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POLA Editorial Team

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POLA Editorial Team

The POLA Editorial Team is dedicated to providing accurate, accessible information about cancer for patients, survivors, and their families across Europe.

Articles by POLA Editorial Team

Sessile Serated Lession (a type of flat colon polyp): What it means for You (Patient Guide)

Sessile Serated Lession (a type of flat colon polyp): What it means for You (Patient Guide)

Just got a pathology report back with the words "sessile serrated lesion" on it? Take a breath — an SSL is not cancer. I...

Top Things Not to Do While on Chemotherapy: Essential Tips for Patients

Top Things Not to Do While on Chemotherapy: Essential Tips for Patients

Navigate the complexities of chemotherapy with essential tips on what to avoid during treatment. From dietary choices to...

Quality of LifeAllEU-CAYAS-NET

Leukemia Survival Rate and Life Expectancy: What the Numbers Really Mean

Leukemia Survival Rate and Life Expectancy: What the Numbers Really Mean

If you're reading this in the first day or two after a leukemia diagnosis, looking up a survival rate is one of the hard...

Hospice Care at Home: What to Expect in the Final Months

Hospice Care at Home: What to Expect in the Final Months

You've probably arrived here because someone told you, or hinted, that treatment isn't working anymore. Maybe the oncolo...

Psychosocial CareAllYARN

Cancer, Pregnancy, and Fertility: What You Need to Know

Cancer, Pregnancy, and Fertility: What You Need to Know

Cancer during pregnancy is rare — about 1 in 1,000 — but the questions it raises are some of the hardest a person can fa...

FertilityAllYARN

What to Put in a Cancer Care Package: Thoughtful Ideas That Actually Help

What to Put in a Cancer Care Package: Thoughtful Ideas That Actually Help

When someone you love gets a cancer diagnosis, you want to help — but most "care package" lists are just generic gift-ba...

Psychosocial CareAllYARN

Cancer Diet and Nutrition: What to Eat, What to Avoid, and What Actually Matters

Cancer Diet and Nutrition: What to Eat, What to Avoid, and What Actually Matters

No single cancer diet works for everyone. Your needs shift from chemo to radiation to recovery, and even week to week. T...

NutritionAllYARN

Types of Blood Cancer: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma, and MDS Explained

Types of Blood Cancer: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma, and MDS Explained

The phrase "blood cancer" gets used like it means one thing. It doesn't. There are many different types — leukemia, lymp...

Leukemia Symptoms: Early Signs in Adults, Women, and Children

Leukemia Symptoms: Early Signs in Adults, Women, and Children

You came here because something feels off and you want a straight answer. Maybe you've been exhausted for weeks and coff...

What Cancer Screenings Should You Get? A Practical Guide by Age, Sex, and Risk

What Cancer Screenings Should You Get? A Practical Guide by Age, Sex, and Risk

Trying to figure out what cancer screenings you should get is harder than it should be. Your doctor mentions a colonosco...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

MCED Tests: What Multi-Cancer Early Detection Means and How These Tests Compare

MCED Tests: What Multi-Cancer Early Detection Means and How These Tests Compare

A friend forwarded me an email from her employer offering a blood test that, she was told, could "screen for over 50 can...

What Is Palliative Care at Home? A Complete Guide for Patients and Families

What Is Palliative Care at Home? A Complete Guide for Patients and Families

Palliative care at home brings symptom relief, emotional support, and clear guidance to where you're most comfortable —...

Psychosocial CareAllYARN

Palliative Care vs Hospice: The Real Difference (And Why It Matters Now, Not Later)

Palliative Care vs Hospice: The Real Difference (And Why It Matters Now, Not Later)

If your oncologist mentioned "palliative care" or "hospice" and your stomach dropped, take a breath. The two words get u...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

Travel Insurance for Cancer Patients: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Travel Insurance for Cancer Patients: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Travel insurance for cancer patients feels impossible at first — quotes come back sky-high, online forms reject you, som...

When the Oncologist Says No More Chemo: What It Means and What Comes Next

When the Oncologist Says No More Chemo: What It Means and What Comes Next

When your oncologist says "no more chemo," the room can go quiet in a way you weren't ready for. You're not sure if you...

Long-term Follow-up CareAllYARN

How to Sleep with a Chemo Port: Comfort Tips That Actually Work

How to Sleep with a Chemo Port: Comfort Tips That Actually Work

Nobody warns you about how hard it is to sleep with a chemo port. Your oncology team covered the medical basics — keep i...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

How Long Does Chemo Take? Timelines, Cycles, and What to Expect

How Long Does Chemo Take? Timelines, Cycles, and What to Expect

How long does chemo take? It's the first question patients ask when they're trying to plan the next six months of their...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

Cold Cap Therapy During Chemo: How It Works, Costs, and What to Expect

Cold Cap Therapy During Chemo: How It Works, Costs, and What to Expect

Cold cap therapy is the only widely available way to reduce chemo hair loss while you're in treatment — and many patient...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

Financial Help for Cancer Patients: Grants, Benefits, and How to Access Them

Financial Help for Cancer Patients: Grants, Benefits, and How to Access Them

Financial help for cancer patients exists at every level across Europe — but most people never find out what's available...

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: What It Is, How It Works, and Who Gets It

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: What It Is, How It Works, and Who Gets It

My doctor wants me to do chemo BEFORE surgery — isn't that backwards?" It feels backwards. It's not. Neoadjuvant chemoth...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

Can Stress Cause Prostate Cancer? What the Science Actually Says

Can Stress Cause Prostate Cancer? What the Science Actually Says

Can stress cause prostate cancer? It's the question men ask after a diagnosis, after watching a family member go through...

Mental HealthProstateYARN

Cancer Awareness Months: A Complete Calendar and How to Get Involved

Cancer Awareness Months: A Complete Calendar and How to Get Involved

Nearly every month of the year is dedicated to a cancer awareness cause — and used well, the cancer awareness months cal...

Quality of LifeAllYARN

Cancer and Employment Rights: Working During Treatment and What to Know

Cancer and Employment Rights: Working During Treatment and What to Know

A cancer diagnosis raises questions your employer probably won't answer first: Can they dismiss you? Do you have to tell...

Wigs for Cancer Patients: How to Choose, Where to Buy, and Financial Help

Wigs for Cancer Patients: How to Choose, Where to Buy, and Financial Help

Losing your hair during treatment is about identity, not vanity — and no one should feel priced out of feeling like them...

Psychosocial CareAllYARN