at 49. Robin is what is known as a previvor. Because of genetic testing, she learned of the PMS2 gene and because of its presence, with additional and frequent testing, if she is diagnosed with colon cancer, it will be detected at the earliest possible stage, positioning her for a positive outcome.
When Robin learned that one of her cousins has Stage IV colon cancer, at age 46, she went in for her first-ever colonoscopy. It revealed one polyp, but it was non-cancerous and was removed. Her gastroenterologist asked her to come in for another colonoscopy a year later. This time she saw a different GI specialist who said that second colonoscopy indicated Lynch Syndrome and urged Robin to see a genetic counselor for testing. This was in 2012, when genetic testing was in its infancy and cost more than $1500, a procedure many insurance companies would not cover.
Nonetheless, Robin Centner got the genetic testing, which later led to her immediate family getting it as well. One of her boys, Connor, tested positive for Lynch Syndrome, but because of genetic testing, the Syndrome was detected early.
She says if one’s family history includes colon cancer and/or kidney cancer, genetic testing is an excellent idea, as it positions family members for early detection if cancerous polyps are found. Robin says among the symptoms of colorectal cancer are that of lingering abdominal pain, lingering diarrhea or constipation.
Robin Centner says very simply, “genetic testing saved my life,” and that the same procedure that cost her more than $1500 in 2012, now runs about $300, and that is if it not covered by insurance.