Patient Resource Cancer Guide

02/27/2026

Rare Disease Day is February 28. The last day of February each year shines a light on the many types of rare diseases and the millions of people living with one. Research is making progress but more is needed. Because rare diseases are diverse, it requires international scientific cooperation to lead to developing better diagnostic tools, treatments and cures, as well as improved health and social care for patients and their families. Rare Disease Day is aimed at raising awareness about these diseases and challenges and to encourage more progress be made.

02/25/2026

Preventing infections is crucial for people with cancer or their loved ones, especially during the winter months when illnesses increase. Many diseases can be spread through unclean hands. When receiving chemotherapy or other treatments for cancer, the body may not be able to fight off infections like it used to. One way to reduce the risk of infection is with proper hand washing. Make it a habit to wash your hands at these times:
• Before, during and after cooking food
• Before eating
• After going to the bathroom
• After changing diapers or helping a child use the bathroom
• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
• After touching or cleaning up after a pet
• After touching trash
• Before and after treating a cut or wound or caring for a catheter, port or other access device

02/23/2026

In February people dedicate themselves to raising awareness about gallbladder and bile duct cancers. The gallbladder is the pear-shaped organ found below the liver, and it stores bile. The bile duct is the tube through which bile passes in and out of the liver. These rare cancers may affect any of the ducts that connect the liver, gallbladder and small intestine. Symptoms often don't appear until after the disease has progressed, so it's important to tell your health care provider if you experience jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, a lump in your abdomen or fever.

02/20/2026

FDA will host Rare Disease Day, a virtual public meeting, on Monday, February 23, 2026, in global observance of Rare Disease Week. The theme is: “Moving Forward. Looking Ahead. An Event for Patients.” The goal of this year’s Rare Disease Day is to explore ways to engage and collaborate with patients and their communities to support and accelerate the development of medical products for rare diseases. We want patients to connect with FDA and stay involved with our outreach and engagement programs to ensure the patient voice informs medical product development and regulation throughout FDA. Panels will discuss:
• Patient Focused FDA Initiatives
• Patient Engagement Opportunities
• Addressing Challenges and Opportunities with AI Technology
• Utilizing Real World Data and Real World Evidence at FDA

View meeting Information and Agenda at:

The public meeting will be held on February 23, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m ET.

02/18/2026

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) recently announced the 2026 forecast for cancer research and treatment advances. AACR expects there will be a renewed focus on early detection and prevention, personalizing treatment and closing gaps in care. Here are some highlights:
• Earlier deployment of therapies is expected to be the most immediate and visible change.
• Early detection is expected to improve with more scans, liquid biopsies and through integrating artificial intelligence.
• New treatments may have novel ways of attacking cancer and will be guided by multiple precision models that move beyond DNA-only thinking.
• Precision oncology is expected to advance with models that will integrate data and better match a person's needs with therapies that are available and investigational.
• Smarter cell therapies in immunotherapy are expected.

02/13/2026

Every year on February 15th a global initiative is in place to raise awareness about childhood cancer. Join by expressing your support for children and adolescents with cancer and their families. The goal of the World Health Organization Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is to achieve at least 60 percent survival for children diagnosed with cancer around the world by 2030. The premise is anchored in the idea that childhood deaths are avoidable with timely, accurate diagnoses and access to quality essential medicines with proper treatment and care.

02/11/2026

National Donor Day is February 14. Every year on February 14th a focus is put on spreading awareness and education about organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelet and marrow donations. National Donor Day is also a day to recognize those who have given a life-saving donation, those who are currently waiting for a transplant and all who passed way while waiting because a donation was not available in time.

02/09/2026

Cancer screenings are an important way to stay on top of your health. Early detection from screenings increases the chance that certain cancers can be prevented or treated earlier. With the start of a new year, now is the perfect time to get organized and get these important appointments on your calendar for 2026.

02/06/2026

The first Friday of February (today) is National Wear Red Day. The focus is on raising awareness about heart disease and stroke in women. Heart disease is a significant health threat to Americans and a leading cause of death worldwide. The good news is that 87 percent of all heart issues are believed to be preventable, and progress is being made in education and research. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help you prevent the disease and improve your outcome if you already have it.

02/04/2026

Today is World Cancer Day! Every year on February 4, the Union for International Cancer Control helps raise awareness around the world about cancer. It also hopes to spur government action and find new treatments. Hundreds of activities and events take place worldwide on that date. The theme is "United by Unique," with a message designed to recognize that every person's experience with cancer is unique and will require a united commitment to look beyond the disease and see the person before the patient.

01/30/2026

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can bring up a variety of emotions that may be difficult to express. Writing therapy, also called expressive or therapeutic writing, can help a patient understand their diagnosis, work through their feelings and reflect on what the disease means to them and their family and friends. Some studies have shown that writing therapy can even help boost emotional well-being and improve positive physical abilities.

01/26/2026

Simply walking outdoors during the winter increases the risk of falling. When possible, stay in during bad weather. When you must get out, ensure all of your sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice. If you cannot remove the snow, ask for help or hire someone to do it. Other precautions to reduce your risk of falling include:
• Wear shoes with good traction. Avoid any other type of footwear.
• Dress warm to keep muscles relaxed.
• Get out of your car slowly.
• Watch out for black ice.