Amy Downing
England, Humber
Associate Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, interested in cancer inequalities, improving outcomes, survivorship issues, making best use of data. Views my own.
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Articles by Amy Downing
Would You Trust a Password Manager?
In a moment of panic, I purchased two years of a password manager service. Nothing had actually happened. I had not been hacked. No mysterious person in another country was trying to buy electronics with my credit card. I had listened to a podcast about security breaches and decided that I needed a password manager immediately.
What I Look for in an App I’ll Actually Keep Using
There seems to be an app for everything these days, and almost all of them promise to save us time, save us money or make life easier. I have been guilty of downloading apps because they were on someone’s list of “Top 5 Useful Apps for Women Over 50,” only to never open them again. But there are a handful of apps I use regularly because they actually do remove friction, solve a problem or make life easier in some way.
The Friendships We Notice and Those We Don’t
July 05, 2026 Family A table of women laughing before the senior center program. A group photo from the church retreat. Smiling faces in the park district newsletter after Bunco night. It’s easy to look at moments like these and conclude that everyone else has found the friendships you’ve been searching for. Those moments are real. But they’re only one expression of friendship. We naturally notice the friendships that gather in groups because they’re the easiest to see.
My Digital Footprint – What I Learned
As I prepared to write this article, I googled myself multiple times. Each search turned up something different. Several months ago, I had requested removal from the Zoom.info database and hadn’t thought much about it since. My initial search showed mostly expected results – my website, my LinkedIn profile, and social media links from a local organization I volunteer for. But then I dug deeper. I googled my name and hometown, then tried my maiden name and my husband’s name.
Feeding hummingbirds not just about sugar
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Feeding hummingbirds not just about sugar
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How to Use Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App Safely
We are community supported and may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Learn more The stories about scams tied to mobile payment apps are enough to make anyone hesitate. They did for me. I’m usually quick to try new tech, but this was one area where I held back. That changed when our youngest son moved into his college apartment. I needed a simple way to send him money each month. That’s when I finally agreed to let him teach me how to use Cash App.
Colorectal cancer outcomes show relationships with the type and extent of vascular complications in individuals with diabetes: A population-based study
Diabetes is associated with poorer treatment-related outcomes in patients with cancer. It is not known whether the excess mortality risk in patients with colorectal cancer is heterogeneous or if those experiencing microvascular and/or macrovascular complications have different risk profiles. Individuals with diabetes complications underwent less potentially curative major surgery than those without diabetes or complications.
Forget the closets for a minute. The best spring cleaning you can do this year starts with the device in your pocket. No heavy lifting, no dust, and you can do it from the couch. Spend an intentional 30 minutes and run through my list of what to clean up on your phone. You’ll be rewarded with more storage space, less digital clutter, and maybe even a faster phone. Take a moment to review the shots from a recent event and pick your best ones. Now delete the duplicates and blurry shots.
The Simple Browser Tool That Made Choosing My Next Book Easy Again
I spent much of last year in a reading rut, and I couldn’t understand why. It seems like book recommendations are everywhere; podcasts, Facebook posts, and the viral ‘bookstgrammers’ I like to follow have no shortage of suggestions for me. At first I thought it was a matter of ‘getting organized’. I started a Google sheet to add titles every time something that looked interesting crossed my path. But later, I could not remember anything about the books on the list or why I added them.
Picture this: your thumbs are cramped, your wrists ache, and your eyes are tired from squinting at the tiny screen. It’s a familiar scene for anyone who spends too much time texting or dealing with digital devices. I was tired of the eyestrain I got from typing texts. That’s why I can’t gatekeep this new-to-me tool that makes texting and generally using my phone 10,000 times easier. This tool is dictation – or using voice-to-text.
Hidden Smartphone Settings That Make Life Easier
Your smartphone, whether brand-new or a few years old, contains features designed to make your daily life easier. You just need to know what these features are called and where to look for them. Poking around in the settings menu might seem intimidating at first. But avoiding this necessary task actually leads to more frustration. Technology does not need to feel like a puzzle. With a little guidance, you can easily discover the settings that simplify your phone experience.
Understanding the relationship between surgical specialisation and outcomes following emergency surgery for colorectal cancer - a retrospective population-based study in the English NHS - European Journal of Surgical Oncology
Key words surgical resection specialist postoperative mortality population-based Get full text access Log in, subscribe or purchase for full access. 7. REFERENCES 1. Ascanelli, S. ... Early and late outcome after surgery for colorectal cancer: elective versus emergency surgery Tumori. 2003; 89:36-41 2. Bass, G. ... Emergency first presentation of colorectal cancer predicts significantly poorer outcomes: a review of 356 consecutive Irish patients Dis Colon Rectum. 2009; 52:678-684 3. Kirchhoff, P. ...
Registry-Based Study Comparing Health-Related Quality of Life between patients with Primary Rectal Cancer and Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer
Keywords Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) clinical registries locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) Abbreviations PROs (Patient-reported outcomes) PROMs (patient-reported outcome measures) NBOCA (National Bowel Cancer Audit) CORECT-R (COloRECTal cancer data Repository) HrQoL (health-related quality of life) PRC (primary rectal cancer) LRRC (locally recurrent rectal cancer) R0 (complete surgical resection margin) R1 (microscopically positive...
Decision Regret Regarding Treatment Choices 1 Year After a New Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer
Cutting Edge communicationVolume 86, Issue 3p286-288 aLeeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK bDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK cDepartment of Urology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK dLeeds Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK eLeeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK fLeeds Institute for Data Analytics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK...
