Cancer News


From the American Cancer Society:

Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Prevention: Summary
"This document is a condensed version of the article describing the American Cancer Society (ACS) Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines, which are updated every 5 years. The guidelines were developed by the American Cancer Society 2006 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee and approved by the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors on May 19, 2006. The full article, written for heath care professionals, is published in the September/October 2006 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and is available for free online at: http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/content/vol56/issue5/ "

Symptom Screening Advances Early Ovarian Cancer Detection
"Physicians generally consider ovarian cancer to be a “silent killer"...There is no effective screening test to detect early stage disease in the general population or even high-risk groups.
Recent evidence suggests that early-stage symptoms may be recognizable and could be used to develop a symptom index for early disease."


From MD Anderson:

Decline in Breast Cancer Cases Likely Linked to Reduced Use of Hormone Replacement
"But the researchers stress that because the analysis is based solely on population statistics, they cannot know for certain the reasons why incidence declined. "We have to sound a cautionary note because epidemiology can never prove causation," he says. They considered whether other effects may be involved (such as decreased use of screening mammography and changes in the use of anti-inflammatory agents, SERMs or statins) but only the potential impact of HRT was strong enough to explain the effect."

Allergy Drug Slows Pancreatic Tumor Growth in Preclinical Studies
"An anti-allergy drug in use for more than 40 years significantly reduced tumor growth in animal models of human pancreatic cancer and also increased the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
In the Dec. 20 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the investigators report that combining the drug, cromolyn, with chemotherapy was nearly three times better at retarding growth of pancreatic tumors in mice compared to the chemotherapy agent gemcitabine alone.
The finding may lead to a treatment advance for patients with pancreatic cancer, believed to be the most lethal of all cancers. More than 95% of patients diagnosed with the disease die from it, and half of those deaths occur in the first six months after diagnosis."

Study Finds Lapatinib Shows Promise as Therapy for Inflammatory Breast Cancer: First multi-center clinical trial conducted for women with this rare disease
"In the first multi-center and international clinical trial conducted to better understand the complexities of a rare, aggressive and often lethal form of breast cancer, researchers have discovered that the experimental biological agent, lapatinib, successfully and specifically treats inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)."


From MacMillan Cancer Support:

Thousands of cancer patients lose their homes
Even though this survey was done in the UK, I think it's an important issue.
"New research out today shows one in seventeen (6%) people lose their home after being diagnosed with cancer and one in six (18%) have difficulties in keeping up with their mortgage or rental payments, according to Macmillan Cancer Support."


From UNC Chapel Hill Medical School:

Drug combination slows progression of treatment-resistant bone marrow cancer
"Combining a newly formulated drug with one that is already a standard treatment slows the progression of multiple myeloma, an advanced cancer of the bone marrow cells, according to a clinical trial led by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine researcher. "


From Google:

Cancer was the #3 Top Search of 2006 in Google News, right under Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom.


Cancer-related Websites:

I'm Too Young for This
Website for cancer survivors.

Cancer News
from the American Cancer Society:
Long-Term Cancer Risk Follows Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
"Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients face a significant long-term risk for developing a second cancer, particularly if they were older at the time of transplant or received stem cells from a female donor, according to a new study. "

Chemotherapy Temporarily Affects Structures of the Human Brain
"Researchers have linked chemotherapy with short-term structural changes in cognitive areas of the brain...the study reveals that within 12 months of receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, significant regions of the brain associated with memory, analysis and other cognitive functions were significantly smaller in breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy than those who did not. Within four years after treatment, however, there were no differences in these same regions of the brain. "


from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center:

Second Opinion? Consulting with experienced, specialized breast team recommended for many
"Women with breast cancer who seek a second opinion on their mammograms from experienced specialists at a major cancer center frequently get a new plan for their care, a new study shows. The data show that seeking a second opinion for breast cancer may make a big difference in a patient’s diagnosis and treatment. Second opinions are often covered by insurance, but patients usually need to seek them on their own."


from MD Anderson:

"Trojan Horse" Agent Halts Bone Metastasis in MiceHuman Clinical Trial for Drug Could Open Within a Year
"A novel vascular targeting agent completely prevented the development of bone tumors in 50 percent of the mice tested in a preclinical study, providing early evidence that it could treat, or thwart, growth of tumors in bone, a common destination for a number of cancers when they start to spread."



