Yolanda Smith

Feature Writer

B.Pharm.

Pharmacy

Yolanda graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of South Australia and has experience working in both Australia and Italy. She is passionate about how medicine, diet and lifestyle affect our health and enjoys helping people understand this. In her spare time she loves to explore the world and learn about new cultures and languages.

Articles from Yolanda

History of Genomics

Although DNA was first isolated in 1869, it was not until more than a century later that the first genomes were sequenced, making genomics a relatively new discipline. Genomics, as we now know it, truly began in the 1970s, although there were several significant milestones that shaped the field in the preceding century.

3 Mar 2017

Targeted Cancer Therapies

Targeted cancer therapies, also sometimes referred to as molecularly targeted drugs or therapies, focus their action on molecular targets that are involved in the growth, progression, and spreading of cancerous cells.

22 Feb 2017

The Effects of Cancer on Family Life

A diagnosis of cancer affects not only the patient but also the family, friends, and community of the individual. Cancer and the treatments used to treat it can introduce a complex array of lifestyle changes and emotional responses, which can be difficult for family members to handle.

21 Feb 2017

What is 'Chemo Brain'?

Chemo brain is the term often used to describe the mental cloudiness or fog that cancer patients sometimes notice associated with treatment for cancer. This cognitive impairment can occur at any time before, during, or after treatment.

21 Feb 2017

Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer

Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, is sometimes used in the treatment of breast cancer, usually in addition to other treatment techniques such as surgery or chemotherapy. It uses high-energy X-rays or particles to destroy cells in a localized area to reduce or eradicate cancerous growth.

21 Feb 2017

Surgery for Breast Cancer

Most women affected by breast cancer will have some form of surgery as part of their treatment plan, although the type of surgical procedure used will depend on the situation.

21 Feb 2017

Types of Breast Cancer

There are many different types of breast cancer, and each case is usually classified according to its type during the diagnostic process. This is because the type of breast cancer will affect the appropriate treatment for each patient. The most common types of breast cancer are covered in more detail below.

21 Feb 2017

Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy is a common treatment for women who have breast cancer. In most cases, it is used in combination with other techniques such as surgical mastectomy, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy. However, it may be used as a stand-alone treatment in some cases, such as for advanced stage breast cancer.

15 Feb 2017

Oophorectomy for Ovarian Cancer

For women who are at high risk of developing ovarian breast cancer, prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy to remove the ovaries on both sides and reduce the risk of these cancers may be indicated. The procedure is primarily performed to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, although it is also associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

15 Feb 2017

Ovarian Cancer and Genetics

Women who have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to be affected by cancer of the ovaries, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cavity. This is thought to be due to a mutation in one of the genes that are involved in the regulation of cell growth and replication in these areas, which can be inherited from the parents.

15 Feb 2017