Colorectal polyp outcomes after participation in the seAFOod polyp prevention trial: Evidence of rebound elevated colorectal polyp risk after short‐term aspirin use
Data collection Data were obtained at individual-, test (each endoscopic procedure)-, BCSP episode (which can include one or more endoscopic procedures as a single administrative clinical episode)- and polyp-level. For each post-trial surveillance colonoscopy, the time elapsed since the first surveillance colonoscopy and extent of examination (complete or incomplete colonoscopy) were noted, as well as the number of separate procedures per individual.
The response of freshwater plankton communities to temporal concurrence of agrochemical mixtures
The response of freshwater plankton communities to temporal concurrence of agrochemical mixtures Autores: Ana del Arco, Gema Parra Anguita, Amy Lynn Downing Localización: Limnetica, ISSN 0213-8409, Vol. 42, Nº. 2, 2023, págs.
City should maintain the East Side properties it owns
The mass shooting of 13 individuals at the Jefferson Avenue Tops on May 14 has not only irrevocably changed the lives of their immediate families, friends and community. In addition, it has thrown into stark relief the degree to which an entire section of Buffalo has been neglected by policymakers and shaped by systemic racism for decades.
Quality of Life After Bladder Cancer: A Cross-sectional Survey of Patient-reported Outcomes
Abstract Background Little is known about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following treatment for bladder cancer (BC). Objective To determine this, we undertook a cross-sectional survey covering 10% of the English population. Design, setting, and participants Participants 1–10 yr from diagnosis were identified through national cancer registration data. Intervention A postal survey was administered containing generic HRQOL and BC-specific outcome measures.
Improving outcome prediction in individuals with colorectal cancer and diabetes by accurate assessment of vascular complications: Implications for clinical practice
Abstract Background Diabetes is considered a risk factor for mortality following a diagnosis of cancer. We hypothesised that the risk will vary due to the heterogeneous nature of the population and accurate classification of vascular complications will improve prediction of clinical outcomes. Methods The COloRECTal cancer data Repository (CORECT-R) was used to identify individuals with primary colorectal cancer, who underwent surgical resection in England (2005–2016).
Decision regret in men living with and beyond non‐metastatic prostate cancer in the UK: a population‐based patient‐reported outcome study
PAPER Sarah Wilding Corresponding Author E-mail address: s.e.wilding@leeds.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7977-7132 Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, University of Leeds Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Correspondence Sarah Wilding, School of Psychology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT. Email: s.e.wilding@leeds.ac.uk, Tel: 0113 3436696.
Healing to Healthy receives grant from Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley
Submitted by Amy L. Downing Updated 2/11/2020 8:07 PM Healing to Healthy received a $2,000 grant from The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley under the fall 2019 grant cycle. The grant will allow the organization to purchase sewing machines to advance Healing to Healthy's mission of creating comfort clothing for mastectomy patients.
VNA Health Care opens second health center in Carol Stream
Submitted by Amy Downing Updated 5/17/2019 7:33 PM hello VNA Health Care is pleased to announce the opening of a second health center in Carol Stream. VNA Health Center -- Mona Kea is located at 397 S. Schmale Road in Carol Stream. Primary care services at this location include pediatrics (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday) and family practice (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Friday) in addition to case management and care coordination. Call (630) 892-4355 for an appointment or walk in during hours listed.
Regional Variations in Quality of Survival Among Men with Prostate Cancer Across the United Kingdom
1. Introduction Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed male cancers in the UK [1x[1]Cancer Research UK. Prostate cancer statistics. http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/prostate-cancer. Google ScholarSee all References][1], with incidence and survival rates varying between and within the UK's four constituent countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland [NI]) [1x[1]Cancer Research UK. Prostate cancer statistics.
Quality of life in men living with advanced and localised prostate cancer in the UK: a population-based study
Summary Background Little is known about the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of men living with advanced prostate cancer. We report population-wide functional outcomes and HRQOL in men with all stages of prostate cancer and identify implications for health-care delivery. Methods For this population-based study, men in the UK living 18–42 months after diagnosis of prostate cancer were identified through cancer registration data.
Rectal cancer in old age -is it appropriately managed? Evidence from population-based analysis of routine data across the English national health service - European Journal of Surgical Oncology
To view the full text, please login as a subscribed user or purchase a subscription. Click here to view the full text on ScienceDirect. Fig. 1 Stoma creation and closure rates for patients who underwent an anterior resection, by age at diagnosis. Fig. 2 a: Results from PROMs data for patients whose stoma was not reversed - 'Perfect' health. b: Results from PROMs data for patients whose stoma was not reversed - Embarrassed by stoma. Fig.
Treatment for erectile dysfunction among older men in Northern Ireland
Erectile dysfunction is common among older men; however, diagnosis and treatment compared to reported prevalence is low. We aim to identify the degree to which older men are offered treatment for the condition and determine the level of unmet need within Northern Ireland (NI). Analysis of data collected using a cross‐sectional survey was conducted for men aged ≥60 years with data weighted to the NI population by age and deprivation.
Health-related quality of life after treatment for bladder cancer in England
In total, 1252 BC patients were randomly identified and sent a questionnaire (Fig. 1). Of these, 21 (2%) died during the survey period, leaving 1231 eligible patients. Questionnaires were returned by 673 people (54% response rate), including 500 (74%) men and 162 (24%) women (Table 1). Most respondents were white (93%) and were in remission from BC (65%). Co-existing LTCs were common (80% reported ≥1 LTC and 29% reported ≥3). The most common treatment was endoscopy/telescopy (31%).
High hospital research participation and improved colorectal cancer survival outcomes: a population-based study
Clinical research provides evidence to improve the care of patients in the future.
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