The American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter has a plethora of wonderful information in the Winter 2007 edition including:

• Healthy recipes for the holidays
• Tasty ways to cook veggies
• Are you healthy? --nutritional quizzes
• Info on how to match oils to cooking temperatures
• Chart for finding a safe range for your heart rate

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

Colorectal Careline - This is a new resource for anyone diagnosed with colorectal cancer to receive a $200 grant for temporary housing, transportation, childcare, or food costs necessitated by treatment.


In other health news.... Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day and the U.S. Government has created a new web portal of HIV/AIDS information.


WORK AND HOLIDAYS HAVE YOU STRESSED OUT??

I'm not sure about how informative this is, but this little stress dude can certainly help relieve stress by making you laugh.

Office Stress Relief -- Not a recommended form of stress relief, but funny to watch.

Cancer News

from the American Cancer Society:

Many Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients Have Unrecognized and Undertreated Psychological Needs
"Almost half of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients are found to have clinically significant emotional distress or symptoms of psychiatric disorders before treatment is begun, according to a new study published in the December 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society."

Peer and Family Support Tops Needs of Young Adult Cancer Survivors
"Adolescent and young adult cancer patients rank support from family, friends and other cancer survivors as high priority healthcare needs, according to a new University of Southern California study."


from WEHI Medical Research:

Hope for a more effective and less toxic cancer drug


from Yale:

Spike in Testicular Cancer is Focusof $5.5 Million NCI Grant to Yale
"Pinpointing reasons behind the dramatic increase in testicular cancer, now the most common malignant cancer among 15-to-35-year-old Caucasian men, is the focus of a five-year, $5.5 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant to Yale Public Health researcher Tongzhang Zheng."


from Medical News Today:

40% Of U.S. Women Ages 18 To 75 Know About HPV, Survey Says
"Forty percent of U.S. women ages 18 to 75 have heard about human papillomavirus and of those women, 20% are aware that it can cause cervical cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute's 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey"


from the Karolinska Institute:

Fizzy drinks increase risk of pancreatic cancer
"The high consumption of sweetened food and drink increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet. A heavy intake of fizzy drinks, creamed fruit and sugar in coffee are three common ways of increasing the risk."


from the FDA:

Benzene in Soft Drinks
"Benzene, a carcinogen, is found in the environment from natural and man-made sources. In November 2005, FDA received reports that benzene had been detected at low levels in some soft drinks containing benzoate salts (an antimicrobial agent) and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), particularly under certain conditions of storage, shelf life and handling.
The results of this survey, which will be released in the near future, indicate that the levels of benzene in these beverages do not pose a safety concern."


from the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health and USA Today :

USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of Households Affected by Cancer
"This USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey provides an in-depth examination of how families cope with cancer and highlights problems of health insurance and health care costs through the lens of those who have experienced this major illness. The survey shows the disease’s devastating impact often extends beyond an individual patient to affect entire families -- sometimes causing financial crises, strained relationships, and physical and mental health issues for those who love and care for people diagnosed with cancer."

Results and Chart
Survey Questions


from the Archives of Dermatology:

Malignant Melanoma in Marathon Runners
"Compared with a representative control group, marathon runners presented with an increased risk for malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer."



from the National Cancer Institute:

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Helps Survivors Overcome Fatigue
"A new study published in the October 20 Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy, can be an effective tool for fighting persistent posttreatment fatigue."



Other Cancer Related Websites:

MedlinePlus: Videos of Surgical Procedures
This site includes videos on different types of surgery for various types of cancer. If someone is curious about a type of procedure, this would be a great resource to view.

Cancer News

from Sloan-Kettering:

Long-term Outcomes for Prostate Cancer Show Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Curative: 89 Percent of Men Disease-Free Eight Years Later
"Results from the largest study of men with prostate cancer treated with high-dose, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) show that the majority of patients remain alive with no evidence of disease after an average follow-up period of eight years."


from Indiana University:
Headache Herb May Boost Cancer Survival
"Now scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine want to write another, hoping to turn an extract from feverfew--an herb traditionally used as a treatment for migraine headaches--into a new tool to fight cancer.
The compound, parthenolide, may be a key to reducing the spread (metastasis) or the recurrence of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, lung, bladder, leukemia, and myeloma."

