February is Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month

Matt Brooks: [00:00:00] Good morning. I’m Matt Brooks on X101 Always Classic in for another cancer prevention segment with the CSP program of Cayuga, Cortland and Tompkins Counties being in the studio. Courtney Maxson, Senior Public Health Educator from the Cortland County Health Department. How’s it going this February?

Courtney Maxson: It’s going great. Thanks !

Matt Brooks: Well, We got many things to talk about and, uh , I actually was thought it was gonna be, uh, like a cardiac related, like heart related month, but we have a, an interesting, not so common form of cancer to talk about this month. It’s gallbladder cancer and bile duct Cancer Awareness month. Haven’t really heard about this one.

Courtney, can you tell me about it?

Courtney Maxson: It is really rare. It’s only affects, uh , 8,000 people roughly a year across the United States. However, it’s, one of those cancers that you wanna just kind of like keep an eye on because it, it really is, uh, affecting more of our older population, of our seventies and eighties, uh , year old population.

Um , So it’s something to keep an eye on, especially if you’re starting to notice any like [00:01:00] symptoms. Um , The symptoms for those kind for these two cancers are kind of, uh , later, um , when it’s. Progressed a little bit more, but like, uh , jaundice. Yeah. So if you’re seeing like yellowing of your eyes or your skin, that’s a huge indicator.

You need to get to that doctor right away,

Matt Brooks: Right, cause with this form of cancer, when it gets to that point, the , the survival rates are also. Unfortunately pretty low too.

Courtney Maxson: Yes, unfortunately they are. So, um, you know, Like 25% if it’s still localized and then if it has spread it’s 3%, five year, uh, survival rate.

So that’s pretty grim. However, that’s why those preventative, uh , health screenings and physicals every year with the blood work and all the things that we dread of doing and we think sometimes aren’t really worth our time really are because it’s really keeping in check what’s going on in your body year to year.

Matt Brooks: Yeah, if you can keep it at a regular pace of checking in on yourself doing those healthy habits, it really helps up cause it really piles up near the, uh , near the end of the life. It’s just everything over those [00:02:00] decades, it just piles up.

Courtney Maxson: It really does. So eating well, um , exercising, cutting back on your alcohol consumption and quitting smoking or vaping, those are important things.

And I know we really drill that in year after year, month after month. But really. You know, Really dissipating those toxins and damage to your body really will help you have a longer life.

Matt Brooks: And I mean , what better month to talk about it? ‘Cause it is also National Cancer Prevention Month in February. And healthy habits limiting alcohol, uh , reducing your exposure to toxins, that includes radon.

I know last month I was speaking to Liz and Cortland County has higher. Then, uh , average radon levels, making sure your home’s checked for that, reducing exposure to those toxins. Courtney, we are running a little bit out of time, but, uh, is there any other things that, uh , habit wise that we could do, uh, to help lower our risk of cancer?

Courtney Maxson: You know, It is February. Love your body. Love yourself. Love your [00:03:00] life, really get out there, get that exercise, eat better. Make some changes now. If you haven’t done it, prolong your life and , and live a happy, healthy life.

Matt Brooks: Maybe instead of a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, you can maybe get some guacamole, get some, avocado in you.

Courtney Maxson: Yeah, let’s get some guacamole.

Matt Brooks: And for anything with the screening process, cause like breast cancer, other forms of cancer, you want to get screened. If you don’t have health insurance, if you need help getting that screening, people should know. Contact Courtney at the cancer services program. How do they get ahold of you?

Courtney Maxson: Thanks, uh , give me a call at (607)-758-5523 or you can locate us on our website at cortlandcountyny.gov.

Matt Brooks: Well, Thank you for joining me on another cancer prevention segment, Courtney, I’ll see you next month.

Courtney Maxson: See you next month. Have a great Valentine’s Day.

Matt Brooks: It’s X101. Always Classic. I’m Matt Brooks.