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 delicious healthy recipes, as well as evidence-based research in nutrition, exercise and holistic care from cancer experts across the nation. On today’s episode, we invited Barb and Judith to join several of the cookbook’s expert contributors from KU Cancer Center including Dr. Jennifer Klemp, Dr. Lauren Nye and Lori Ranallo, APRN, to discuss the 10th anniversary edition of the Back in the Swing Cookbook, the evolution of survivorship care and education, and how nutrition and lifestyle changes can affect your lifelong health. Links from this Episode:  Learn more about the Back in the Swing Cookbook Follow Back in the Swing on Facebook Learn more about survivorship care at KU Cancer Center  

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 share equally in advances in cancer research, and cancer disparities should be eliminated. One of the tools to reach this goal is to enhance diversity in the cancer workforce. Dr. Lee leads these efforts at KU Cancer center, in order to better represent the breadth of communities in our region experiencing cancer health disparities. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this Episode: Learn more about Dr. Simon Lee Learn more about cancer workforce equity efforts at KU Cancer Center Read about the NCI’s National Cancer Plan and goal to optimize the cancer workforce

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 is experiencing cancer this holiday season. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this Episode:  Listen to Dr. Muenks’ earlier episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, “Episode 14 - Normalizing Second Opinions in Cancer Care” Visit the Turning Point website to find resources mentioned in this episode Read about Turning Point’s “Resilience Toolbox” Learn more about Gilda’s Club Kansas City Visit the KU Cancer Center website to learn more about our support services, including mentoring opportunities Learn more about the Onco-Psychology program at KU Cancer Center

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 members and highlights the latest in cancer research and treatment. We asked attendees to share why research week is important to them and how events like the research symposium expand their views and support research collaborations, as well as some of their favorite highlights from the week. We hope you enjoy this look “behind the curtain” as you listen to some of the voices behind the research at KU Cancer Center. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this Episode:  Learn more about KU Cancer Center’s research week Learn about our PIVOT, our patient research advocacy group Explore KU Cancer Center’s research programs Read about KU Cancer Center’s shared resources and core facilities Learn about Dr. Simon Lee and cancer workforce equity

Going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be challenging physically, mentally and emotionally. But there are actions that patients and caregivers can take at home to help ease some of those burdens. On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we hear from Kylie Stewart, a cancer survivor who joins us to share how her own diagnosis, along with her family’s history of cancer, inspired her to learn more about nutrition and exercise, as well as what steps she took to keep her body as strong and healthy as possible through treatment and beyond. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this Episode:  Learn more about breast cancer screening at KU Cancer Center Learn more about triple negative breast cancer Read the American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines for diet and weight management during cancer Learn more about Elenora Teplishky, MD Oncologist - @drteplinsky on Instagram Check out the Dr. Peter Attia Podcast Learn more about Kylie’s local CrossFit community, Crossfit On Track Listen to our podcast interview with Kylie’s father, Dr. Steve Scott

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 with Dr. Steve Scott, the recently named chair of KU Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Board (CAB). The KU Cancer Center CAB includes community members and organization leaders from across the areas we serve, including the state of Kansas and western Missouri, and is comprised of individuals representing a diversity of cancer experiences, skills, community connections, geographic locations and demographics. Dr. Scott, a cancer survivor himself, is the immediate past president of Pittsburg State University and has been involved advocacy for cancer patients, caregivers and survivors for many years. With a family history of cancer, Dr. Scott says his focus now is on keeping cancer at bay through fitness, nutrition and preventative screening, as well as sharing his experience and lessons learned with others in his community. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this Episode: Learn more about Dr. Steve Scott Learn about KU Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) Learn more about prostate cancer signs and symptoms Learn more about screening for prostate cancer Check out the Kegel Trainer PFM Exercises App - similar to the one Dr. Scott mentions on this episode - on the Apple App Store or Google Play   

