#PatientSupport

A major global review finds that structured exercise can significantly lessen some of the hardest side effects of cancer treatment. The analysis, led by researchers at Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, surveyed hundreds of studies from 2012 to 2024. For Thai readers, the findings offer practical, culturally resonant guidance for integrating physical activity into cancer care.

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can take a heavy toll on the body and mind. In Thailand, cancer remains a leading health challenge affecting families and the health system. Until now, non-pharmaceutical support like exercise lacked clear, nationwide standards to guide clinicians and patients in recovery plans.

A sweeping new global review has concluded that exercise can dramatically reduce some of the most debilitating side effects experienced by cancer patients, including heart and nerve damage, cognitive impairment, and psychological distress. Published on April 29, 2025, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, this analysis—led by Shengjing hospital of China Medical University—is being hailed as the most exhaustive review of its kind to date and offers compelling evidence to routinely incorporate physical activity into cancer care protocols (The Guardian).

A growing body of research and expert commentary shows a global, including Thai, need: sexual health support is often unmet for people living with and beyond cancer. As treatments improve and survival rises, quality of life—especially intimate wellbeing—becomes a crucial part of care. Medical professionals in Thailand and abroad urge clinicians, patients, and policymakers to treat sexual health as an essential component of cancer care, not a side issue.

Cancer touches every facet of life, and sexual health is particularly vulnerable to disruption. A psychologist from a leading international medical center explains that sexual well-being is connected to emotional and physical recovery during diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Yet doctors frequently overlook these conversations, even as Thai and global studies show most patients experience some sexual health concern during their cancer journey.

Recent research and expert statements have highlighted an often silent struggle faced by cancer patients worldwide—including here in Thailand: the significant unmet need for sexual health support during and after cancer treatment. As treatments improve and survival rates rise, the quality of life, especially intimate wellbeing, has emerged as an urgent concern for many survivors and their families. Medical professionals from the Cleveland Clinic and Thai academic circles now urge healthcare providers, patients, and policy-makers to recognize sexual health as an integral part of cancer care—one that is too often neglected, misunderstood, or left unaddressed (Cleveland Clinic, 2024; J Med Assoc Thai PDF).

A routine sore throat took a shocking turn for Vanessa Abraham, a California speech pathologist, whose mysterious illness sent her to the intensive care unit for weeks and left doctors baffled for months. Abraham’s ordeal, recently reported by CBS News, highlights the challenges of diagnosing rare neurological diseases—including a little-known variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome—that have implications both in the United States and here in Thailand, where uncommon health conditions can similarly stump practitioners and families.

A routine sore throat became a life-changing crisis for Vanessa Abraham, a California speech pathologist. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, landing her in intensive care for weeks and leaving doctors puzzled for months. The case, highlighted by CBS News, spotlights the challenges of diagnosing rare neurological conditions, including a little-known Guillain-Barré syndrome variant. The story resonates beyond the United States and offers lessons for Thai readers navigating similar medical uncertainties.

Abraham’s initial symptoms appeared flu-like: fatigue, body aches, and a raspy voice. Within days, she could barely move or breathe on her own. She was rushed to hospital, intubated, and placed on a ventilator. She recalls the experience as among the most fear-filled moments of her life as clinicians searched for answers while she could not speak or eat. The medical team’s tireless efforts eventually revealed a diagnosis four months later: the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare form that affects nerves in the throat, neck, and arms.