News from the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative | December 2022

It is the time of the year that many of us take part in holiday celebrations. As we enter this holiday season, we've curated several articles with advice and tips on how you can navigate these gatherings and make smart choices to protect your health. From pointers on how you can make mindful decisions around alcohol use to coping with grief, you'll find useful information below.

Holiday celebrations often present us with the chance to gather with family and loved ones. This year when celebrating with friends and family, consider drinking less alcohol, or celebrating with a "mocktail" instead.

During the holidays, some people are likely to drink more and beyond their limits than at other times of the year. Offering alternatives to alcoholic drinks, like mocktails, give people the opportunity to make a healthier selection.

We know that alcohol use can increase risk for at least seven types of cancer. And studies have shown sharp increases in alcohol use during the holidays. Re-thinking alcohol use during the holidays can be a helpful tool to reset a person's relationship to alcohol and develop healthier habits.

This is especially important as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has issued a health alert, urging Wisconsinites to protect themselves against respiratory viruses this holiday season due to an already alarming number of respiratory illness related hospitalizations.  

Learn and share your family history as you gather this holiday season.

The holiday season is a time of gathering with family near and far. As you come together, consider exploring your family’s cancer history by asking your relatives about their health history. While only 5-10% of cancers are caused by inherited genetic changes, understanding your cancer history can help you to understand your potential cancer risk, and consider if genetic testing might be appropriate for you.

To start the conversation with your family, consider using this worksheet to gather and document the information you learn. Sharing your own cancer history with family members can be a way to empower your loved ones to make informed decisions about their own cancer prevention and control efforts.

Don’t let another holiday season pass while keeping important family health secrets. Start the discussion with your family this year!

The holidays are traditionally a time to celebrate with loved ones, reunite with family and friends, and celebrate religious traditions. However, those who have lost someone to cancer may feel disconnected, and feelings of loss may be more pronounced during this time.

Make plans with loved ones and seek support. The holidays can be lonely for anyone, but for those who have experienced a loss, the feelings of loneliness may be harder to manage. Stay connected with those you love in person or via phone or video calls instead of texting or emailing. Some research shows that seeing and hearing our loved ones can increase feelings of closeness and social bonding.

Take the time to be by yourself when needed. Finding the balance between celebrating the holidays and coping with loss can be difficult. Practicing awareness of how you feel emotionally and physically can help manage these emotions and tell you when to slow down and rest. Don't feel guilty stepping away from the celebration when you need a break.

Accept whatever it is you are feeling and be patient with yourself. Sit with and make space for whatever emotions you may experience during this time, and don't burden yourself with what you think or what others say you "should" feel. Everyone grieves differently, and there is no right or wrong time to grieve.

Talk about your loved one who has passed. Don't censor yourself or avoid talking about your loved one who has passed away. Hearing your stories, memories, and grief may not only help you process your grief but may also help others cope with their own feelings of loss. We talk about those we've lost because we love them, and they are still a part of us.

We hope that everybody has happy and healthy holidays. Thank you for all the work that you do to reduce the burden of cancer for everyone in Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin State Senator Alberta Darling (Senate District 8) retired from the Senate in December after a 32-year political career in state government. Over the course of her career, Darling, a breast cancer survivor, authored numerous bills and laws that impact prevention, screenings, and the medical care of cancer survivors.

A new law that will break down barriers to researching medical marijuana was passed by Congress and signed by President Biden. The law will make it easier for scientists to research medical marijuana and protect doctors who discuss use of the drug with patients.

Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, making it difficult for scientists to get approval to conduct research. Additionally, the government has limited the type of medical-grade marijuana used for the studies, which is not typical of the marijuana currently available in dispensaries in states that permit recreational and medical marijuana.  The new law will address the quantity, quality, and supply of marijuana for research.

Nationwide, there are four million registered users of medical marijuana, and many more who self-medicate. Despite attempts in the state legislature, medical marijuana is not permitted in Wisconsin.

