November is Diabetes Awareness Month

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and it is important to learn about this disease and its impact.

According to the American Diabetes Association, not only are almost 26 million people currently living with diagnosed diabetes, but it is estimated that 79 million are pre-diabetic. Diet, lifestyle, and awareness are important factors in understanding, and preventing, diabetes.

The Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the prevention and treatment of diabetes. The center’s providers use advanced clinical therapies and the latest research to treat patients with pre-diabetes, diabetes and other endocrine problems.

Using a family-oriented approach to patient care, a variety of services and programs are offered at the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center to manage a healthy lifestyle.
Services include:

• Diabetes education programs
• Nutrition and diet counseling
• Podiatry
• Insulin pump program
• Continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS)

The team at the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center includes board-certified endocrinologists working with nurse educators, as well as nutritionists, to provide expert care to the patients and their families.

For information about the diabetes program, visit PennMedicine.org or call 800-789-PENN (7366).

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Should You Be Screened for Lung Cancer?

More people in the U.S. die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer.

People who smoke, have smoked in the past, or who have been exposed to other people's smoke, as well as those who have worked around hazardous materials, are at increased risk for developing lung cancer. Additionally, the number of non-smoking lung cancer cases is on the rise.

Consider these facts:

• In 2011, more than 220,000 Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer.
• About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking.
• Among both men and women in the United States, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer.
• Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer combined. 

The physicians in Penn Medicine’s Lung Cancer Program are experienced in lung scanning and the latest screening techniques for people at high risk. Additionally, Penn's proton therapy for lung cancer is offered as treatment for the disease.

For information about smoking cessation programs and lung cancer screening programs at Penn Medicine, visit PennMedicine.org or call 800-789-PENN (7366).

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States?

This year alone, approximately 44,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  The multidisciplinary team at Penn 's Abramson Cancer Center is nationally recognized for its specialized techniques and advanced treatment options in treating pancreatic cancer.

In January 2013, The Abramson Cancer Center is opening a new location at Penn Medicine Valley Forge.  Penn's Abramson Cancer Center is home to the region's top cancer experts, the most advanced treatment options, groundbreaking research and the compassionate care that patients and families need before, during and after a cancer diagnosis. The new location in Valley Forge brings that same level of care closer to home for people living in the western suburbs.

Learn more at PennMedicine.org/Abramson