DEAR DR. ROACH: I had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a couple of years ago. I am in remission now, but I never knew what caused it. Is it hereditary, or due to infection? I was told I had hypercalcemia at the time. Could the hypercalcemia have caused the cancer? Also, I was treated with chemotherapy, called ICE […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Do home colon-cancer testing kits really help in the diagnosis of colon cancer? Do you recommend them? — E.F. ANSWER: I strongly recommend colon cancer screening for healthy people between the ages of 50 and 70. Based on other risk factors, some people need testing at a younger age, and for some, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently had a hip replacement. I am 84, with hearing loss. My family says my hearing is worse after the operation. My daughter talked with several seniors who experienced the same thing. They think it has to do with the anesthesia. Fact or fiction? — D.W. ANSWER: Possibly fact. Hearing loss […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent article, you spoke of small red blood cells. I have large ones. My MCV is 102, with no anemia. What causes this besides alcohol, and is it something to be concerned about? I do not abuse alcohol. Thank you. — C.P. ANSWER: MCV, the mean corpuscular volume, is a […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was advised by a doctor at a reputable hospital to put my mother in hospice for congestive heart failure. She also has multi-infarct dementia. That was a year ago. Her vitals have been checked twice a week since that time and are always good. Her oxygen level also is very good. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have worked in a loud facility for 35 years and have always worn protection and had my hearing tested annually. Several years ago, I had a threshold shift (a loss in my hearing range), and the plant nurse sent me to a hearing specialist. He said that my hearing loss is […]