Women with Mental Disorders Less Likely to Have Mammograms: Nature of Mental Illness Does Play a Role
"Severity contributed to lower receipt of mammography among women with mood and anxiety disorders, however women with psychotic, alcohol, and substance abuse disorders had decreased odds for receipt of mammography regardless of severity, the authors reported."


from M.D. Anderson:
Researcher at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Receives $250,000 Carcinoid Tumor Research Grant
"The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant for carcinoid research under the direction of Lee M. Ellis, M.D., professor of surgery and cancer biology and The John E. and Dorothy J. Harris Professor in Gastrointestinal Cancer Research at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center."


from the Center of the Advancement of Health:

Direct Access to OB/GYNs Fails to Improve Cancer Screening Rates
"Laws requiring managed-care plans to allow women direct access to obstetricians or gynecologists have failed to increase screening rates for breast and cervical cancer, according to a new study."


from the International Program for Psycho-Social Health Research:

Evaluation of Use of Standardised Questionnaire for Hospice
"The study is examining the question of whether the use of a number of assessment questionnaires interferes with or facilitates holistic, compassionate hospice care. To achieve this end, this work focuses on patient's descriptions of their experience with filling out the questionnaires."


from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:

New hope for children when leukemia treatment fails
"Clinicians at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have successfully demonstrated an improved technique for blood stem cell transplantations in children that shows promise for those most likely to fail standard treatment for leukemia."

St. Jude announces breakthrough in eye cancer treatment
"Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have demonstrated in the laboratory a new, locally applied treatment for the eye cancer retinoblastoma that not only greatly reduces the size of the tumor, but does so without causing the side effects common with standard chemotherapy. "

from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:
U.S. OKs Gleevec for Five Rare Diseases
"The newly approved uses for Gleevec include treatment of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, hypereosinophilic syndrome, aggressive systemic mastocytosis, and some myeloproliferative disorders. "


from MSNBC:

Control your hormones to stop breast cancer
"Researchers now agree breast cancer occurs in several distinct forms. Although researchers continue to unravel how each form develops, a variety of hormones are critical pieces of the puzzle...a few steps [are] likely to promote healthy levels of the hormones involved."

Anti-smoking messages to appear on DVDs
"Film industry veterans Bob and Harvey Weinstein will put anti-smoking video messages on DVDs of movies in which people smoke — a move sought by U.S. states to combat teen smoking.
Beginning with December's release of "Clerks II" by director Kevin Smith, Weinstein's DVDs will include an anti-smoking ad aimed at discouraging kids from lighting up."


from the United States Department of Health and Human Services:
HHS Secretary Announces Development of Physical Activity Guidelines at National Prevention Summit
"HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Department will develop comprehensive guidelines, drawn from science, to help Americans fit physical activity into their lives."


from the National Cancer Institute:
Lung Cancer Screening Study Spurs Optimism, Caution
"New results from a large, observational study suggest that using spiral computed tomography (CT) to screen people at increased risk for lung cancer can detect the disease at an early stage and may increase the number of people who can be cured. Currently, the vast majority of lung cancer diagnoses aren't made until the disease is well advanced, and most of these patients die within 5 years."

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Helps Survivors Overcome Fatigue
"Posttreatment fatigue is a common and debilitating side effect faced by many cancer survivors. A new study published in the October 20 Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy, can be an effective tool for fighting persistent posttreatment fatigue."


from CureXtra:
Avastin Added to Standard Treatment for Lung Cancer, Cost Capped at $55K
"Avastin® (bevacizumab) was approved in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of a common lung cancer."

Vectibix Approved for Metastatic Colon Cancer, Price Cap Set for Drug Cost
"After the announcement that Vectibix™ (panitumumab) was approved for metastatic colorectal cancer following priority review by the Food and Drug Administration, the drug’s manufacturer, Amgen, announced the Vectibix Cap, a price cap for out-of-pocket expenses for patients equaling 5 percent of their annual income, regardless of income level or insurance status."


from Merck:
Merck's New Cervical Cancer Vaccine, Gardasil®, Unanimously Recommended by CDC Advisory Panel for Vaccination of Girls and Women 11 to 26 Years
"...the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted unanimously to recommend that girls and women 11 to 26 years old be vaccinated with GARDASIL® ...to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous and low-grade lesions, and genital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18. "


OTHER WEBSITES OF INTEREST

If you want to find out if that "forwarded" email is really true, check out SNOPES, the Urband Legends Reference Page that researches the validity of some circulating emails.

For a while emails were circulating (and still are) about dioxins and how freezing and microwaving plastic containers can release chemicals into our foods and cause cancer. This is an urban legend. If you are concerned about microwaving food, dioxins, and cooking with plastics, the following two sites have helpful, reliable information on those topics:

Tips from the FDA on how to microwave food (imho, take a few more minutes and use the oven; toss the microwave).

What are dioxins? How do I cook with plastic? Rolf Holden, PhD. from the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, answers these questions and more.