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The Susan G. Komen Treatment Assistance Program is a program designed to help breast cancer patients in treatment who are struggling with the financial burden of managing their care. The program can help with daily living expenses like rent, transportation, groceries, childcare, lymphedema care and more. Call 1-877-GO KOMEN or visit https://www.komen.org/treatment-assistance-program/ to learn more.

Unite US  provides software and data analytics tools designed to help community-based organizations and healthcare facilities streamline the process of sending and receiving social care referrals (such as food, housing, and other assistance). 

If interested in learning more, including pricing options, please contact Kyle Ashley, Community Engagement Manager at Unite Us at [email protected]. 

Help Share the Survivor Support Survey from the American Indian Cancer Foundation 

The American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF) has developed the Survivor Support Survey to determine the needs of Native cancer survivors and caregivers, and the ways that people can help support them on their journeys. The information collected will be used to create culturally tailored resources that will benefit indigenous cancer survivors, caregivers, and families. Survey results also will assist AICAF with survivorship program planning and will help guide the development of Native-focused cancer plans. 

You can help by sharing the survey widely.

In 2022 the UW-Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) celebrated 30 years of ground breaking tobacco cessation research and helping people quit tobacco use. Over the last 30 years, UW-CTRI has become nationally recognized for its ground-breaking tobacco research that is translated into tobacco treatment, significantly contributing to reducing the burden of cancer in Wisconsin.

Thank you UW-CTRI and congratulations on 30 years. Learn more about UW-CTRI's accomplishments here.

This study found that in 2020 due to the pandemic, average rates of screening for breast cancer fell by 40%, for cervical cancer by 36%, and for colorectal cancer by 45%, compared to the 3 previous years, according to an analysis of medical claims data from 306 million adults. Diagnoses of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers dropped by roughly 6% to 7% between 2019 and 2020 and by an additional 5% to 6% between 2020 and 2021, the researchers also found. The long term consequences of the pandemic are unknown and the need for timely cancer screening is apparent.

A recent article published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network discusses results of national surveys on patient, caregiver, and oncologist experiences with and perceptions of racial bias and discrimination in cancer care. Patients and caregivers identifying as African American/Black or Hispanic/Latino were more likely to report at least one negative care experience than patients and caregivers identifying as White. Patients who were African American/Black or Hispanic/Latino were also more likely than White patients to report that the healthcare system treats people unfairly based on their racial or ethnic background and that racial bias occurs often or very often when a patient and doctor are of different racial/ethnic background.

Research led by Duke University School of Medicine found that Non-Hispanic Black patients were less likely to receive guideline-appropriate treatment for ovarian cancer compared to Non-Hispanic White patients.

Cancer Patients Treated with Immunotherapy Can Safely Receive mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines, According to JNCCN Study

According to a JNCCN study, cancer patients treated with immunotherapy can safely receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, and are not at any greater risk of side effects from the vaccine or the immunotherapy.

A new U.S. Cancer Statistics data brief looks at cancers among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39). Rates of new cases of cancer increased in AI/AN adolescents and young adults from 1999 to 2019 by 1.8% each year among females and 1.4% each year among males. Some of the common cancers among AI/AN adolescents and young adults include female breast, thyroid, and lymphoma.

This new fact sheet published by Wisconsin Department of Health Services explains oral cancer, its connection to oral health, symptoms, causes, prevention and Wisconsin statistics.

Updates to the U.S. Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations tool make it easier to explore the cancer burden among different populations in the United States. Updates include: data on cancers diagnosed through 2019, mutually exclusive race categories, cancer risk and prevalence estimates by race and ethnicity categories, updated risk factor estimates at national and states levels from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and updated HPV vaccine coverage estimates from CDC’s National Immunization Survey.

The Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board has developed and released a series of HPV and Breast Cancer fact sheets. The complete package of fact sheets can be downloaded from their website

Find more resources, reports, and CMEs in our online Resource Center.

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