- With Mayo Clinic medical oncologist
Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D.
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Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D.
Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
"As a practicing medical oncologist, I meet with patients and families every day to help manage their course through this disease called cancer. This experience provides unique insight into the needs of cancer patients, their families and loved ones and brings into sharp focus the need for reliable information to be readily available in terms that can be easily understood." — Dr. Timothy Moynihan
Dr. Timothy Moynihan believes that providing consumers with accurate, timely information on the broad, complex topic of cancer is the biggest challenge facing medical websites. As the guiding force behind our cancer content, he makes sure Mayo Clinic meets the test.
Dr. Moynihan, born in Las Vegas, N.M., and raised in Denver, is a consultant in medical oncology at Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn. He's board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice and palliative care medicine.
He did his medical oncology training at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and then went on to the University of Minnesota and St. Paul Regions Medical Center for seven years before moving to Mayo Clinic in 1999. Dr. Moynihan is medical director of the Mayo Clinic hospice.
Dr. Moynihan serves as the education chair for the Department of Oncology and the fellowship program director. Four times he has been selected as Teacher of the Year in medical oncology and elected to the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame.
Past honors include distinguished clinical teacher at the University of Minnesota Medical School, best internist at the Medical College of Wisconsin and recipient of the Upjohn Achievement Award for Excellence in Medicine. Dr. Moynihan serves on several national committees for the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
"The Internet provides a ready source of information on a wide range of topics of interest to those affected by cancer," Dr. Moynihan says. "The difficulty is trying to decide which sites provide reputable information and which information is relevant to each individual patient. The long history and tradition of excellence associated with Mayo Clinic assures you that information provided will be reliable, up-to-date and comprehensive."
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Question
Night shift and cancer: Any connection?
Does working the night shift increase the risk of cancer?
Answer
from Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D.
Various studies have suggested an association between night shift work and an increased risk of cancer, perhaps due to altered circadian rhythms or lower levels of melatonin in the blood. Still, these studies haven't proved that night shift work causes cancer. In fact, many of the studies linking shift work and cancer have serious limitations — including difficulty controlling for known cancer risk factors, such as smoking.
If you work the night shift, switching to the day shift isn't likely to change your overall cancer risk. However, you can take other steps to help prevent cancer. For example:
- Don't use tobacco.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Include physical activity in your daily routine.
- Protect yourself from the sun.
- If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation.
- Ask your doctor about vaccines for certain viral infections, such as hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Also remember the importance of regular self-exams and professional screening for various types of cancer. Early detection increases the odds of successful treatment.
Next questionShift work: Improving daytime sleep
- Mead MN. Shift work-cancer debate goes on. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2007;115:A535.
- Kolstad HA. Nightshift work and risk of breast cancer and other cancers — A critical review of the epidemiologic evidence. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. 2008;34:5.
- Khan N, et al. Lifestyle as risk factor for cancer: Evidence from human studies. Cancer Letters. 2010;293:133.
- Recommended adult immunization schedule: United States, 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/adult/2010/adult-schedule.pdf. Accessed Sept. 7, 2010.
- How do I protect myself from UV rays? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/sunanduvexposure/skincancerpreventionandearlydetection/skin-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-u-v-protection. Accessed Sept. 7, 2010.
- Pronk A, et al. Night-shift work and breast cancer risk in a cohort of Chinese women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2010;171:953.
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