From Cure:

In Situ Cancer: Is it really cancer?
"The latin phrase “in situ,” meaning “in place,” is used in the context of cancer to describe abnormal cells that have not escaped the part of the body where they developed, thus DCIS specifically refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a milk duct that have not invaded surrounding breast tissue."

Breast Cancer: Adjuvant hormonal treatment
"Adjuvant therapies for breast cancer can include radiation, chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapies, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, or AIs, which are prescribed particularly for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. "

Mesothelioma
While lung cancer affects the airways of the lung itself, pleural mesothelioma affects the tissues lining the lung and the chest ... can also grow across the thin mesothelial tissue that lines the abdomen (peritoneum) or, rarely, the heart or testicles. Mesothelioma is unusual in that it’s tightly linked with an environmental cause—asbestos exposure, which accounts for more than 80 percent of cases."


From St. Jude's Hospital:

St. Jude first to describe new statistical method
"Statisticians at St. Jude have developed a technique that allows researchers to statistically analyze results of clinical trials in which all participants receive the new treatment being studied and none is assigned to a control group that gets the existing treatment. Instead, the treatment group is compared with a so-called “historical control” composed of patients who got the existing treatment in a previous study."

Hearing loss models could lead to new treatments
"Children with cancer who suffer hearing loss due to the toxic effects of chemotherapy might one day be able to get their hearing back through pharmacological and gene therapy, thanks to work done with mouse models at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."

Cancer Survival Rates
5 year cancer survival rates from 1962 to present.

Switching cancer drugs on at the right place
"Clinicians might one day treat patient who have cancer more effectively and with fewer side effects by administering inactive drugs that get “turned on” only when they reach cancer cells, according to a team of St. Jude investigators."


From the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society:

Thioguanine Too Toxic for Maintenance Treatment of Childhood Leukemia
"Because of its hepatotoxicity and its increased risk of fatal infection, 6-thioguanine should not replace 6-mercaptopurine as the optimal continuing therapy in children with lymphoblastic leukemia in remission, UK researchers report in the October 14th issue of The Lancet."


From the American Institute for Cancer Research:

Entice Your Tastebuds and Fight Breast Cancer, Too
"Vegetables and fruits have a high water content. That’s why you can eat plenty of them without getting too many calories. Eating lots of deeply colored vegetables and fruits also gets you the most health-protective compounds, called phytochemicals, along with vitamins and minerals." There is a week's worth of recipes included on the site!


From Medlineplus:

Suicide Risk Doubles After Cancer Diagnosis
"Although their overall incidence of suicide is still low, cancer patients are more than twice as likely to take their own lives compared to those in the general population."


From BBC News:

'Personalised' cancer drug test
"A gene test that predicts which cancer drugs will be most effective for different people is to be trialled in the US."

From the American Cancer Society:

Study Identifies Women with Breast Cancer Most Likely To Benefit from Aromatase Inhibitor after 5 Years of Tamoxifen
"While some breast cancer survivors could benefit from adding aromatase inhibitors to the standard five years of tamoxifen, a new study shows the additional therapy should be weighed carefully for each individual. Writing in the December 1, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study’s authors say potential improvement in cancer-free survival beyond 5 years with the added therapy may be less than 2 percent for most patients. "


From the FDA:

FDA Approves New Treatment for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate for use in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil prior to radiotherapy for the treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This disease represents approximately 3 percent of all new cancer cases in the United States."


From ComScore Networks: Measuring the Digital Age:

Cancer Sufferers and Caregivers Take Their Fight Against Cancer Online
Check out the study! Some findings were: Among people who researched cancer information online in the past year, breast cancer was the most frequently researched form of the disease. 70 percent of researchers seek details on treatment options, while an equal percentage look for information on symptoms for diagnosing the condition. More than half (52 percent) seek information on causes of cancer, 40 percent research information on cancer drugs and 38 percent seek help in coping with cancer. Health Reminders: Put ICE (in case of emergency) on your cell phone with the best contact!!!



Cancer Related Websites:

Caring Bridge
From the website: "CaringBridge® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering free personalized Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during significant life events. Our mission is to bring together a global community of care powered by the love of family and friends in an easy, accessible and private way."

Lotsa Helping Hands
From the website: "Lotsa Helping Hands is a simple, immediate way for friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to assist loved ones in need. It's an easy-to-use, private group calendar, specifically designed for organizing helpers, where everyone can pitch in with meals delivery, rides, and other tasks necessary for life to run smoothly during a crisis. "

LiveStrong: Survivor Stories
Find stories of cancer survivors by type of cancer and gender. Watch the video or read the transcript!

TIP: Put ICE as a contact on your mobile phone In Case of Emergency!!!