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I have received quite a few requests to write about cancer prevention. Although there is no 100% sure fire way to prevent cancer, there are things we can do to help lower our risk. Before we get to those things, it helps to go over what cancer is. Cancer is not "one disease" which is very important to remember. If it was, I suspect it would be easier to cure. Cancer is rather a group of diseases defined by uncontrolled cell growth. Cancer can arise because of choices we make

Welcome, welcome, welcome. It has been a long time coming but HitzForHope.com is up and running thanks to Carlos Vivero. If you need any web work done, I highly recommend him. He is very professional and knowledgeable when it comes to this kind of work. A little introduction to HitzForHope. My family and I started this website in honor of my father who fought 3 different cancers. At the age of 47 he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. He received a bone marrow tran

Hey everyone, how are YOU? I am asked this question by many people every day. For those that don’t know please allow me to fill you in. Approximately 16 months ago I started to experience sciatica. Unfortunately, it progressed to the point that I needed to try different modalities of treatment. As time passed, I found it not only hard to walk but stand more than a few minutes at a time. I fell to my knees on multiple occasions. Of course, nobody knew what was going on because

I am sure that most are aware that my partner has stopped practicing medicine. This has left me as the only practicing oncologist and hematologist in the surrounding area. I have acquired quite the patient load and am working diligently to make sure that the needs of our community is met. I would like all to know that the care provided by the cancer center will continue to be of high quality as always as we look to find me a new partner. In the meantime, I will continue to pr

The new electronic health record is live at the hospital and the Jet’s 7th/8th grade football season is over. If anyone is wondering we finished 4-3 on the season. We had a great group of boys! I can now spend a little more time doing other things such as continuing this blog….. We have made tremendous advances in most cancers when it comes to improving overall survival, however, pancreatic cancer is not one of them. This cancer is a “non-relenting” beast among beasts. There

I would first like to say I am sorry for not posting a blog in awhile. Life is super busy! Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are two types of skin cancer that are usually less aggressive cancers and cured by excision. Melanoma, however, is quite different. Approximately 76,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed this year with a little over 10,000 people dying from it(1). The estimated num

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death in men and third leading cause of death in women in the United States. It is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer. There is estimated to be approximately 96,000 cases diagnosed this year with approximately 50,000 people dying from it in the same year. Between the years 2004 and 2013 the incidence of colon cancer decreased at a rate of approximately 3% per year for adults older than 50. However, colon cancer rates have inc

First, a few quick facts on cancer (you can find these on the American Cancer Society website) -Approximately 1.7 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year -Approximately 595,00 people will die from cancer this year -Cancer is a disease of older people, >85% of all cancers are in those greater than the age of 50 -Cancer is the second leading cause of death exceeded only by heart disease and it accounts for nearly 25% of all deaths -Lifetime probability of developing

When we think of cancer, we think of smoking, alcohol, genetics and other things. Does anyone think of viruses? What if I were to tell you that there are viruses that cause cancer? Would you believe it? A virus is a very small organism that can’t be seen with a light microscope. It takes what is known as an electron microscope to see a virus. These viruses enter our cells and replicate by using our machinery. Viruses then insert their DNA or RNA into our cells and this is wh

I realize I said that viruses and cancer was going to be the next topic but with all the news about Senator McCain and his new diagnosis of glioblastoma I thought I would briefly discuss this. So, what is glioblastoma? From an oncological standpoint, it is the most aggressive brain tumor there is. Think of it as an octopus that digs its tentacles deep into the brain. This type of cancer can arise from heritable conditions or low-grade brain cancers, however, most of the tim

Walking into an oncology clinic has to be one of the most terrifying moments of one’s life. Not knowing what to expect instills fear into the hearts of all. So, what is cancer? Simply put, it is a cell that continues to divide without limitation. You see, normally our body, which is made up of trillions of cells that are constantly turning over. What I mean is, cells are made and then eventually die in something known as programmed cell death (apoptosis.) However, when can

Each and every discussion I have with a patient is different when it comes to end of life and I never know which direction we are going to go. Looking someone in the eyes and telling them they are going to die soon is no small feat. It is one that eats me up just a little each and every time. I must say, I learn with each and every conversation I have. Some surprisingly go very easy and others are extremely difficult. I still remember my very first patient in fellowship. A 19

Welcome and thank you for stopping by. It is still going to take me some time to get things going but at least let me introduce myself. I live up in Alpena, Michigan and practice hematology and oncology at the hospital. I received a B.A. in biology and M.S. in biology at Wayne State University. I then went on to medical school at MSUCOM. Internship and residency were both done at Mount Clemens General Hospital (now McLaren.) After my residency I practiced for one year as a h