Cancer

Hoag Genitourinary Oncologist Uncovers Dangerous Care Gap in Newly Published Study

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (March 28, 2025) – Genitourinary (GU) cancers are on the rise, but there are not enough specialists in the United States to treat these potentially fatal diseases, according to the first-ever study of the situation published this month in the journal Urology. Incidents of GU cancers – cancers of the prostate, bladder, … Read More
Published On: March 28, 2025
Tags: Cancer

From Diagnosis to Cancer-Free in 14 days: How Hoag’s highly specialized interventional digestive care experts treated aggressive esophageal cancer and won

Rick Letterman’s passion for golf spans decades. Now 77, he’s been perfecting his swing since high school, when he worked as a caddy at a local country club in Kentucky.  “Golf is a very self-challenging game,” he said. “You align with your target in the distance, and you take your shot. When I received the … Read More
Published On: February 12, 2025

How a unique endoscopic procedure at Hoag gave one patient her life back after a decades-long battle

For 17 years, Roz Hodgins struggled with what many of us take for granted; the ability to comfortably swallow food. “I always had to be very cognizant of what I was eating and where, and there were foods I loved that I just couldn’t eat,” she said. “Going to a restaurant was difficult because I’d … Read More
Published On: February 12, 2025

Navigating the cancer gene at Hoag: One family’s story

Since the discovery of genetic mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2 in the 1990s, testing for the genes has become a common course of action among patients and families with a history of certain cancers.   According to the National Cancer Institute, the lifetime risk of breast cancer for a woman with a BRCA mutation is as high … Read More
Published On: January 14, 2025

Hoag Helps Young Father Beat Cancer and Gives Life a New Direction

Hoag helped save Jason Semko’s life, then gave it new direction. A former film student, Jason moved to Los Angeles from El Paso, Texas in 2007 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He realized he needed more stability to fulfill his dream of starting a family, taught himself how to code and reinvented … Read More
Published On: December 10, 2024

Hoag patient receives newly FDA-approved cancer treatment

Shahin Shelechi, 72, is incredibly optimistic–so much so that it’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude of what she has endured throughout her 30-year cancer journey. “You have to have hope,” she said. “And whatever I can do to help even one person, I will do it.” First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, the disease … Read More
Published On: November 13, 2024

Male breast cancer patient revitalizes life on the road thanks to care at Hoag

For Larry Arvin, a routine physical in 2013 ended with a unique and troubling diagnosis: He had breast cancer. “Initially, I was pretty shocked,” he said. “The fact that nobody really knows what’s going on with men’s breast cancer, that’s the challenge. The serious aspect is the effects of breast cancer when it metastasizes into … Read More
Published On: November 8, 2024

Hoag’s Muzzy Family Endowed Fellows in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Lead the Nation

Newport Beach, Calif. – (October 29, 2024) – A world leader in breast conservation surgery, Hoag announced it is making a significant contribution to training the next generation of oncoplastic surgeons through the launch of a new Muzzy Family Endowed Fellowship in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery. This is the first fellowship of its kind in the … Read More
Published On: October 29, 2024

5 Hidden Symptoms That Could Indicate Breast Cancer

You probably know that mammograms are the gold standard for breast cancer detection, and that they save lives. But did you know that about 40% of breast lumps are detected by women during a breast self-exam? In addition to mammograms, breast self-awareness is an important part of breast health. What should you be looking for? … Read More
Published On: October 21, 2024

Hoag’s #1 Priority Is You: Tricia Takasugi’s Breast Cancer Journey

When Tricia Takasugi first discovered a lump in her breast, she knew she had to act quickly. A close friend, a breast cancer survivor who was treated at Hoag, urged her to seek care without delay. “She said, ‘You cannot wait two months or three months to see a doctor.’” Following that advice, Tricia called … Read More
Published On: October 21, 2024