In the United States, cancer is among the most expensive medical conditions to treat. National costs for cancer care were estimated to be $190.2 billion in 2015. Several studies show that cancer patients and survivors are more likely to experience financial toxicity than people without cancer. For Dinesh Pal I. Mudaranthakam, PhD - assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics & Data Science at the University of Kansas Medical Center, director of Research IT at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and member of the cancer center’s Cancer Prevention and Control research program - this issue is personal. Growing up in India, he witnessed family members and friends grapple with the high costs of cancer treatment and the adverse effects it may have later. Dr. Mudaranthakam recently led two studies to better understand the toll a cancer diagnosis has on an individual’s finances, career and overall health. On this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center, welcomes Dr. Mudaranthakam to the podcast to discuss financial toxicity and his research into what this means for cancer patients and their families. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center. Links from this episode: Learn more about Dr. Mudaranthakam’s research into financial toxicity Read an interview with Dr. Mudaranthakam on BioNexusKC Read about Dr. Mudaranthakam’s research in JNCI Cancer Spectrum Direct links to Dr. Mudaranthakam’s published research here and here  

Weaving the perspective of our patients into our research is an important focus for the team at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, because it ensures our work centers on the needs of those we serve. Patient and Investigator Voices Organizing Together (PIVOT for short) is KU Cancer Center’s program, which unites scientists and advocates to advance patient-centered research. On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we are sharing a conversation between two special guests, Dr. Joan Lewis-Wambi, associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and member of KU Cancer Center’s Cancer Biology research program, and Dr. Alison Banikowski, an educator, community organizer, cancer survivor and PIVOT member, who has found a multitude of ways to give back to the cancer community in the Kansas City area. She formed the group Alison’s Allies in 2010, which raises funding to support breast cancer screening, health equity, care and research, including research that Dr. Lewis-Wambi conducts in her lab. We invited them to discuss their work together and share how having the patient perspective has moved cancer research forward. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. For the latest updates, make you are following us on social media by searching for KU Cancer Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Links from this episode: Learn more about Dr. Joan Lewis-Wambi Learn more about Dr. Banikowski and her advocacy group, Alison’s Allies Find information on PIVOT, KU Cancer Center’s patient research advocacy group Watch “The Future of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment” with Dr. Priyanka Sharma on YouTube Learn more about triple-negative breast cancer on KU Cancer Center’s website  

When a patient learns they have a potentially life-threatening medical diagnosis, such as cancer, it can often feel like there are more questions than answers. Getting a second opinion after a cancer diagnosis is a common and valuable practice, but it can also seem overwhelming to patients and their families. On this episode of the Bench to Bedside, host Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, welcomes Dr. Elizabeth Muenks, associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and the director of KU Cancer Center’s Onco-Psychology Program, to the podcast studio to chat more about this common issue and share her tips for how to get comfortable asking for a second opinion. Learn how Dr. Muenks and the Onco-Psychology team provide support to cancer patients, caregivers and survivors at KU Cancer Center, and her simple, memorable method to tackle any challenging discussion. Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. For the latest updates, make you are following us on social media by searching for KU Cancer Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

This week on the Bench to Bedside podcast, host Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, sits down for a conversation with Dr. Bret Freudenthal, an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, to talk about DNA and its crucial role in the development and progression of cancer. While there are many factors involved in cancer development, changes to the cellular DNA arising from DNA damage is a basic driver of multiple human diseases. For example, skin cancer can arise if DNA is damaged after excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Dr. Freudenthal has dedicated his career to better understanding how DNA damage is repaired to protect the genome. To understand how proteins interact with DNA and repair damage, Dr. Freudenthal’s research relies on the latest leading-edge technology, including x-ray crystallography (a sophisticated technique that visualizes the arrangement of atoms within a crystal) and his team was also among the first to try out the University of Kansas Medical Center’s new cryogenic electron microscope. You won't want to miss this episode!   Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at [email protected], and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode!