Editors from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) explain the biggest research advances this year in the report, Clinical Cancer Advances 2009: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening.

After a diagnosis of cancer, one of the first questions asked by a person is whether the cancer can be treated successfully. For tips on bringing up prognosis with the doctor and to learn what patients should know, Cancer.Net talked with Ira R. Byock, MD.

Hormone therapy is a treatment option for women with early-stage, hormone-sensitive breast cancer, identified by the presence of hormone receptors. Hormone therapy lowers the risk of recurrence (cancer that returns after treatment) by blocking tumor growth caused by hormones so that cancer cells either die or remain inactive. To learn more about women’s options for hormone therapy and what they should know, Cancer.Net talked with Clifford A. Hudis, MD.

Vitamin D is one of several nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. It may also play a role in reducing the risk of cancer, and several research studies are exploring this link. Cancer.Net talked with Richard Goldberg, MD, to learn more about current research on vitamin D and what people should know.

More than 8,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year. The disease is often curable even when at an advanced stage. To find out what men should know about testicular cancer, Cancer.Net talked with Larry Einhorn, MD, a medical oncologist who treated cyclist and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau, both survivors of testicular cancer.

For early-stage breast cancer, doctors generally recommend surgery to remove the tumor. Some women can choose between two types of surgery: a lumpectomy or mastectomy, although lumpectomy is not always a recommended option. To help women talk with their doctors about this decision, Cancer.Net spoke with Julie Gralow, MD.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) created the Managing the Cost of Cancer Care booklet to help patients start and guide conversations with their health care team about financial planning before, during, and after treatment. To learn more about this resource and what people with cancer should know, Cancer.Net talked with Lidia Schapira, MD.

More than 30,000 medical professionals who treat people with cancer are meeting at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO’s) Annual Meeting May 29 to June 2 in Orlando, Florida, where nearly 4,000 new research studies are being featured. What should patients know about this meeting? To find out, Cancer.Net talked with Richard L. Schilsky, MD.

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test helps detect prostate cancer in men, but the test has some disadvantages. Recent research studies suggest that screening for prostate cancer with PSA tests may not lower actual deaths from prostate cancer. To help men weigh the benefits and risks of PSA screening, Cancer.Net talked with Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD.

A new provisional clinical opinion (PCO) by the American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer that has spread to other areas of the body) receive testing for mutations in the KRAS(pronounced kay-rass) gene. To learn more about PCOs and what this recommendation means for patients, Cancer.Net talked with Richard L. Schilsky, MD.